Ben More and Stobbinnein

[liamando]

IMGP6678 by mrliamando, on Flickr, cheating with an opening photo of Ben Lomond but it was on route

The day started with a drive through thick clag giving me both hope for some valley fog once on the summit but also loathing for the extra navigational work. As luck would have it however as we arrived at the layby the mountain began to appear through the dissipating fog.

Being on the north side the sun was blocked to us by Ben More itself so we wasted no time in heading up the mountain. After I faffed about with the camera that is.

IMGP6687 by mrliamando, on Flickr

IMGP6691 by mrliamando, on Flickr

We decided once we were nearing the end of the landrover tracks that we would ascend via Meall Daimh "ridge" as the main route had two teams already on it and from the looks were struggling with boggy ground. So we took the pathless route up which provided some good laughs but was fairly knackering due to the gradient and total height that had to be gained but was definitely manageable. Had great fun with all the false summits as well, although could tell from how long we were walking they definitely weren't summits your mind does manage to play tricks on you.

IMGP6698 by mrliamando, on Flickr

The final push to the summit actually eases off gradient wise making the last hundred metres a relaxing victory march.

IMGP6712 by mrliamando, on Flickr

Once on the summit however we found ourselves exposed to a fairly blusterly wind, but luckily Ben More comes equipped with a nice cave just below the cairn. So we could eat our lunch in relative comfort although despite the sky being a cracking blue the temperatures were baltic at the summit.

IMGP6716 by mrliamando, on Flickr, clouds hugging the mountains in the distance it looked like the Crianlarich munros were the only ones not swaddled in cloud.

Cold temperatures persuaded us to head off for Stob Binnein. The walk/run was giving the added fun elements of the wind trying to blow us back up the mountain! Stob Binnein was quickly clocked up as well and even less time spent on the summit due to lack of a cave, poor mountain planning...

We then descended into the valley via a boggy path which brought us both crashing to the floor multiple times, no injuries besides pride though. So for anyone considering Ben More I would say its good in any weather but a dry spell is probably when its at its peak, but which munro isn't that the case for...

IMGP6717 by mrliamando, on Flickr, can't even name that hill sadly not used to the Southern Western hills

[Silverhill]

Love the reflection pictures! What a beautiful day you chose for these.