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A free Sunday and a good forecast….early on, but threatening to cloud over from mid morning. Clearly an early start was required, and Malky was stupid enough to go along with my Ben Lomond sunrise suggestion
I’d thought we could carry on to Cruinn a’ Bheinn if the weather stayed good long enough.
We were actually in bed early and I’d had about 7 hours sleep by 4am when the alarm went off. On the road by half past, it only took us just over an hour to get to Rowardennan – amazing how quick getting out of Glasgow is at that time of day
We headed off up the familiar easy path behind the toilet block. Head torches were on. It was cold but not as nippy as the previous weekend, yet
As we looked back to the loch there were some cool reflections and even a few stars and I was wishing I’d brought a tripod
As we came out of the trees the head torches were barely needed (although still useful for spotting ice!) as the moon was bright, and we could see the snowy upper reaches of Ben Lomond ahead
Looking back again
We were now out onto the open hillside and although we were completely sheltered from any wind the path was starting to ice up more and more making walking quite dicey at times
The moon had a cool wee ring around it
As it started to get light the photos improved
Ben Lomond ahead
Towards Stirling
We were relieved to be into the snow – less slipping around on daft amounts of ice and more being able to actually walk
Dawn starting to arrive
Almost out onto the ridge – hard to believe that this is “only” Ben Lomond!
The Campsies
Given that sunrise was imminent we figured we’d miss it if we pushed onto the summit, so we headed straight up onto the ridge which actually turned out to be a better viewpoint anyway
Looking ahead to the summit
Looking north to the Crianlarich hills
We frantically added layers as we were no longer sheltered from the wind, and dug out the flasks of tea we had carried up – worth their weight
Arran
Ben More and Stob Binnein
Looking over to Dumgoyne with Tinto in the distance. There was a lot of mist lying in the glens
Dumbarton Rock with the Dumfries hills in the background
The Lawers hills
Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’ Chroin
Lui, Oss & Dubhcraig
Then it was time to stop playing around with the big lens as the sun was making its entrance
This ridge looks fantastic – Malky had been up it before, definitely one for another time
Red light on the snow
The idiot got in the way of my photo – so he deserves this
We started to make progress along the ridge, and the views back got, if possible, even more epic
“Just” Ben Lomond – what a hill!!
The beautiful bouncy red light was hitting all the hills around now
Looking back
Malky approaching the summit
Looking back to Loch Lomond
As we reached the summit I was able to spot where I’d pitched my tent the last time I’d been here
Looking back to the ridge
Ben Lomond summit – Malky pointed out it had taken us an hour to walk the last couple of hundred metres
North Loch Lomond hills
The Lawers hills with Beinn a’ Ghlo and Beinn Vrackie in the far distance with the light hitting them
Crianlarich hills
Stirling
Lawers, zoomed
Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’ Chroin
Ben More and Stob Binnein
Lui & friends
Arrochar Alps
Beinn Bheula
Arran
As the light brightened, the views got even better! Cruinn a’ Bheinn, our next target, just visible in the foreground
Beinn Bhuidhe with Cruachan hiding behind
It was so beautiful and quiet (how often can you say that on the summit of Ben Lomond
) that I didn’t want to leave! So I made my tea last for ages while Malky, who still hasn’t given in and bought a down jacket
) started to get cold
Looking back
I reckoned we’d need crampons on the Ptarmigan, and Malky had a wee nosy and confirmed this, so we got them on while enjoying the views
And off we went – it would probably have been possible to get down without the crampons, but it wouldn’t have been safe or enjoyable! It was actually pretty epic
Looking back up what we’d just come down!!
Could almost be the Alps!
Looking back up the interesting bit – we left the path here, as we were off-pisting from here
We actually almost had our first human encounter of the day here and the first people were heading up the Ptarmigan but we left the path before they arrived (phew
)
We found a wee spot to take the crampons off – they had served their purpose for sure.
Now on the north side of the hill there was a lot more snow and a lot of it was consolidated enough to walk on (but there were plenty of bits that were not, and there was a lot of falling over and slipping
)
The Cobbler
Malky searching for meaning
For the most part this was one of the easiest off-piste descent I’ve ever done, thanks to the snow!! And I was able to enjoy the views and the feeling of being out in the snow on a fantastic day
The two people we had almost met making progress up the Ptarmigan
We were still above the height of Cruinn a’ Bheinn
The last descent to the bealach saw up both take a tumble
The route up – fortunately only about 150m!
It was a steep ascent but fortunately it was over fairly quickly and the views back to Ben Lomond were awesome
Summit of Cruinn a’ Bheinn
The wind was far less here so we were able to sit and enjoy our lunch (or “lunch” as it was 11am, but we’d been on the go for over 5 hours
)
After a while we were getting chilly so it was time to go – the steep descent ahead
Looking back to Ben Lomond
Down the worst of the descent we made for a boggy ATV track which was fortunately largely frozen and passable with care – Malky had described it previously as a total slop-fest
Looking back to our hills
A bit of hopping around found us onto a beautiful proper track and some lovely views across the loch
The track zig-zagged steeply but easily downhill past Cailness cottage and onto the West Highland Way
The WHW would see us all the way back to Rowardennan – about 10km away
It was a lovely walk, probably the best of the whole route, and certainly the least accessible. That being said, a lot of it was absolutely brutal with lots of steep ups and downs
We popped into Rowchoish Bothy on the way past – very clean and tidy and looked like a lovely spot!
The brutality of the walk was made up for by the lovely weather – still some autumnal colours around too
Dropped onto the shore for a view back to the Cobbler
The light started to go later in the afternoon
As we finally reached the bottom of the Ptarmigan ridge we met a whole host of people all heading back to the car park, where we were very pleased to see Colonel Mustard! Malky was annoyed I’d got more bike miles than him this weekend because I cycled back from Helensburgh the day before so he decided to cycle home
I was quite happy to drive back, stopping for a lovely sunset from Millarrochy Bay
I was ready for bed pretty much straight away – but what a day out