Rained all night. All our grand ideas of the Saddle or the CMD arête had gone and we simply looked for two hills to pick off on the way home. The Glen Falloch group looked suitable and might be interesting as they are supposedly difficult in mist. It was 12.00 before we got started on the A82 by the bridge. Almost as if it were deliberate the minute we locked the car the heavens opened and it didn't stop raining until we reached the summit. The start was a path, boggy, through a yard, under a bridge and up a path. We soon left this when we came across a herd of cows and made our way up a steep, boggy, awful field. Over a stile which we had missed and had to backtrack then made our way up to Sron Gharbh. We climbed almost in parallel to the climb up Cruach Ardrain and there are some similarities, but there was no problem, except for our terrible slow - slow - slow, slow, slow pace. On top of the nose we met a path, virtually the first one we had seen on a mountain ridge this trip. This one was very clearly defined and twisting, turning and dipping it went all the way to the top. I wonder why they call it Twisting Ridge? Near the top it started to get misty and the terrain got much craggier. We could see some massive crags looming out of the mist and one in particular, which we took for the summit was quite clearly how the hill got its name, the Castle. The path guided us and with only the minimum of scrambling up a steep bit we reached "the Castle". Thinking this was the top we took photos at the cairn but as we walked forward a higher rise loomed out of the mist and had us climbing up to the real summit, not far ahead. This had been an interesting climb at the end, once on the ridge and reasonably enjoyable although in thick mist.
Graeme started off the summit of An Caisteal and almost went flying as he was hit by a hurricane. It came on us so suddenly and we had to hang on for dear life. Eventually it eased a little and we moved forward to a little more shelter. Every so often at exposed points it would hit us again though by now we were more prepared for it. I would hate to be on a narrow ridge with wind like that. Coming off the summit and out of the wind we followed a fainter path down various drops but none of it ever felt like it was far enough to make the next rise a munro. Eventually, however, we hit a steep path down to a rocky col. It was still misty and the path disappeared which rather confused us. The guide book directed us to the north west end of Beinn a'Chroin which had us totally baffled as NW looked to be going back the way we came. Then we realised that the north west end of the hill actually meant we should walk south east. It was so obvious and we could not believe how stupid we had been. I sometimes wonder about myself. Going up this side didn't help though when we saw the crags coming out of the mist. I'm not talking about simple crags to wander round. These were monsters, cliff edges and the rest and at first looked impossible to climb. The book, however, said zigzag left then right and although this looked difficult - it was very steep - we tried it and after a while found a faint path. Once round the main crags the path became clearer and started to wind its way round the hill. In fact we got worried because it went on and on round the hill with no attempt to go up. At last it went up through a gap onto the end of a very bumpy ridge. Direction working was difficult as there was no obvious way, just a feeling that we should continue to the right in a roughly eastern direction. A break in the mist came which showed a couple of fairly massive rises to the ridge which made me wonder if that was what we had to climb. Maybe my altimeter was totally out but the visible bulk ahead looked much higher than the 940 metres for this summit. Following the ridge we passed two cairns which is what the book indicated but then suddenly we came on a very steep and deep dip with a very high ascent on the other side. We were confused as we had felt we were already on the summit ridge and the hill ahead looked too high to be Beinn a'Chroin. Graeme was convinced it had to be a different mountain, me I was not so sure, I had the funny feeling this was the way to go. I backtracked and wandered about the ridge but could find nothing to prove we were at the summit and in my mind I became sure about the other hill. However, when we went back towards the dip we found we were in a totally different place and somewhat disorientated. Graeme by this time more or less had accepted that Beinn a'Chroin was the hill ahead but said he was in too much pain and too tired to attempt it. I was disappointed but not prepared to push the matter so we agreed to abandon this hill. Next time we will climb it from the other side. The easiest way down was via a snow slope which took us under the mist cover. This showed us that we had wandered about 100 yards down from our original position, yet more evidence of how easy it is to get lost in mist. Down the col and onto an easy ridge walk down towards the River Falloch. About halfway down the mist at the top cleared and we could see the cleft in the ridge showing that the high peak of Beinn a'Chroin was simply part of the ridge. Didn't look like that when we were on the ridge and the map hadn't helped (or was it me!). At the river came the punishment time. You think you have made it when you get to the bottom but not so. There was a long, horrible walk through bogs and swamp alongside the river until at long last we reached the path which then led to the car. After having had a patch of dry weather it started to pour about a mile from the car and we got out and out soaked.
