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I'm not one to climb a mountain just to touch the cairn, or to tick off a list, or simply to say I've been there. I like the challenge and excitement of the climb but most of all I love the fresh air and the scenery and I don't mind a bit of bad weather and discomfort as long as I can see something. So on 28th Jan 2011, with a forecast of cloud clearing the tops by late morning, daughter and I set off for Ben Challum on a fairly crisp morning. Unfortunately I forgot to pack my gloves but being always ready to improvise I fashioned two woolen scarves into gloves and off we went - you can always turn back!
Ground conditions were terrific that day. The bogs were frozen and higher up the snow and ice were made for microspikes. Problem is - the cloud never broke and a NE'ly wind sprung up - one of those lazy winds which would rather go through you than around you. Nevertheless we reached the 997m summit in quick time for us. This was decision time - we were in thick cloud with visibility less than 10m, we were forewarned that navigation in such conditions was tricky from that point, my makeshift gloves were losing their effectiveness and my hands were getting cold so we decided to cut our losses and retreat downhill to some sheltered spot where we might consume our hot soup.
- where's me gloves, it's freezin' up here
- still got a sense of humour though!
When we finally arrived at the car, to our great chagrin the cloud dispersed from all the tops. We both decided at that point - that bloody hill owes us one.
Still reeling from our previous failure so close to the top, on 12 Feb 2011, with another forecast for breaking cloud we set off to take our revenge and savage that infernal hill. This time we forgot nothing thanks to my new check list.
- did you remember the kitchen sink dad?
So it was past the farm, in between the graveyards and up to the railway crossing.
- Yeah, that's a railway all right!
- Leave the track here and join the faint path
Then onto the open hill. Initially the ground was exceedingly boggy, just above the snow line it was wet and slushy and higher up, thanks to overnight snow, it was slightly deeper than was comfortable.
- wet and slushy
- a bit deeper now
About half way up we were in cloud again - how rotten is that?
- We're in cloud now!!
Our ascent was slower this time and I was beginning to feel the effects of the virus which the wife had so kindly passed on to me. The old lungs were gasping for air and the thighs were burning - but this bl--dy hill was not getting the better of me a second time so on we pressed. In addition to all the other problems, because the cloud kept promising to break and we could occasionally see the sun, the light was very bright and my reactolight glasses turned virtually black. In the high humidity condensation kept forming to the eye-side of the lenses rendering me almost blind - at this point I felt as old as I am - not a good feeling! However we eventually reached the south summit in a slow three and a half hours. Visibility was less than 10m again but we decided to go for it this time - after all, although we knew that navigation would be tricky we also thought that it was only a hop, skip and jump to the north summit - we should have known that this would not be the case in fairly difficult conditions. It took us a further 40 minutes to reach the true summit, but we got there, even though we saw nothing but a cairn and the bloke who passed us on the final little ascent and took our photo - thanks mate!
- mandatory high fives
Having taken so long to get to the top we didn't want to waste any time coming down so we didn't delay. As we decended I decided to remove the troublesome specs - what a difference, brilliant, even though I wear them permanently I was able to see a lot better without them on this occasion. They had been nothing but a hindrance. Soon we were warming ourselves with a hot drink and lots of chocolate and then it was not long before we were at the car slipping and sliding some of the way.
As we got to the car what did the cloud do - you're right, it dispersed. At that point the mountain seemed to laugh at us as if it had beaten us again but I think we won on points - so take that Ben Challum (or is it Challium) you don't even know your own name.
Even though we didn't get many good views we got plenty of fresh air, a couple of good challenges and a final victory over that unseen piece of rock.
Cheers Y'all and good safe walking
Oldman