Ben Lomond

At 3,196 feet Ben Lomond is the most southerly munro (mountains over 3,000 feet). Here it is with its summit in the clouds and plenty of snow on its slopes. It is usually busy with walkers because of its proximity to Glasgow and its position by Loch Lomond. I don't know how busy it is these days.

I wasn't anywhere near the Ben but up above Dunblane walking the paths round the Kippendavie Estate. It was pretty busy there with walkers and cyclists. In places the paths were very icy and I was grateful for my pole and the yaktrax I'd borrowed from a friend. It was a very good walk and we got the best of the day as it's turned a bit cloudy now.

We were walking with friends who live in Dunblane. This is usually a mass walk of up to 14 people followed by lunch at our friends' house. The lunch is legendary with four soups, four (at least) puddings, a huge cheeseboard and, for those so inclined, a selection of whisky. But not this year. Our friends are doing the walk with the usual participants in ones or twos on different days. Their step count is going to be phenomenal this week! No lunch but we took flasks of coffee and the remains of the Christmas gingerbread and our friends took their own coffee and snack. We stopped at the mid point of the walk for elevenses (twelveses really) in crisp snow, ice and sunshine. Really good.

Home now and I'll need to go out again later to return the yaktrax as the friend who owns them is doing the same walk with the same friends tomorrow. You really would not want to be on those paths of ice without a very good grip.