I had a wee walk in the hills today overlooking Luss. The weather was sunny with some snow and hail showers in between. The windchill was the worst aspect though - I needed to put on a balaclava at the top facing into the wind.
One of the things I love about hillwalking is the change in conditions between the bottom and top of a hill like today. It wasn't exactly warm at the bottom mind you but at the top it was probably minus 20 with the wind blowing, my face was feeling quite uncomfortable until I put on a 'windstopper' fleece balaclava. I met a family at the top who were definitely not happy with the conditions and seemed a little out of their depth even though they had hillwalking gear on. There were a few tourists with trainers on nearer the foot of the hill. I was quite glad in a way to see them as I wonder what people are thinking when they drive out to Luss and wander about having a look in a tat shop or two, then head home again. It just doesn't sound very fulfilling to me.
There was a little wildlife, the meadow pippits were singing away halfway up the hill in the snow showers. The two mile walk back passed several houses and I think that most of them feed the local birds and there were a lot of them around those houses. I'd like to learn how to recognise their calls, they are so small and flighty they are hard to see, though I did spot a Great Tit. There was lots of frogspawn too, its a shame to see so much of their efforts drying up in bad spots but their strategy must work! Didn't see any primroses in the woods, too early yet.
The picture at the top shows the famous Cobbler mountain (you can just about make out the big overhang) on the left and the Arrochar Alps behind it. I've never climbed to the top of the Cobbler, waiting for a very untouristy day but its on the to do list. The pic below is the big whaleback ridge of the hill I climbed looking back towards Glasgow.
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