Ben Chabhair

Club Sunday

This is the 4th Sunday in a row I've been out. The spring /summer / autumn hills are great and the long hours and colours can be beautiful but nothing beats the winter for sheer enjoyment. By "enjoyment" I mean getting up at 6:30 on Sunday morning, driving in the dark to a hill then lugging a heavy rucksack with axe and crampons up some snow to stand in minus blah blah wind while easting a ham sandwich.....great stuff.

Anyway, we approached Ben Chabhair from Derrydaroch Farm to avoid the boggy start of the usual ascent route, climbed onto Chabhair's NW ridge and on the the summit.We were subjected toa fair old icy buffeting on the ridge but occasionally passed boulders which cut the wind off like someone had flicked a switch and provided welcome respite for a few seconds. From the summit we dropped steeply down to the col with An Caisteal and then walked out along the valley side.