free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I had stared my walking early this year but have been just nabbing the lower local hills, mostly for fitness (I don't think it's working) but mainly to fill in some of the red bubbles on my 'All hills Map'.
Pieplough would be joining me on this latest adventure out of Glasgow and with Thursday looking to have a decent weather window it was decided (by me
) that we'd do a Munro or 2 so why not do the 2 highest in the area!
We left Glasgow about 9:30am and made decent progress out the city and along Loch Lomond, well, until we turned off at Tarbet that is...
We were unlucky enough to get stuck behind a very slow moving lorry that was transporting a 'stationary' caravan wow. Why the hell don't they do this **** at night?
We had tried to time the journey in order to hit the hills summit for the projected midday clear summit, looks like this plan was already scuppered. Never mind.
Knowing all the parking at the start of the walk would be taken, and it was, we made straight for the layby down the road a bit which was totally empty with the exception of a mobile burger van! Please still be here when I finish.
The half mile along the road is flat and easy going, plenty extra road to the side.
Our first proper look at Ben More
Following the Walkhighlands guide we passed through the gate and tuned onto the hill proper and started up the massive hulking mountain.
Looking back to Loch Lubhair. The car is parked down there somewhere.
A steep hill for sure.
Pigplough giving us an idea of the steepness here.
Time for a rest, soak in those views.
A good look at the neighbours.
Scary looking clouds over Beinn Challuim
Pigplough at the summit. We did have to share the summit as expected however these 2 had done the hills coming from the south. There would be no more walkers coming up behind us as far as we knew this day.
Ben More trig-point, looking to Stob Binnein. We were lucky enough to have a cloud free summit however there seemed to be cloud everywhere else. The Lawers range looked very cloudy.
Ben More's summit looks cold but wasn't that bad, I didn't have to put an extra layer on at all the entire day.
Nature truly is the greatest artist.
Pieplough looking to our next hill. It's hard to get a sense of size from some daft mobile phone pictures but I can say that it's very impressive.
We'll do those next time. Cruach Ardrain & Beinn Tulaichean.
Heading for the bealach.
We stopped for lunch on a nice flat stone, getting fuelled up. As we ate the couple came past and we chatted for a while about the hill and about the routs home once we had our conversation and they went on their way I turned to speak to Pieplough and he joyfully informed me of a snotter that was half hanging out of my nose
The couple went on their way and I took a cheeky picture of them to give you a sense of scale.
Pieplough going for it.
The climb up Stob Binnein was very taxing I must admit, once we got to the snow I really struggled and rather than zig-zag we were walking straight up toward the summit. Pigplough would make it to the summit a few minutes before I did
Looking across to Ben More on one of my many rests on the way up Stob Binnein.
Pieplough at the summit of Stob Binnein.
Proof I actually made it to the summit.
How do we get back? The plan was to follow the nasty wet path around the hill for a while and head down to the farm track to bring us all the way back to the start.
The walk down was very unpleasant. A proper knee cruncher. We lost the 'path' a few times but always managed to find it again but once we got down onto the road it was plain sailing from there.
The mobile snack van had gone by the time we got back to the car
(walked with Pieplough)