The hill being Ben A'an, in the Trossachs. First time this year ( talk about patience ! ), that time and weather were in harmony for me. Decided on the Thursday to do a wee overnighter, from the Friday to the Saturday on Ben A'An. Had a few items I wanted to try out as well, not least the 28 lbs of gear packed ( camera gear, sleep gear and cooking gear and a basic two meal food ration and water), in an old '58 webbing pack, perfect opportunity to do so. Ben A'an is a small ( by comparison ) <2000ft hill but, a steep climb over the majority of it. Rocky steps and tree roots to get over. The views from the top make it worth while though. It's an hours drive from me, so not far at all. Arrived at an almost deserted car park ( one other car ) Set off at 18:30.
Looking back down from the start. (mobile phone shot)
Looking up at the steep climb ahead (mobile phone shot)
This first view of the Ben, and a brief stop with the tripod and camera to take the shot and have a wee drink o' water !
Carrying on you then have this part to negotiate ! Sore on the old knees !! Looking back down.
Looking up and near greeting' now !
Almost there ! Looking back at the vista beginning to open up. Only a few hundred (steep) feet to the top .
The Top !!!!
Sun getting ready to set.
Sunsetting.
And so to bed, in the Mountain Bivvy bag ( bought from Bert333, of this parish ), after a cook meal and a brew on the Esbit stove ( worked really well ).
Plan was to get a few hours sleep ( hoped for five, got about four , if I was lucky ! ) Up at 04:20 to get the Sunrise.
Sun has risen above but not above "my" horizon, lol
Sun breaks my horizon.
Quick brew and some breky before doing some more pictures.
Various pictures from the (very early ) Saturday morning.
The bivvy was great, added a 3/4 air mat ( vango ) nice and comfy. Esbit stove ( meths ) was brill. 28 lbs is ( IMHO ) still too heavy but cannot think how I can lighten the load. The climb up was hard going, been a few years since I have pushed myself that hard. Camera lenses ( 2 ) are heavy , but need them . Two ltrs of water is also heavy ( gets dam heavier as you climb, pmsl ) . Tripod def' does not help weight but I need it so hay ho.
The thing was I was actually quicker going back down , than I was going , I always felt the climb down was harder in most occasions I climb, ah well, no complaint ! Meet a few folk ascending at about 09:00 and they were surprised I was up and heading beck down that early. They were gobsmacked when I said I had stayed the night on the hill, lol.
Last picture of the kit I was carrying, again taken by a mobile.
All in all, I am quite chuffed I completed it, proved to my self that I can still hack it. Looking forward to another wee trip, hopefully planning two or three a month if weather is good.
Thanks for looking
Pete
Looking back down from the start. (mobile phone shot)
Looking up at the steep climb ahead (mobile phone shot)
This first view of the Ben, and a brief stop with the tripod and camera to take the shot and have a wee drink o' water !
Carrying on you then have this part to negotiate ! Sore on the old knees !! Looking back down.
Looking up and near greeting' now !
Almost there ! Looking back at the vista beginning to open up. Only a few hundred (steep) feet to the top .
The Top !!!!
Sun getting ready to set.
Sunsetting.
And so to bed, in the Mountain Bivvy bag ( bought from Bert333, of this parish ), after a cook meal and a brew on the Esbit stove ( worked really well ).
Plan was to get a few hours sleep ( hoped for five, got about four , if I was lucky ! ) Up at 04:20 to get the Sunrise.
Sun has risen above but not above "my" horizon, lol
Sun breaks my horizon.
Quick brew and some breky before doing some more pictures.
Various pictures from the (very early ) Saturday morning.
The bivvy was great, added a 3/4 air mat ( vango ) nice and comfy. Esbit stove ( meths ) was brill. 28 lbs is ( IMHO ) still too heavy but cannot think how I can lighten the load. The climb up was hard going, been a few years since I have pushed myself that hard. Camera lenses ( 2 ) are heavy , but need them . Two ltrs of water is also heavy ( gets dam heavier as you climb, pmsl ) . Tripod def' does not help weight but I need it so hay ho.
The thing was I was actually quicker going back down , than I was going , I always felt the climb down was harder in most occasions I climb, ah well, no complaint ! Meet a few folk ascending at about 09:00 and they were surprised I was up and heading beck down that early. They were gobsmacked when I said I had stayed the night on the hill, lol.
Last picture of the kit I was carrying, again taken by a mobile.
All in all, I am quite chuffed I completed it, proved to my self that I can still hack it. Looking forward to another wee trip, hopefully planning two or three a month if weather is good.
Thanks for looking
Pete
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