GLAS MAOL GROUP
Creag Leacach, an atypical stony ridge for this leg. Photo https://tms.nickbramhall.com/
18.5 miles 1700 metres
Start Monday 18.47
Driesh 19.35
Mayer 19.57
Tom Buidhe 20.45
Tolmount 20.55
Carn an Tuirc 21.30
Cairn of Claise 21.48
Glas Maol 22.12
Creag Leacach 22.31
Finish 22.49
Squares: yellow - changeover, red - finish. Circles summits: green - this leg, purple - to do. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 6.00 Actual 4.02
Alwyn writes:
A bright, breezy evening saw me leave Glen Clova at 6.50 pm with John's warning of strong winds on the summits in my ears. I had set myself a schedule of four hours as being a realistic target, as these ridges offer good running and the total climb is not excessive.
A fine, steep climb out of Glen Clova up Driesh's rocky spur was enlivened by sights of mountain hare and peregrine falcon. The summit was reached in 48 minutes and followed by a brisk battle against the breeze to the neighbouring summit of Mayar.
This was followed by a long haul across a peaty plateau to Tom Buidhe – a long drawn out slog which seemed uphill almost all the way. I inadvertently made the distance slightly further, Tom Buidhe's unprepossessing appearance from this direction temporarily persuading me that it could not possibly be a Munro!
Tom Buidhe to Tolmount was my selection for an assault of Eddie's “Munro to Munro” record of 9.53, but an “eyeballs out” struggle to Tolmount's summit only rendered 10.06! Wobbly-legged, I continued – the climb to Cairn an Tuirc included a spectacular traverse around the head of Loch Kander, and looking back, minutes later, the sight of the ridges and deep valleys painted purple and gold in deep relief by the setting sun.
The final pulls over Cairn of Claise, Glas Maol and out to the final peak, Creag Leacach, were made more difficult by stony ground and weary legs, and I knew four hours would be touch and go. The final steep descent was completed as darkness fell and I reached the car in 4 hours 2 minutes.
Peaks done 214 time taken 9 days 20 hours peaks to go 63
I had been concerned to get round to Glen Tilt early in order to get as much sleep as possible. However Rob was tied up arranging publicity. Tom Duncan from the charity wished to meet us on top of Ben More, Crianlarich. Originally, it had been suggested that if our time did not suit, someone would make a special trip. This by now none of us was prepared to do, so it was a peak of our choice or none at all. It turned out to be the latter.
Alwyn had returned before Rob and I left finally near midnight, although I did sleep for much of the drive to my next changeover.
I woke up for the drive up the Glen Tilt track, where we surprisingly met some oncoming headlights. Rob was intending to pass a few words as he pulled in to the left to let us pass. However a look of astonished terror appeared on the man's face, so much so that Rob promptly lifted the clutch. Perhaps I'd caused his terror by suddenly getting up and raising my head behind Rob's – maybe he thought I was about to brain Rob, but whatever, his face was vivid enough for me to remember it clearly even as I type this 31 years later.
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