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With Alex again on some bumps a
little less significant than Nevis which we'd done previously. I left at 12 and
picked Alex up. We arrived In Strathblane at 12.30, setting off after I had
bought food and Alex had bought cigarettes.
Dumgoyne
We started walking on the road out of Strathblane, just talking about all sorts
of things and going at a fairly slow pace too. We turned off and went up the
grassy slopes, past the forest. The day was nice and the weather was only
getting better. Alex stopped for a fag break, which is the first time I'd seen him smoke
in two years of knowing him. Only after a patient wait we
carried on. We took the path around the side of Dumfoyn,
and soon the slope steepened and we went up the side of Dumgoyne - reached the
top at 2.07pm.
We took some photographs and left after no more than thirty seconds at the top.
We descended to the scree on the north side from where I still deemed it too
steep to attempt going down - I never liked how cautious I was and did feel like
I was stopping myself doing certain things but I
couldn't shake off instinct and took the grassy route down the hill. By the time
I was at the bottom Alex was still half way up so I climbed up and joined him
half way down. I had a good scree-run down from there and once we were both down
we continued onwards to the next tops.
Across the tops
We slogged up to the col beside Dumfoyn and from there went to
the Dumfoyn summit - a simple and short walk over grass. We didn't spend much time
there either, because standing on a grassy mound being blasted by wind isn't the
most exhilarating of things to be doing. We descended down the east side to get
some shelter. I sat on my jacket and got something to eat - never too windy, too
hot or too cold but it was just right. Again we still talked about other various
things and I was enjoying myself.
Leaving Dumfoyn, we went straight for Slackdhu, over the bumps and crossing
rivers. We began ascending up the side and by this point Alex was getting a bit
bored although by now we were surrounded by cliffs on the Strathblane side. I
didn't want to bother finding a route back down and since we were almost at the
top we just slogged onwards - shouldn't be terribly far to go anyways.
We carried on (diverting around the bulls!) and were on top of Slackdhu at
3.45pm. After enjoying watching on as the wind blasted a waterfall back upwards
(see pics), we found a route down and descended. Mum phoned and said we'd meet
her where she dropped us off. We went down through the river by which time Alex
was shouting at the water and not in a great mood but it was the end of the walk
so not too much of a bother - we climbed up the side of the river and were back
in Strathblane by 4.30pm.
Written: 2008-02-18
Proofed: 2008-07-04
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