{"id":346,"date":"2025-02-21T10:36:27","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T10:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caleywater.co.uk\/blog\/?p=346"},"modified":"2025-02-21T10:36:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T10:36:28","slug":"staff-trip-to-ben-vorlich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caleywater.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/02\/21\/staff-trip-to-ben-vorlich\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff Trip to Ben Vorlich"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On a wintery Saturday morning, past and present employees put the keyboards aside, and set out on snowy adventure into the Arrochar Alps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a brief breakfast stop at Alexandria\u2019s Golden Arches, we quickly learnt Ronex had spent the previous evening drinking stella and scrolling Twitter, meaning a visit to the village store was required. By this point, a noticeable chill was in the air, and murmurs of snow were beginning to grow within the group. These suspicions were quickly confirmed, with the final leg of the journey met with a pretty, yet slightly alarming, flurry of snow. These fears were quickly squashed when principal modeller Michael proudly paraded his ice-axe, shaft in hand.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Following a few final checks, including providing Tom with a pair of trousers preventing the first winter ascent of a Munro in Puma joggers, we were off! The route began hugging the gentle shores of Loch Lomond, passing the Hydro-Electric power station, which harnesses the kinetic energy from flowing water down Ben Vorlich. Shortly after, the path took a right following the road up to Loch Sloy Dam, where we were met with stunning views of Ben Vane to the West, and A\u2019Chrois to the South. This would be the last relatively flat section of the hike, as the stone-stepped path to follow provided rapid elevation increase. This change in gradient provided some difficulties, largely due to the increasingly fast pace, a direct result on the \u2018friendly\u2019 competition we strive to create within the group. Nathan, who had started the walk in an outfit Ernest Shackleton would be proud of, quickly realised his mistake, resulting in a prolonged strip about 30 seconds into the ascent. Being the close-knit team we are, and knowing his fabled athletic prowess, the rest of us decided it would be wise to carry on, leaving Nathan on the Glen floor as we continued to climb, led by Elsie (the office dog) and her best friend Nico.  So far so good, a light breeze eased us higher and higher, with 360 degrees of outstanding vistas. If it weren\u2019t for the occasional Scotsman in a hoody and Nike SBs, you\u2019d have sworn you were in the Himalayas. With Nathan at the rear, rapidly closing the gap while doing his best Gollum impression, we briefly stopped to compare heart rates and provide excuses as to why we weren\u2019t as fit as expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, a noticeable doubt had creeped into Michael. The once chatty and enthusiastic mountaineer, laughing at all unsavoury tales being told, had begun to hush. He could be seen frequently glancing up at the snow-covered ravines that were to come, before settling into a mindset of self-doubt and regret. This of course would not squash the enthusiasm of the team as we clambered up the slopes, spending as much time on our hands as we did our feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The path, or lack off, eventually reached the broad ridge where winds were noticeably higher and noses certainly colder. Cloud and mountain at this point were almost indistinguishable, however spirits couldn\u2019t have been higher as we passed thick snowdrifts towards the ever-closer peak.  Once arriving at the cairn (the second, not first), fist bumps were shared and photos were taken, however unbeknownst to a large portion of the group, Emily and Ronex had just started to lose some dexterity in their hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once we\u2019d got bored of the endless cloud, we set off back down the way we came, stopping briefly to hack at the frozen pond with the so far unused ice axe.  Michael\u2019s imaginary news headlines and time behind bars had all but dissipated from his mind, until arriving at the steep descent where we had witnessed one unfortunate hiker slip while passing them on their descent earlier in the day. A minor discussion ensued, before Nico took the plunge and committed to a calm butt slide over the ice-covered exposed rock. Once down he encouraged his, at the time gloveless colleague George, to do as he did. Whether it be down to technique or physiology is up for debate, but the rapid ascent to follow was in stark contrast to Nico controlled glide. With George\u2019s feet seemingly incapable of slowing him down, he resulted in using his exposed hands to grasp onto the sharp rocks, providing just enough relief for Nico to heroically brace his fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n