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Ben Lomond at Sunrise by
Gregor Sinclair, on Flickr
Having booked time off months in advance, I must confess I did not anticipate conditions quite this good for a November getaway. Heavy snowfall across the country was followed in the Highlands with a few days of relatively consistent sunshine, so in real terms the situation could hardly be more ideal for some winter walking. As my first real winter hike in the Highlands I thought I'd start off easy with a (slightly impulsive) trip up the Cobbler.
The Cobbler by
Gregor Sinclair, on Flickr
Having left Edinburgh around 5am, I was heading up the winding forrest track by 6.30. The route is well-paved all the way up and has consistently fantastic views back across the valley and over to Ben Lomond, whose west face you can hardly miss backlit by the morning sun. By the time sunlight broke over the hills I was fast approaching the Cobbler itself, thus naturally the horns lit up in red made quite the first impression.
The Arrochar Alps by
Gregor Sinclair, on Flickr
The path steepens to the left climbing the face of the Cobbler directly (the path I would later take down), or walking a little further allows for a climb up the northern side, the gradient of which is fairly similar. Approaching from this angle, however, yields a fantastic payoff when the bealach between the two peaks is reached and one can see back over their ascent path (with Lomond still in the distance).
Ben Lomond and the Cobbler by
Gregor Sinclair, on Flickr
From here it is a quick and easy walk up to either peak, both of which offer top-quality views. In particular the southern peak and surrounding mountains seem almost alpine in their sublimity when viewed from the north. Both, however, were beset with exceedingly strong winds - strong enough to take my lens cap out from between my fingers and throw it down a gully. Crampons were required for a brief detour to retrieve said lens cap, but otherwise the route, though occasionally icy, was extremely accessible and even somewhat disproportionately rewarding!
The Cobbler by
Gregor Sinclair, on Flickr
