Arran re-visited, part three

Again, the day started with rain and low vis', but we really wanted to go up the beautiful Glen Rosa.

This was the view at the beginning of the walk.

We soon came to our first bridge and burn of the day, gushing full of the recent rains.

STILL she smiles :-)

With cloud still very low, we pressed on up the very lovely glen.

This was probably our favourite so far. It must be really great in fine weather. It was pretty good today.

We followed the path alongside the meandering burn, amazed at the array of different browns on show around us

I could take picture after picture of the waterfalls, they were at their best right now.

All at once Sue squealed, the witches step came briefly into view as the curtain of mist parted. This is very high on our list of 'must do'. Today,we knew we just wouldn't have time, but we walked towards the mesmerising sight in front of us.

SMILE!

The burn seemed stronger than ever, and we had to cross it several times.

Not that it put us off, at all.

Looking back at the majestic sweep of this fabulous glacial valley.

The things I'll do to get the best shot!

The state of the path was super, all down to a bunch of very tough guys who live up here in nothing more than sheds, tied down against the wild weather. They live up here, doing path and other restoration work, for days, sometimes weeks, at a time. We spoke to several of them, and lovely guys they were too. They LOVED the fact that we took the trouble to come up here on such a foul day. We told them, WE loved the fact that they took all the trouble they did to make it not only passable for us, but pleasantly so.

'Home, sweet home'.

In what seemed like no time, we were on 'the saddle'. This was what we were trying to get up to yesterday when we had to turn back. This side of it was FAR easier, with no rock scrambling at all. That's the North Goat fell range above us in the mist.

We decided to go as far as time and weather would allow, with no real chance of getting to the top. The wind was quite severe up here, with sudden gusts liable to catch you unaware and almost take you off your feet.

All looking a bit forbidding

But, every now and then, a glimpse of blue sky.

We had lunch in the lee of a large boulder, watching deer scurrying across the hillside above us, before starting back down again. This is looking down the 'chimney' that Sue & I were trying to climb up yesterday.

That's a super view of glen Sannox and the burn that runs down it.

Another cracking view down glen Sannox. That high ridge on the left above it was our unintentional goal for tomorrow. I say unintentional, as we really made a last minute decision on it, but more of that in the next posting.

For now, it was down to a couple of last shots before setting off back. Time, once again, was against us.

Stay there - we'll be back for you!

On the walk back, we JUST got caught in the rain before we arrived at the car. Wet, but happy, we returned to the cottage to settle in for the night.