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Dr Frank and I are up in Scotland on our much postponed/rearranged winter trip. This is the first outing after successful ECV treatment for my AF, so looking forward to it with a mixture of excitement and trepidation - has the treatment really worked?
We decided to aim for Torridon, but because it's a 10 hour drive, to break the journey on the way there at least. Initially the thought was the Arrochar Alps - my favourite candidate, following Jaxter's recent report, being Beinn an Lochain: looks like a hill with real character. But in the end we went for Ben Lomond, one Dr Frank had long wanted to walk, especially Ptarmigan Ridge.
So we booked B&B in Drymen, arriving there in good time for an excellent meal at the Clachan Inn on arrival.
We planned to get up as early as possible and get going, since the drive from Drymen to Torridon is as long as that from Liverpool to Drymen!!!
And to do the round route, up via Ptarmigan Ridge, and back via the main footpath.
20190314-092412. It was pretty windy already at Loch Lomond level when we started out. We did wonder how it would be on the ridge!
20190314-093428. The route ahead viewed from the Youth Hostel grounds. That waterfall looks rather spectacular!
20190314-094104. And not long afterwards we passed this very pretty fall. From this point onwards it's a pretty steady climb.
This is about as close as we get to the falls we could see from the Youth Hostel grounds.
20190314-103049. Atmospheric views looking back south across Loch Lomond, on one of the many pauses for a breather.
Dr Frank takes my pulse: apparently it feels like there might be some AF...
20190314-103829.
20190314-103818. And looking ahead, the dome of Tom Fithich (499m) - roughly the ascent half-way point.
20190314-112312. Looking back south again about 40 minutes of slow ascent later, the view of Loch Lomond continues to enthral.
20190314-113904. Ptarmigan ridge comes into view (LHS), with Ben Lomond on the RHS.
Another 40 minutes or so, and the ascent steepens as we start the final pull to the summit.
20190314-122318. Looking north from more or less the same point, the steep ascent - in snow - starting to the right.
Once we get on the slope, the wind really picks up, and it's actually quite difficult to maintain balance. The clag closes in at the same time.
20190314-12521. But it's not too far to the summit...
There's no sign of the clag clearing any time soon, and it's blowing a hoolie; so we don't hang about, but head off along the summit ridge, in a roughly south easterly direction. The track runs at a very slight descent for about half a kilometre, before swinging right down the shoulder and heading south towards Sithean.
20190314-131838. Fairly soon we're out of the clag - this view is looking down the return path.
20190314-133021, Shortly afterwards the ineluctable Law of Sod kicks in, and the summit clears
Still, it has been a great start to the extended weekend
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The gentle descent and clear path makes for rapid progress, and before very long we can see the hotel, outside which we'd parked up.
Just one last look back the now beautifully clear Ben...
