Crianlarich Weekend no.1
Sometimes a weather forecast is spot on, …. as an elite coterie of intrepid DHCers was to discover this weekend. The road gantry signs en route to Crianlarich blazoned “HIGH WINDS FORECAST”.
On Friday evening we enjoyed a convivial evening at the Ochils Mountaineering Club cottage, with a log fire in the snug and a glass to warm the inner spirits. A friendly group from the Tyne Valley Mountaineering Club joined us, to share the comfortable accommodation.
Under pouring rain on Saturday morning, Moira and Graeme headed off to Ben Challum, as did some of the Hexham group, while Ali and Ruth drove down to Arrochar in search of Beinn Luibhean. The Ben Challum brigade, after passing the graveyard at St Fillans priory,
got to about 850m, fighting against fearsome winds, but still managed a smile (or is it a grimace!).
Eventually, they could no longer make any headway, and headed back down; the unrelenting gale was just too strong. The Hexham lads were similarly driven back.
Meanwhile, Ali and Ruth did manage their shorter route and reached their summit (858m), helped by being able to navigate up gullies and around the leeward sides of crags.
All arrived back at the cottage by early afternoon, thoroughly soaked and weather beaten.
With the weather in the west scheduled to continue wet and windy for the whole weekend, we all decided to head home early. Hopefully, that was a wise decision.
Ali