Over the years I've made a few mistakes on the hill. Not anything particularly serious, almost all navigational and those have cost time and caused people to worry more than anything. I've been very lucky to never have had a serious injury or kit failure that would stop me (apart from those boot soles coming off last time, but that didn't slow me).
I still like to think that with all my training and experience, I do assess the risks, especially when heading out alone (and in written format with my Explorers). Always on my mind is how a rescue team would find me if something did go wrong. I always use my route card app and I keep in regular contact where I can, sending checkpoints, with one eye on making a search for me easier. I mention this because there was some concern for me on Saturday, and I want to address some of the risks I looked at through the day.
The forecast for Saturday looked like it might start out pretty ropey but improve through the day. When I woke up in the van at my favourite spot, there was barely a breath of wind and no rain so I was really of the mind that they might have gotten it wrong and that the high pressure was coming up quicker than expected. I took my time getting ready, and drove out past Glascarnoch again and up to Braemore Junction where I headed left to get to the spot at the foot of the Northern Fannichs.
I was the only vehicle in the car park when I pulled in at 0755 and the weather up at 260m was already a bit blowy. I jumped into the back and put all my waterproofs on, and made a couple of good decisions on kit to take. By 0810, I was out van and zipped up, ready to take on my day. I had several get-out options, but nothing was worrying me particularly except the wind.
By 0830, I was at the wee bridge over the Abhainn Cuileig leading out of Loch a' Bhraoin. You could see the wind blowing white lines into the water. I decided to tackle the loop clockwise, meaning I'd still get 3 Munros even on a bad day. I followed the track to the river that flows out of the corries and I saw some fords marked, but taking a look at the river, I really didn't fancy getting into that.
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| Abhainn Breabaig |
With the increase in temperature, there's been a lot of snow melt and the heavy rain meant that looked too risky for me. I had a look at the map, and I spotted a footbridge a bit further downstream, only about 200m away, so I made for that to see what it was like.
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| Footbridge |
It was still less risky than the fording, and I should end up with dry feet. I put my feet on it and it was solid enough, despite being able to see the rushing river beneath me.
I headed up rough and boggy hillside to where the contours steepened and then dog-legged to avoid some steep terrain. There were quite a few deer on the hillside, but they were very much keeping their distance.
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The glen
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I was now on the shoulder and the contours had flattened out a bit so I was able to move a bit quicker. I was on the summit of the first Munro, Meall a' Chrasgaidh at 1015. It was quite windy, but the rain was coming and going, so occasionally my waterproofs would dry out in the wind, and then be soaked again a bit later.
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| Meall a' Chrasgaidh |
I descended to some flat groud and then got sight of the highest hill of the day, Sgùrr nan Clach Geala. It has a stunning big ridge walk which, even in the low visibility provided some excitement.
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| Sgùrr nan Clach Geala |
With some snow on the agenda, I got the ice axe and helmet out and it was a wise move - the snow was melting, so was soft on the surface but hard beneath.
On the ascent of the ridge, the wind had re-frozen some of it and made for some tricky deviations from the path. I didn't need crampons, because there just wasn't enough snow, but they were in my rucksack anyway.
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| One side of my jacket dry, one wet. Mad conditions. |
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| Views off the back of Sgùrr nan Clach Geala |
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| Even the trig is worn down. |
I was surprised to see the trig point a broken mess, but it does happen. Can't be much fun being a trig point. That was at 1120 and the wind was pretty strong by now. I'd say consistently 30-ish mph.
I had to descend to the bealach now, and that was quite nice to be dropping and the snow was mostly away at 800m.
I got some nice views of Sgùrr nan Each, Munro number 3 when the cloud blew away.
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| Snakey little ridge |
This little ridge snaking up the hill is lovely and it didn't take me long, but I could already feel the ascent in my legs. I got to the summit of Sgùrr nan Eag at 1203.
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| Sgùrr nan Eag |
A decent count of 3 Munros by lunchtime was impressive, but it was time to think about the risks again.
Either way I was dropping back to the bealach, so I did that first and had something to eat to keep the energy up. I could walk back down the valley track beside the burn or just go ahead and take in the other two Munros - with about another 1000m ascent. I'd weathered this so far, I was comfortable and dry and warm in my kit - it was standing up to the weather really well. My other concerns were energy (had plenty food) and time (another 8 hours of daylight seemed fine). I decided to just go ahead, it would be tiring but I wasn't in any rush.
I was a wet trudge down the appropriately named Fliuch Coire to the highest point at 550m. I spotted a path through the increasingly persistent rain and hail which took me up the shoulder of Sgùrr Breac. It was a long slog on tired legs, but I kept going, stopping to take photos of the snow remnants in the corries.
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| Snow cornices (don't worry I was standing on grass) |
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| Ready to go! |
I made the top of Sgùrr Breac at 1400 pretty much bang on. The weather had eased a little on the way up here, so I thought that was it maybe starting to clear, but no. No sooner was I on the summit than the hail and driving wind picked up again.
I still had another Munro, but also a little top in between. Again assessing the risk meant that rather than contour Toman Còinnich, I headed for the top - and extra 50m of ascent but it was a navigational checkpoint and made sense to know what to look for on the return - that was my route out.
A drop to 815m followed again where I had another bite to eat, and then headed for the fifth and final Munro of the day, A' Chailleach (at 1511). Maybe it was the tiredness but the weather felt like it really started to deteriorate here. Snow kicked in for the first time and the wind was colder and stronger.
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| A' Chailleach |
There was another top a few metres further on and I visited it too, just to be sure.
I was done, it was time to head back. I had hoped there was an easy ascent-less way to get onto Druim Reidh, the shoulder that would take me off but again I decided to use Toman Còinnich as my reference point despite some extra ascent. This just made me very sure that I wasn't taking the wrong turn or going down some other spur that would take me somewhere else.
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| Snow blown on the wind |
I only got a brief view of Loch Toll an Lochain, which I am sure would be lovely on a nicer day!
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| Loch Toll and Lochain |
Descent via Druim Reidh was pretty easy going but was directly into the wind, as a final insult. Eventually I hit the steeper terrain and got a good view of how wet the landscape is below here.
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| So much water |
I have to say, the steep terrain was hard on my legs, and slippy mud didn't help. My repaired Mantas are very grippy though, so I made it down to the flat quite quickly.
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| Cloud starting to lift - view across to the first 3 Munros |
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| And views across to them all, with some sunshine in the last few hundred metres! |
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| Rainbow to end the day |
The trek back to the van was nice, the weather was finally starting to clear and I got a nice rainbow. I was back at the van at 1720. There was one other car, and I didn't see anyone all day.
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| Surely time for a well-earned Bru - face well-battered |
I stayed back at my favourite spot again rather than try to drive to Aviemore or home.
Thinking back on the risks - I was pretty happy with everything I did - I am quite comfortable in those conditions for 8+ hours and my kit held up perfectly. If the wind had gotten towards the 50-60mph range, it would have been a descent via the valley, but I was pretty content with being out in that weather. Had something gone wrong, I had dry gloves, a bivvy bag and one of those big emergency blankets (not a wee silver one!). I also have a well stocked first aid kit. I would have preferred some sun and no wind, but it is Scotland after all and all that rain makes the whisky all the sweeter.
Hike Distance: 25.71km
Hike Time: 9h 6m
Ascent: 2092m
Munros Completed: 237 (45 remain!)
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