Slackdhu (top) - 496m
Tuesday 29th June 2010
 

Weather/Conditions: Sunny with light cloud and a little wind up top.
Distance/Ascent/Time: 6km / 400m / 2h 22m
Accompanying: Alone

Now at the end of June, I'd spent many days walking long distance routes, first of all on the Southern Upland Way (200km) and then the West Highland Way (163km). This however meant I spent less time on the actual hills and by the end of the month I was feeling the itch to do something big. While Ben Nevis, Aonach and the Grey Corries looked inviting from the train home from the West Highland Way, the heights would have to wait since my hillwalking schedule is based around taking what I can get.

Slackdhu would do for now. And again, it was another fun day on the cliff edges. I climbed to the bottom of the crags like I'd done for the first time in April then ascended the right hand side of the cliffs. I spent some time edging out onto the cliff edges, again looking for climbing possibilities, but again to no avail. There are, however, possibilities but they require nerves of steel. I'm keen also to perhaps abseil down from the top of the cliffs in the future... perhaps...

Although I was enjoying the cliffs enough to call it a day already, the peak bagging instinct demanded I nip to the top and bag the summit. I listened to the urge and enjoyed a few moments there. But the real joy came from relaxing out on the top of the central buttress of the cliffs, away from the summit with views across the cliffs below.

Happy with my day, a quick rock took me back down towards Strathblane. Initially on steep grass, I found myself among the boulders and bracken on the lower slopes and was more than happy to gain the track back to Blanefield.

This trip didn't give me the big mountains I so wished for, but it was sure as hell a good day out. The big hills were to come the following week... roll on the Cairngorms.

Written: 2010-07-08

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