Another month another wet and windy meet hosted by Travel with Treagus! Hardy mountaineers decided to embrace the thoroughly miserable forecast and decended on Inverardran Hut in Crianlarich.
On the Friday, Justin and Eric managed to get out and climb Beinn Dearg in Glen Lyon. A very wise plan getting out on the Friday, as the weather was much better than forecast, a rather overcast and mild day.
On the Saturday, Fiona, Eric and Damian decided given the poor weather, an excellent choice of day out would be to walk to the Drovers in and back for lunch. They had a wonderful day, and didn’t get too soaked either!
Babs was certain she would have no companions for her intended Corbett, Meall an Fhudair. Instead a group of six keen beans (Justin, Grace, Alan, Dan, David and Joe) joined her on Saturday. A fine start, swiftly followed by heavy rain which lasted all day. They footered about a while, then headed down. David, Dan and Joe decided to footer about a bit longer, and so speed on to the Graham, Ben Damhain. Everyone got a good soaking! However, they certainly had a more comfortable day than the munro baggers out there.
Team “what could possibly go wrong” (Jule, Steve, Graeme, Lara, Carol and Coire the dog) set off on Saturday, despite the bad weather forecast, and tackled Ben Vorlich and Ben Vane. Ben Vorlich was fine, stronger winds on the top and rain, but nothing too bad. All changed on Ben Vane. It turned out the weather forecast was right all along. The wind grew stronger, in time hail replaced the rain, snow replaced hail. Gore-tex became swimsuits. Poor Coire had enough by this point and needed carried down in a doggie bag. Jule said it was not even Type 2 fun, and learnt a new phrase “wetter than an otters pocket”.
Brent and Dianne were seen pootling about in the clag and snow on Ben Oss and Bein Dubhcraig, but there has been no report passed on by them. I wonder if they had the same experiences as the previous team and were happy to be off the hill just in time for curry night. They missed the trip to the Rod and Reel to watch the rugby. I don’t suppose they missed much.
On Sunday, Justin left the hostel and had a morning walk up the Corbett Meall nam Maigheach from the high point of the road between Loch Tay and Glen Lyon. Despite it being much chillier than previous days, it was much better weather and view wise, with the frost covered Munros that surround this hill.
Babs headed up to Schiehallion and dropped off Jule and Grace to do this hill. Lara and I decided first of all to visit ” Carol’s Caf ” for a cuppa and then the 3 of us took Coire for an exploratory walk to a waterfall near Coshieville, passing the ancient Castle Garth on the way. They discovered a beautiful area up there and definitely worth another visit . They returned to Schiehallion to pick up the 2 Munro baggers and all then went our separate ways home apart from Lara, who stayed on to wild camp for the night.
Alan, Fiona, Dan, Steve and Graeme too had a munro day up Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin. There were already about a dozen weegies parked up when they arrived at the Ben Vorlich car park, and one Moray Neep gurning about a brand new head torch he’d left on the table in the hut. Fortunately, some time later, Alan noticed the Neep’s distress and thought it appropriate to mention the shiny new head torch he’d found earlier that day. Now, fully prepared with torches (and batteries), they all headed up the fine path to the summit of Ben Vorlich. Steve and Graeme formed an advance party for the next hill (Stuc a Chroin) – never to be seen again. Fiona, Alan and Dan followed… after first coffee, second breakfast and third faff. The final ascent to Stuc a Chroin is pretty steep, and a few small bullet-hard snow patches towards the top added to the excitement. Dan took the left-hand rock route through the small crag, Alan took the harder looking direct route up the snow/ice and Fiona stood on a ledge waiting for mountain rescue. Happily, everyone finally made it to the summit. Nice views, but a bitter wind meant that it was not a place to hang about.
Although there were calls on this meet for another golden boot nomination, with someone forgetting not just the Big Red Book, but also their walking boots. These accusations were of course unfounded, and this person had purposefully decided to leave these in their house, for fear they may get wet in the poor weather.
