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Beinn Heasgarnich-a hill we had been putting off for ages,along with it's mate Creag Mhor,was the chosen one today,figured that a good clear fozen winter's day would be ideal for making light work of the bogs so me Jim Ian Kev and new comer to the gang Gregg set off from the parking area at Kenknock farm just after 8 am.
- getting ready
- ian kev gregg jim and daisy the coo
- ben challum
Gregg had not climbed any hills for a couple of years since breaking his ankle on schiehallion ,so this would be a good test for his ankle
.
- stag party
Good progress made up the single track road (too icy for the car)and then onto the hill where we went the wrong way for a bit
(typical,clear blue skies ,see for miles and still get lost)but soon sorted this out and started a wee steep climb up the start of the allt tarsainn.
- crackin clear skies for a change
- hen party
- the newly crowned scottish jump the burn champion 2012
Went the wrong way here as well
but soon sorted ourselves when we spotted another couple of walkers heading in the totally opposite direction from us and followed them.
- Usain Simpson
- jake and pidg
Alas got to about the 850metre mark and Gregg could go no further
,his ankle was fine but being away from the hills for so long was taking it's toll on his legs so he headed back down to the cars.
On with crampons and microspikes etc,for the last pull to the top for the rest of us where we had probably the best views we ever had in winter,Glencoe,Nevis,Cruachan,Lawers,Glen Lyon,Ben More all in full view.
- ben lui in the centre
- beinn heasgarnich summit
- the bold kev
- jim kev and ian at the top
- big bookle left,nevis right
Spoke with a couple of folks at the top who were heading to Creag Mhor(too much for us in winter),took millions o photies and made our way back down,slightly changing our route a bit and keeping to the icy hard packed snow.
- ian and jake
Found a good bit on top of a frozen over burn for some soup(tomato and chilli,cheers Mo)and a cheeky wee guzzle of the malt stuff
(Glenlivet12yo)before heading to the bogs and the long walk back
- today's base camp
- make's it all worthwhile when some one produces a malt from the rucsack
- heston bloomincauld gets the soup on
- tee hee
.A hill which i had not been looking forward to had turned out to be one of our best days ,the bog trot wasn't too bad (still fell through a fair few hidden streams right enough
)but this was the perfect conditions for this big sprawling hill ,got back to the cars in just under 7 hours to find Gregg totally zonked out
and had a couple o pints in the Bridge of Lochy hotel ,a fine fine day ,Newtonmore planned next week,more of the same please.
- ale time