In the south west of the Scottish Highlands lies the grand mountain massif of Ben Cruachan. Its highest point towers to 1126 metres, making it the 31st loftiest peak in the British Isles and it comprises of two Munros: Ben Cruachan itself and Stob Diamh. It looks mightily impressive on the drive in from Tyndrum on the A85, especially on a clear winter's day with a dusting of snow. But this is more than just a mountain massif; it also houses a hydro-electric power plant and the impressive Cruachan Dam which was built in 1965.

 

Supposedly the views from the top are stellar, with Loch Awe (Scotlands longest loch) stretching away, the island of Mull close at hand and the Glen Etive and Glencoe mountains to the north. On this day however, only one of us made the summit due to the extremely strong winds we faced on the final ascent. Even without summiting, Ben Cruachan was a superb outing. However, I am determined to return to do the iconic Cruachan Horseshoe another day.