Cocktails & Corbetts!!

[dooterbang]

Due to the severe gales on Xmas morning and Boxing day (although we did get up and were ready for the off on boxing day) we had decided to take advantage of the weather window on the Tuesday and head an hour up the road from Glasgow to the "Arrochar Alps" .

Leonide was designated driver so on the journey up we had to endure some extremely dodgy music from Twilight, she howled out that score all the way to Ardgarten - excruciating
Luckily i had brought a CD for the journey home

Myself, Leonide, Graeme and Gordon arrived at the visitor centre car park at Artgarten 9.30am, David and Ross where already kitted up and waiting.

Our plan was to simply do the Brack, following the WH route, but as usual with our little group we ventured off and ended up doing Ben Donich too

Our route

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Follow the path 2k West through the woodland


till you come to this sign


A steep narrow path asends for 500m through the woodland


before the views open up - looking North to Beinn Ime




Now free of the woodland we decide to continue SW and head straight for the summit via Elephant Gully -
i think we all had a go at impersonating an Elephant which Gordon won hands down....he is from Gourock!.
Incidentally his and Graemes webbed feet came in handy ascending the steep wet gully to the summit




Elephant Gully - Cobbler & Narnain NE




A wee scramble


Ben Lomond East - my mate Woodsy was up this with his partner and the dog, Buckfast cocktails no doubt






Ascending the Gully to the summit prevented no real difficulties, but could present problems if your not used to pathless wet ground, and was an interesting detour - we all thought how much fun this would be if covered in Snow.

When all at the summit it was time to pull out the goodies - thankfully Gordon kept his trunk in his trousers!!




Being Xmas and way up high on the hills it seemed that everyone was up for mixing drinks

First it was Kronenberg with Vodka, Guinness & Apple Lucozade soon was added...and surprisingly it tasted great


We decided to name this new cocktail "The Brack". .i wondered if the local drinking hole served this up

Dooter Drunk!!


Ross showing off his new seating pad - santa got him it


AA meeting at the Summit


View West to Loch Long.....and is that another summit?????


A quick check of the map identified Ben Donich and we all decided it would be worth the 5k detour to "bag" the bugger.

Off we went NE


Getting ready to asend the SE face of Ben Donich


Summit in the distance


It took us no time at all to reach the ridge that led to the summit but by now the weather had changed - the clag had appeared and wind was up.....i kept looking about as i'm sure Gammy Leg Walker was probably in the vicinity

Summit


From Beinn Donich simply retrace your steps for 2k before turning South another 2k and you pick up a path through the woodland. Follow the path for 6k which takes you back to the start - the end in our case.

A belter of a wee walk for our group - thanks to Gordon (elephant man) for suggesting it.

We all enjoyed a beer in the local pub - no "Brack Cocktails" on offer though

Thankfully Leonide allowed me to pop my CD in the player and we all got tuned into Nicolas Jaar on the way home

Next trip is Saturday followed by a walk on New years day - should be interesting

[Johnny Corbett]

As enjoyable as ever Dooterbang.I've still to do The Brack, i had planned to do it when i did Ben Donich but ended up doing that in a howling gale and pouring rain and was not up for The Brack as well

[mountain thyme]

well done.thanks for that . always fancied the brack..l will need to start thinking about the corbetts now! haha

[dooterbang]

I've still to do The Brack

If possible wait for snow and do it via Elephant Gully

thanks for that . always fancied the brack..l will need to start thinking about the corbetts now! haha

Your fancying everything these days oldgirl - just get up tae framptons and sort yerself oot, plenty tae fancy up there

[mountain thyme]

thanks for that . always fancied the brack..l will need to start thinking about the corbetts now! haha

Your fancying everything these days oldgirl - just get up tae framptons and sort yerself oot, plenty tae fancy up there [/quote]

You couldnay fancy anything in there! once was enough

[monty]

Great summit shots no pun intended

[dooterbang]

Great summit shots no pun intended

Nice one Mr monty. Is that me in the same ranks as yerself - doing Corbetts

[SusieThePensioner]

Really enjoyed your report and photos, particularly as I found myself laughing at the "cocktail" of comments along with the pics All nicely stirred together!!

[dooterbang]

Really enjoyed your report and photos, particularly as I found myself laughing at the "cocktail" of comments along with the pics All nicely stirred together!!

....and shaken

[Johnny Corbett]

I've still to do The Brack

If possible wait for snow and do it via Elephant Gully

And take Kim with me?

[dooterbang]

I've still to do The Brack

If possible wait for snow and do it via Elephant Gully

And take Kim with me?

Yeah, but blindfold her

[SusieThePensioner]

and shaken

That obviously would have been me if you hadn't been so mean and denied us seeing the photo of you from your previous report

[Gavin99]

That looks a nice route over to Ben Donich , I was going to try the Brack over the next few days but that gully looks a bit too 'interesting ' for me if we get snow! Some cocktail by the way, I felt faint just reading about it

[Collaciotach]

Ach wise choice to stay South the weather has been incredibly bad since 22nd of December with a constant hurricane battering the West

I will be abstaining till new year .... bagging that is

[rockhopper]

very nice dooter and good timing - have been looking at the corbetts in this area for when I eventually manage to get back out again (will soon have been 2 mths ! )