No Beinn na Lap dancers for the 200th Munro

And so the 200th Munro arrived. I had intended to do Stob Coire Easain but I decided to combine Beinn na Lap and an overnighter in Staoineag bothy before a nice walk out over Beinn na Cloiche and Leum Illlil...William's Leap. I had company so was mindful of CF's hill fitness. I think he was very relieved we didn't add in SCE but I'll leave that and Creag Guanaich for another overnighter in Staoineag - one of the finest bothies I had the pleasure of staying in. We decanted off the train on Friday and were assaulted by a snow storm in full sunshine. Odd. The trek over to Beinn na Lap was interrupted by an attractive young lady and her dog who were going to run around for a bit before getting the train back. Nice to spraff with her but we had a hill to do. The walk up Beinn na Lap isn't the most scenic until you look back and see the vast wilderness of Rannoch Moor open up. Schiehallion was stunning. A very serene place to be and not a sound except laboured breathing and digested korma. Nice, CF. We topped out after an hour and I did the celebratory pose. We descended off the Munro and made for Creaguanaich lodge to take it in. I walked around only to hear some very odd sounds from a green North Face tent. Seemed they too were enjoying the surrounding scenery. Exit right. The walk over to Staoineag was a bit boggy but we found the bothy and it was a delightful location. Furthermore, there was an axe and a tree, which afforded a night's worth of wood and burning. Much chopping was had and there was even a fresh air swipe combined with a triple salco that Torvill would have been proud of. And that was before the Laphroaig. We got the fire going, had dinner and a few drams while celebrating future generations, shortly to be with us. I took in the cyan night sky, which was so dark but still illuminated by the moon. Lights out at 2330 and a decent night's kip

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The Ring of Steall

Had a few days to contemplate this trek with Daz and Graeme. Possibly one of the best days on the hill but doing this in anything other than good weather does not do justice to such a classic. We were rewarded with our patience on what proved to be a lovely day for it - snow above 800m and dark clouds meant that the contrasts of the day were really emphasised. The Ben accompanied us round the whole route and dwarfed us. Anyone on the CMD arete would have been in for an interesting route.

G and D found a couple of the scrambles very 'airy'. The second on Devil's Ridge was exposed but for me, the awkward clamber over a part of the Saddle is still my most precipitous moment. Skye awaits next month of course when it'll be an entirely different KOF.

The view looking back from Sgurr a Mhaim to the Devil's Ridge is quite stunning and an A3 colour glossy is 'en train'! Add in the piquancy of the wire bridge and the crossing of the Steall falls and you have a perfect cocktail of a hillwalking day.

Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach

After the Walkhighlands meet, I was feeling slightly fragile. 5 pints of Red Cuillin had gone down well 12 hours previously but I had a wee, sore heid. I popped a Co-codamol and began the walk up Gleouraich. The stalker's path is supreme and the initial steepness isn't too bad because of that. Fantastic views across to Sgurr Mor and beyond help. Things plateau'd out at 840m but I still had a last plod of 200m up to the beautifully perched cairn. The North face of this hill and its neighbour plunge away into the glen below and no doubt will hold snow for quite some period to come. It is a fair descent to the bealach and you really earn the 2 Munros here. A lovely sheltered cairn allows for lunch to had with views across the South Glen Shiel Ridge. I heard a dog barking at this point and could not for the life of me work out where it was coming from - until i remembered that I had changed my ringtone on my phone. Mum. Ko'd from work, puir sowel. I bounded down off the hill and found a great path back to the day's starting point. No doubting the effect of medication but the hills help too. Couple of great days in the Munros again. The 200-mark approacheth. The 12 in Skye in May will add to this considerably. Fingers crossed for good weather and next time take the Sun cream, Kev.

Creag Meagaidh - majestic and apt medication

Was invigorated after a 4 day trip to Iceland (not with the mums though) and had taken in some of the most wonderful scenery ever. I was quite sad coming back to Scotland after the spectacular beach at Vik in the South. I needed a great Scottish mountain to cheer me up and as the day was warm and sunny, Creag Meagaidh was the medication. I set off quite late in the day but the sun followed (and roasted) me through Coire Ardair. The cliffs, lochan and remarkable nature of that glacial cleft never fails to amaze me. It is one of the best coires in Scotland. My plan was to grab the summit then return over the South side of the cliffs and take in a couple of airy shots. I wasn't to be disappointed. Taking Meagaidh in from this angle, really does it justice and I sat out on a couple of the airy tops beside some small cairns, erected by the more courageous (or daft). At this point, a partner in crime would be useful but I wasn't going to try a 10-second shot and run for the vertiginous perch just in case I flew off the end - what a photo that would be. The trek back to the car felt like a bit of an anti-climax after the grandeur of what had gone before but I still had the Walkhighlands meet to look forward to. Furthermore, the Vik inhaler was no longer needed - Scotland isn't a bad place after all, is it?

