Affrickin freezin' five

Accompanied by Darren, fresh from his Montane 100 - a 105 mile up and round the Lake District - he had devised a cunning plan to take in all the 8 Munros and 18 Munro Tops around Glen Affric. Going in on the Friday afternoon, we would attempt the 26 peaks with at least one evening's wild camp. We both arrived at the Chisholm Bridge car park at 1445 and I handed him a wee malt for his efforts the previous week. I had packed an A Bunadh, for the evening aperitif. At 60%, it would be a fine way to thaw out. It had been over a year since we caught up and there was much to discuss - birth, redundancy, mad training, dugs, motors, emotional bank accounts and of course yon hills. We fair piled up the glen and made for the bealach nan easa between Toll Creagach and Tom a Choinich. By the time we had disappeared into the gloom at 800m, it was 1700 and we wouldn't see clear daylight until 0800 the following morning. While the 1st Munro (my 241st) was largely forgettable, the ridge going from our 2nd Munro over to Carn Eighe was excellent, despite lack of views. At times it reminded us of the Aonach Eagach. Humphing the heavy pack was quite tough too.

By the time we had bagged the 6th top of the day (plus the 2 Munros) it was 2000 and we came across a couple of small lochains on a slope, with relatively forgiving terrain. We were camped here at 1100m, only 80m shy of the 3rd Munro. And at that height, my decision to leave my duvet jacket at home was to prove an uncomfortable one. We got set up, straight into the food and then the hip flasks were opened. A couple of nips with some Above and Beyond, Bloodgroove and Kikis tunes and we called it at 2130, anticipating a fine day on the Saturday. I briefly popped over to the lip of the ridge, got a signal and texted to see how mum and baby were doing. I also had a pee as I hate venturing out of the sleeping bag on the hill in the middle of the night.

Although claggy in the morning ( I barely slept a wink due to the penetrating cold), it soon began to clear. Yet every time we approached a Munro or top, we would be in clag again, only for the views to re-appear once we were on the other hills. I have to say that for me, the highlights were the run along Sgurr na Lapaich, which added on 2 more Munro tops and 5 miles of extra distance, and the large cairn on our 5th Munro, Mam Sodhail, when the radiance of the sun warmed my heart. However, running back from Sgurr na Lapaich I had noticed severe discomfort on my big toe and was dismayed to see swelling around the nailbed, and a likely early infection due to an ingrown toe nail. I had bagged 5 Munros and 9 Munro tops - I decided to pop a couple of paracetamol once back at the cairn and see how things were but once I spotted the path along the glen down below, back to the car, my mind was made up. I was also missing my little one, which is something I could never imagine. I never told Darren that but it was a big part of me leaving him for the trip. Also, Darren's fitness would likely mean he would complete the whole package and I didn't want him to have to slow down or sacrifice any peaks on my behalf. Naturally, he bagged the remaining 3 Munros and all the tops but did admit to the 23km walk-out being a bugger. I have plans to return over the Corbett Sgurr Gaorsaic but it was a really good trip and brilliant to get back into the Munros and the wild. So wild, we never saw any deer or sheep at all in the area.

Sgurr na Carnach - a return to the Sisters...

It had been over 10 years since I had been up on the bealach na lapin and in that time, I had met a new lass, got married, moved and had a bairn. My god, had it really been so long? The measurement of time is very relative to hill jaunts and I suppose a nice way to relate hills to moments in our life. My return over the Spaniard and then on the larger Munro proper, Sgurr na Ciste Duibh, was with a Swedish lass who had been interested but the favour was not returned, over 10 years ago. Dropping North down to the bealach between this and my first objective had taken me a lot longer than I anticipated and my water reserves were running low. I made a decision to return once up and on to Sgurr na Carnach while my last objective mocked me from little over a kilometre away. No matter, I was keen to return to the area and perhaps ascend via its Eastern ridge from Glenlichd House. Was this finally Summer approaching?

It's easy to forget how spectacular this area is and the interesting downclimb from the Spaniard ove to Sgurr na Ciste Duibh. Even while the cloud dipped in and out, it's a fantastic mountain range. Great to return but tinged with slight disappointment that I couldn't nail Munro 241.

Stob Coire Easain - this yin?

It has been quite an adventure since my last Munro in September 2014. My wife and I became three with the birth of our daughter, Martha, and it's been a blur of nappies, giggles, tears and Aptamil. So, coming down to 4 days in my day-job and having taken my wife out for lunch the previous day, I had a pass for a hill, with a Munro being approved. I was off at 0500 and parked near Fersit for 0730 in the R time machine. Whoaf! It was going to be a glorious day and i wanted to have done the hard work before it got too warm. I needn't have worried as I re-traced my steps over Stob Coire Mheadhoin from over 10 years ago (an admittedly tough Winter's day which resulted in retreat) and was up overlooking the huge cornices within 2.5 hours. Three deer ran off and up the hill and I snatched a moment where they raced across a snowfield. Views to Stob Ban cast memories from the Grey Corries wild camp, which was fabulous. This really is a special area. From here, the view over to Stob Coire Easain was sensational and I made my way down to the bealach, which still had large amounts of snow over the lip of the coire - problematic later on.

I had some refreshment, took off the fleece which had been required with the chilly wind up above 700m and dumped the rucksack before starting up the steep plod on to Easain. The views back down to Glencoe and the Buachaille were exhilarating and I felt very blessed. Perhaps it's been so long since my last one and because of what has happened since Martha was born, this truly felt like a day which would live long in the memory i.e. I dedicate this hill to my beautiful daughter. All that remained was the descent to get my rucksack and the no easy task of getting into the coire. There was no way I could break through the cornices as the descent was too steep so I walked back along to a small crag, being ultra-careful with my feet placing and very much using hands. Once on to a large enough piece of snowfield, I bum slid the best part of 200m, which was molto funno. The walk back along the glen was very relaxing and I got back to the car at 1230. Fab day out.