Welcome to Ben Venue

A few weeks ago Graeme suggested a post-work blast up Ben Venue. Pleasingly, this would coincide with a spell of high pressure and as I headed only 40 minutes North of the house, I knew it would be a great wee trip out. We mused on the approach and opted for the Bealach nam Bo, a historic cattle-drovers route. While boggy at first, the quick ascent into the boulder-field afforded rapid height gain and we had some great views back down to Loch Katrine (Crypto-free apparently) and beyond to Ben Ledi.

Once on to the bealach, the views stretched to snow-clad Stob Binnein and the loch bending round towards last year's Beinn a Choin and Meall Mor. Good times. It took a fair walk up and over to the actual summit and we scared several wild goats en route. Finally, we reached the small summit cairn and could see Ben Lomond, not far off, with Glasgow in the distance. Once we had stopped, the chill set in so we headed for the trig point before seeking respite from the May winds. Settled into a wee hollow, we cracked open an Ossian and some dry roasted nuts. Man, one beer and half a bag of nuts never tasted so good, with views stretching over the Trossachs and beyond. It was really lovely to have a view and spend time catching up before we packed up and headed off down the other side.

Unfortunately, we descended on to a rotten aspect of this hill - the deforestation, which resembles something post-apocalyptic. It's an absolute eyesore and is one of the worst examples I have witnessed of environmental destruction. I am so glad we chose the route we did up this hill as I can't think anyone venturing up this way would look back fondly on this hill. I enjoyed the trip but the destruction left a sour note.

Creag Each walk-run

I can't believe it's been over 3 months since my last Graham. This was a fairly fortuitous pad as I decided to pop back from Dundee via Comrie and take in a hill around there. The day was warm but frustratingly, it was very hazy around Loch Earn. At 1440, I parked in a lay-by next to lazy fishermen, who were passing the day away with beer, a fire and a line in the loch. I was going light as I wanted to run part of the route. Upon zig-zagging up the land rover track into Glen Tarken, I realised it was a steep little start but once past the old cottages, the track levelled out and I began to jog and walk interchanging as the contours alternated. I had also decided that I would bag the Graham top, Sron Mhor and the West top of Creag Each. This would add distance and extra ascent, which would help my endurance for the upcoming Lairig Ghru race.

The wide open coire over to Creag Ruadh was in sharp contrast to Coire Etchachan, where i had been the previous week and I decided I would come back to do this one in Winter, as it seemed like a wild area, which would be ideal on a cold, frosty day. I'm not sure where the summit was for Sron Mhor but I am sure I passed it before the descent and ascent up on to the West top of my objective. From here, the actual Graham didn't look much higher but there was bog to navigate around. Some of the summit boulders were of interest, with little corridors peeling off in different directions. I was the top in 1 hour 15 with a view down to the massive caravan park beside Loch Earn. While at the summit, I spied another cairn, further NE so I made my way over to that. There was no sign it was a memorial cairn but I can't think why there would be another well-structured cairn so distant from the summit.

From here, I really picked up the pace and motored down the North ridge to the land rover track. My pace for the next 3 miles was approximately 8.5 minutes per mile and I reached the car at 1 hour 47 after starting out. A nice wee pad-run.

Windy Standard

Being based in Lochinvar Lodge for a few days, it was too tempting to be situated 10 miles from this hill and not venture up it. So I did. I decided to start at Craigengillan and left the car beside an abandoned house and continued up the forestry track to Moorbrock. Moorbrock hill stood proud above the estate and I carried on past the accommodation, eerily uninhabited. As I started up the hill proper, Beninner and Cairnsmore of Carsphairn came into view. The climbing was steep but this afforded quick views over to the latter hills and before long, I was up on the summit of Moorbrock Hill, looking over to my objective of the day. The terrain was partially frozen but very awkward to walk through since initially solid footing gave way in every step.

I had seen a couple of points on the map that I wanted to check out - Luke's stone and the De'ils putting stone. They are hardly stunning pieces of geology but there is obviously a history behind them. I particularly enjoyed the view down the glen from Luke's stone but the De'ils putting stone was a disappointment although it did have something scoured out of the top of it. I continued on to the flatter part of Windy Standard and walked nervously past the operating turbine, with its (to me) surprisingly loud whoosh. Another 100m across tussocky ground and I arrived at the trig point, where the turbines lay before and below me. I don't agree with such environmental vandalism but they did provide an eerie backdrop to the summit shot. I decided to return over Bawnhope and under the crags of Moorbrock hill along the forestry track. I startled a couple of young deer before climbing a watch tower and sadly finding a dead bird of prey. My return to the car was a sombre experience.

Capel Fell and Croft Head

And so to a day to myself, far from the mad. I decided to drive South and take in some hills around Moffat, that I hadn't been into. Initially, I had planned to take in Ettrick Pen too but I thought I would leave that along with Andrewhinney Hill and the other Donalds from the bothy. I left the car before the farm and began the walk round to Selcoth farm. I followed the right of way and began climbing a satellite peak of Capel Fell. This gave a quick ascent and already I could see over to Hart Fell and White Coomb, the higher peaks being clad in the white stuff. There was a bit of down before the final ascent up on to Capel Fell but once up on to the summit, all that indicated this was a small piece of wid. From here, Croft Head looked a fairly benign lump and already Ettrick Pen looked more attractive. I descended down to Ettrick Head, where the Souther Upland Way crosses at about 450m. A bleak spot but here I chose to have tea and lunch. Lunch consisted of a M&S mince pie and a baguette with peanut butter and nutella - oh how the French would be impressed. Ma guele.

