Ben Vrackie hike

After eating dinner in the Moulin Inn, we had a lovely sleep in the car park at the foot of Ben Vrackie, ready for today’s hike.

We set off after breakfast, climbing steadily through beech woodland, until we passed through a gate onto open moorland.

It was fairly warm as we climbed higher and higher, following a good path, and we removed our outer layers. However, the clouds were very low, shrouding the 841 metre high summit of Ben Vrackie. We wondered if we’d get any views from the top.

After a while, we reached Loch a’Choire and, as we walked across the dam, I contemplated a swim on the way down.

Past the loch, the ascent of the mountain became steeper, and we zigzagged up the final 300 metres on uneven rocky steps.

It wasn’t too difficult though, and it wasn’t long until we reached the top. We laughed as we saw the orientation pillar, showing us what we could have seen in all directions, if the views hadn’t been hidden by cloud.

As we headed back down the mountain, I thought the cloud might be lifting and, when the sun managed to peak through, I suggested it might be worth going back to the summit. John agreed and we practically ran back up the stone steps before the cloud could float back down again!

We could now see much further, all the way back down the path we’d climbed, to Pitlochry and the meandering River Tummel, and, in the opposite direction, to the Cairngorms. I was glad we’d gone back up!

A cold wind was blowing as we descended the mountain so I decided against a swim in the loch… maybe next time.

Now we’re parked in an aire near Aberfeldy. John’s planning to do Parkrun tomorrow and I’m wondering about a dip in the River Tay or Moness Burn. We’ll see.