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The best laid schemes....

The best laid schemes....


Postby pollyh33 » Wed May 18, 2011 11:36 pm

Route description: Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chròin

Munros included on this walk: Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn), Stùc a' Chròin

Date walked: 15/05/2011

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 13 km

Ascent: 1000m

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.... often do go awry, but there wasn't too much grief and pain and there was some promised joy- I'll explain!!

I had booked two nights at the Four Seasons in St Fillans, which meant three days of getting out and about around Loch Earn. It was going to be the middle of May, so it be shorts, teeshirts and lots of sunscreen. I had planned....

Day one. Ben Chonzie, some lunch, down to the watersports centre to hire some kayaks or a rowing boat and then back to the hotel for dinner- dress code was to be smart- no problem I'll pack a dress and heels

Day two. Ben Vorlich, Stuc A'Chroin and return via Ben Our. Again out for dinner, maybe try the Drummond Hotel this time.

Day three. Saddle up and cycle to Balquidder, then home.

Perfect! Is this what happened? No!!! The Scottish weather happened!!! Please note that I am not comparing my minor inconveniences in any way to the hell that Kev went through!! I'm just whinging!

Anyway here's how it panned out.

Said goodbye to the kids and reminded them that if anyone asked them what team they supported (It was helicopter Sunday!!) just to say Clyde FC! They might still get beaten up but for different reasons!! And not wrap their cars round any trees!!

With the weather not looking too bad, we decided to change the days round and head up to Ben Vorlich first. Parked along from Ardvorlich House after running the gauntlet of hundreds of drunks carrying fishing rods!!! Is this normal??
The path up to the top is pretty good and exactly as described on WH.
IMG_1078.JPG
Poser!

IMG_1083.JPG
Is it less boggy over there?

IMG_1081.JPG
How does he get up there so quickly??

IMG_1086.JPG
Walking like Quasimodo??

IMG_1087.JPG
Yippee!


And so off we set for Stuc A'Chroin...easier said than done! We met a very nice man who told us we were 30mins from the summit. Easiest way he said was to hang a right at the big boulder, head down and then we would pick up a zig zag path. Smashing! Problem is that once we left him we saw hundreds of big boulders and unfortunately none of them had a big neon sign on them saying 'This way!!'. I should also mention that we couldnt see very far at this point and it was pretty miserable. We looked around for some kind of path but there was nothing but lots of slippery rocks. I was happy to admit defeat and head back down. Of course 10 minutes later the sun decided to peak through and did we head back up? No!!
IMG_1090.JPG
Heading back


We soon picked up the path again and after about an hour Loch Earn came back into view.
IMG_1091.JPG
Loch Earn



We were a bit disappointed not to climb Stuc and Ben Our but we were more than happy to head back to the hotel. So we got scrubbed up, had a fab meal and some drinks and then tottered out onto the jetty for a photo.

IMG_1107.JPG
Trying not to look too cold!


We woke up to pretty dreich day, so we decided to get on our bikes and head down to Balquidder. The NCN (route 7) is well sign-posted in Lochearnhead and you can park up next to St Angus church (maybe not when there is a service on?)

The path is really good and if the weather had been better we would have had some smashing views but it was a bit misty.
IMG_1111.JPG
A bit misty


After 30 mins you're in Balquidder. A quick visit to Rob Roy's final resting place and then a coffee and buns at the Library Tearoom.
IMG_1113.JPG
Balquhidder

IMG_1114.JPG
Is he buried there or not?

Carried on down the cycle path until we hit Callender. Had a quick bite to eat and then headed back. I'm not afraid to say that I had to get off my bike and push up some of the really steep bits, I was getting really tired!
IMG_1121.JPG
Halfway between where?


The next day I was very saddle sore and not in the mood to do anything other than a bit of shopping in Crieff. Got the kids some presents. Arrived home to find the house in relatively good order and the kids in one piece.
All in all in was a most enjoyable trip, even though we didn't do all the climbing that we wanted but we did a lot more cycling than we was planned!!
Last edited by pollyh33 on Sun Jul 10, 2016 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby rockhopper » Thu May 19, 2011 12:17 am

:lol: very entertaining polly - glad you made the best of the weather and got out and about :D
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Thu May 19, 2011 12:24 am

rockhopper wrote::lol: very entertaining polly - glad you made the best of the weather and got out and about :D

Cheers ! Jings I've just noticed that the eye on your avatar winks at you!!! :shock:
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby gammy leg walker » Thu May 19, 2011 1:26 pm

Never mind polly still looks like you had a good time
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby kevsbald » Thu May 19, 2011 3:44 pm

That's a lovely photo of you and your partner out near the Loch.
Well done you!
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby monty » Thu May 19, 2011 5:37 pm

Nice photos there Polly. That looked like a nice break from the workhouse regardless of the weather. Stuc a Chroin next time eh :D
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Thu May 19, 2011 8:00 pm

gammy leg walker wrote:Never mind polly still looks like you had a good time


Cheers GLW! Yeah did have a good time. Happy to report that imprint of the bike saddle is no longer visible on my rear end! :lol:
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Thu May 19, 2011 8:05 pm

kevsbald wrote:That's a lovely photo of you and your partner out near the Loch.
Well done you!


It was a smashing hotel with its own wee private bit of beach, would definitely recommend it. After 23 years of married life Garry is still holding me up when I'm drunk! Ooops! :shock:
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Thu May 19, 2011 8:15 pm

monty wrote:Nice photos there Polly. That looked like a nice break from the workhouse regardless of the weather. Stuc a Chroin next time eh :D


I think it would have helped if we could have seen what we were aiming for! We were wandering about like a couple of eejits!! But as big Arnie says- I'll be back! :lol:
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby Del246 » Thu May 19, 2011 9:50 pm

Good effort. I plan to do those 2 hills aswell but on reading reports there does seem to be different routes on to Chroin.
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Thu May 19, 2011 11:22 pm

Del246 wrote:Good effort. I plan to do those 2 hills aswell but on reading reports there does seem to be different routes on to Chroin.

Yes and I couldn't find any of them!!! I think if its quite clear at the top then you should be able to pick out a route to the summit. Good luck and I'll look out for your report. :D
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby LeithySuburbs » Thu May 19, 2011 11:32 pm

pollyh33 wrote:running the gauntlet of hundreds of drunks carrying fishing rods!!! Is this normal??


Sadly Loch Earn and nearby Loch Lubnaig have been taken over by morons. There's no mystery - they are both within an hour of the central belt and seem to be the "place to go" :? .

Anyway... a very enjoyable read of a weekend trip - you are much more organised than I ever am :) .

pollyh33 wrote:After 23 years of married life Garry is still holding me up


You must have been married very young going by the photos ;) :shifty: .
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Fri May 20, 2011 10:52 am

Thanks for that Leithy!! Alas not married very young! The camera must be feeling very charitable!!! :lol: :lol:
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby andyroog » Fri May 20, 2011 11:57 am

Great report polly hope you get stuc done later always one gurantee it will be there :D
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Re: The best laid schemes....

Postby pollyh33 » Fri May 20, 2011 4:16 pm

andyroog wrote:Great report polly hope you get stuc done later always one gurantee it will be there :D



Thanks Andy. Yeah I'll look out for any of the walkers saying they are heading up that way and I'll ask if I can tag along. Might even be lucky enough to see it this time! :D
Last edited by pollyh33 on Sun May 22, 2011 4:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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