free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Made plans on the Saturday with Mrs Bagger that if the weather was good on the Sunday we would take the dogs out for a good walk. This was to make up for the fact that my golf was crap on the Saturday
I have the Cicerone guide to the Munros and decided to follow the route given for Ben Vorlich basically up to the dam and straight up. No path to follow once on this side of the hill (at least not that I could see) until I reach the tourist route on the ridge. Left Mrs Bagger (she'll walk a marathon on the flat but won't climb a flight of stairs
)and Beano & Marley at the dam. She would walk the dogs back to the car at the visitors centre and let them play with the speed boats whilst she read a book.
Started off well but quickly thought ~ bloody hell this is steep
I could see what looked like a ridge about 400 feet up and said to myself ~ if it doesn't get any easier then I coming back down. This was serious roll-to-your death stuff. As I struggled to gain height the sheep all around looked unperturbed at the steep angle. I'm sure mehhh is sheep for - What's this idiot up too? I reached the first 'mini' ridge having used hands and feet (and knees) all the way. At this point I was relieved that I could now make progress on my two feet only occasionally steadying myself with hands. As I looked up I picked a point on what seemed to be a flat spot on the main ridge and headed toward it. Again the going got steep. As I reached the ridge and looked back I couldn't help but think if I tripped how could I stop myself rolling to the bottom and straight into the Loch!!
Anyway, I collapsed on my back on the tourist path and caught my breadth. The rest was fairly easy to the trig and the true summit (apart from the 50mph winds). Met a couple of other guys, one nice older gent had come up from Ardlui but was heading back down the same path as myself to rejoin the dam road. Boy does the thighs take a pounding on the way down. Still suffering
Got back to the rather boring road out and Mrs B had driven the car to the gate so saved the feet from pounding more tarmac back to the centre.
Weather was warm with the clouds tantalisingly flirting the 3000ft ceiling, so from the top you sometimes caught a view. Still thoroughly enjoyed the climb as the first part felt a bit like pioneering because I couldn't find a track.
Will be back at the Sept weekend to climb Ben Vane (perhaps conventionally this time!!)
