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Tuesday morning was an early start. I don't normally do early mornings but today it was worthwhile. Myself and Callum were heading north, north to the Arrochar Alps.
The weather was to be decent and we were excited at the prospect of getting into some rugged mountains for a bit of scrambling fun. Arriving at the car park at Succoth there was only one other chap booting up, maybe people had been out a few times in the recent good weather, it was quiet but I like that. We set off up through the forest and soon found our stride. Jackets were put in rucksacks and we bombed on to our first target, a geocache near the dam.
We returned to the path to find we were being watched by a posh looking young couple. The lad was wearing a wax jacket.
He must have been sweating buckets. Further up the path we stopped for another cache and the couple caught us again. They must have thought we were a couple of tin roofs footering about in the heather.
Caching out of the way we set our eyes on the magnificent ben arthur.
DSC_0678 by
meangarry, on Flickr
Believe me after spending so much time in the rolling hills of the southern uplands it is an amazing sight! We passed an older couple on the path who looked to follow us up towards the belach below the north peak but we didn't see them for the rest of the day. I hope they thought better of it and turned around. Another chap wearing jeans was also passed. For a time we humoured him and chatted as we followed his route but he was too slow for our likings.
We picked our own route and found ourselves on the north peak first. A fine summit it is too. Crisps were munched and a few daring photos taken.
DSC_0682 by
meangarry, on Flickr
DSC_0696 by
meangarry, on Flickr
After sitting with my feet dangling over the cliff and remembering the reports I've read on here I was now beginning to **** myself about threading the needle.
We set off back to the pass and then up to the central peak. Reaching the pinnacle we were pleasantly surprised. It didn't look too scary so we set about it! Me first then Callum.
It was a brilliant feeling to stand on the top. Two true summiteers as a passing walker commented.
DSC_0725 by
meangarry, on Flickr
DSC_0740 by
meangarry, on Flickr
He was even kind enough to take our photo.
DSC_0737 by
meangarry, on Flickr
He mentioned that we should get to ben lui for our next trip as it was his favourite. Scotlands abalababanala or something. I really didn't catch what he said but we smiled and he walked off. I shot out my hand to thank him for taking the photo but he must have already turned his head as he walked off. Me standing like a fool hand out stretched.
This became a laughing point for the rest of the day. Aflababla or whatever he said.
Laughing our way down the back of the cobbler we decided to stick Beinn Ime onto our route. I have been up it before but since we were a long way from home we thought why not get up it. On the way we found a red sledge and couldnt resist a slide about.
Callum stabbed it into the snow intending to get it on our return from beinn ime but we missed it on our way back.
On the summit we were fortunate again and two fellows who had came up the beinn luibhean route took our photo.
DSC_0748 by
meangarry, on Flickr
On the way down we spotted a really weird bit of snow. Maybe someone had built a snowman and it was all that remained, maybe it was something far more sinister. Whatever it was it really freaked me out. Some kind of snow man demon I tell ye! Have a look and tell me what you think. I'm just glad I wasn't alone!!!
DSC_0750 by
meangarry, on Flickr
Abafalaba indeed!
We soon shot up Beinn Narnain which would be Callum's second Munro and my sixth. A nice interesting summit with plenty features. The descent by the spearhead was particularly interesting.
You'll notice that Callum loves to blink in photos. He does it all the time.
DSC_0752 by
meangarry, on Flickr
I don't blink.
DSC_0753 by
meangarry, on Flickr
On the way back I managed one pic where I didn't care if Callum blinked. The back of his heed.
Still it made for a good thoughtful veiw kind of photo. The wee speck near his head is a yellow seaplane heading for loch lomond.
DSC_0755 by
meangarry, on Flickr
After getting back to the car we had lovely a pint in the villiage inn, Arrochar and then stopped again for food at dumbarton before getting down the road to watch the man united vs real madrid game get ruined by the ref.
Ach well we couldn't have hoped for a better day really. Well Callum could, he's a united fan.
