by scotdavid63 » Mon Feb 29, 2016 10:54 am
Date walked: 28/02/2016
Time taken: 4.75 hours
Distance: 12.75 km
Ascent: 1100m
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Just a wee post to say that the weekend of 27th/28th was unbelievable weatherwise, not a puff of wind and wall to wall sunshine.
We left the station car park (packed with cars and vans) at 10.15am, lot of people out as it was such an amazing day. The snow is currently hard packed and on the way up to the bealach there's one section that is quite steep but no need for crampons.
The 300m or so ascent to the south to get to Beinn Dorain is very straightforward, one steepish section of 200m - 300m but then it's an absolute pleasure on a day like today. My son had his ice axe but I stuck to poles, nothing tricky at all !
Bounced most of the way back to the bealach, dogs also very happy as not picking up snow in between their pads etc.
First wee section up to Beinn an Dothaidh is steep but also straightforward. We aimed pretty much straight for the main Munro top and no issues. Had a nice chat with a couple of lady skiers skinning their way up. The munro top had a few people there including a compleatist (seem to bump into more and more of them now) and, impressively, he lives in Cambridge so has to travel up to do them !
Took the other top on on the NW side on the way back round, very ice for 100m coming off the main munro top so I landed on my arse with a bump once and bent a pole annoyingly although reshaped the pole straight away and it seems fine.
Back in the station car park at a few mins before 2pm, what an cracking walk - we had started it ten days previously and not made it up. What a difference the weather makes.
Gave a lovely old chap, Jim, another compleatist, a lift down to Crianlarich and headed home with a well earned stop in Callander for pies etc !
