Ben Cruachan

Got to the Power station by 9.45. No problem parking but realised both Graeme and myself had forgotten our compasses. That's the first time that has happened. Following the book we climbed over the railway track and promptly got lost. We failed to spot the turning off to the right just a few yards from the gate and ended up on an almost unwalkable path. We came back but did not reach the proper path and eventually just made our way up the hillside. Pretty awful but we made height quickly and were soon out in open

Following the crowd off Ben Cruachan, who soon went way ahead of us, it was down a steep, rocky hill, quite narrow in places and over a slabby scramble. Graeme went straight up the slabs but I could not get my legs to bend enough and could not reach so went across the slabs as had all the others. Along the ridge to the next top, easy but strenuous and the climb up to Stob Diamh was a lot easier than it looked. Looking back along the ridge had the often met effect of it always looking worse to walk up that way. It certainly looked very rocky and steep right up to the very shapely Cruachan peak. It wasn't until we reached the cairn that we were convinced it was actually the summit of Stob Diamh. From the ridge before Cruachan, from Cruachan itself and from the ridge to Stob Diamh it is impossible to tell whether the higher summit is the one in the corner or the one further along the ridge. In the clear weather we knew from the book and from our maps that it was the one in the corner but it is not until you reach it that you are convinced it's really the munro. Both hills are in fact very close in height. On the way down, a short descent then climb over the top following a firm path. So firm that Graeme and I followed it accidentally over another small top while other walkers just bypassed it and saved a wee bit of energy. A very straightforward and simple walk down the ridge then veering off down the slopes (obvious in clear weather) we reached the path before the dam. Down the trackway to rejoin the

path up from the railway, actually quite an easy route off a mountain. Towards the bottom the path splits several times. I don't suppose it matters really which one you take but we followed what we took to be the main path and ended up at the path beyond the railway gate, the one we missed on the way up. We never did find the path that one book says goes under the railway archway but didn't look too closely. Started to spit rain as we reached the car and was quite heavy by the time we reached the campsite.

hillside, in thick ferns. Realised we were too far to the left and bearing right we eventually reached the path. Probably used up half the day's energy getting this far. From here it is an easy walk up to the dam and then onto a path at the side of the dam. The book suggests going NW up the hillside onto

steep but not difficult, I went straight up while Graeme went diagonally up. He reached the higher part of the ridge before me. A very slow drag up the ridge to the munro top before Ben Cruachan and a bit of a shock when we came off the top to see people coming up the slope, apparently on a path. Just as we had started to climb the ridge we had seen a guy behind us continuing up the track around the loch and were curious. Now we knew. All those wiser people than us had simply continued up the track then walked up between the top and Cruachan to the summit. We had not needed to walk the ridge, or to go over the top. Another little, steep climb over rocks and we were on the summit, following what could almost have been a bus load of people. The summit is fairly small and narrow and with so many people there we had to move on a bit for Guinness and sandwiches. Another lovely day with no wind.