Ben Vorlich

Peak: Ben Vorlich (985m)
Area: Loch Earn, Scotland
Almost unbelievably, here was another mountain, another country, and yet another blizzard to add to this spring's long list. I wanted to stretch my legs in the evening, breaking the long journey to Skye with a quick mountain run. This is something I have done many times over the years, and it works well. As such, Ben Vorlich was one of the few remaining obvious gaps for this kind of quick outing, and the drive from Strathyre round the quiet southern edge of Loch Earn was new to me. Northerly airflow has continued for days, and it was still cold as I headed from the shores of the loch up the track through Ardvorlich house (and Bodnant-style hill garden) towards the open hill. Ahead, Ben Vorlich had some high clag and streaks of snow from this week's falls. Behind, however, Ben More and Stobinian rose from shower clouds, glistening totally white and gleaming in the evening sunshine. I planned a quick ascent, although resisted breaking into a run given the likely exertions of the next few days - fortunately, this hill is perfect in that respect. A gentle climb through open woodland leads to the open hill above the pretty stream valley, Allt a Choire Bhuidhe, and views begin to open out to the north over the Perthshire peaks. Above, the track becomes a path and steepens considerably. Here, the rain started in earnest. Then, an all-too-familiar pattern as it gave way to sleet and then snow as I ascended. After a forepeak, the snow got quite heavy and the top was pretty hostile - heavy snow falling horizontally in a stiff northerly wind, eyebrows icing up. I got to the trig point in 56 minutes, decided not to continue to Stuc a'Chroin, and descended in very poor visibility and very cold temperatures. All my tracks had been covered by a thick fresh layer of snow. On regaining the woodland, the rain stopped and the clouds began to clear leaving Ben Vorlich completely white and radiant. This, however, marked the end of this year's bad weather luck - within less than 36 hours the temperature was nudging into the low 20s on the shore of Loch Slapin.