An early start; to Haymarket and meet Barry and Nicola (not her; G's dad is an arse) and off we went up the M9. We'd hoped to go for a wander up Stuchd an Lochain but as we slithered through Callander it became clear that 15 miles up a single track road at over 1000 feet up which wouldn't have been treated or ploughed was a non starter.

Plan B - Stuc a Chroin from Loch Lubnaig? We parked by the A84 and went off up through unspeakably gorgeous woods; a mix of conifers and birches; every detail, every branch picked out in snow; a majesty and grandeur I'd not seen in a few years. 

As we broke through the woods and onto the open hill, the snow deepened and thankfully someone had broken the trail as we slowly plodded upwards; sun threatening to break through. First aim was Beinn Each. A Corbett about half way on the route to Stuc a Chroin. My map says I was last here in January 2003....

Oh it was slow. Shin deep for the most part; even with a trail as lead person it was still tough tough tough; sapping and unbalancing in equal measures. We duly arrived at  the summit around midday. Blue skies; snow as far as the eye could see. Edinburgh to the south (or more realistically the Pentlands); Ben Lawers, Stob Binnien, the Black Mount all resplendent in snow to the north. 

We looked at Stuc a Chroin; given the effort to get up the Corbett, we swithered and eventually decided that it was going to be a tough mission and settled on claiming the Corbett as the days work.

Back in Edinburgh by 3; hers by 4 and ready to head on out ot the modern apprectice's 21st at the News Room; half a dozen of the team were there and we hung around for a couple before heading off home and the lure of cocoa, slippers and a well earned rest after the day's exertions.

Barry strikes a heroic pose on Beinn Each; Stuc a Chroin in the background. Extras in the woods on the approach; and one from near the bottom of the descent.