First run in Arrochar for a while, planned route was Glen Loin to start then up and over Ben Vane an Beinn Ime, returning via Bealach a Mhaim and the Buttermilk Burn path, forecast was low cloud/fog to start clearing around mid day. The info I had on snow cover was not much left. Started up the Glen Loin trail, no one else on that route until I joined the road from Inveruglas which was busy with walkers. Turned up Ben Vane just after Coirgrogain, good to see a few groups of walkers ahead I could use as a target to help maintain my effort. Cold gusty wind picked up with height, quite damp once I got into the mist, a few easily avoidable patches of snow and ice. The rocky scramble thankfully clear and dry. Reached the top, pretty cold, didn't hang about, set off for Ime, straight into a large snowbank, thick fog as well, couldn't see much at all, white on all sides, above and below, returned to the top, had a digital compass, got that out, the bearing I take from Vanes summit is 280 degrees, my compass was like a spinning top, no way to take a bearing. Didn't fancy trying my luck, it's easy to end up in completely the wrong place. Turned back going down the way I came up, path busy with walkers, probably encouraged by the good forecast. Reaching the Glen Loin trail, I decided to continue the loop instead of straight back, it's about 5 years since I last ran the complete loop.
