At long last ....

Trouble with walking in the West Highlands is invariably down to the weather. The forecast let us down on Monday and today predicted dry, broken weather, but with high winds. So we plumbed for a 'reconnaissance' walk up from Invercharnan in Glen Etive towards Sgurr na h-Ulaidh (peak of the treasure) - 994m.

From the car park at about sea level, we walked up the long plantation valley with the trees creaking and squeaking in the wind and the clouds scudding over the hillsides (the tops were completely hidden). We plodded up the sodden hillside to a Beallach at a little over 600m, where to our great surprise we had warm broken sunshine and almost no wind at all. After a drink stop the reccy target was duly extended 'a little' to get us up onto the beginning of the ridge proper where we could test the snow slopes and find the howling winds that must surely be just up there. The climbing was steep, but relatively easy due to rock nicely angled into the slope, so staying dry and grippy, and we quickly got to the stage where it was going to be easier to go over the top and down the shallower flank on the other side than back-tracking the way we had come even if it did start to blow. But the winds never got to much and we even had a few snatches of views as the clouds rolled over us and very occasionally broke. 

A long snow stomp down (see extra) and back along the long plantation trail, saw us back at the car having snatched an enjoyable peak from a day of defeat and a well-earned supper in the Bridge of Orchy hotel.