by Bruadair » Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:04 pm
Date walked: 10/10/2010
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Arrived at NTS car park on a bleak morning and surveyed cloud covered ridges in all directions and being a complete novice wondered what I was letting myself in for, so kitted myself up and headed up track towards my goals.
After passing through the gate on the deer fence, I noticed the track split and headed in different directions...so what was the correct route.....there was no one around and no map or clues, so being that one track appreared to skip round the side of wherever I was and the other appeared to head up.....I chose up. Ever wary, I kept stopping to ponder whether I was on correct track and looking back for someone else following and to my surprise or dismay finally saw someone heading up the other track.....Oh no I thought, and by this time I was starting to go into cloud, and the wind was getting up (and so was mine) at that I looked up and thought there's a top up there somewhere, so up it is.
I think at one point I may have drifted from the track as I found myself scrambling up some rock and after a while and once fully into cloud I stopped for a break...thinking I haven't a clue where I am or what Munro I was on, if I was on one.
Through the howling of the wind I thought I heard voices...where are they coming from..so I sat, and then I heard the tap tapping of walking poles, and distinguishible words of 'no pain no gain'.....yes I thought...I'll hang about to see who no pain no gain is, and after several minutes was delighted to see a group of five heading towards me.
Not wanting to appear the **** that I was, I opened conversation with Aye..can't be much further now..after letting them pass.....I decided I would tag along behind...only to pass them some minutes later as they had stopped for a break, but at least I was back on a track and knew I was heading in right direction.
Walking along the ridge from the summit of Beinn Ghlas towards Ben Lawers was a struggle and I really had to lean into the wind to stay on my feet...if I stood upright or relaxed I was blown to my left and after reaching the next ridge to assend up again towards Lawers summit....I stopped for another break and again was passed by the team of 5.
After getting to summit I joined the 5 and had my lunch and a bit of conversation with them (it definately wasn't a sheeps head)...sorry private joke which should be understood by any of 5. Anyway I had hoped to include An Stuc on my day out, b ut took advice of 'not today and not yourself' from the vastly more experienced climbers, and took up their invite to join them on the way down.
To the 5...thanks for the advice, the conversation and company on way back off the ridge and down to car park.
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