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The weather forecast for Sunday 28th February 2016 was wall to wall winter sunshine, do I decided to kick-start my 2016 munro bagging campaign. Being short days still, I decided a single would suffice, so plumped fore the nearest one from my house that I had not done - Ben Challum.
I had attempted Ben Challum before but was suffering from a virus which knocked me for 6 and I had to turn back around half way.
Strath Fillan is the starting point for the walk:
Grave with a view:
Ben Lui with his winter coat looking resplendant:
The route is simple, park at the layby on the A82, cross the road, follow the road over the river up to the farm and swing right up the landrover track past the Fillan graveyard. Cross the railway by either the bridge or the crossing and head for the fence on the right. Follow this all the way to the first false summit and then head left, dropping down a little to raise to the main summit cairn.
The going at the start was excellent as the hard frost had make the lower sloped rock solid and easy to traverse, not so on the way down after 7 hours of lovely sunshine had thawed it all out. Slipped and fell on my butt twice!
At around 2000 feet the snow begins. Still easy going for a bit and then it gets to ice-axe and crampons time. I had the former but not the latter, so gingerly used the existing footprints. The views really open up and the eye is always drawn to the Crianlarich Hills to your right:
Crianlarich Hills:
Getting steeper - almost ice axe and crampons time:
Just before the first false summit you meet the bizzare ice structure which is a post with ice sweeping to the left hand side.
Me and the ice sculpture:
The walk then gets real fun as you sweep over the false summit and see the real summit. You have to drop down and recover the height and the rest. A long slide is in store on the right hand side for the unwary, so ice axe was grasped that little harder.
Looking back to the ridge from the summit:
The views from the summit were just amazing. At the snout we can see Glen Lochay with the Lawers Range at its head, to the North The Mamores and Ben Nevis. To the west, the Etive Hills and Ben Cruachan, to the east Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich, to the south east The Crianlarich Hills - Ben More, Sobinnean , Cruc Ardrain, Ben a Chrion, An Castealle, Ben Chabhair. To the north west The Tyndrum Hills - Ben Lui, Ben Oss, Ben Dubchraigh.
Ben Nevis & The Grey Corries (looking a tad white):
Glen Lochay with the Lawers Range - Ben Lawers shining like a diamond;
Ben Moire & Stob Binnien:
Ben Cruachan:
The traverse back was real fun, I even got passed by a guy on skis as we went backup to the first false summit!
Looking back to the summit:
Ski dude:
Honourable mention to the members of the Kirkintilloch Walking Club for posing for photos:
View forward to the Crianlarich Hills:
Kept coming across this - Raven poo?
I spotted that some teens in front had done bum slides on the way down, so joined in - great fun and a super way to lose height quickly.
View back up to the false summit:
Crianlarich Hills looking good with sun shinging on them now:
I crossed the railway bridge - after reading the official Walk Highlands site this is verbotten:
Poser in from of Ben More and Stob Binnien:
Started with a graveyard, finish with a graveyard:
I got back to the car around 4:30pm after a 09:15am start, so 7 hours is not too bad, given the amount of time I spent taking photos and videos. Everyone I met was so happy and complimentary of the superb day that we had, it really was a goldilocks winter walk.
4K Youtube Video:
