Up Ben Wyvis with Charlie (or David)

7th April 2017

9.2 miles and 3000 feet of ascent in 4 hours 15 minutes


Charlie and Euan are on holiday with us and Charlie and I haven’t done this walk for some years. The forecast was for it to stay dry so we decided to give it a go. We left not long after 10 and headed to beyond Garve to the Ben Wyvis car park. We used my old Mini. We set off walking on an overcast but dry morning, leaving about 11. The walk can be considered in stages. Stage 1 takes you up through the forest to where the heather and moor starts. This is us at the top of stage 1.
 



Stage 2 takes you up to near this rock on a really good path. You can see the drizzle has just started. Stage 3 was built since Charlie was last here. A helicopter dropped in tonnes of rocks and a young fellow put together almost a stairway. That carries you to near the ridge.

We are just about 2500 feet looking across at Little Wyvis.

We had a very short picnic it was so cold. We then got jackets and gloves on.




It poured driving rain once we reached the summit ridge and we just slogged on without taking photos. Here we’ve reached the trig station at the top. We didn’t wait, just a few pictures and dash off. On a good day the views are wonderful. Today you saw nothing. Never believe the Scottish weather forecasts.  I checked both the BBC and www.mountain-forecast.com.









There is still snow around. It was covered just two weeks ago.



We just hammered down and it did get drier as we got lower. Here we are almost ready to go back into the forest.


See how wet my breeks are!

And almost at the car park.

When I took the children up when they were younger this bridge did not exist.

If the burn was high you had to cross on this fence. Neither Charlie nor I were prepared to risk it. Even the strainer looks pats it!


And back to the car at 3.15.


OK it was wet. But we did it and I really enjoyed doing it with Charlie again. Now he is 28 and a dad it is hard to find the time. I hope I’m still fit enough to do it when Euan is old enough. We overtook several groups. One was two young men. And no one overtook us! Makes an old man feel good. But David and I could do it at one time in 3 hours 45 minutes. Oh dear. But, a great time. We motored home with the heater going as good as it can.