The hare and me on Carn an Righ

This had been mooted as a potential date for myself, Graeme D and Curlywurly to meet up but I took the executive decision to stay East and grab this Munro, which had been a troublesome M-point for quite a while. Graeme texted me to say that he had been 'grounded' - quelle horreur! Daz was heading South to see Donalds. I parked at the Dalmunzie and paid my dues but it had a lovely look to it. I would return for afternoon tea. Got to be good to yourself. I decided to head via Glen Taitneach for the solitude. I really needed it. It had been a difficult few weeks but there may be sunshine ahead. Carn Bhinnein and it's shapely nipple were prominent as were the crags just below it - there even looked to be a decent rock climb on one of the towers. After a while, the land rover track petered out and I crossed the burn, which began its life in Loch nan Eun. The walk up to Glas Coire Bheag was steeper but to have walked to this point felt like it had required little effort. This boded well and I was really relaxed as I walked over towards the Mam nan Carn. A couple of walkers were descending off Tulaichean but I kept ahead - my competitive instinct cannot be quelled. The walk along to Carn an Righ was made even more pleasant by the morning clag being burned off and the profile becoming more apparent. The final hike up to the summit was much steeper but once at the cairn, I was alone and settled down to enjoy lunch in peace. Honey tea, melton mowbray pork pies, some Quality Street chocolates - wind diverted via the excellent shelter - bliss. I sat for 15 minutes and supped it all in. I decided to head back via the Tulaichean path but wanted to just head straight down off Carn an Righ before the steep re-ascent up towards the land rover track - while toughish, it offered the quickest way back to the best carrot cake I have ever had. Before I got there, I saw a mountain hare sitting happily, while the clouds broke behind him. Sometimes a day on the hill is made my such a fleeting moment and I cherished that experience. Great day out.

Spanked on A'Chralaig

Sitting in work listening to people at lunch-time say "You should pop out, Kevin, it's lovely out there...." I just knew that with a week off and my first day up North, the weather would be keech. And so I was proved right. However, as I drove past Loch Laggan, I was lucky enough to have a cracking view over to Binnein Shuas (or is it the other ene?). As I sat and took a couple of snaps, the ice at the edge of the loch crackled and snapped with the tidal sway. It was wonderful. BUT I had some hills to climb. My target for today was A'Chralaig and its partner in Kintail. Weather pending. I knew the forecast was pretty mince but as I left my car, it wasn't drastic and I could see the top of Am Bathach. Surely it couldn't get that bad before the next high pressure moved in? The ascent from the road is unrelenting but is great for higher aspirations and within 90 mins, I was at about 800m and things levelled off - should be fine from here. I strode past a small cairn and quite simply was hit with a body punch out of nowhere. A Westerly wind sprang forth and I was doing my best not to be forced over towards the large cornices. Jings - it was goggles and extra bunnet time. I checked the map and I still had a fair bit to go. I'd carry on and appraise further up. I was never so glad to see the monstrous cairn and it provided some shelter, albeit my goggles had totally frozen and were now useless. My face was stinging and it was only after I had photo'd masel, did I realise that a nice ice beard was building up. I peered out into the Wintry blast and the snow was getting in behind my goggles - it felt like it was getting in behind my cerebrum - how was that possible? Rather than return via my route, I checked the map to see if there was a quick way off this hill. I headed SW and found myself at the top of a large coire - I kept S of the crags - it was steep but looked do-able. Then I was on my arse and sliding nicely for about 30 feet before I could get that ice axe to bite. F*** me, this was desperate. Never have I been so glad to get feet on a path and walk back to the car. By the time I hit the 300m mark, my jacket which had been frozen was now sodden and I could feel the first trickle of bum damp. Back at the car relieved, I changed only to cast my eye on a rather intact adult magazine at the side of the parking area - Men Only - looked like an old one - indeed, 85p on the front cover. A voluptuous lady was clad in the lingerie and I shot off towards the Cnoc Inn, my destination for the evening, leaving her behind. Two pints of Red Kite and a venison casserole later and one can relax and say it was a great day on the hill once again. A dram of the Tamnavoulin please....

Beinn Sgulaird - illegitimacy proven

The Bastard. According to local farmers but why? At only 937m, this is one of the smallest Munros. However, there are as many up and downs on this hill as there are to Tiger Woods non-golfing history. I started at 0930 and noted Ian Watson's car - he too was up there somewhere. It was a cold, clear day and the track from Loch Creran was steep. I spotted the cairn and started heading up the SW shoulder to point 488. The view back down Loch Creran was pretty and I figured I'd have this one in the bag in quick-time. Alas, there was a drop of about 50m from point 488, so I had this to re-ascend before entering the snow-line. it was quite a plod up to the 863m mark and from here, I could see I had quite a bit of distance to go but this was no ordinary ridge. Soft snow interspersed with boulders made for a tricky walk and what with more descent and re-ascent, it was beginning to feel like a bloody hard walk. A couple of walkers had come straight up the coire and once i finally reached the top, I really didn't hang about. 3 hours to this point. It was indeed a tough, little bastard. Rather than go back down the way I came, I continued N and then W down the steep slopes. I followed a chap in the distance down to the fence but traversed back to my destination rather than follow his descent. It wasn't until I got an old steading structure that I realised it was Ian and we chatted on the way back to the car. I arrived back in 5 hours, which I thought was decent going - only a 10 minute break for banana bread and tea. A cracking wee hill, which has to commend it even if the farmers don't agree.