2 Claise to call

I decided to head up and see the foax up in Aiberdeen and rather than the bore of the A92, I headed via Glenshee to hit the hills. The weather forecast was abysmal but I had 4 planned, namely Carn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise, Tom Buidhe and Tolmount. It was surprisingly nice and I padded over the burn from the car park and headed along the well-trodden path. I was fair pinging it along when I began the steep climb towards the boulder face of Carn an Tuirc and the views began to open up for me from the barns of Bynack More to Cairn Toul. I was at the summit within the hour and was pleased by my fitness for a change. I then decided upon Cairn of Claise next as I figured if the weather got worse, I could come off at this stage. After having a near defecation experience due to a ptucking farmigan, I set off towards the 2nd Munro of the day by which point a large black cloud was descending upon the summit. Not only that, a rather vociferous crack of thunder blasted across the glen. Pant-piddling time. I stood looking at my walking pole and wondered whether I should leave it - momentarily, I considered my last thoughts and if I would know that I was about to be zapped by lightning. The thunder was getting closer. I began running for the summit cairn and bizarre wall of the hill and once tagged, didn't hing aboot. A high level walk round Garbh-coire and I was looking at a herd of deer of about 60-70 pelting it away from me - a lovely sight and the stags voiced their disapproval. I headed round to Sgorr Ghaibre, a Corbett (!) and then began my descent back to the car as the thunder boomed once more and the heavy rains came. It was a fine wee day out and made the journey back to the 'deen so much more pleasurable but it was definitely too Claise to call.

Beinn a Bheithir

Forecast - mince. Enthusiasm - total. Shaz and I proceeded to head for Ballachulish without the flu-stricken duo of Fraser and Dave C. We had long admired these 2 hills and both felt the pressure of the book's description "these 2 Munro's are ALWAYS done together". Failure was not an option. We decided to tackle the two M-points as described in the SMC guide, not as Shaz had read in Cameron McNeish's guide. Shaz doesn't have a copy of the former (hint to any Rannoch members about potential Xmas presents). We headed up the forest road and arrived at the posts which would indicate the path through the forest. Excellent. A scramble up the red scree and we were on the ridge, 1 km West of the actual summit of Sgorr Dhonuill. The views down to the Atlantic were stunning, wisps of cloud and turquoise waters making for a beautiful panorama (quelle bollocks). We ascended to the first M-point of the day and were told by a couple of FEBs that "it was a bit scary further on". Pah! No mention of this in the book so on we went confident in our abilities and supreme experience. What was this? A path right beside a 200 ft drop, straight down? Exposure, here, with my reputation? Indeed, a very dramatic vista and on we proceeded to the bealach between the two hills. Lunch was had and on we climbed towards Sgorr Dhearg while Shaz was convinced she saw a duck in a lochan, which turned out to be a stone. Perhaps influenced by the hill just descended (Donald's peak?), perhaps too many Nurofen for the arthritis-riddled toe? Who knows what goes on in Shaz's mind? We disappeared into the clouds of Sgorr Dhearg and eventually summited to meet a couple who had a stove going for a cuppa?!! Tea anyone? The descent was straightforward enough until we took an interesting meander* through the forest but eventually got back on track and hit the road for the car. *got lost. All in all, a great day out and some good craic. Once again, my sandwiches won the 'sandwich du jour' competition with cajun chicken breast and dijon moutard on 'la fierte de la mere' bread. To top it off, a fine pint in the Lade Inn before I got in at 2100 but nae tea made! 'Twas enough to make you go quackers.

Sgor na-h-Ulaidh

The weather forecast for the 27th May was uncharacteristic - potential snow showers and sunshine. Fraser, David C and I all headed north to bag 'the hidden peak of Glencoe' and it was a promising start to the day. We headed up the farm path and bade hello to the farm owner who promised us that it would be hoaching with like-minded folk. The walk up past the burn was very pleasant indeed but I knew that we were in for some steep climbing further up as the craggy North face loomed of Sgor na-h-Ulaidh. We took to the slopes of Stob an Fhuaran and the climb was pretty unrelenting and arduous. Meanwhile, the sun shone and all was quiet in the glen with a few folk well behind us. Hopefully, we'd have the summit to ourselves. The only sounds were the laboured puffs of me and my compadres and it seemed an age before we attained the latter peak. A great place for a spot of lunch afforded fantastic views down Glen Etive, to Ben Nevis and Bidean nam Bian - the views were fantastic and we all ate in wonder at the silence of it all (apart from the munching of Thai Pringles). We headed down to the bealach and before long were heading up the final pull to the summit cairn by which point it had begun to snow. We didn't hang about. The descent was rapid but sustained on the thighs and we were back at the car in 5 hours - a very decent time. A wee hauf in the Bridge of Orchy hotel (who now have their own beer - fine) and a great day was had with some fine banter and flake-catching.

