General March 2024 Activity: Donald Greenside Law Gets A Battering But Corbet Ben Venue Gives Vistas.

Variable weather in March didn’t deter some adventure near Peebles and in The Trossachs.

The first of the club’s general activity in March featured AS & PF on Friday 22/03/24, when they got a battering of wind, rain, sleet and hail ascending Greenside Law, NT 19788 25610, having approached from Manor Valley, south of Peebles. All thought of pressing on to Black Law, Conscleuch Law and Deer Law were cast aside in the face of a second bout of bad weather after they reached the top of Greenside Law. They instead found a pleasant gully leading them to the valley, getting wet again as they changed at the car! Photos were limited due the poor weather, but they illustrate the remote corners of The Borders’ hills.

The other general outing was on 29/03/24, featuring coffin dodgers IMcM, JW, JI & BR when they climbed Ben Venue, NN 47458 06302. They parked the car at the west side of Bruce’s Bay, NN 50593 06864, Loch Achray, ascending Ben Venue from the south side. Photo shows the path heading NNW to reach the western ridge of Ben Venue.

Taken from the trig point, which is actually about 350m to the SE of the summit cairn, looking east across Loch Achray and Loch Venachar towards Callander.

From the trig point, at 727m, looking NW to Ben Venue's actual higher summit at 729m, centre right of pic. Also, we see the NW end of Loch Katrine, mid picture.

Three of the dodgers take lunch…and some instruction from JI. Mighty Ben Lomond dominates the horizon.

JI, JW & BR complete with mitts over his wee delicate hands, near the trig point.

BR & IMcM, about to leave, wondering why the others are not cold in this wind!

Finally on the descent path back into the forest, JI heads towards a double rainbow. A grand, leisurely day out, just under 6hrs, in generally bright clear and cool weather, topped off with hot coffee in the Loch Achray Hotel.