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Helloooo!
Man o' man am I glad I took my last days holiday from work before Christmas on Friday 11/12/09. Decided to head for Ben Lomond after checking the weather report. Attempted to climb it last year just after Christmas but had to give up just below the summit due to zero visability & it being VERY icy.
Left East Kilbride at 7am and reached the carpark at the foot of Ben Lomond at 8.30am, traffic crazy busy at that time of morning, will definitely need to leave earlier next time
The drive in was very misty (as the weather report said) and so was the initial climb up the first section of the route. After climbing through & out of the mist the weather was AMAZING, the views from the top are the best I've enjoyed yet in all the climbs I've done. Hope you enjoy the photo's!
Mist over Loch Lomond, the mist didn't lift the whole day.
Nice sky & more mist over Loch Lomond.
Mist & sky again
Better than the yellow brick road
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Looking towards the Trossachs.
Looking towards the Arrochar Alps.
Heading for the summit.
Towards the summit again.
You gotta love snow topped mountains.
Shadow against the snow taking the photo.
Looking towards the eastern corrie.
Corrie & path.
Mon up ma man' the view is crackin!
Ice on the summit.
Summit photo, I made it weeh heeey
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A wee chap I met at the top heading down the Ptarmigan, gon yerself mate.
Another wee chap I was talking to havin' a cup of tea
Looking up Loch Lomond & towards the Arrochar Alps before I head off back down.
Mist still over the southern end of Loch Lomond heading home, amazing!
What an amazing climb, and when you get the weather & the views it just tops it off!
Hope you enjoyed the report.
Jim