{"id":630,"date":"2018-02-06T09:21:15","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T09:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/?p=630"},"modified":"2018-09-09T18:57:11","modified_gmt":"2018-09-09T18:57:11","slug":"mountaineering-scotland-munro-crieff-loch-earn-20180206","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/?p=630","title":{"rendered":"Easy winters hill walking on Ben Chonzie especially if someone breaks trail for you!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Lovely views but a bitter easterly blowing on the plateau\u00a0<em>(Munros Completed : Ben Chonzie (61)).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Third consecutive day of this trip so I had decided on an easy day and <em><strong>Ben Chonzie<\/strong><\/em> seemed a logical choice, especially as it&#8217;s a nice drive along Loch Earn to the start. You need to plan your day carefully though as the last 5 miles is up a single track road. There was a slight sprinkling of snow on it from the previous night when I drove up so I was sligthly concerned that I may not get there or back but it was mainly flat so felt it was accessible. No forecast of snow or bad weather during the day so the return journey wasn&#8217;t a concern either.<\/p>\n<p>There is a small parking area outside a house for about half a dozen cars just before the road splits off to the left and off to the right up to the two white cottages. There was no one else there when I arrived and my choice of route for the day turned out to be a good one.<br \/>\nMost of the approach is along an easy hydro track with lovely views. I started at 10:15 am, &amp; after half an hour reached the snow line on the track. At first this was patchy but as I got further along it became deeper, up to boot height. I did worry that if it was this deep here so early on, what would it be like higher up considering there had been snowfall during the night.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#foogallery-gallery-933 .fg-image { width: 640px; }<\/style>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"foogallery foogallery-container foogallery-image-viewer foogallery-link-image foogallery-lightbox-none fg-center fg-image-viewer fg-ready fg-dark fg-border-medium fg-shadow-outline fg-loading-default fg-loaded-fade-in fg-caption-always fg-hover-fade fg-hover-zoom fg-no-js\" id=\"foogallery-gallery-933\" data-foogallery=\"{&quot;item&quot;:{&quot;showCaptionTitle&quot;:true,&quot;showCaptionDescription&quot;:false},&quot;lazy&quot;:true,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;src&quot;,&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;srcset&quot;,&quot;template&quot;:{&quot;loop&quot;:true,&quot;autoplay&quot;:0}}\" style=\"--fg-title-line-clamp: 0; --fg-description-line-clamp: 0;\" >\n\t<div class=\"fiv-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fiv-inner-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/8-Climber-on-plateau-Custom.jpg\" data-caption-title=\"Climber on plateau\" data-caption-desc=\"2018-02-06 Easy winters hill walking especially if someone breaks trail for you!\" data-attachment-id=\"924\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2018\/08\/8-Climber-on-plateau-Custom\/2098318463.jpg\" alt=\"Climber on plateau descending from Ben Chonzie\" title=\"Climber on plateau\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">Climber on plateau<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/12-Climber-on-plateau-Custom.jpg\" data-caption-title=\"Climber on plateau descending from Ben Chonzie\" data-caption-desc=\"2018-02-06 Easy winters hill walking especially if someone breaks trail for you!\" data-attachment-id=\"926\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2018\/08\/12-Climber-on-plateau-Custom\/2003721406.jpg\" alt=\"Climber on plateau descending from Ben Chonzie\" title=\"Climber on plateau descending from Ben Chonzie\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">Climber on plateau descending from Ben Chonzie<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/16-View-from-summit-Custom.jpg\" data-caption-title=\"View from summit\" data-caption-desc=\"2018-02-06 Easy winters hill walking especially if someone breaks trail for you!\" data-attachment-id=\"927\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2018\/08\/16-View-from-summit-Custom\/4067335531.jpg\" alt=\"View from summit Ben Chonzie\" title=\"View from summit\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">View from summit<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/22-Me-on-plateau-on-descent-Custom.jpg\" data-caption-title=\"Me on plateau on descent\" data-caption-desc=\"2018-02-06 Easy winters hill walking especially if someone breaks trail for you!\" data-attachment-id=\"929\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2018\/08\/22-Me-on-plateau-on-descent-Custom\/1807605121.jpg\" alt=\"Climber on plateau after descending Ben Chonzie\" title=\"Me on plateau on descent\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">Me on plateau on descent<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/3-Ben-Chonzie-from-track-Custom.jpg\" data-caption-title=\"Ben Chonzie from track\" data-caption-desc=\"2018-02-06 Easy winters hill walking especially if someone breaks trail for you!