Mullach Fraoch-coire

A few years ago I had tried to do this via A'Chralaig on a Winter's day. At the summit of the first Munro, I was caught in a white-out and made a quick descent down a steep coire. I am so glad I didn't contemplate going on as I now had a fine evening to see what would have been ahead of me. Death most likely. As it was, this time, I arrived at the lay-by at 1750 to a warmish evening with good views to look forward to. Judging by the forecast, it would be clear and cold night so I was prepared with all my Winter sleeping bag and gear. I fairly romped up A'Chralaig and was at the summit within 1 hr 30. Looking back, Ben Nevis could be seen in the distance, as well as the obvious South Glen Shiel ridge. Am Bathach now seemed very small, just across the glen. Beyond lay Munro no. 246 and a beautiful ridge walk.

I battered on and made it to my camping spot, the Munro top of Stob Coire na Craileag. I set up camp and then donned gloves and duvet top to grab the 2nd Munro before dinner. It was an enjoyable trek over and the wee path hung over some large drops. Care needed but all too soon, I was round the main crag of difficulty and up to the summit cairn and shelter. I could see down to Loch Affric, which was in gloom as I was privy to the last rays. I made a quick return so I could snap some decent sunset shots but also a wee pot of extra chilli noodles and Heineken were waiting for me. I got settled, had some dinner and beer and watched the sun go down, the Cuillin just visible on the horizon. The temperature by now had really dropped and I shivered as I drank the last of my beer. I got into my shelter and listened to some ambient tunes before one last pee and bed. It would be a decent wee sleep with an alarm set for 0400. At 0200, I got up to pee (damn beer) and took a snap of the moon, with the big dipper straight above.

Once up proper, I had breakfast, packed up my ice-covered tent and returned to the bealach between the Top and the 2nd Munro. A small cairn highlighted the way down and it was a nice walk back out amongst the massive herds of deer. I was at the car for 0630 and home by 1000, to earn brownie points. These summit camps are the business.

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.

Meall nan Con (Ben Klibreck)

Two weeks in Achiltibuie and with my in-laws accompanying us, I got permissions to head off and bag this hill. I was away by 0500 as I hadn't slept well and while the drive along the single-track road was clear of traffic, there were plentiful deer to alert me. I eventually arrived South of the Vagastie bridge at 0715, just as the grey of dawn was upon me. The route looked straightforward enough over the small hill of Cnoc Sgriodain. As the mist was down, I couldn't clearly see my target for the day but I knew that I wanted to do a longer route over the monument. Within half an hour, I was on the shoulder of the Cnoc and was making good time. Once over the Cnoc proper, I was witness to the sunrise over the main shoulder of Meall nan Con.

I pushed on, down and up on to a fantastic path which skirted below the West face of Creag an Lochain for a couple of kilometres. A really airy and enjoyable approach towards A'Chioch with the loch far below. Once at the bealach, it was a straightforward approach on to the shoulder before the steep ascent of the hill proper. Again, the cloud level was at about 800m so I couldn't see much. I eventually summited and sat in the shelter while noticing some odd mucous dangling from some moss. I occasionally got a Brocken spectre but not long enough for me to get a snap. To return the same way or to carry on and take in a much longer route? I had plenty of time so carried on and was glad that I did. You can see the true size of the hill from the route over to the monument and the walk back out along Loch Choire is truly wild.

 The monument is a poignant set-up.

 With the glen being enclosed at the Western end, it is only the excellent path which afford a simple escape and looking back along this glen, it feels truly remote and free. The walk back to the car was quite long but it was well worth it. Doing this Munro only to the summit is only half the experience of what this wonderful part of the world can offer. A very under-rated Munro and surroundings.

The Strathfarrar four - better than the South Glen Shiel ridge

Initially, I had planned with Darren to run the Mullardoch 8 but we calculated that this would be a very tough proposition and it would involve an overnight camp. After my incommunicado efforts last time out, my wife no-no'd such an idea and so a haul of hills in a single day was the order of the day. We had driven up the night before and camped not far from Carn a Bhodaich, an inauspicious sub-2000 Marilyn, just West of Loch Ness. Darren was accompanied by his wife Emma and the two dogs, Milo and Inca, who were delighted to be out. We had a couple of drinks (as did Milo) and a wee fire in the wet conditions and slept well - surprising for me. We aborted any effort to nab the smaller hill and opted instead to get to the gate at Inchmore by 0900, in case the glen was stowed. We needn't have worried and were 3rd and 4th cars in. The gatekeeper was a tad frosty but warmed up - I'm sure she deals with some numpties.

The glen is scenic, marred only by the electrical infrastructure which supplies houses and other regal buildings, which seem largely uninhabited. The weather had turned out fine, which was a relief after the wet evening before. Indeed, as we took off up the zig-zagging land rover track, it wasn't long before we were undressing and the sweat was flowing. We carried on up the boggy route, nipping over the burn in full flow. It was a very direct route up, which the book described as an easy enough hike. Darren's pace was hot and we were at the top of Sgurr na Ruaidhe within 2 hours of leaving the car, 40 mins ahead of book time. I found it quite unrelenting but the prospect of the 2nd and 3rd Munros being in such proximity encourage you higher. When we got to the top, we were in clag and Emma didn't seem in great form. Indeed, once we had headed down to the bealach between the 1st and 2nd Munro, they decided to head back to the car, which was a shame but Em had an early start the next morning. The rain had started by now and I carried on hoping the weather would again turn.

