There’s something about a strong early morning sun that puts a skip in my step. Spring is my favourite time of the year, new life is everywhere from the spikey daffodil shoots to unsteady lambs, even the sky seems to have revitalised itself into a more vivid shade of blue and the clouds are cleaner.
Saturday morning I wake before the alarm and was full of spring fever. I would like to say I bounced out of bed but we know that didn’t happen to this middle-aged overweight body. I was excited. I’ve not been excited about an early start for ages. Would this feeling pass?
Three of us meet at the usual point and we head to Bridge of Orchy with the hope of bagging another munro. It’s been about 2 years since my last big hill, I wasn’t confident I could complete but strangely didn’t even care, I just wanted to get out in the air and away from these walls and garden fence panels.
Parking at Victoria Bridge car park, a gentle walk in took us to the charming Clashgour Hut and we ‘swung a right’ to start the ascent of Stob a' Choire Odhair. The walk continued gently upwards which is usually quite unnerving as a false sense of ease is usually halted by a mighty scramble and exhaustion but not this one, this one was kinder and more considerate. Stepping over rivers and piggy-backing frogs, bumble bees and lochans, the chat was easy as always and had we brought a wicker picnic basket with gingham cloth, we would not have looked out of place on this picturesque hill. We ate lunch (from our backpacks, not wicker basket) in the sun and warm breeze kept beasties away and a smile on my face. The top arrived far quicker and easier than I had expected and the views were exceptional; seeing Rannoch Moor and Loch Tulla in all their glory was such a reward.
Our descent brought a few sledging opportunities with a 20p carrier bag making a good vehicle. I ask Vince to mute my inane squealing if he makes the recording public…
When I first started hill walking, the excitement over exhaustion was intense and I hadn’t felt that in a couple of years. My buzz was back and I made sure everyone knew it with my insistence of “Look at that. LOOK AT THE VIEW AND WHAT WE DID TODAY”… My companions step quietly back, glancing furtively at each other and let me enjoy my moment...