Ben Vane 2010-01-23

Climbed by year and month

Climbed by year and month

Hastily arranged the previous evening Rob, Caroline, and I met at the Inveruglas car park at 10am. After the introductions, as I had not met Rob, and suiting and booting we set off alongside the A82 on the path and turned up the track towards Ben Vane. The locked gate had a kissing gate with a minimal amount of clearance around it and had to take my pack off to squeeze through.

Rob and Caroline refusing to look where we are headed!

It didn't take us long to walk up the track, across the bridge and start up a path onto the first knoll.

Looking behind us Ben Lomond was looking splendid!

And this looking towards the Little Hills or Ben Vorlich.

We were also not alone...

There was some fantastic rime formations on the rocks. I took a few pictures, but limited my 'down time' as I was conscious of the slow pace of my climbing and the onwards march of the time. It was looking likely we'd be heading down in the dark otherwise.

Eventually, after many frustrating false summits we got to the top. What a fantastic place! What a view!

Rob

Rob and Caroline

Me

Some guys

Caroline

Caroline looking very happy indeed!

All too soon we had to vacate our snowy high perch to find somewhere to have our lunch and head down again.

Loch Lomond

Following the ridge line down to avoid the boggy bits

Bealach a'Mhaim

It was an absolutely stunning day and an awesome start to the year. The Scottish hills have to be one of the most beautiful places to be in winter. I really wish I could have shared that time on the summit with Paul. The scenery was... just so beautiful, I was nearly in tears. The effort, the concerns about getting down in the dark, was just sooo worth it.

Thanks to Caroline and Rob for suffering me that day and helping me have the confidence to keep going.

Crackin'!