Autumn Colours in Crianlarich

Dorothy and I stayed in a self catering cottage just North of Crianlarich. It was very cosy with a wood fire. The objective was to 'bag' a few more Munros but, as it turned out, this was not going to be easy. Somehow, when I was putting the clocks back, I managed to put my mobile phone (aka Alarm Clock), back two hours instead of one so we started off up Beinn Cabhair an hour later than we'd intended to. To say that it was wet and boggy would be an understatement and it was pretty cold on top. We ended up finishing the walk with our head torches on. So day one was a bit of an adventure.

Ptarmigan on Beinn Cabhair

When Night Navving (see earlier blog) on a moor, a head torch is very effective but when you are trying to find your way down a steep path in the rain it is is hard to tell the difference between small streams and the wet path.

The next day - Monday - we set off as soon as daylight started at about 7 am. We climbed An Casteal and Beinn a Choin via the North ridge of An Casteal, returning along the river Falloch. The weather was excellent, if a little cold and there was a snow flurry towards the end. Great views in all directions.

On Tuesday we tried to climb Stob Binean from Benmore farm. A few years ago we climbed Ben More but had to turn back from Stob Binean because the weather was so bad so we were keen to complete it this time. The forecast was light rain in the morning and heavy rain in the afternoon. So we hoped to get it done in the morning, by setting out at the crack of dawn again. We were about 30 minutes from the top when we decided we had to turn back. Snow, hail and sleet was combining with increasingly strong winds and when you started to head back down it was more difficult. The ground looked as if someone had emptied wallpaper paste all over it and I could imagine this slush freezing and becoming very treacherous.

Back at the bealoch (col),  behind a large rock, we were joined  by three other people who also agreed that it was time to head back to the valley. We had a chat with a digger driver at the bottom who had previously been a contract shepherd. He explained to us how villages like Killin were in decline. It seems that what has happened on many of the Hebridean Islands is now recurring in the Highlands. Less and less young people want to live there because of the lack of amenities and less and less old people because all the local hospitals have closed. Very sad.

The forecast for Wednesday was grim so went for a valley walk up Glen Ogle and back to Lochearnhead via the disused railway line. The latter part was fantastic, with the railway line hugging the side of the glen you get excellent views and wonderful mosses in the railway cuttings but the former part was in a poor state. As we left Lochearnhead there was a map announcing the Glen Ogle Trail. It looked as if it had been created at the Millenium but not very well maintained.

Mosses alongside the disused railway line

In my day job working with IT Systems for a Bank, we have a concept of Service Management. It isn't enough to just build a computer system to provide a customer service, you also have to think about how it will be maintained in the future. It will need to be monitored and updated regularly. Unfortunately, all too frequently, this concept does not seem to be applied to footpaths.

Glen Ogle disused railway line

On Thursday we climbed Bem Vorlich from just South of Ardlui over 'The Liitle Hills' and back via the North ridge. Route finding was tricky in the snow but the views over the clouds of the snow capped hills and down at Loch Lomond were brilliant.

Loch Lomond on the way up Ben Vorlich

With more heavy snow forecast, we went for a drive on the Friday round to Lock Arklet and Inversnaid. We drove round through the beautiful Trossachs with their autumn colours and from just above Inversnaid you could look across at Beinn Narnain, Ben Ime, Ben Vane and Ben Vorlich where we had been the day before. A wonderful viewpoint.

View across Loch Arklet of Beinn Narnain, Ben Ime, Ben Vane and Ben Vorlich

 

We eat out at the Crianlarich Hotel and drove home on the Saturday. A haul of four Munros is not great for a weeks walking but we experienced some incredible weather conditions and the colours at this time year in the Highlands are truly amazing.

View across Loch Lomond of Beinn Narnain, Ben Ime, Ben Vane and Ben Vorlich