Arrochar Corbetts ...and the death of an inov8 !

Driving out of Glasgow late on a Saturday evening felt strangely normal. Maybe because for far too long, I spent so many Saturday nights working on some obscure part of the rail network but packing the van and leaving the house just after 10pm didn’t seem at all strange.

Onto the motorway and out past the airport, past the part of the M8 where Joe Coll and myself could have been killed by a drunk driver had we been about 20 seconds further up the road, over the Erskine Bridge, past Dumbarton and the Balloch roundabout …I wondered how many times I had passed all these places on journeys north?

The plan was to kip in the newly converted Berlingo somewhere around Arrochar then run The Brack and Ben Donich just after dawn.

Parked up in a suitably hidden location (ironically beside a “no overnight parking” sign …who was actually going to check?!?!) rolled out the sleeping bag and settled down with a mix of Son Volt, Wilco and Uncle Tupelo on the ipod before drifting off to sleep. Was woken up numerous times with the rain pelting off the roof …kinda like drunks passing under the window back in Busby …but different. The alarm went off just after 6am – I looked out the window and promptly rolled over and went back to sleep since the rain had not eased in the slightest! Another 30 minutes later, things had eased sufficiently to justify getting the stove lit and some fresh coffee on the brew. I got ready, packed a very small rucksack (I was wearing most of my wet weather gear) and headed off up the track.

Surprised a red deer a few kms up the track …although I am not sure who got a bigger surprise before heading up the hill and towards the Brack. Sadly the mist took away any prospect of a view and any hill detail was provided solely by the 1:50k OSGB map. Hit the trig point before heading off on a bearing towards the coll. Had a great wee run on the descent but noted the Inov8 Flyrocs were not gripping very well.

Dropping out the cloud briefly, it was good to pick a line up the start of Ben Donich which included a nice wee overhang which provided limited shelter for lunch. Continued back up into the cloud before hitting the main track and ridge which led to the summit of Ben Donich. Fairly confidently, I touched the summit trig point (and chuckled because I know such behaviour make fellow Westie Johnston a bit uncomfortable) and headed back in the direction I had come from …only to lose the path within minutes. After a brief shout (at myself), I took a bearing and found the path again.

The descent down towards the Rest was fine but again, I noted the Inov8 Flyrocs were not gripping very well! Took a stupid line down through the trees and for a while kept expecting to emerge in a land resembling Narnia. Finally hit the track back towards Ardgarten where I had left the Berlingo. Got arrived soaked, muddy with cut shins from the forest section but happy with the day’s efforts. Was getting changed when I discovered the source of the Inov8 problems …the sole had departed company with the body.