The first time on my own as Graeme couldn't make it. Feeling distinctly unfit I had decided I would make this climb at my own pace whether it took all day or not. At Ardlui Station two men and a woman were getting ready and they really got me wondering when they strapped the ice-axes on their packs - Why? I couldn't see any snow. The path went easily up, petering out as I reached the bottom of Stob an Fhithich but the way was fairly obvious though I had to work my way up through outcrops and crags. This took me to Stob nan Coinnich Bhacain which before I reached it seemed quite high but later looking down on it it only looked like a little knoll on the way up. I've noticed this on a lot of hills - the hill ahead looks enormous but once you have passed it, it looks nothing. Upwards with no path it was just a question of finding a way round the crags. Not difficult but one of the more craggy mountains. Just as I got over a rise I looked up in horror at massive snow patches looming out of the mist. - what to do? One patch in particular looked unavoidable. Timorously I went to the narrowest part and gingerly crossed thinking this was daft as a slip could send me down 50 feet of snow. I had picked this point because it led to a gulley which seemed the right way up. Horror again when I reached the grassy slope to find it vertical. I had no choice but to climb the rock next to it and the only way was by stretching my legs to the limit - I'm afraid I'm too old for this and anything but supple. I was terrified and when I got up my legs were shaking like jelly. Then against my better judgement I looked down - only about six feet to the snow which was on a 45 degree slope but it worried me. Lots of snow patches now appearing but they were all easy to avoid and as I continued through the crags I could see the mist moving away. Approaching the North top the summit becomes obvious and great views of the Arrochar Alps appeared - At long last I've seen them! Up to the cairn was then dead easy. Windy and cool at the top I found shelter [not easy] for the usual Guinness and salami/turkey sandwiches. At this point people were arriving from every direction as this mountain can be climbed from a number of places. With the weather now clear the views were superb. The Arrochar Alps, covered in snow, out in full glory and there were excellent views of Ben Lui and its companions. In another direction, though a bit hazier, were Ben More, Cruach Ardrain, etc with Ben Lawers (or Beinn Ghlas) poking through. Ben Lomond surprisingly was not evident.
To avoid repeating the upwards route I decided to go down via the Little Hills which the book recommends. This was a steep and at times tricky route. Once or twice I had to backtrack when I found myself at cliff (crag) edges, and one place I later noticed was a prominent overhang - I wouldn't have stood on it if I had known there was nothing underneath. I'm just glad it wasn't misty as I think route finding might have become rather tricky. I had great fun though in the snow areas. For good or ill I found myself "heel skiing" down 2/300 feet slopes, the fastest and most enjoyable descents I have ever had. Down and up was the story of this descent but compensated by lovely views of Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond from the Little Hills and I ended up finishing a whole roll of film. Eventually the tree line was reached at about 200 metres but the way down was almost vertical. I had to back up again and go down a very steep slope on the left to a river. Unfortunately the bottom was tangled with tree branches and it was only with a great deal of effort, balancing and scrambling I got across, only to find an electrified fence on the other side. A little further up some rubber had been put on the fence so I got over it [subsequently discovered there was a gate 200 yards further up]. Because of the problems I felt I must be in the wrong place and sure enough a glance at the map confirmed I should have gone right at the tree line rather than left. Typical me - Why couldn't I have looked at the map in the first place? Although I had come down at the wrong point I was, as the crow flies, nearer the car and decided to break across the field, hoping for a good exit to the road. To my delight a path was encountered, leading almost directly to the car. One mistake that helped me!
way down but I was wrong. By now we were pretty weary going up and down the hills, especially having had little sleep on the overnight drive up to Scotland.
Last time I had ended up in a ravine and on this occasion we found ourselves being pulled in the same direction. Crossing the river seemed easier but the path from there to the road seemed much longer than I remembered. Back to the car weary but satisfaction for Graeme getting this hill.
My second time on this hill and with Graeme. It was funny that not everything was as I remembered and on this occasion there seemed to be a path for most of the way. Probably the path was covered by snow last time but I found it difficult to recall where exactly the snow had been. No difficulty though in spotting the place that had given me the awkward scramble out of snow. Without the snow the slope was unimpressive and I suspect I was overreacting the last time. Fairly gentle walk slowly up to the top in thick mist, so no views. We decided to follow my previous route down but for some reason found it difficult to get on to the main ridge of the Little Hills. We kept trying to traverse round the side of hills hoping to meet the centre of the ridge and a pathway. I had it in my mind there was a pathway all the