\" data-attachment-id=\"930\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2018\/08\/3-Ben-Chonzie-from-track-Custom\/1006772858.jpg\" alt=\"Mountain landscape view of Ben Chonzie\" title=\"Ben Chonzie from track\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">Ben Chonzie from track<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-loading\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/6-Climber-ascending-slope-from-track-Custom.jpg\" data-caption-title=\"Climber ascending slope from track\" data-caption-desc=\"2018-02-06 Easy winters hill walking especially if someone breaks trail for you!\" data-attachment-id=\"931\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2018\/08\/6-Climber-ascending-slope-from-track-Custom\/4279981489.jpg\" alt=\"Climber walking on snow slope up to Ben Chonzie\" title=\"Climber ascending slope from track\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"fg-caption\"><div class=\"fg-caption-inner\"><div class=\"fg-caption-title\">Climber ascending slope from track<\/div><\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"fiv-ctrls\">\n\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"fiv-prev\" title=\"Prev\"><span>Prev<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t<label class=\"fiv-count\"><span class=\"fiv-count-current\">1<\/span>of<span class=\"fiv-count-total\">6<\/span><\/label>\n\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"fiv-next\" title=\"Next\"><span>Next<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, about 10 mins before the point where you turn off the track, at a small cairn on the side of the road, I noticed another person coming up behind me. He soon caught up with me &amp; as he passed we chatted. It turns out he was from Fort William &amp; it was a stroke of luck for me as he slightly faster. Once he had passed he then started making trail and it was at this point that the snow was knee deep in places. I was glad of my fellow hill walker as this trail breaking through the snow saved me a lot of energy &amp; time. Once you leave the track it\u2019s a relatively easy angled ascent up the hill.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_928\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-928\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/21-View-from-plateau-Custom.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-928\" src=\"http:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/21-View-from-plateau-Custom-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Old fence posts on route to Ben Chonzie\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/21-View-from-plateau-Custom-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/21-View-from-plateau-Custom.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-928\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from plateau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It no time at all I was over the hill where the angle eases off &amp; the old fence posts come into view. I followed these for a short distance at which point they turn at right angles along a very broad ridge which is practically flat all the way to the summit. However, since gaining the ridge the wind had picked up significantly and was now blowing furiously across the ridge. The only good side was that the snow had frozen with the cold wind &amp; was now firm &amp; easy to walk on. No need for crampons or even an ice axe on a such a broad ridge so I hastily continued onwards as the wind was now biting cold.<br \/>\nOnly 200m from the top I met the other person descending and as he passed me, he took some pictures. The visibility was good but the windchill must have meant it was 0C to -15C. There was little time to stop as it was too cold. I took a few pictures &amp; almost lost my map case that got blown 50m down the ridge before stopping. I was lucky to catch it!<\/p>\n<p>The return is was retracing the same ascent route but I was glad to get out of the wind once back onto the hydro track &amp; eventually returned to car at 3:15 pm for a good early finish.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Completed-Route3-Ben-Chonzie.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1148 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Completed-Route3-Ben-Chonzie-1024x591.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Completed-Route3-Ben-Chonzie-1024x591.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Completed-Route3-Ben-Chonzie-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Completed-Route3-Ben-Chonzie-768x443.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Completed-Route3-Ben-Chonzie.jpg 1161w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Lovely views but a bitter easterly blowing on the plateau\u00a0(Munros Completed : Ben Chonzie (61)).<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11],"tags":[35,29],"class_list":["post-630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mountaineering","category-scotland","tag-crieff-loch-earn-hills","tag-munro"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=630"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1149,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630\/revisions\/1149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prwilliams-photography.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}