Now we were into the long relentless ascent from near sea level (I knew there was some reason why it was important to us whether Loch Etive was a sea loch!) to the summit of Ben Starav at 1078m. I didn't think I was very fit and wondered how I would cope with this. I fully expected to be trailing behind my sister all the way up. However, once again Ruth had been giving blood only 3 days earlier which probably explains why it was actually her who was trailing behind for most of the way up this gruelling climb.

The ascent starts to get steep