Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorich

Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorich

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Monday 30 January - a few hours on Innerdownie

I’m trying to keep this blog up to date, mainly as some sort of record of days out (but not necessarily in order done) so you are unlikely to find much new of interest for the moment!

I finished the previous post by writing “In the meantime a pleasant and familiar circuit - in more sun and snow – awaits”, but the ‘sun’ bit proved over-optimistic. Not my fault – blame the weather forecasters.

It was a raw and windy day as we set off from Castlehill car park much later than intended, and apart from a runner returning to her car, we were the only ones around.

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It was an enjoyable walk (it always is) along the little road that leads to Glen Quey Reservoir and the drove road through to Dollar. The steep-ish slopes which lead to the broad NE ridge of Innerdownie Hill warmed us up nicely but the experience was short-lived and, in the strengthening wind, we donned Paramo jackets and our Cascada trousers (the originals with the thicker lining and the best we’ve ever owned I think). On taking the first photograph of the day the camera informed us that it was being saved to internal memory – I’d left the memory card in the computer. Luckily a spare was secreted in the camera case so all was well.

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Being a lee slope there was a fair covering of snow on the final pull to the top. The appearance of blue sky was just a tease, alas, and the cairn no place for lunch.

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A few photographs ‘for the record’ and we scurried off to the shelter just below the summit.

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Lynne wished she’d brought her Annapurna duvet jacket and, wearing six layers, I was just managing to stay on the right side of warm.

Eventually the fine weather pushed in from the east around 4pm, but by then we had our feet up at home and were enjoying mugs of hot chocolate.

Some stats from the Satmap Active 10 for this short day.

2012-01-30 2221-44 ScreenShot

6 comments:

Alan Sloman said...

Just 51 minutes of rests? Ooh Err! fierce task master! My daunders have equal stopping times as walking...

That height ascent graph looks like a very plump contented cat. Just thought I would mention it...

afootinthehills said...

"...like a very plump contented cat" So it is. Have you ever taken the Rorschach Test!?

sehn-sucht berge said...

hi
i've been in scottland a couple of years back and i really loved the landscape and the mountains there. Your pics do remind me a lot of my cool vacation there!
best wishes from the alps :)
magdalena

afootinthehills said...

Hi Magdalena

So glad you liked Scotland. I've been to the Alps several times - Zillertal, Obergurgl (skiing) and Wengen (skiing), but not to sudtirol which looks very lovely. Maybe some day! I look forward to reading more about your trips.

Anonymous said...

It might have been the gallant thing to do to offer Lynne one of your six layers. I'm not saying that's what I would have done, but I took you for a better man than me...

Great pics; and at least you remembered the camera.

afootinthehills said...

Ah, but I did offer her one of my layers. Perhaps not a very convincing offer I admit, but an offer all the same! (Lynne's just looked over my shoulder and said she can't remember this offer.) The cold must have affected her memory....