Until Pigeon suggested something a little more worthy for the notional target, Ben More thats a real hill and no bogs or dark woods to reach it.
Err OK but isn't it steep and a hard climb - Oh well.
Weather report changed a little to forecast light winds, drizzle/light snow/fog all day. Going to be another damp one with no views.
Deferring to my age and rotundness the route was to be up Benmore Glen by the farm track and climb to the Bealach-Eadar-dha-Bheinn followed by Stob Beninien 1st then Ben More.
- Benmore Glen
- Its not raining
We followed the track to its end then up, straight up, by a faint path beside the major stream but this put us too far to the north and we had to traverse below an area of craggs towards the bealach. I think this way was comparable to the route up to Bealach nan Lapin in Kintail but without the nice path to follow.
- A promise of some sun maybe
- Path up by the stream
The simple end of the traverse to the bealach was thwarted by ice, so on with the microspikes and walk around the blue snow, this took us a little higher than necessary and I hate losing height for no reason. Most of the ground in the bealach was sheet ice where freeze/thaw had occurred.
- Stob Binnein lurking
- Ben More lurking
On the way up the mist had lifted a little to give the promise of clearing skies and a little layered inversion
Two hours twenty to the bealach, 5 minutes water stop then up to Stob Binnien in three hours twelve minutes.
Supprisngly there was no wind, its was dry and the clouds were lifting giving a good view of the surrounding hills but more importantly the bulk of Ben More itself. A mirror image of what we have just climbed, well a massive nine meters taller.
Stopped long enough for Pidge to have a wee sleep (waiting for me I think he muttered) then off to find out how hard these extra nine meters were.
- Pigeon sleeping
- Ben More
Not to bad when you got your second wind and third and fourth.
- After solo walks she getting lonely so I put an ad on Iceaxeromance.com
- She received a couple of replies
- Stob Binnein
- Meall na Dige
Unfortunately as we neared the summit the clouds descended blocking out the hoped for views but it was still magnificent up there. No noise, warm enough to forgo the extra layers and enough light to give good contrast on the frozen rock/snow formations.
- Pigeon and Charlie cogitating
- Stob Binnein
- Nearly there
The snow at the summit was quite odd in that it was very sticky, like the carpets in some of the less salubrious places I may have visited in the far flung many moons ago.
- Ben More cairn
- Wee celebration
All that was left was the descent by the 'up' route, this I found was quite punishing as the top third over Cuidhe Chrom consisted of a light layer of snow over solid ice/frozen turf. Followed by slip, slide melting snow on sodden turf and then just boggy ground. We left the path and went westward a little following the choire edge down to reach the glen road.
- Sron nam Forsairean
- Cloud chased us down the hill
Seven hours eight minutes in all with a good twenty minute stop at Ben More summit.
100 or not it was a gread day out with Pigeon and Charlie.
- A wee suprise
Looking forward to the remaining 182 
Congratulations on the 100 Frigate 