I had decided at this point (1130) that I would continue on to the two Donalds (Loch Fell and partner) before doubling back and taking in Croft Head. The walk up to Wind Fell brought me to a frozen land of peat hags, with no place to sit and take in the even bleaker view. However, I enjoyed the barren aspect and the solitude was welcoming. I had a lot of time to think about present and future and some changes were afoot. It had been a quick and intense year but next year I hit a milestone so things would have to move. And move I did, down and over to Loch Fell with its trig point and views down to a sitka world before me. I headed North and eventually reached the steep decline to the SU Way. From here, the zig-zag path and Carmichen scar were evident. I believe the scar will grow and grow as the land around it looks very unstable. I took a wee break at the odd cairn on the SUE and had tea two in the circular sheep fank. The final ascent up on to Croft Head was simple due to the zig-zag path but again no cairn at the top - I dropped a stone I had taken up with me and moved off and down for the last time. Never met a soul all day and really enjoyed my time out at 5 hours.

Sgiath a Chaise

A short excursion. It seems my trips out are always quick getaways these days and I never get to fully enjoy the sojourns. I was up and down in 3 hours and back in Glasgow by 1245. This was a fab wee hill, which offered lovely views over to higher peaks (my iPhone didn't do it any justice). The wall of Beinn Each linking the two neighbouring Munros towered above and the stags roared their disapproval of my appearance. Strangely enough, there was no cairn that I could find but simply an iron post with a rudimentary cross made of wood. The descent back off was quite tricky as the ground was steep but once back on the track in Glen Ample, it was a simple and pleasant meander back to the car just as others were setting out.

Beinn an Eoin

To complete my North-West holiday, I had saved a very wild trip until last. I planned to leave the car in Achiltibuie and head over the hills before working my way round to tackle this Graham. On a clear day, I would doubt there are better vistas than the alien landscape of Inverpolly. After experiencing what I did this day in September, I would have to put this walk in my top 2 of all time, if not my most favourite trek. It was that good. As I walked up on An t-Sail, I was struck by views North over to Stac Pollaidh, Suilven, Cul Mor and Cul Beag. What a stunning view point. I had a short break and chuckled how lucky I was. I descended down to the loch and walked along its shores, listening to the resonating stag roar and seeing venison footprints on the sandy shores. The ascent up into the coire of Beinn an Eoin was awkward but I decided to head for the North peak first and approached on a sporting line right up its Western ridge.

At the top, the views were just fabulous but I almost fell to my death down a massive fissure in the ground. The fissure was about 20 feet across by 2 feet but in Winter would be a serious threat to the unwary walker who came over this way. I tried to estimate its depth but the gloom didn't particularly allow me to easily do so. I reckon it would be about 20 feet deep. It was quite a hole. I headed over to the cairn in the distance but before I got there, I approached some exquisite sandstone pinnacles, which were very reminiscent of those on Stac Pollaidh. With these in the foreground, I was blown away by the fantastic views over to the aforementioned hills. I laughed at my fortitude to be in the right place on a brilliant day. I descended to the lochain and decided to have my well-earned sandwiches against an outcrop of rock. As I sat and munched with a Dr Pepper in hand, a stag herded his female compatriots across the coire and looked around trying to identify me. I stayed very still and took in the majestic stride as he drove the herd down the hill behind me. Wonderful. I began the penultimate ascent of the day up on the Graham proper and was rewarded with views over to Sgurr an Fhidhler, itself a fabulous peak.

I walked back down to the coire floor and reversed my route across the glen and back over and up on to 'the heel'. I looked back once more at where I'd been and counted myself a very lucky man. Beinn an Eoin this way is one amazing experience and I would wholeheartedly recommend it. With a pint of real ale in the Summer Isles hotel thereafter, it was the perfect day.

Stob Breac

I had been looking to get away from work and do another summer evening sojourn. So had Graeme D and we decided upon the Stob Breac sprint. Only 1 mile from the summit, we would have to negotiate noisy cows, pitted roads and as steep an ascent as they come. However, lonely are the brave and intrepidly, we set forth. Within half an hour, we decided to head high early and began the steep and sustained climb. Indeed, twas so steep that at one point, we were relying on heather holds to pull us up, with the passing of the walking pole batons and encouragement at awkward moments. It was a good bit further on that we eventually found the massive mound of seven stones. Was this really the summit? It would appear so. From here, we decided that we would not go on and take in the Corbett but instead planned a summer evening camp or Winter stroll up the nose of Creag nan Saighead. So, we descended equally steep ground and chanced a fir tree forest traverse. We were lucky and found the occasional deer track to see us back to the path and the leisurely return to the car in 2 hours 45 minutes, which meant a beer in Mhor 84. A great way to fill a weekday evening and good to catch up with an old hill buddy. From Mhor 84, I was home in an hour.