Ben Chonzie

Loch Turret and the Drumlin field

The nearest we got to seeing the summit

Why does it always rain on me? Ben Chonzie summit

In from the cold

Tramping down through the bog lands 

Thunder and Lightning episode

Its getting better

Its getting better all the time -  looking up Glen Turret

Monday,  10 August 2015
Ascent:         720 metres
Distance:      17 kilometres
Time:            4 hours 13 minutes

m   Ben Chonzie     940m    2hrs 22mins

It was an unusual walk arranged at the last minute with awful conditions on a mountain that I had climbed already on this round. John phoned and said he was meeting Alex and Ross to climb Ben Chonzie and would I like to join them. I knew the forecast was dire but also knew that Alex with a young family and living in Sheffield had only limited opportunities to get out on the hills . We met at Braco and John drove us up stopping in Crieff so that Alex could buy some food for lunch.

We drove up to the long private road to the reservoir at Glen Turret and set out whilst it was still dry but the skies were dark grey and threatening. It is a long walk along the track east of the reservoir and by the time the track ended, the rain had started and the ground was waterlogged. The cloud level was down to 600 metres and we paddled through ankle deep water on the lower slopes before finding a muddy faint track through the steeper rocky slopes.  It climbed steeply through the thistles until we reached the bealach below the 755 metre top. It seemed a safer route rather than trying to find a more direct ascent threading our way through the crags but it added a couple of kilometres to the walk.

From here it was a relatively straightforward steady ascent keeping close to the old fence posts as visibility was down to about 30 metres.The rains began in earnest and we were soon thoroughly soaked, my 'event' jacket once again wetted out despite a recent reproofing, I am coming to the conclusion that goretex is more reliable. I left it too late to put on my waterproof leggings so decided to just live with the wet trousers. On reaching the summit, I pulled out my two man bothy bag, it has been in the rucksack for years but seldom used. Ross was there first so we had some protection whilst eating our food. Alex was suffering from the cold rain in his shorts so came in for some respite from the lashing rain.

The rain abated for a short period so we decided to descend by the ascent route instead of following the ridge down the west side of the Loch Turret reservoir. It is a bit of a topographical puzzle even when the conditions are clear.  We made reasonable time down to Lochaine Uaine and then through the waterlogged lower slopes to the track. The heavens opened and we had a short episode of thunder and lightning and a torrential downpour.  Half an hour later as we were marching along the track above the reservoir the sun came out. The three burns that crossed the track had all become raging torrents and instead of skipping across on the larger stones as we had done on the ascent we had to wade across a foot or so of fast moving water.

Arriving at the car park, we were the only vehicle left; it was no surprise as it had been an atrocious day. There was chance to dry out our gear and top up with some food and water whilst we watched a red kite patrolling the hillside. I reflected that this is not the best way up Ben Chonzie, the Glen Ledknock route is shorter, easier and has the largest collection of hares of any mountain. It is something to remember for the next ascent of this hill and this was reinforced when my brother told me it is possibly the worst munro he has climbed and he had used the same route as we had today.