Arran 20 June 2012

Allan, Andy, Davie, Ian, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Rex

‘I’ll tak the high road and you tak the low road’

Schism : division into opposing groups because of a difference in belief or opinion, especially in a religious body. Well that’s us then!

Seven Ooters were discussing whether Jimmy had slept in again for the Arran ferry as it left Ardrossan on a fine, clear morning or, whether he had had enough of Arran the previous week, when the bold James suddenly appeared announcing that he had been on the deck below probably wondering if the rest of us had slept in. Anyway Jimmy had plans for the day and as we partook of coffee and rolls in the café he said that, given the clear conditions, he was going high, taking in the Three Beinns (Nuis, Tarsuinn and a’Chliabhain -  the scribe thinks!). Davie agreed to keep him company and, despite our protestations, he took Holly with him. What cruelty! She had only just met up with her pals and had had a good sniff at our rucksacks as we came on board to ascertain what delights there might be for lunch.

The remaining six took the bus down to Lamlash before heading back up towards Clauchlands Point and the climb up to the trig point on Dun Fion. Here lunch was taken whilst we took in the views of the Holy Isle, Brodick and the hills beyond. Despite our best efforts we were unable to spot two men and a dug on the hills in the distance but, as Jimmy’s photos show, they were being blessed with superb views of their own.

Soon it was time to continue over Clauchlands Hill and down towards the main road. We did this walk back on 28 July 2010 and even since then the landscape had changed due to swathes of trees having being felled. Over the road we went and continued down the forest road towards Glen Cloy only stopping briefly for drinks before turning towards Auchrannie and back to Brodick.

Here we partook of ale at Mac’s Bar, as we do, but, being less than satisfied with the beer there, we reconvened at the Douglas which was more to our satisfaction.

A four hour walk on a fine summer’s day was complemented with chips on the boat home. The splinter group had set a target of the later crossing and we look forward to their minority report.

Report from the high* toppers

Even before the ferry left Ardrossan Jimmy’s mind was made up. The fact the he had done the proposed walk the week before and the fact that the morning was bright, sunny and warm and that the light morning hill fog was already burning off the hills made up his mind for him: He was for the high tops. When he mentioned this to Davie when he eventually found the group (having waited patiently on the lower sun deck while the rest waited on the upper one miscalling him), the latter agreed to accompany him. Even Holly looked pleased with this change of plan. And as we got nearer to the island and the hill fog continued to break up, the resolve hardened. We were definitely for the high tops.

The walk up Glen Rosa in the late morning sun was very pleasant indeed. Good natured chitchat was exchanged with like minded folk as we passed them and even birds were identified for those who were unsure what they were watching. A chap from Kilmarnock – sorry we forgot to get your name – followed closely behind us. He, likewise, was bound for the ‘Three Bens’ horseshoe and followed us along the glen to the bridge on the Garbh Allt. At this bridge we left the floor of the glen to start the first steep climb of the day, up the side of the burn on to a high moorland stretch.

The Garbh Allt or Rough Burn is just that, a steep flow of rushing water tumbling over and gushing between granite boulders in foamy white waterfalls or flowing more gently over smoothed granite slabs. The path alternately brought us to the burn side or raised us high above it depending on the drop of the water. Then it dropped us down into a deep gully, across the burn and up the other side and we could see our first objective, Ben Nuis, rising steeply in front of us for the hill fog had now completely gone and the peaks were free and clear.

It’s amazing how much steeper and higher they have made this climb in the twenty-six years since Jimmy last did it, or even in the ten years since Davie last did it. The climb was steep and hot and long but we consoled ourselves with the fact that our new Kilmarnock friend hadn’t passed us yet. Then, quite suddenly, we were on the top and could settle for a bite to eat. We were joined few minutes later by the Kilmarnock chappie.

It was two o’clock when we eventually made the summit of Ben Nuis - the climb taking longer than Jimmy thought - but it was well worth putting in the effort for the views presented to us today were spectacular. (See Jimmy’s pictures below) Yet, for a wee while it looked as though we would be deprived of these views for, as we climbed to the summit, a drift of cloud floated in our direction and we thought the worst. But, as we sat, it broke up around our summit revealing tantalising vignettes of the western hills and Loch Tanna below. To the east though, the high tops leading on to Goat Fell were clear and bathed in sunshine. Our ridge to the north looked ominously steep and forbidding under the cloud that broke up around us. Then the cloud was gone and a wonderful hillscape opened up for us, with vistas as far as the Galloway hills in the southeast, Ireland in the southwest, The Paps of Jura in the west, the Goat Fell ridges in the east and the ridge on to our next top, Ben Tarsuinn, running away northward.

It was along this ridge that we wandered after lunch, stopping frequently as Jimmy tried to capture with his camera the impressive scene of rock walls and steep gullies that make up this ridge. We passed a structure of fractured granite slabs known as the Old Man of Ben Tarsuinn and of course this just had to be photographed as well. Then, just as suddenly as on Ben Nuis, we were on the summit of Ben Tarsuinn.

Ben Tarsuinn gives great views of the peaks and rock faces of all the northern hills of Arran and we spent a wee bit of time identifying the tops and possible walks over and amongst them. But we didn’t spend too long doing this for we were conscious of distance and time, and the last ferry. We left the top of Ben Tarsuinn a little after two-forty-five.

Now there came a steep and rocky descent where we lost the path, found it beyond a granite slab and almost immediately lost it again. This pattern continued for a good quarter of an hour of ever downward progress. Eventually, after a few more drops off granite slabs, we found the path on a more level slope. This descent was not easy and was made very much with use of hands as much as feet but it did drop us on to the path coming through the Bowman’s Pass. Through the rock arch and we were on better footing again on the path for Ben A’Chliabhain.

We reached the summit of Ben A’Chliabhain at four o’clock – bang on Jimmy’s schedule – and another halt was made to replace lost fluids.
The descent from Ben A’Chliabhain is by way of a gritty path through the peaty areas and by many easy-sloping granite slabs, ‘The Pavement’ Davie’s children called it all those years ago. Now there’s one thing about Davie; there’s no holding him back on an ascent but his dodgy knees and sair back prevent him from exercising the same speed on the descent. The down slope was taken in three distinct groups of one – Holly to the fore chasing mice and voles in the long bent-grass by the side of the path, Jimmy striding casually down the ‘pavement’, hands behind his back, and Davie bringing up the rear trying hard to protect his knees. Then the ‘pavement’ gave way to wet moorland and the group was together again. But the path down the Alt Garbh caused Davie the same problems and Jimmy and Holly had to wait at the bridge in Glen Rosa. Davie wasn’t too far behind though, and we all gathered at that bridge at five o’clock. Again, bang on Jimmy’s estimate.

It was at the bridge here that we were joined by David from Bishopbriggs. He had done the first part of our walk but instead of turning to Ben A’Chliabhain he had continued towards Cir Mhor, a walk we had identified on Tarsuinn. But, said he, he had bitten off more than he could chew and had come back down into the glen by a steep path on the flank of Cir Mhor. David kept us company for the rest of the walk.

The walk down the glen was taken at a more leisurely pace than the walk up it earlier in the day. The six kilometers or so back to Brodick took just over an hour, plenty of time to replace lost fluids in Mac’s Bar before the evening ferry back to Ardrossan.

This had been a long day – seven hours – but it is one that will live long in the memory of the two who did it. We feel sure that they will have recovered in time for next week’s walk.

*For the benefit of our Californian readers (and Ronnie), 'high' here refers to altitude not to chemical enhancement.