[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 26th August 2007   Ben Klibreck Map Today I reached the same age as my father was when he died so naturally I was a bit apprehensive but on the whole I was hopeful that I might make it to midnight. (I did). The day was another cloudy but dry day, similar to yesterday although there was a very strong wind at the top. We parked at grid ref NC545303 as suggested by the Munro guide books - there was a forestry plantation behind us on the western side of the road and a small rough area on the eastern side for parking. We set off at 9.35 and our first obstacle was the Vagastie river. It was easy enough to cross, however, by stepping carefully on stones sticking out of the water and using the walking poles to steady ourselves. Ben Klibreck from the start of the climb Once across we followed a mud and grass path past a wire enclosure and then set off across the great, grassy expanse which lay between the road and Ben Klibreck. There was a slight rise in the ground to surmount and after that it was a trudge across more grass and bog, passing by the southern end of Loch na Glas-choile and then to the north of the hillock, Meall nan Uan, and the lochan, Loch nan Uan. The path had disappeared several times during the course of this trek but the way was fairly easy to find as we could always see our goal rising up ahead of us. Traversing the grass and bog Loch nan Uan As we rounded the end of the loch the Ben Klibreck ridge loomed ahead of us like a great wall, dauntingly steep and mostly grassy but with some crags. The path now turned towards the lowest point of this ridge and then went more or less straight up. It was muddy and very steep but we managed to make reasonable time and finally hauled ourselves onto the crest of the ridge. From there the way was fairly level for a while as we made our way north towards the summit mound. Amber on the way up to the ridge We had seen no-one else so far but now several other parties started appearing from the south, having made their way up the long and less steep approach ie from the Vagastie footbridge via the western spur. Most of these walkers overtook us as we toiled up the final steep stretch to the summit - this part was more stony and the wind was now blowing quite strongly. I had the Berghaus, overtrousers, gloves and hat on by the time we reached the top (13.28). One group of walkers up there had met us the day before on Ben Hope. Walkers sheltering from the wind at the summit By the time we reached the top cloud had drawn in and we only saw the odd fleeting glimpse of the surrounding area through breaks in the cloud. We had a fruit pie each then set off down, followed shortly afterwards by the other parties who soon outdistanced us and disappeared along the ridge on their long route back. Once we got to our descent point from the ridge, marked by a small pile of stones but not otherwise evident, we paused for a moment, contemplating the green lip where the ground seemed to just end and fall away in a rather alarming fashion. For a moment or two I wondered if it was too risky to go back that way as it was so steep and the strong wind was still buffetting us. We pressed on though and in the end it turned out to be easier than expected and we got down the steep slopes with no difficulty. Then it was just a long slog back across the grassy wastes to the car (16.50); the mountain top had cleared as we made our way down. Looking south along the main ridge on the way back Ben Hope and Ben Loyal on the horizon   By Loch nan Uan   Re-crossing the Vagastie To make some inroads into the long journey home we drove south past Inverness and tried unsuccessfully to get accommodation at Aviemore. It was full of the Harley-Davidson Owners Club today so we carried on and got fixed up in Kingussie at the B&B I'd been to before - it was the one I'd been turned away from last time because of a surfeit of McPhersons. The proprietor was Bernie & he was asking £25 per person. There was no time for a shower as it was already past 8.00 and we didn't want to be too late to get any food - memories of Braemar were still fresh. We made our way to the Star Inn on the High Street where we had a meal and a couple of pints then left without paying the bill. Back at the B&B Amber said 'did you pay the bill?' and I realised I had completely forgotten about it. So I had to put my clothes back on and jog back to the pub and pay up. The landlord said the girl (waitress) had been very upset and I wondered if that was because it would have been coming out of her wages. All well in the end though. 640 mile drive home the next day, dropping Amber off in Norwich on the way.