BEN ALDER GROUP
Ben Alder summit. Photo https://colinlamont.com
16.0 miles 1779 metres
Start Saturday 13.46
Carn Dearg 14.32
Sgor Gaibhre 14.50
Ben Alder 16.20
Beinn Bheoil 17.15
Finish 17.44
Squares: yellow - changeovers. Circles summits - green - this leg, red - done, purple - to do. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 5.30 Actual 3.58
John writes:
Took the 7.26 train from Tulloch along the spectacular line to Currour – a station in the middle of nowhere. Walked down an easy track to a superb Youth Hostel (a converted boating lodge) where guests of Currour lodge awaited transport by steam launch down Loch Ossian. ) Announce myself there and scrounge some tea and porridge from kindly hostelers.
Very long wait for Ian as things had got a bit strung out by now. Got some sleep then more tea and Ian arrived.
First stop Carn Dearg then down to Mam Ban where I met with a weird shrub not yet identified. Up onto Sgor Gaibhre – wind really getting up behind me. Steep descent, contour round first bump, over second then round Beinn a' Cumhainn and into the bealach.
Long pull up onto Ben Alder into the cloud so compass work needed. Huge flat grassy top, someone had hidden the cairn with a stone shelter! Compass work off again, relieved to get into the bealach and up again onto Beinn Bheoil.
Wind becoming really fierce now – no view except the few square inches from my cag, cloud streaming past. Fast descent then down the track to meet Ed running out of the bothy. Nice lads made me tea and donate £5. Then biked out to where Alwyn had the van.
Peaks done 158 time taken 7 days 15 hours peaks to do 119
Meanwhile, Alwyn and I arrived in Dalwhinnie and were able to pick up a key for the track immediately. At one point we passed an astonishing display of broom which just happened to coincide with a rare bit of sunshine. The yellow was almost blinding.
We parked up at a ford by Loch Pattock, and Alwyn settled down whilst I rode and mostly pushed a bike up to Culra bothy. The weather was showing distinct signs of improving, and the wind was down to a stiff breeze. I lay in my sleeping bag on the grass, sometimes dozing, and sometimes watching the slopes of Beinn Bheoil for John, until it started to rain.
My retreat to the bothy turned out to be far from temporary. The wind rose and the rain became steadily harder. The minutes and then the hours ticked away. I had come to expect John to do a fast time, but of course I was very out of date with news about progress.
Gradually the bothy filled up with youngsters who were converging for the night, and I was becoming really concerned. I guessed I had enough clothing, but knew there would be none to spare, but I had no torch never anticipating a night run.
Finally a figure running down the glen was reported, so I was away and met John after a few hundred yards. I took over the baton at a quarter to six with probably less than four hours of map reading light left.
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