1C - BLAVEN
Blaven seen from the main Cuillin ridge. Photo Adrian Trendall
9.8 miles 1140 metres
Start Sunday 13.05
Sgurr nan Eag 13.15
Blaven 15.45
Finish 16.21
Squares: yellow - changeover, red - finish. Circles summits: green this leg, red - done. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 3.27 Actual 3.16
Mark writes:
My prediction (guess) has come true and we appear to have the hoped for weather window. After seeing Steve off at 7 a.m. - will he carry the baton in his hand all the way along the ridge? - we make our way to Glen Brittle campsite, dropping Colin off en route. Graeme discovers that the van is somewhat longer than a car and engages in some defencing.
As I climb into Coire a' Ghrunnda the light plays tricks as it does on Skye – fleeting glimpses of cliffs high above and the sea below. The atmosphere of the place is incredible. Arrive at the col with the cloud just beginning to lift from the ridge – into bivvy and 20 minutes later I wake up!! Sleep anywhere any time that's my motto. I spot Alun and Craig about 15 minutes away and the sun is breaking through.
So I'm off – 10 mins to Sgurr nan Eag but my line down to the col is not so good and the first part of the descent painfully slow – big boulder field. By the time I reach Coruisk it is baking hot and I run topless round to Camusanary – just a stream today, what a contrast to the river in winter.
Up Blaven, these hills from sea level are certainly a grind and even though I am pushing the pace it is obvious I won't be much up on schedule. The first part of the descent off Blaven is a pain too but soon gets better and I burst out at the car causing mild panic.
Ifor managed to slice more off the schedule in 20 minutes driving than I did in 3 hours running – I didn't hit anything though!!
Peaks done 12 Hours elapsed 9 Peaks to go 265
Graeme writes:
Our vehicles gradually left the island via different ferries, gathering up various runners from completing their legs and assembled in an irritatingly humid and midgy infested Glen Shiel for tea. The atmosphere seemed celebratory with most folk seeming to have charged about the mountains in style, but for myself and probably Ross too it hadn't really started yet.
Later with the high spirited individuals off to the pub at the Cluanie Inn I was left in the cool calmness of the evening to gather my gear for the uphill cycle south from the Inn along the old main road. On whizzing past the Inn I received loud encouragement from Liz and Tom to see me on my way. Even with the seat up the bike was far too small making climbing the road more of an effort than it should have been but I was fresh and soon reached the dumping off bike spot.
I naively glimpsed my two intended peaks picking their outline out through the gathering greyness and trying to match it with the map. At this time I was not particularly concerned as I expected Ross to appear soon and me to be well on my way before dark. How stupid could I get?
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