Ptarmigan Oct Meet (Ben Lawers)

(2.10.16) Beinn nan Oighreag: 22km. 6hrs,30mins. Ascent: 765m

Destination for the monthly bus to the hills from Edinburgh was the Lawers car park. One of the advantages of using a wee bus is that you can plan a linear route finishing up with having a few light refreshments   It's exactly what we did. Robin came along again & was tempted for the Corbett but fancied a view up Ben Lawers with ma pal Graham. There was plenty of morning clag in the Killin area but the forecast was for a braw day. We walked up the Glen Lyon road for a few km passed Lochan na Lairige till the bend in the road by the Old Shielings at NN582416 & crossed the Allt Baile a’ Mhuilinn. We headed West up through peaty boggy ground to Bealach na Cuinneig 694m cairn (marked on 25k maps) Decended down to the Lairig Bhreislich at point 548m (marked on 25k) through more bog & peat hags. Had to watch our footing as I fell a couple of times into bog, including tumbling over & smacking myself clean in the face with my own walking pole handle. My shades took the force of the walking pole punch. After dusting myself down from point 548m, we climbed up the side of a gully to the ridge & wandered over to the 899m top & then to the Corbett summit. Descended via the South ridge to Glen Lochay & instead of taking the path West of the Allt Dhuin Croisg we aimed for the other path that comes out near the Lochay Power Station. This involved crossing over the Allt Dhuin Croisg & down & up over various hilly knolls. Picked up the path for abit then took a short cut through a farm down to the road. Had a few km walk along the road for a pint in Killin. A great linear route & good to escape the crowds off the beaten track.