After much planning and consulting of weather forecasts, it was windscreen wipers and costs that led us to Carn Dearg (Monadhliath).

Awake at 5, I went t fetch the car whilst she showered and heated the courgette and roquefort soup; by 6 we were out and heading to fetch Nic; then northwards into a clear morning and the A9. At 9, we set forth a couple of miles outside Newtonmore - westward in sunshine along Glen Banchor before a sharp right took us north up the land rover track into the heart the Monadhliath. As the track gave way to a single file sludgefest we continued over the pass into Glen Balloch and up to the head of it; another sharp 120 degree turn to face the final ascent towards the summit of Carn Dearg. A brief 15 second snow shower abated as quickly as arrived and we strolled across the top, grateful for firm footing as I claimed my 204th Munro, 'she' got her 30th and Nic moved up to 19. Barring a solitary other walker who'd occupied the lower ground further back and sneaked up the inside, we had the place to ourselves; hazy horizons offering layers of hills off into the distance.

We continued south along the summit and exited steeply back onto the boggy ground back to the land rover track; the fierce westerly across the summit ridge much more benign lower down.

A mountain hare or two, some grouse and 6 hours after kicking off, we were back; boots off and away home. A coffee at Perth as the rain started, but the M90 in poor conditions was fine after a decent day out. Nic dropped, we hung about in the west end, battling the remnants of the rugby traffic and trying to piece together a plan; there was a babysitting arrangement in place for G and we eventually headed off to mine for dinner.

A pleasant evening in; somewhat abuptly ended when it become clear her lad was still out on the lash (since 3pm) and had no intention of going home to relieve the baby sitter as agreed. Cheers, pal.

Extras 1. the opening salvo; 2 my 204th Munro claimed; 3  THe wilderness trudge back across peaty squidgy hell