Bagging Stuc A' Chroin

I had had an unfinished business , after having climbed Ben Vorlich a year ago without taking on Stuc a' Chroin . These two Munro's are very close to each other , and both might be done by walking circular route from south shore of Loch Earn . I decided to start from Loch Lubnaig in Trossachs , a couple of miles north-west off Callander .

I started early morning by the farm and lodge in Ardchullarie More , on A84 road . I followed the path left off the buildings .

Soon I joined a broad , steep track in the forest which I followed upwards.

After steep ascent , I left the wood behind my back . And looking back , the view on Trossachs across Loch Lubnaig with Ben Ledi in the background .

Enjoying sunny and bright morning , I shortly reached a signpost , which redirected me to Beinn Each - a Corbett Hill (813m) which was a first obstacle on the way to Stuc a' Chroin .
A tiny path runs to the left (eastward) and winds up amidst brackens, densely covering the slopes .

 I was patiently going up when I spotted a pair of wild goats . I was really in awe , looking for the first time at these animals .

After two-hours walk from the starting point, I reached the top of Beinn Each ,
with the main objective of the day still to be climbed .

View from the top of Beinn Each to the North-West .

From the top the path goes down to the left and zigzags on to the rocky ridge, which stretches out of Beinn Each to Stuc A' Chroin .

The path on the ridge is difficult and sometimes hard to read , but in general runs along the rusted fence posts , what is helpful .

At the end of the ridge I lowered to a boggy pass ,and  the path turned right to the east and finally I started ascending the Munro . Again the metal posts were along the path , showing the way to the top .











Close to the summit , I came across a herd of sheep; much higher than wild goats .

Down at the foothills Lochan a' Chroin.














After 3,5 hrs walk , I got at last onto the top plateau and followed to the north tip , where the path from the south-east (to Callander ) joins .

Unfortunately , the thick coat of  mist covered the mountains . Not only the mist , a drizzle came with the wind .Not being sure of finding the alternative return route in these conditions ( which goes north and turns west to Glen Ample), I took back to the same path I had come to.













Descending the Stuc a' Chroin was a bit a tricky , due to wet ground after droppings .On the lower slopes the air cleared out and Beinn Each was fully displayed .

Having descended the Munro's , I did not follow the path to Beinn Each as on my way onward . Instead , I choose a hardly seen path ( used by deers perhaps or sheep ) , which goes off to the west from the bog  where the rocky ridge starts . I simply followed along a small burn to Glen Ample , through the heater and grass .

After getting down to the plantation , I found the path running along the fence . The last difficult passage ( at some point the path disappears)and I got to the bottom of Glen Ample .From there  the wide track led me back south to Loch Lubnaig .

On the Cheviot Hills

The next week and the next trip ; to the Cheviot Hills in the Northumberland National Park . I decided to go for a walk on the Scottish - English border and climb up the Cheviot Hill , the highest peak of these hills(816 m). So to do that we started in Kirk Yetholm , a village on the Scottish side of the border. In Kirk Yetholm there is a starting point of Penine Way , the popular trail which runs down south to Yorkshire Dales . So we commenced there to the Cheviot Hill .

   The trail starts about a mile off Kirk Yetholm , by a small car park and up along a dry-stone wall .

We follow the wall up to the ridge , which should lead us straight to the Cheviot .

Having got to the higher ground , we comfortably follow the Penine Way , which runs along the Scottish - English border . Enjoying the sunny weather we feel kind privileged , just walking and looking over two countries . Although , in fact there is no real difference in the landscape , except for the line on a map .

Looking to the west while sitting and having lunch . Such an idyllic view .

We hit the road again , all the time keeping close to the wire fence . We were heading towards the first serious obstacle on our way - the Schil (605m) . The hill , one of the highest in the Cheviot range , is quite steep . In addition , during ascending the hill , it started drizzling . The favourable weather was over , but it didn't disheartened us much .

After long walk up the Schil , we quickly descended , then turned left still along the wire- fence . Having passed the wooden hut we approached a deep gully beneath the Cheviot . In the late Spring there was still some snow in the gully .

After no more then half an hour we finally made it ( it was really steep climb ) and we got to a cairn and large boggy plateau stretching behind it . But it wasn't the proper top - the highest point of the Cheviot Hill was hidden somewhere in the mist , to the east . There was a path off the trail which could lead us there - however we gave up - too long walk in deep fog . We were a bit tight on the time , so we continued on the Penine Way to the south-west . The plan was to walk back to Kirk -Yetholm , but after finding another way down .

Soon we found the Penine Way easy to walk , as we comfortably trampled on a path made of wooden planks . At some points , however , the wooden pavement had been dismantled , obviously to be replaced by stone slabs , stocked up on the sides .

The Penine Way winds up over vast moorland .

Before the Windy Gyle Hill we left the main path and descended down along the fence running north - we even found a descent road used by farm vehicles , so we quickly reached the valley below . We hoped to find the way to the village .

Having descended we found a small river , which we crossed and followed along , walking on a country road down the stream .

We marched on tarmac soon and reached a tiny place called Mowhaugh , with a very few houses . But there was old-fashioned call-box . From Mowhaugh we still had long distance to walk to get back to the car , some ten miles . We were lucky , though , as we got a lift , thanks a local lady driving an old land rover , what was very kind of her .

