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GOING PEAR SHAPED

Meanwhile, the mothership was on its way to Spean Bridge when I asked Ian how to pronounce Criese.

“It's called Kreesh, but why are you bothered, it's only a subsidiary top.”

“No it's not, it's the Munro,” I said.

“No, the summit is Clachlet.”

“Clachlet is the name given to the range, and also to what used to be considered the top, but it was resurveyed, and in the last revision, the Munro was moved to Criese. It's 2 feet higher.”

A very concerned Ian got out the tables, and his map. John had accidentally highlighted the wrong top, which had compounded Ian's memory of Clachlet as the Munro, but incontovertibly Criese was now the summit.

The immediate reaction was to get Colin to stop, and then it seemed obvious that we should try to intercept Alwyn before Rob finished and do it then. Tony would just have an extra long bivvy. I was the only person available and was getting changed. A little more reflection made us realise that in a few days we would be at Bridge of Orchy, and this would be a closer point, so we turned round again for Spean Bridge.

A stop in the Commando bar proved very lucrative, with the locals' pay packets still bulging. The response to what we were doing was tremendous. People were pushing through the crowd to stuff notes into the tin. Whilst in the climbing pub in Glencoe the previous night, people had been generous, it had been nothing like this rush to give.

We moved on to Laggan Dam where we put up tents for the anticipated influx during the night. In the morning we discovered that Pippa had spent the night a few yards away.

There was no sign of Rob and Alwyn, but surely by now, Tony could be nearing the end of his leg. We felt we could not wait to hear so John caught the first train into Corrour, whilst Ian biked up to the road end at Fersit for what turned out to be a long wait.

Eventually Rob and Dave arrived in the van, but it was a long time before Diana reapeared with Alwyn after his epic on Ben Nevis.

Alwyn and I had to drive round to Dalwhinnie where we were hoping to get the key for the eight and a half mile road into Culra bothy. We knew the keeper was going to be out for some of the morning, and he had also told us that he couldn't guarantee us a key. I was therefore concerned that we should leave as soon as possible.

Dave and Pippa wanted to take Rob down to Spean Bridge for breakfast. Colin had cycled up to Ian to warn him that it would be a long wait. I suddenly noticed Rob preparing to depart, and said, “You can't go and leave Colin's van unlocked. Alwyn and I have got to go, so you'll have to stay here.”

Dave was furious, and I got the only display of temperament that he ever showed as he hissed, "You can be a real selfish bastard sometimes." I think he thought that I should delay my departure, but I had no idea how long Colin would be. Almost immediately was when Diana returned with Alwyn so Rob got his breakfast after all.

Dave writes:

I spent the nigh in the van in Glen Nevis awaiting Rob's return. When he did show we decided to sleep on there rather than wake everyone in the mothership.

Pippa had intended to meet up with everyone at Laggan Dam, but no-one was there when she arrived and she spent a rather lonely night camped by the lay-by. Rob and I arrived at Laggan Dam together both in dire need of food, Rob had effectively just finished his run and I had missed the 'main meal' of the day for the second day running, due to early evening runs.

Alwyn's welcome the night before had consisted of "Are you alright?" He then returned to his bed and I had to fetch water, brew and open a couple of tins, yet again support for incoming runners was poor. At least I had a flask ready for Rob's return. Even Alwyn didn't get much support after his Ben Nevis run and subsequent return to the mothership!

Maybe you can understand my fury better now.

This display of emotions was in complete contrast to our mood of a while earlier, and just because it seemed so out of character left me feeling very hurt. I didn't stop mulling over the accusation until the evening's run.

Tony was not there but nevertheless gives an accurate account of a story that helped lighten our mood a little:

Alwyn has spent some time building up towards devouring a rice pudding – which happens to be in the back of the car. While his back is turned the car quietly pulls away and another unsuspecting red car containing 2 innocent tourists pulls up. They look at the view then reverse back beside the mothership as they prepare to leave. Alwyn catches a glimpse of a red car leaving and leaps into action. The door of the mothership flies open, Alwyn bursts out to claim his rice pudding before it can drive off. Yelling, “Stop my rice pudding, my rice pudding,” Alwyn advances on the car, only to come face to face with 2 bemused strangers. Startled, they drive off as quickly as can be, while a somewhat shamefacd Alwyn clambers back into the mothership to gales of laughter.

Meanwhile, Tony was in action.

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