free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Seeking some solitude and alone time, I again headed for the hills. Getting the train up to Crianlarich early, I walked the 25 minutes back down the road to Keilator Farm and headed through some Hydro works, under the railway bridge and onto a good track up the Glen.
To my right was the Sron Gharbh, the route up An Caisteal that I must have come down previously, although the weather that day was appalling and so it was unrecognisable!
After following the track for around a kilometre and a half, I took the left fork to a bridge across the river and headed up the side of a plantation towards Grey Height. This was pretty wet underfoot so I was doing my best to keep dry feet…
Once on the ridge it was a simple but enjoyable to the summit. However, one reaching the summit, I was treated to the usual view…
This was an issue. My next target, Beinn Tulaichean, was not quite on my map. Not wanting to go off my map in the clag I had told myself I would only do it if the tops were clear. And they were not.
Thinking I was ok for time, I settled down for lunch and chilled out for a bit. Thankfully it wasn’t actually raining although it was pretty chilly.
From looking at routes at home I knew that Tulaichean was an out and back, so I decided to start in that direction and see if it cleared before I left the map…fortunately it did and I had a nice walk along, although of course the top was hiding, as per usual.
Heading back onto my map, I enjoyed a lovely walk back down the ridge to Grey Height. My feet were well and truly soaked by this point so I had stopped bothering to be careful as I sloshed downhill.
The weather was lovely again and I could see the sun beginning to set. Having lost my Granny around a month previously, it was lovely to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the quiet of my own thoughts.
Looking back to Tulaichean, clear
However, sunset heralds the onset of darkness and I needed to get a move on. Reaching the track, I marched back down the glen. By the time I reached the road it was virtually dark and I walked quickly along the grassy verges back to Crianlarich station. With no train home for a while, I went into the Rod and Reel for a drink, which turned into the most incredible mince and tatties I’ve ever had; akin to some sort of religious experience.
Feeling refreshed from a day in the hills and with a belly full of food, I got a train back home to Glasgow feeling fantastic
