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A sneaky Friday evening off where the weather looked decent…what to do? I was far too exhausted to be driving anywhere so after finishing work I chucked some stuff in the car and drove up to Rowardenan. There were several unforecasted showers en route but I pretended they didn’t happen and carried on.
Parking up at Rowardenan I paid my £3 and shouldered my pack – yikes it was heavy! I’d got far too used to Malcy carrying the tent and
It was after 4pm so I decided an easy ascent was in order and headed for the tourist path – probably the sensible route as I didn’t want the injury to give me any problems…
Ptarmigan ahead
Once out of the trees the views opened out nicely – it was also absolutely roasting so I had to lose some layers!
Distinguishingly undistinguished – Beinn Uird
I met lots of people heading down, one asked me if I wasn’t a bit late to be heading up? I reassured him that I was camping out, and that I did this sort of thing all the time – he didn’t seem hugely reassured
The Cobbler was impressive against the sky even as it became worryingly overcast
It’s so warm….and so far away
The views back down Loch Lomond were stunning, even though the photos don’t show the bitingly cold wind
Loch Ard with Ben Venue to the left
A wisp of weather – this one didn’t trouble me, although shortly after there was a short sharp snow shower
I was trying so hard to go slowly and carefully to avoid aggravating the injury but my legs just wanted to get there even with the heavy pack – it felt like ages but before long I was on the final ridge and looking down into the impressive Coire a’ Bhathaich which still held a wee bit of snow from the night before
A short distance later I was on the summit – it was absolutely Baltic, the sun had disappeared and the wind was brutal
I could bail and camp lower but I wasn’t planning on giving in. Obviously the side of the mountain was determined by the wind direction so I attempted a pitch on the flattest spot; it turns out that it’s pretty tricky to pitch a tent in a hurricane so I found a more sheltered but less flat spot – the result will amuse you
But it was so worth it – I added all my layers (turns out I’d forgotten both my extra trousers and my thick gloves
) and alternated enjoying the views with running around in circles flapping my arms in an attempt to warm myself up….
Upper Loch Lomond – Beinn Ime all the way to the Lui hills
Loch Katrine with Ben More and Stob Binnein to the far left
An Caisteal, Ben a’ Chroin and Ben More & Stob Binnein
Beautiful Loch Lomond
Evening light hitting the Luss Grahams at all the right bits
Flapping my arms to keep warm
The sun peeking through the clouds above the Arrochar Alps
Panorama time
I decided it was time to get some dinner on, so retreated to the tent to warm myself up. After my super appetising meal of couscous (I’d forgotten the chorizo) and a more enjoyable hot chocolate (malteaser flavour nom nom) I returned to the summit to enjoy the evening light on the hills to the north.
Ben Lui and pals
Wisps of cloud coming in from the east – I hoped this wasn’t going to spoil my sunset!
I discovered the most sheltered spot on the summit – the wind was doing its funny thing where the bits that seem like they should be the most exposed actually are the calmest. But I wasn’t complaining
I love how Beinn Odhar and Ben Dorain look like two big misty triangles
I had now decided it was cold enough to employ a sleeping bag cloak – so I was curled up in the my sleeping bag on the summit when a man appeared having come up the Ptarmigan; he looked as surprised to see me as I was to see him
Ben Cruachan visible in the distance
A few wee wisps of cloud threatened to spoil the sunset….
….and then….whoa that’s a broken spectre
Gie us a wave….
It’s not obvious from the photo but there was half a fog bow just above the tent – seriously cool
The reflections on the clouds were awesome
My new friend left me – he didn’t have a tent with him – and the sky turned a magnificent shade of pink
The sunset itself was a bit disappointing after the incredible lightshow beforehand, but I didn’t really feel cheated after what I’d just witnessed
I’d convinced myself this looked like a dragon, but in the comfortable warmth of my own flat I can’t really work out why, other than perhaps I had hypothermia and was hallucinating
Arran
The lightshow over, I snuggled down in my bag and enjoyed sitting out with my book for a while – the wind had largely dropped and it was amazing to feel so remote
Around 10 I realised that my sleeping bag was starting to get a layer of frost on it! Wandering to the tent I realised that it did too
Time for sleep then….I managed to get warm and as comfortable as it’s possible to be whilst rolling down a hill and sliding off a mat
Mercifully the wind didn’t pick up until around 4, so I managed to get more sleep than I had expected.
When the alarm went off at 5 I was slightly puzzled to have a layer of snow all over my rucksack, only to eventually work out that there was frost on the inside of the tent and the wind had shaken it all over my stuff
The outside of the tent had fared no better
But it was worth it – the early morning pre-sunrise glow heralded a glorious sunrise
Unfortunately my fingers were shaking too much to get any decent photos of it…
Almost there…..
And here comes the sun!
Jaxter modelling the sleeping bag cloak and double-hood look
Looks like me and the tent weren’t the only things to have frozen
The sun having made its appearance was now casting a lovely red alpen-glow on Coire a’ Bhathaich
Red glow on the grass and my poor tent getting a bit of a battering
Properly up now
Red glow on the Arrochar Alps
Looking up Loch Lomond towards Lui
And down….
The lovely Arrochar Alps
Ben Vorlich – my summit camp there had a similarly freezing morning
I was freezing and it was somewhere in the region of 6am so I went back to bed
I actually slept because I woke up at about 7.30 when the wind direction changed again and started trying to knock my tent off the mountain – I took this as a sign and got the stove on for breakfast. Shortly after I heard voices – I had company and they seemed a bit surprised to see me
It had snowed on the Orchy hills
There was a bit more warmth in the air now the sun was properly up, so I decided to have a wander around with the camera
Loch Katrine
Loch Ard and Coire a’ Bhathaich
The tent was now beginning to thaw (on the outside at any rate…)
Arrochar Alps & Ben Vorlich
Loch Lomond
People were starting to show up by now – so it was time to tidy the tent up and escape down the Ptarmigan ridge. As I dropped the Cobbler was now visibly against the skyline – seriously impressive
The wind was still properly savage and there were lots of little bits of ice making for an interesting descent
As I dropped to the bealach I was finally more sheltered from the wind and my fingers started to regain some feeling. I also started to meet lots of people – looking back to the ridge some of them are visible on the skyline if you look closely
My descent route ahead
I noticed that the new path doesn’t actually go over the Ptarmigan itself so I had to wander off-piste and discovered the old path. It was worth it for the views though – what a load of old Cobblers…
Although the temperature was now relatively pleasant in the sun (especially without the wind) the shaded bits still had plenty of icicles!
Sun
Window to the world
Dropping lower and lower my knees were feeling the strain of a steep descent with a heavy pack – but at least I was doing better than most of the folk on their way up
As I reached the woods I started seeing swathes of bluebells which were way more impressive than the photo suggests
The first time I came here I lost an apple into this waterfall
Finally at the end of the path I was onto the WHW which led me to a nice beach
I enjoyed the beach for a while before deciding I was knackered and heading back to the car, really pleased to down my pack, but less pleased that folk had parked so badly on all the verges that it took me a 20 point turn to get out