A very wild and windy day today as myself, Stevie and Willy, ventured up Ben More (1174m).
After studying the SAIS forecast, we opted for a simple walk rather than attempt any gullies.
We started a short distance east of Benmore Farm, on the A85 to Crianlarich.
See map.
Our ascent took us staright up the north-west shoulder, making sure we kept to the north-east of the hanging corrie on this side of the mountain.
As we got higher, we had to struggle to stay on our feet and visibility would change from "just about", to zero in seconds! Spindrift was also another enjoyable part of our climb and it was a relief to find shelter in a hollow, just below the barely visible trig point at the top. As invisible as the trig point was, it didn't help that the inside of my goggles had frozen!
At this point I did attempt, after changing gloves, to take some photos but my hands and my camera were too cold!
So after some hot tea/soup and very cold sandwiches, we had to map read our way down the ridge connecting Ben More with Stob Binnein, to the bealach at GR 433236. It was only then we got any view at all our surroundings and fleeting glimpses of Ben More summit and nearly the top of Stob Binnein.
From the bealach we descended west through, deep snow (almost waist deep in places), into the valley and follow the Benmore Burn back to the farm.
I had to "aqquire" this picture of Ben More summit, but imagine another couple of feet of snow and no view.
This too, would've been the view back down to Ben More Farm!
You can see the enjoyment all over our faces!
And again - why do we do it?
We used the Crianlarich map from the Harvey, Superwalker series - available from Amazon.
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