Sep 12th, 2015

Author: donich_admin

Beinn Vorlich in the rain

Today was the first day of our ‘staycation’ and of course after a lovely week when we were both hard at work, today the weather was filthy…

It wasn’t tooooo bad when we got up at 6:30 – just a bit cloudy and dreich with a little drizzle and no wind. So we decided to stick to plan and go up Beinn Vorlich (there are two – this was the Loch Lomond one). By the time we got to the car park it was lightly raining. By the time we got up to near the dam at Loch Sloy where the real ascent starts, the wind was getting up as well.

The Walk Highlands website describes Beinn Vorlich as an unrelenting uphill slog and this describes it pretty well. There is a good path, but by the time we were half way up the rain was pouring down and the wind was gusting. We got to the top ridge and it had both of us off our feet several times. So pretty miserable and we didn’t even stop to eat our sandwiches before setting off back down. No views at all as well as we were in the cloud after about 600m.

The rain on the way back was horrendous, and I realized that after spending a load of money on new trousers, waterproof trousers, pack and gloves, the part of me that was really really wet was under my coat which had started letting the water straight through. So a new coat will be another expense but as I’ve had that one for about six years of Scottish weather, I suppose it is hardly surprising.

Back home and seriously chilled so time for some homemade broth and a sit by the fire. Hope the weather is better tomorrow as the plan is to do the Brack and Cnoc Coinich.

The photo is down to the dam across Loch Sloy and is the only one we bothered to take all day apart from one of me looking like a drowned rat which is definitely not appearing on the Internet.