But I had skipped that walk, and the hill suited Mike and Marian, who were happy to join us for a short day before driving home to Patterdale. It hadn't occurred to Sue that she might have been up a hill that was still on my unclimbed list!
Last night's TGO Challengers reunion dinner had been a great success. Sixty people attended and Roger Smith gave an excellent short address. He was on good form, as were Sue and Ali, the new coordinators.
So we were all excused for our slow start this morning, it being 10.15 by the time Sue and I set off with Mike and Marian from the Information Centre at Tyndrum, along the easy track to Cononish. This is gold mining country and Marian recounted how yesterday she and Mike had seen a series of 'Saturday gold panners' leaving the glen in their Porsches.
Continuing along the track to well beyond Cononish farm gave us about 5 km of track walking which we filled with conversation on both the walk in and the walk out. As the Eas Anie waterfall approached we left the track and ascended slopes above the waterfall over easy grassy ground, zigzagging up the steepest section. We paused for elevenses and to admire the flowers. Lousewort, Moss Campion and the spent flowers of Bog Asphodel can be added to yesterday's tally.
After some level ground and an easy stream crossing we continued easily up to the broad south east ridge of Beinn Chuirn, passing an impressive steep gully on the way. Cloud came and went, as did some drizzle, but it was calm enough to enjoy our lunch at the summit, where both of today's pictures were taken. We even had some views, notably across Glen Lochy to Beinn Udlaidh.
The way we came was the way we went, subject to a few variations that will be apparent when I download the weekend's routes. Cake was eaten, tea was drunk, crisps were crunched.
M & M headed home and Sue and I headed for another exquisitely hot bath at the Crianlarich Hotel, whilst the drizzle we'd noticed from time to time on the walk morphed into a storm.
Today's route was about 16 km with 700 metres ascent, taking five and a half hours.
The weather over the past couple of days has been comparatively benign compared with that during the usual timing of this reunion later in October, and I think the consensus of those attending was that this was a Good Thing. Expect a similar date next year.
4 comments:
You all look a tad wet on those pics. But still smiling so it can’t have been too bad. Good turn out for the reunion.
Not wet then Alan - we were just geared up to withstand a light shower. But the following day we needed a steel skinned waterproof layer...
Two good days Martin. Even I remembered that Sue had done Beinn Chuirn before -:)
I'd completely forgotten that she'd been up Beinn Chuirn, Gibson. It hadn't been marked off in my book, but when we got back Sue discovered that she'd filled in the triangle on her map. She had no recollection of the hill, which no doubt looks completely different from Glen Lochy. I do now remember waiting in the car with my duff leg whilst Sue and Graham nipped up last year.
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