Ben Vorlich

Ben Vorlich from Ben Our

Start of walk at Loch Earn

Ben Vorlich trig point from adjacent top

Stuc a' Chroin from Ben Vorlich

Ben Vorlich summit

Stuc a' Chroin

Ben Vorlich from the ridge towards Ben Our

Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin from Ben Our

Loch Voil and Crianlarich Munros from Ben Our

Ben Our summit towards Loch Earn

Monday, 11 February 2019

Ascent:        995 metres
Distance:     11 kilometres
Time:          5 hours 28 minutes

Ben Vorlich      984m    2hrs 5mins

We awoke to perfect blue skies over the twin peaks of Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin. They are our nearest Munros and are visible from the kitchen window. John and I had decided to have our first outing of the year on them. The snows of recent weeks had been hardened to ice sheets by wind and frost so ice axes, crampons and a flask of coffee were packed. We made the leisurely 30-minute journey to the peaceful shores of Loch Earn. It would be my tenth walk up this hill and the fourth in winter conditions. We were walking shortly after 10am, our stiff winter boots and heavier than usual packs slowing us as we climbed the excellent path past Ardvorlich House and up the burn to the micro-hydro scheme that had been installed 8 or 9 years ago.

Above here the path is well made and takes a steady line towards the summit. Above 600 metres the path had begun to resemble a frozen cascade and we had to either take to the heather slopes or fit some crampons. I chose the latter and it took 10 minutes to fit and adjust them to my boots. John had decided to march on up the heather and he eventually reached a resting point on the snowfields above where three other walkers were perched and had been for some time. My crampons ratcheted me up to them, there were two men and a young woman. They had no crampons and were terrified of the black ice on the steepish slopes. An experienced climber had gone up to rescue the girl's boyfriend who had made a forlorn attempt to reach the summit and stranded on the icy slopes. They were gingerly making their way down the slope whilst the other three were lamenting their attempt on Ben Vorlich. The climber had then promised that he would take the four of them down to safer ground.

John meanwhile was trying to reassure them whilst fitting his crampons. I could not offer any further help so continued to climb the final 150 metres of ascent up the steep snow and ice slope. I was joined by a younger climber who had forgotten his crampons but otherwise had the equipment, nerve and experience to climb to the summit. We passed the experienced climber who was dressed in shorts and wearing crampons, he was guiding the young walker down by getting him to grip his shoulders as he made a slow descent as he dug his crampons into the ice. What had started as a fairly ordinary winter walk was becoming a bit of an adventure. When we reached the summit, the full effect of a -11°C wind chill became evident. It was no place to hang around and even my camera froze up when I tried to take some photos. I had to revert to my phone and the numb hands that followed. John arrived and after sauntering out to the nearby twin top we began to descend towards the Stuc a' Chroin bealach.

The young climber asked to join us as we negotiated our way down the steep slope. It was hard snow on black ice so John lent him his ice axe. We deliberated going over to Stuc a' Chroin but it would have taken an hour or so extra in the conditions and with the wind rising, it would be no fun on the summit. Normally this would not deter us but we were no longer striving to complete another Munro round so we could opt out and enjoy the day. We decided to walk out over the outlying hill, Ben Our. It was a route we had not taken before and gave excellent views up Loch Voil and along the length of Loch Earn. Once we escaped the snow and ice, it became a leisurely stroll and we were able to enjoy a conversation with someone who had only recently begun to climb regularly and he had 50 Munros under his belt. His enthusiasm and hill innocence made us nostalgic for the adventures that he had ahead. We were down by 3.40pm after a comparatively short day on the hills. Competing against the conditions had released our endorphins and we returned home mightily content to have been back on the hills.