 

Pentlands again

On a bit cloudy Sunday I am on the hills again , this time on the main Pentland's ridge , from West Kip to Carnethy Hill . So I start from the Eightmileburn on A72 , just by the bus stop to Edinburgh . Via the Eastside Farm I am going to come up on the higher ground .

I walk on a dusty farm road and  soon I can enjoy scenery typical for the countryside . The sun makes the way through the heavy clouds and I am in a good spirit .

Having left the farm on the right-hand side , I join the path running from Ninemileburn and I am traversing the hill with a group of trees . Larches and pines look dramatically , bent down by the pounding wind , but they perch anyway , relentlessly.

I am getting on the pass , where is the crossroad . The hill looks steep but it doesn't take me long to get onto the top . Simply a couple of minutes.

I am not alone on the West Kip and even dogs like hillwalking.

      




       I continue walking mildly down , to the twin East Kip hill which is very easily assessable .

 






Looking back , to the south-west from East Kip.                                
In the deep background the long , dark outline of East Cairn is well visible .

    

From the East Kip there is only one step to the Carnethy , the path nicely traverse the slope . The highest hill in the whole Pentland's range(579 m) is marked with the grid stone on the bulky top . Without stopping , I am rushing down .

Carnethy Hill is at last a stone- throw away .

Loganlea Reservoir below separates Carnethy and Black Hills .

The next crossing - with the popular route Balerno - Penicuik .

The path to Balerno via Loganlea Reservoir .

       

I am starting the last ascent up Carnethy Hill , which takes longer and is a little bit more difficult then the hills on the route earlier . A drizzle and strong wind gave me a kick however , so as to get home quickly .

On the summit of Carnethy Hill (576 m) I find a large cairn , made of stones. Looking north ahead lie the Castlelaw Hill and Allemuir Hill , and close to the right the Turnhouse Hill .

       I take a tiny path to the east from the top of Carnethy Hill . Somewhere down between the foothill and  fields of East Lothian I should find my car . 

Taking on Ben Lui

Ben Lui near Tyndrum is a popular Munro's in the region ( 1130 m ). There is an easier path to the top, wich starts at the southern side (from A85 road to Oban ) and strenuous rout up Corrie Gaothaich - anyway in winter it involves a lot of scrambling . With my companion we chose the second option , following the path through Glen Cononish with starting point in Tyndrum . This route is also accessible from a car park in Dalrigh , on A82 . The plan was to reach the summit via the ridge on the east side of Corrie Gaothaich .

 The river leads to the Cononish Farm,  where the path heads slightly up through neighbouring hills to the base of the mountain.

Finally we cross the stream which turns into the river we walked along , down in the valley . After a break we are ready to start the climb .                                       

In the morning light the snow-caped ridge west of Ben Lui looks gloriously , promising good walk up there .

      The real walk starts on the tiny path along the burn , which leads us directly to a corrie beneath the top . At places the burn forms small falls , what makes our trek pleasant.

There is no clear path at the bottom of Corrie Gaothaich , so we cross large patches of snow in order to reach the rocky ridge on the left . The last 200 m was a bit difficult , as our feet sank down into the soft and thick layer of snow . From that point there is a great view to the valley , where we were walking through two ours earlier . Amazing view .

The further we go the more snow to deal . But despite that , it seems that after crossing these fields of snow we will be able to get the summit quickly , following the rocky ridge . Some scrambling possibly .

Short break .Deep snow  in the end of April was a little surprise .

When I got onto the ridge , hoping to continue up the hill quickly , I noticed two walkers camping below . We had met before , they were getting on the ridge from the lower point . They waved to me . After a couple of minutes they got up to their feet and this time they waved to say 'good bye'. They turned back - obviously they considered further climbing too difficult . Never mind , I thought , and moved up.
It wasn't good move , though . At first I found the slope quite easy to tackle , but at the height where ridge was getting narrower I had to slow down . There was much snow between and on the boulders , shattered densely . The icy snow made me very cautious , so I decided to cross slowly the ridge to the right , so as to approach the edge of smooth snow in the corrie . And find Marcin making his way there . After getting the edge , I found out that in the corrie steepish slope and hard-frozen snow makes this way dangerous too. So in these circumstances my decision was to come back down . Unfortunately , traversing the small gully I fell off ; despite having crampons on , my boots slid down . So did I .

I slid down some 300 metres , completely losing the control , bumping up several times . I couldn't believe when I stopped at last , with my feet on the boulder sticking out of snow. To my amazement I could get up , clearly being still in one piece ; nothing broken or twisted , except for some scratches . I was really lucky . Marcin , who wasn't sure what happened , came down . I told him I was going back to the car - he decided to change the route and followed to the right rim of the Corrie Gaothaich , in attempt to reach the top alone .


  



When I was slowly descending on the snow-covered slope , I saw somebody heading to me . He turned out to be Kevin , a gentleman from Glasgow who wanted to check if I was alright . He went down along with me to help  pick up my things ( my rucksack and camera slid much further down ). Drinking tea he told me some stories about this mountain I had failed to climb. Kevin even offered me to take his walking sticks (I lost my own when fell off in the gully) despite he was going to get back on the route to the top. I must say I really appreciate his attitude and help .

 




Walking back without getting the top of Ben Lui I didn't feel disappointed ; it was a lucky day actually as I got away not killing or hurting myself . That's precious experience . I can always come back one day .