OLOL hikers enjoy awe-some outing
Hardy group reach the summit of Ben Cruachan
Awe was a prominent aspect of Our Lady of Lourdes Hiking Club’s recent walk.
The Murray hiking group members headed off to Loch Awe to take on two climbs – a high level one up to the summit of Ben Cruachan and a shorter hike mainly on tarmac service road past the mighty Cruachan dam to the end of the reservoir behind.
A stop at the Green Welly at Tyndrum on the journey up prepared the hikers for the initially drizzly weather which, although drying up, never improved better than overcast all day.
The high-level hikers took the brunt of the weather as they persevered over a lot of muddy ground and some bouldering to reach the misty summit of Ben Cruachan.
It was a long, tiring trek for the group which took longer than expected but provided a sense of achievement. The low-levellers, by contrast, had an easy walk up the service road to the amazing Cruachan dam, which was completed in 1965 and opened by Queen Elizabeth after six years of effort by some 4000 men.
The Ben is known as ‘the hollow mountain’ in reference to the huge cavern created inside to house the hydroelectric turbines.
Turbines can cleverly be used in reverse at night, using cheap rate electricity to pump water back up behind the dam from Loch Awe below, thus refilling the reservoir ready for electricity production at busy times.
Two treats awaited the low-level group at the end.
A visit to St Conan’s Kirk in Lochawe village proved to be an architectural gem, featuring several different styles of building including Gothic and Norman.
Visitors were also much impressed by the stained glass in this nondenomination church which is popular as a picturesque wedding venue.
A most enjoyable time was also spent recharging with food and drink in the comfortable Ben Cruachan Inn before the journey home began.
Come and join this thriving, active group on its fortnightly hikes. You can check out the club’s walks videos by searching for ‘Scotland’s Mighty Mountains’ on YouTube.
Call (01355) 222464 to book a place on the next day trip and visit www. ololhikingclub.co.uk for the walks calendar.