A dispute between me and my housemates broke out on the subject of me walking alone in the winter. They inferred it was reckless and even went as far as demanding a deposit for remaining rent due in case I got killed, no money was left in the end and I went ahead with my walks. The organiser for the forthcoming new year trip later said also he wouldn’t allow people to go out alone. That statement went ignored not only by me but a few others as well. My view on this is that it should up to the individual to decide matters of their own safety for themselves and no-one else should intervene on those matters unless asked to. It’s quite arrogant for outsiders to lay down rules on what is dangerous and what is safe. Based on reasonable competence on a particular matter, individuals can decide what degree of risk is acceptable to them and this is something I’ve believed in for a long time.

It turned out to be a damp arrival at Crianlarich when I arrived in falling light. I had a five kilometre walk to do to my chosen camp site and although mainly on track and road, the rain wasn’t comfortable. Snow could be seen lying down to around 600 metres, I felt apprehensive about navigation in mist and snow. It was something I’d never done before but as no-one was prepared to show me how, I thought I’d better practise myself should the need arise. The weather cleared up after I had dinner and the night turned out to be fairly frosty.

The morning dawned bright though low cloud threatened beyond to bealach to the south, packing the flysheet away proved awkward as a film of ice formed on it. The bealach between the two Munros was my target and my overall aim was to climb nine Munros in all this trip. The ascent was slow and the pack felt heavy with additional axe and crampons on top of normal summer gear.

Rain started and this fell as snow higher up. I decided to carry my sack all the way up to An Caisteal fearing it may be lost in snow later on. The snow wasn’t thick, just a dusting on the ground and the freezing level was rising. The ascent to the plateau of Beinn A Chroin proved very steep with a path winding it’s way up broken crags and some small rocksteps. Numerous groups were met with it being Sunday. I decided that time didn’t permit an ascent of the next two summits that day so it was up with the tent at the early time of 2.30pm

The day dawned with the snow gone from the tops and the mist shifting but not budging. The bealach before the first summit I thought would be reached in no time, in the end I wasted one and a half hours getting lost on Stob Glas, I soon corrected my error and navigation was then no problem. I caught a north looking glimpse from the top of the second summit but that was it, the weather was dreary with the winds slack. This was boring weather! My gear got wet from the intermittent mild to moderate drizzle and humidity was far too high to dry the tent out at the end of the day.

Ben More Glen was my campsite this morning, I wandered whether views would spring up on the summits today, it looked brighter, the wind at the bealach between the two giants was certainly strong but alas no view from either summit. I caught up with the snow in the end. It wasn’t warm enough to remove the snow up here but still there wasn’t very much of the stuff anyway. I collected my sack down at the bealach and descended to Ben More Glen once again before speeding off at a fast pace back to Crianlarich. It was nice being in Scotland away from scruffy Manchester and unfriendly housemates. Next trip late November 1997.