A quick thrash up Loch Lomondside saw us pulling into the station car park at Tarbet.There were quite a few notices around saying that parking was not allowed,not Scotrail notices,just ones put up by the local residents.As the sun was out and we were in buoyant mood we obliged by moving my car down to the restaurant car park as requested even though there are four inobtrusive parking bays outside the station itself.Must be getting soft in my old age.We walked back up the hill,through the tunnel and took the path leading rightwards through the trees.
A good path led us on a rising eastwards traverse......
The path seemed to go further east than we expected but once we hit a bench at a viewpoint we knew we were heading in the right direction.Occasional views opened up in the gaps in the tree cover with Ben Lomond`s north west ridge covered in a light dusting of early winter snow....
We turned left at the junction about 500 metres past the bench,initially at least,on a still excellent path.It soon deteriorated to a quagmire however and we took to the forest itself as an easier option.not as dificult as it sounds as the sitka is quite mature with no ducking and weaving required.A few hundred feet higher Loch Lomond and it`s islands appeared.....
From the forest exit this wee hill steepens quite dramatically following a reasonably well trod path with plenty of "bucket steps" on the steeper grassy sections.It was a cracking day but Bob was already looking forward to Spring he informed me.He had a point I must admit because it was a bitter wind that accompanied us the rest of the way to the summit.What a summit it was though..! Ten out of ten for views...
The Cobbler peeks over the ridge of Cruach nam Miseag....
Over to A`Chrois with Ben Vane in the right hand corner...
We climbed the three gullies here one winters day in years gone by and never seen another soul.The same goes for Creag Tharsuinn nearby where there are a few good rock climbs including Terminal Wall and the Tingler.I seem to remember that one of them was a bit of a sandbag at the time but can`t remember which one.I`d probably struggle on both nowadays so I guess it doesn`t really matter which one it was :)
An old scanned slide of an early morning walk in to Creag Tharsuinn...
Ben Lomond......
...and Loch Lomond...
I think I`ll mark this out for a summer solstice camp in the coming years.Quite a few good pitches near the summit and the sunrise over Ben Lomond must be worth the effort alone.Back down through the woods where we passed some time feeding this friendly robin....
It was still early afternoon and we hee`d and haw`d about fitting something else in but with no real enthusiasm.I had a half hearted attempt to locate the buried OS bernsten marker at Tarbet but gave up after a few minutes.It will be easier when the roadside verge has been cut and I have a trowel with me :) Had a leisurely drive back down the loch stopping here and there for a short walk and the odd photo.
I made up for the failure with the bernsten by bagging a new trig on the way home in Duntocher of all places :)
A cracking short hill day if you ever feel the need for one...
2 comments:
Always meant to wander up that hill but never got round to it. Must say Bob is indeed looking well these days :)
There's also apparently an abandoned village in Glen Douglas near the Loch Lomond end that was wiped out by the plague but I didn't find it on a walk over An t-Streang to Arrochar - really nice walk though.
Great pictures from youz guys as usual
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