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Weather/Conditions: Calm but
overcast weather until the summit. Wetter conditions later in the day
with the air warming as the day progressed. Owing to freeze thaw cycles,
the summit was an ice rink that even crampons barely penetrated.
Distance/Ascent/Time: 11.9 km / 950m / 6h
35m
Accompanying: Mackenzie Barker,
Samantha Munro |
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Ben Challum
hardly ranks among the most impressive of Scottish mountains, but it's
not a bad one. I've had several different impressions of this hill
having seen it from surrounding peaks and it throws up contrasting
characters. From southerly or western aspects, long kilometres of
gradually climbing bog lead to a double topped peak, and with the
north top at 1025m, it's a high summit for it's
retiring stature. Viewed from Beinn Chaorach to the north, the two
tops enclose a small corrie. I found this an imposing sight as these
tops rise far higher than any of the surrounding Corbetts. From the
east in Glen Lochay, it is a completely different mountain. An unbroken,
steep north face rises uniformly to the sharp-tipped summit. It's only
from this angle it gives the impression of being a true mountain.
But we approached it via. the bogs anyway.
But this walk was more about the company than about the hill itself.
Mackenzie, Samantha and I frequent MunroMagic.com and this was my first
outing with both of them. When I studied at the map, I came to dread the
idea of climbing the 500 vertical metres of bog. In the end, the great
'banter' and frozen ground conditions made this walk seem a walk in the
park, and it was only higher up that the real mountain revealed itself.
It didn't seem to take long to gain the higher slopes either, it was
just a fun day out today.
The views were good towards the Crianlarich and Tyndrum Hills too and
only the (dramatic!) sight and sound of a fighter jet broke the peace.
It roared into sight and was headed back up into the clouds in a moment.
I am in awe of these machines and don't understand why hillwalkers
complain that they break the peace. When I hear that mighty roar (and I
don't often) I look in anticipation to see what's coming. These jets
(so-called intrusions) that hammer up and down the Highlands are
awe-inspiring.
Back on the hill, we headed up towards the south top. When the summit
slopes rounded into view, we found new energies that took us all the way
up into the cloud. The snowfields were frozen hard, and much of the
terrain was covered in sheet ice. Crampons necessary. In fact - crampons
absolutely necessary, because even they struggled to bite into the tough
ice.
We slogged to the summit cairn of the south top where we stopped for
twenty minutes for a rest and lunch. Then we went on for the final push to the
summit. The ridge leading from the south top doesn't connect directly to
the summit but lies offset in a way that I haven't seen before. We made
the mistake of thinking that we could walk north from the subsidiary
top, which meant we were below the ridge by the time we realised the
mistake in the mist. Just before the last ascent,
we met two other walkers descending. (I think with a dog?) They had
passed us while we were having lunch and had a third friend who had not
to have gone to the summit.
Descent
And then we were on top. We spent a few minutes here before turning
around. The weather was getting gnarly, the frost of the morning had
disappeared with the warmer air and hail started to fall. While we'd
walked on frozen ground on the ascent the descent became wet and boggy.
The easy going feel of the ascent had gone by the descent but we were in
good spirits anyway.
Although we'd veered off course on the vast bog land, the deer fences
that cross this hillside kept us on track and we arrived back on a track
that took us down to Kirkton Farm. We crossed the bridge and arrived at
the cars soon after. We planned to go to the Real Food Cafe but were met
with a closed sign. So we settled for the Green Welly Stop. The restaurant in the corner was closed
so we went into the cafeteria. This is no Real Food Cafe. They were
doing construction work on the ceiling while people ate and
served meals, and it was a bit dark and rather loud. Annoyingly
enough, the Real Food Cafe was open by the time we passed on the way out
of Tyndrum. Always next time...
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