Paragliding on Ben More - not me!
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:22 amSorry for the lateness of this report - November 2008 - still under two years
Aimed to Climb Ben More and Stobinian.
Weather good, ascent not.
From parking the car to the summit - one continuous relentless, calf burning, thigh bursting slope - I loved it.
My mate *##*? didn't - complaining like a girl - once we hit the snow line he really began to struggle.
The steepness drained his energy and the added difficulty of the snow was the final straw.
He stated his boots weren't compatible with the snow - yeah yeah ! Monster ascent tho
Route straight up - no easy curvy shallow gradient paths to give restbite - Ben More doesn't do zig-zags.
Crystal clear day - could see for miles.
So many hills visible - pity I can't name them
Glad to have reached the summit - poor ?##* was only 15-20 minutes from the summit - well worth the pain
Clear day great views
The sun was coming out
The start of the winter snow (2008) looked like someone had dusted the tops with icing sugar - braw!
Stobinian looked marvellous - such a beautiful mountain, pity I didnt have the time to climb it.
As we were ascending, we saw two guys and a small dog walking up Ben More just ahead of us.
They both had enormous rucksacks - which looked a little out of place - but didnt think much about it.
When I summited, the guys had just rolled out little parachutes, put on a harness, and ran off the side of Ben More.
Even the dug was strapped into the harness.
That's the perfect way to descend - I think it took them just over 5 minutes to reach the bottom.
Quite a steep descent towards the bealach between Ben More and Stobinian.
Stobinian looked very impressive from the bottom.
Got to the landy track and generally an unremarkable route back.
Great day - and glad I still have Stobinian to climb.
Worthy of having a day all to it's own - want to climb it from the back
Aimed to Climb Ben More and Stobinian.
Weather good, ascent not.
- This gradient from the start
From parking the car to the summit - one continuous relentless, calf burning, thigh bursting slope - I loved it.
My mate *##*? didn't - complaining like a girl - once we hit the snow line he really began to struggle.
The steepness drained his energy and the added difficulty of the snow was the final straw.
He stated his boots weren't compatible with the snow - yeah yeah ! Monster ascent tho
- Hits snow line
Route straight up - no easy curvy shallow gradient paths to give restbite - Ben More doesn't do zig-zags.
- Relentless gradient
Crystal clear day - could see for miles.
So many hills visible - pity I can't name them
- Almost there
Glad to have reached the summit - poor ?##* was only 15-20 minutes from the summit - well worth the pain
- The summit cairn
Clear day great views
The sun was coming out
- Trig point
The start of the winter snow (2008) looked like someone had dusted the tops with icing sugar - braw!
- Mountains sugar coated
Stobinian looked marvellous - such a beautiful mountain, pity I didnt have the time to climb it.
- Stobinian
As we were ascending, we saw two guys and a small dog walking up Ben More just ahead of us.
They both had enormous rucksacks - which looked a little out of place - but didnt think much about it.
When I summited, the guys had just rolled out little parachutes, put on a harness, and ran off the side of Ben More.
Even the dug was strapped into the harness.
- Paragliding
That's the perfect way to descend - I think it took them just over 5 minutes to reach the bottom.
- Another paraglider
Quite a steep descent towards the bealach between Ben More and Stobinian.
Stobinian looked very impressive from the bottom.
- Stobinian from the bealach
- On way down
Got to the landy track and generally an unremarkable route back.
Great day - and glad I still have Stobinian to climb.
Worthy of having a day all to it's own - want to climb it from the back