12B - BEN VORLICH
Loch Lomond seen from Ben Vorlich. Photo https://big-gorse-bush.blogspot.com/
3.3 miles 670 metres
Start Thursday 17.25
Ben Vorlich 18.03
Finish 18.35
Squares: yellow - changeover, red - finish. Circles summits: green this leg. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 1.10 Actual 1.10
Craig writes:
This one's my quick one, and having just terrified Eddie with a stint of similarly styled driving I make my way leisurely round to my bike in up the access road to the Loch Sloy dam. It's a warm day and this one's so short that I can run in a vest and shorts. I'm going to be hard pressed to do this one on schedule (3.3miles 2200 ft ascent,) it sounds fast – 1hr 10 mins.
Waiting for Eddie I've nothing to do other than sun bathe though I keep a watching eye for him. I don't see him until he's on the dam, I get the normal expressive greeting. Waving arms and chattering away fifteen to the dozen explaining that he's made am 8min 42 sec mistake. He seems confused that I find this statement hilarious, but to be that exact in a 3hr plus run!
Away on a direct scrambling climb for the summit. I must press on here to have any chance of holding that schedule, my ankle can simply not take fast and reckless descending. It's rocky and I find myself skirting round numerous boulders and small crags pushing all the time, gasping and breathless all the way to the top.
The summit ridge is shrouded in mist and I've now to decide whether I am north or south of the summit, north I decide so off along the ridge and within 30 metres I encounter a summit cairn. With a glance to my watch onwards knowing that it's only about 250 metres to the trig point which will act as a landmark check for me. Whooping with joy I'm really enjoying this, here comes the trig and it's south east for the top of the stream and Ardvorlich.
Descents are my main worry at the moment, my injured ankle hates them and I'm very tense, this is no good I must relax. Both feet sliding as if on skis my shoe's studs are choked with mossy gunge. Concentrate or you'll be over Craig. The lower slopes are fern and bracken covered and they tear at my exposed ankles trying their very best to hamper progress.
Ducking and diving through scrubby twisted trees now and here's the fence to the railway line. No trains thankfully and I'm crashing through the woods only yards from the cars I can hear on the A82. A gate in a boundary fence, through I go. Whoops! I am in someone's back garden, I see a face through a lounge window. No time to explain now and with a wave of acknowledgement I'm sprinting down their driveway.
Out onto the road and a final effort to reach the car. I surprise Graeme who's looking up the hillside for me not having seen my line of descent some way to the north of his view. Sliding into the back seat of the car I'm glancing at the time, 1 hr 10 mins on schedule, YEEHAA!!
Peaks done 97 Hours elapsed 107 Peaks to do 180
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