Ben Narnain ....

After an absence, two mountain days within a week was perfect !

A return to Arrochar and a return to Ben Narnain. Company this time was some friends of a girl that I work with. Mike was over from Canada and hoping to get a Munro tale to tell back home. Alan and Irene just looked over excited (a look which took some knocking out of them).

For those unfamiliar with the soon to be replace pipe track route of ascent, it has been described as:

“The start is a good warm up, taking a brutally direct line up the line of what was a rack and pinion railway used to construct part of the Loch Sloy catchment area for a hydro-electric scheme”

Brutal is about right. Over the years the erosion hasn’t helped either!

By the time we were at the point where the path takes an easier traverse line towards the Cobbler (we were continuing straight up), Mike’s knees had decided enough was enough. With about another 2000ft of climbing and a full 3000ft of descent the hard choice to descend was made.

The remaining folks continued up towards the summit whilst the cloud swung in and out either giving or stealing the view as it wanted. Just before the last push up to the trig point a sheltered lunch stop was chosen and Alan dished out a fantastic rice and veg dish with a selection of teas – tremendous!

Time was pressing when we arrived at the trig, so it was photographs, quick bearing and down towards the bealach between Narnain and Ime. Alan decided to make the descent a little more interesting by trashing his ankle a little – which looked sore. Few brufen he was back to skipping down again.

Last bit of the pipe track was made torture by the addition of the midges (doesn’t bode well for next weekends camp ?!?!?!?).

Back at the car (and with the Munro virginity lost) the pain in the legs for Alan and Irene seemed to be replaced with that over excited look that had started the day. Only another 283 mountains to go ….