First winter Munro, Stuchd an Lochain
Route: Stuchd an Lochain
Munros: Stùcd an Lochain
Date walked: 15/01/2023
Time taken: 6 hours
Distance: 8.5km
My first walk report about my first winter Munro, Stuchd an Lochain!
Up until this point I have been very much a summer hill walker - I feel the cold a lot and suffer from Raynaud's disease which can be particularly unpleasant. However, over Christmas I was very put out when my partner went off to bag Ben Wyvis (which I've not bagged myself) without me. My stubborn determination not to fall behind outweighed my desire to stay warm, so this weekend was time to test the winter hills!
After a minor freak out the night before worrying I was not capable of a winter Munro, it was a beautiful clear morning on the drive to Glen Lyon. From the offset I was feeling the chill, so heat pads were popped inside my boots and mittens very quickly!
The track was icy at first, but this quickly turned into deep snow - at one point my 6'2'' partner put his foot down and dropped in up to his hip! As we continued up the views of Glen Lyon opened up beneath us and even though I was having a little cry to myself at this point because of the brutal wind, even I could start to see the appeal of winter hikes.
Soon the crampons needed to go on and the ice axe needed to come out - I was borrowing these from my partner's brother as I'd not yet committed to buying them yet. Climbing uphill with the crampons on used muscles in my calves I think I'd never used before! Once we reached the ridge we finally got our first glimpse of the summit. Seeing our goal and a quick chocolate snack provided all the second wind I needed - all thoughts of turning back vanishing, and we trekked off beside the fence posts. It didn't take long from this point to make it the last little scramble to the cairn.
Although a straightforward summer Munro, the sense of achievement I felt getting to the top of this one far outstrips that of any other hills I've done! I found it very physically challenging despite still having a degree of hill fitness, but a lot of my worries about hiking in the winter have been put to rest now. It was beautifully still at the summit, with incredible views of Glen Lyon, the Lawers range and off across towards Glen Coe. We were also the only people on the hill which was a very cool feeling.
All smiles and much more confidence as we headed back down after a successful day. The dogs slept soundly in the evening as we tucked into the biggest takeaway possible.
Now it's time to purchase my own crampons and ice axe for the next one!
Up until this point I have been very much a summer hill walker - I feel the cold a lot and suffer from Raynaud's disease which can be particularly unpleasant. However, over Christmas I was very put out when my partner went off to bag Ben Wyvis (which I've not bagged myself) without me. My stubborn determination not to fall behind outweighed my desire to stay warm, so this weekend was time to test the winter hills!
After a minor freak out the night before worrying I was not capable of a winter Munro, it was a beautiful clear morning on the drive to Glen Lyon. From the offset I was feeling the chill, so heat pads were popped inside my boots and mittens very quickly!
The track was icy at first, but this quickly turned into deep snow - at one point my 6'2'' partner put his foot down and dropped in up to his hip! As we continued up the views of Glen Lyon opened up beneath us and even though I was having a little cry to myself at this point because of the brutal wind, even I could start to see the appeal of winter hikes.
Soon the crampons needed to go on and the ice axe needed to come out - I was borrowing these from my partner's brother as I'd not yet committed to buying them yet. Climbing uphill with the crampons on used muscles in my calves I think I'd never used before! Once we reached the ridge we finally got our first glimpse of the summit. Seeing our goal and a quick chocolate snack provided all the second wind I needed - all thoughts of turning back vanishing, and we trekked off beside the fence posts. It didn't take long from this point to make it the last little scramble to the cairn.
Although a straightforward summer Munro, the sense of achievement I felt getting to the top of this one far outstrips that of any other hills I've done! I found it very physically challenging despite still having a degree of hill fitness, but a lot of my worries about hiking in the winter have been put to rest now. It was beautifully still at the summit, with incredible views of Glen Lyon, the Lawers range and off across towards Glen Coe. We were also the only people on the hill which was a very cool feeling.
All smiles and much more confidence as we headed back down after a successful day. The dogs slept soundly in the evening as we tucked into the biggest takeaway possible.
Now it's time to purchase my own crampons and ice axe for the next one!
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RebeccaHStewart
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