Ben Stack summited by all

Wild day in the mountains

Last night we camped beside the old stone stables and cottage at Lone, between Arkle and Ben Stack. The strong winds and sunny weather continued overnight, rattling the tents a little but adding some extra excitement too.

This morning the team breakfasted beside the stables before heading off in their teams to climb Ben Stack. It is widely thought that JRR Tolkein (who stayed for a while at the hunting lodge at the foot of the Ben Stack) used it as inspiration for the ‘Lonely Mountain’ in the Hobbit.

Our teams climbed the south-east slopes with the wind on their backs, reaching the col below the summit shortly before midday. From here the mountain kicks up sharply with a final steep section to test the legs before reaching the summit at about 730m above sea level.

The teams worked hard in exciting and challenging weather and were rewarded with stunning views (between the clouds) out towards the west coast.

We were back at the Adventure School by four o’clock for a swim before supper. The team are in great form and spent time this evening competing in a tug of war and working on some acts for the final night concert on Thursday.