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I had been calling this hill 'Ben Booey' but listening to the pronunciation on here it's more like Vooyea - hence the title
Seemed fitting to make this return visit for my 100th munro since it was the only one I'd started but not made it to the summit. The last visit was in the winter, making this trip a different experience and it also meant I got more practice with a long road/track walk (less than a week until I walk 45 miles from Forres to Cairngorm!).
Started dry and fairly bright but the heavy rain soon came on, although only for a few minutes. That became the pattern for the day, doing the hokey cokey with the waterproofs
Followed the path up the gorge, through the bogs, up the steep path around the rocks (missed this in the snow last time, think we took a wider berth to the right to get over the rocks), then along the path to the summit. Also missed that path last time round as we were in thick fog and snow so had walked along the top of all the bumps - nice to find a path running along the side of these today
We thought about taking an alternative, more direct route down but, with visibility coming and going along with very wet ground (which made for lovely squelchy noises
), came back the same way by the gorge taking extra care around the rocks which were very slippery by now.
- bright start for the long walk in
- approaching rock scramble nearing top of gorge
- view back down, clouds are coming in!
- path missed in the snow, left of the rocks
- last stretch, looking back - last time we came over the top of all those bumps :D
- 100th Munro summit! a wee bit drookit :) :D
- heading back, peeking under clouds to reservoir
- back on the track, look behind and of course it's clear up there now! :D
- lots of water coming off the hills, but rain stayed off for the rest of the walk out :)
When I asked workmates if I could join them for a hillwalk last Sept, thinking I was fairly fit then realising hill fitness is just not the same thing
, little did I realise just how obsessive this would become! It's still not about the numbers for me, but more about the challenges, adventures and getting out every week to keep up the fitness... although I can't deny feeling very proud (and fortunate!); 100 in 10 months, 5 of them twice, plus 10 corbetts. Massive thanks to all my walking friends