I was at the 2nd Munro quite quickly, and almost missed the cairn, which was at the far N of the boulder field. Carn nan Gabhar is a great hill simply for the view over to the 3rd Munro, which has a lovely profile of the mountain. It's a steep old ascent up on to this but by 1330, I had nabbed my 3rd Munro of the day and the sun was back out. There are two massive cairns, one either side of the trig point. I hit both cairns just to make sure. The temperature did drop a little up on this, the highest peak, and I donned by fleece. However, by the time I had dropped down to the bealach before the Munro top, I was roasting again. From here, the day was beautiful and it wasn't long before I was on the Top, with a relatively easy up and down over to the final Munro of the day. I ate my M&S pizza with relish and some jelly babies. I had been walking behind and in front of a guy and his son from the Borders and we both agreed that this ridge was better than the South Glen Shiel Ridge. While the first Munro is a bit of a slog, the walk over the rest of the ridge is superb and the views West over Loch Monar to the likes of Lurg Mhor were stunning.

Unfortunately, my iPhone had become saturated so my photos appear very hazy, which it wasn't. All that remained for me was to head down off the hill on the excellent stalker's path below the gleaming quartzite rock of Sgurr na Muice, itself a beautiful peak. I chose to leave the Graham until another day. I happened upon an IT-proficient lass from Edinburgh, Wendy, who was good craic and offered me a lift back to my car - what a godsend!! With a pint of Orkney Dark Island at the Tomich hotel, it had been a perfect day.

Garbh Cioch Mor & Sgurr na Ciche - a hitch-hiker's guide

Could it really have been 2 months since my previous Munro sojourn to Beinn Mheadhoin? What’s going on? I had pencilled in this weekend for a trip to the edge of Knoydart and had some unfinished business with Garbh Cioch Mor and Sgurr na Ciche. Almost a year ago, I set out to do these two in conjunction with its Munro neighbour, Sgurr Mor, Beinn Fhuarain and two other Corbetts, which I did manage (5 out of 7 ain’t bad). However, I experienced cramp like never below and was extremely hyponatremic. This was a good learning point though and since then, I have really watched my water intake.

I was probably as fit as I’ve ever been, after recently training for the Lairig Ghru race and I decided (perhaps unwisely) to trade my boots for my running shoes, in the hope that I could run back out, even with the heavy pack. I arrived at Strathan at 1845 on a Friday night and was amazed to see only one parked car, and a van. The sun was shining but perhaps more welcome was a breeze which kept the insects away. I absolutely tore along the land rover track past Upper Glendessary and proceeded to make good progress along the still splunging path. I noted a couple of tents in the glen further along just below the starting point for Bidean Chabair, which looked a very nice hill. I pushed on past and rather than follow the path up to the bealach, I started a fairly direct route up towards Garbh Cioch Beag – I figured anywhere at 650-700m would provide me with a potential signal to phone home (and allay fears) and give me a good start for the ridge in the morning.

Although steep, progress was good and I got a nice spot, albeit quite precariously perched on a rock outcrop, which gave stunning views as far as Eigg. However, it was 2130 by the time I had set up the tent and I headed for the ridge to phone Em – despite 4 bars with Vodafone, it didn’t happen and I ended up emailing my soon-to-be brother-in-law to let Em know I was ok. This worked but I didn't know that and I knew she'd be worried. I saw the sun go down over Knoydart, which was lovely but I was starving and it was getting dark. I got back down, had some shepherd’s pie and got into bed, listening to my tunes. In short, I never slept a wink and I got up at 0215 to see how dark it was. Far too dark to pack up and head for the ridge. I waited until 0315, packed up and was off by 0330, with head torch.

I reached the ridge at 0400 and could now see my view ahead. A pink glow began to form over the clouds over Loch Quoich and for the next hour, I was privy to a lovely sunrise, while taking in the dramatic peaks of these two Munros. It is a very odd (and tiring) feeling to have summited 2 Munros by 0500 but it meant that my walk back to the car, was still cool and ahead of the heavy downpours, which were forecast later that day. I got back to the car for just before 0800 and felt very relaxed. The going on these hills is very tough - easy to see why they verge on the Rough Bounds. The long drive back was of interest because I picked up a hitch-hiker with a huge pack – a loon fae Dundee who had the broadest accent I have ever heard from that area – “I’ll hae twa meat pehhhs and an engeen een in a”. He tended to walk from Dundee to hill-walk and while I admired his tenacity, I did wonder about him. I dropped him off in Fort Bill and bade him farewell. An enjoyable experience albeit trying to stay awake on the way home was the biggest challenge.