BEN LAWERS (3984')
Saturday 21st July 1979
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Log book entry from 70th R & I Expedition Log - Everest Challenge
21st-22nd July Killin weekend
Leaders: Chris Foster, John Hennessey, Glip
Scout Climbers: Graeme Wright, Andrew Davies, Kevin Byng
Scout Hikers: David Eadie, Tommy Boag, Brian MacCready
Saturday 21st July Ben Lawers (3984’)
Leaders: Chris Foster and Glip
Scouts: Graeme Wright, Andrew Davies, Kevin Byng
Weather
Saturday: Dry and cloudy with hill fog rising as the day progressed. Very windy from the north-west (gale force at the top) but dropping towards the end of the day.
Report
We left Greenock at 8:55 AM. John Hennessey drove the hikers to Callander. Chris Foster took Andy and Graham, while Kevin had the honour of travelling this time in Percy. Two and a half hours later, we arrived at the Ben Lawyer’s National Trust site and met John who decided to climb a different mountain by himself as he had not done it before.
At 11.50 a.m., we set off in doubtful looking weather. Halfway up Ben Ghlas, we stopped for lunch just below the mist. The weather improved after lunch and the mist rose slightly so that the top of Ben Ghlas was clear. Just before the top, there was an incredible gust of wind which physically bowled us over - much to our surprise. Funnily enough, the top was virtually calm and so the gust further down must have been funneled in some manner.
From Ben Ghlas, we could see Ben Lawers which was just covered in mist. Encouraged, we set off at a good pace along the ridge. We reached the top about 1:50 PM and found some shelter before having lunch. Chris produced the oxtail soup as normal and passed it round as normal.
In the mist and wind it was very easy to lose one’s sense of direction and it proved essential to use the compass to get off the top. Before we left, we found some rather good snow shelters made of stone at the top.
On the way down, Chris led and was obviously thinking deep philosophical thoughts. These were rudely interrupted when the ‘Ghost of Ben Lawers’ leapt up just behind them. Chris should have entered the Olympics as a high jumper.
The wind had dropped now as we returned along the ‘motorway’ (called a path by some). En route, Kevin ‘accidentally’ dropped a tin of Chris’s Barley sugars and spent the rest of the descent avoiding Chris.
At 3:30 PM we were back at the car park and then reached Killin
at 4 PM. At 5 PM we entered the youth hostel and had tea. Andrew Davis had now reached Everest and was the six Scout to do so. Therefore, a celebration was held at nighttime. Leaders went to check on the hikers’ campsite.