Last train from Corrour - Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre

It was to be a hot one in Scotland on the 3rd May and so I decided to hit the Highlands albeit by taking the train from Glasgow to Corrour - this got me to Corrour at 1120 and the return train was at 1828 - 7 hours for 27 km of walking should be do-able. It was a nice journey if not slightly long but in today's eco-friendly climate, it seemed good not to be adding to the ozone layer via petrol. Once off the train, I hit the path at the end of Loch Ossian with Beinn na Lap on my left and thought I might get this one in for later, legs pending. It wasn't long before I was heading up the 'Road to the Isles' and after an hour, I was at Peter's stone. Quite a poignant plaque of a young guy who had died here, though how I'm not sure. Anyhoo, I began the trek up the 1st Munro and was greeted by a herd of deer, who (deer, me deer, gay deer, no deer) were watching me curiously. Man, I was unfit although by this time, the sun was fair beating doon on me so I shouldn't have been so hard on myself. After a couple of hours, I saw a large summit cairn and made my way up to this, to be greeted by 5 folk sitting and chilling out. We had a good gab, all drunk on the pleasant weather and idyllic surroundings. Photos were exchanged and I doled out plenty of advice, with one lady commenting "I just love the pronounciations of the hills". Fitever. I descended to the Mam Ban bealach and then whapped my MP3 player on to start the ascent to the 2nd Munro of the day, Sgor Gaibhre. In no time, I was on the summit (quite sandy?) and I thought I'd hae my lunch. Not a chance. The midges were unbearable, even at 951m and I had to make a quick descent back to a breezy part of the hill for luncheon. Chicken with chilli and garlic seemed to keep the Draculesque-like beasts away - 'I renounce you in the name of Garlic-god' etc. By this point, I'd taken 3 hours and had potentially 4 hours to get down, circle the Loch and try for Beinn na Lap. However, the walk-out along this loch was looooonng and by the time I got to the SY hostel, my legs were knackered, even though I still had 2 hours till the train. There really wasn't any decision to make, folks. There was beer waiting at the Station restuarant. And that Corrour Gold was probably one of the finest beers I've ever had. Some banter with a couple of guys whiled the time away before I was on the train back to Glasgow. A superb day out and I'll back for the Beinn Na Lap-dancer in Winter methinks.

Meall Buidhe (Glen Lyon)

So, on the Easter weekend, Emma and I decided to head up and take a pleasant stroll up this Munro. A longish drive but conditions were good and we set off from the Dam, up the land rover track. Camera shot looked good for Stuchd ad Lochain but the battery was flat. Baws. However, we carried on and it wasn't long before we were heading up towards Meall Phuill. The going was quite easy and once we had started heading along the 1 km walk towards the summit, we both felt as if we hadn't really been up a Munro at all. The visibility was spectacular, with views across Rannoch Moor to the Buachaille and across to Schiehallion. We would liked to have had lunch behind the summit cairn but the ladies were not for moving so we touched the cairn and headed back to luncheon at a lovely spot on a large prow of rock much further down the hill. Back at the car in 3 hours and hard to accept that another Munro (70) was in the bag. A fine day oot and probably never an easier Munro with good conditions and fine banter.

Dreish and Mayar

To the 4th day of my MarchMunrofest. As per, we hit the car park at a mighty long road in only to discover that lovely weather outwith the glen was not the same once in it. Anyway, we headed off through the woods, past the Youth Hostel and took a left along the land rover path. Before long, we saw a staked post with 'Kilbo path' on it and followed this through the forest. 'Twas an excellent path and as we continued higher up, the weather got better and better. As we exited the forest, we spied the path rising up above the glen to the bealach - it was a very picturesque corrie and still had some snow on the higher parts. Getting up to the bealach was very easy and an excellent walk compared with the 2 previous hills. Once at the bealach, we were fair buffeted by the winds but we decided to opt for Dreish first and before long, we were sitting in the shelter with the OS trigpoint, happy to have lunch and enjoy the views across to Mount Keen and the other hills. Afore long, we headed back the return route and once past the bealach, aimed for Mayar, a km walk from the bealach. The path again was very clear and followed a fence towards the base of the summit. However, we did pass a pole which must have had a sign on it at some point - amazed someone hadn't sawed down the eyesore. By the time, we hit the summit of Mayar, we didn't hing aboot as the weather turned wintry. The return route to the car was no problem and a nice wee pint about 3 miles from the car park was had in the Glen Clova hotel - they do some interesting ales and have a great wee fire going.

Meall a Chrasgaidh

Ah, the Fannaichs. Weather pending I had 3 Munro's ear-marked for this day and we got to the car park for a rather late starting time of 1030. We set off for this hill and not long before we were into the trek, we realised we had come off the main road too early and another bogfest started. We made for the shoulder of the peak and made good progress up on to this. The views began to open up nicely across to An Teallach, in the distance and to the other Fannaichs. We plodded on up towards the summit, which got inexorably closer but it did take a bit of time to reach it. By this point, we'd had some mixed showers and sunshine but once on to the summit, the blast of icy air rocked us and we scarpered for the small shelter which had been created, not far from the summit. Sgurr Nan Clach Geala loomed over us and looked mightily impressive as it was covered in snow along it's ridge and face. We took some lunch here and decided to push on but as we began the descent to the bealach (which also leads to Sgurr Mor), the cloud turned black and obscured our views - it was coming for us and we walked into a snowstorm. We were at decision time again - should we climb the 200m, along the ridge to SNCG in desperate conditions or should we turn back and head into the 'place of the fattening' and home? We decided to turn for home as it was bitter and again although sad not to have gone on and claimed another Munro or prolonged the experience, it was the correct decision. A pleasant walk back down into the glen and we saw many deer and a fantastic wee pool with about 10 frogs in it 'defending' their spawn. Hilarious. Once past Loch a Bhraoin, we hit the road and made for the car - of course, the weather had become nice again but c'est la vie and the hills will aye be there.