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8C - BIDEAN

             9.3 miles       1990 metres

Start                             Tuesday          22.30
Beinn Fhionnlaidh                               23.27
Sgor na h-Ulaidh         Wednesday    00.54
Bidean nam Bian                                 02.35
Finish                                                     03.26

Time:    Estimated    3.29      Actual    4.56

Graeme writes:

A warm settled evening for my bike ride from Elleric to Glenure and my walk up Glen Ure to Airigh nan Lochan and its cotton wool fog clouds which lingered around the low lying hollows of the area. Everything seemed green green and thick with vegetation.

The day was getting late when the cooee cooee birdlike call of Eddie was heard from the slopes up above and he soon hopped into view. I didn't wait long, the midges were out, and I romped over the horizon, keen to reach Beinn Fhionnlaidh before darkness fell.

For the first time in the relay my attire suited the time of year and made a change from thermals and waterproofs. I nipped past the west of Lochan Fola and to the east of B. F.'s southern crags. Nearing the top I had extensive clear views of distant peaks catching the fading evening sun but unfortunately the run west and back to the flat rocky summit was whipped by smoke like mist.

Good running was had as I bounded in a leg stretching manner eastwards to descend off B. F. avoiding her crags but not before darkness came in. Very airish and refreshing it was. Watching my feet carefully under torchlight I veered northwards into the blackness of the col before Sgor na h-Ulaidh. The sky was bright but I was in deep shadow, crawling up the relentless slopes of my evening's second Munro.

I was now on familiar ground having covered it a few weeks earlier with Eddie. Back then we'd decided to travel over Stob an Fhuarain if it had been dark rather than contour its awkward rocky southern slopes, so I did. I eased my way down to the Bealach Fhioghaill seemingly avoiding all the crags we'd found a few weeks ago. I contoured my way round below Beinn Maol Chalum but in the dark avoiding the crags probably emerged at an unnecessary height on my way to the level below Bidean nam Bian.

It was here on the rocky flat that I discovered my companion, my shadow, following me stride for stride as his cause, a half moon shone high from my right, periodically between clouds. This also gave the occasional watery shimmer on pools of water between rocks. I tingled a little, it was nice but eerie.

Clawing my way up the steep rocks to Bidian nam Bian seemed easier than before probably due to taking a more stable and direct line and I didn't seem as tired as I thought I might. On the top I had brilliant views down to the the distant orange twinkling from Ballachulish while to the north east an intense pinky orange glow beamed along the horizon, the coming of morning. Behind me still was the presence of the half moon. Below me, snow patches still clung to their northern slopes just to remind me how high I was. I really wished I could just sit for the next couple of hours and watch the scene, it was all so peaceful.

I had an idea of whizzing down to the Lairig Eilde changeover col in a matter of minute but the semi light with its dangerous shadows on the sharp rock strewn summit ridge made the going slow and treacherous. Even down to the col itself descending north east from just before spot height 778 I was picking my way tentatively, valuing my ankles for the future. It was a beautiful scene in the early morning light of 3.30 a.m., pinky blue sky, orange green hillsides and thick foggy cloud below me in Glen Coe like you would see from an aircraft.

I shouted at Ross's tent from a distance several times but he was obviously in the land of nod. No signs of life until I was bawling at his front tent flap Oh Oh Oh! Oh Oh Oh! He exclaimed as if waking from a nightmare, windmill arms and legs thrashing about inside the tent. Was he fighting with himself? having an epileptic fit? No, just looking for his misplaced shorts. F+++++G B+++++D where the hell are they F++++++G S++T, can't find them anywhere. Thrash thrash thrash. This mad panic continued for over ten minutes and seemed in total contrast to the prevailing conditions outside the tent.

Once up, he hopped on the spot from one foot to the other in typical frog legged fashion in complete early morning disorientation but eventually I saw him away scampering up the hillside.

I packed up the tent at leisure and strolled casually down towards Glen Coe and its sea of damp fog but forever looking back at the beautiful scene I was leaving. That was one of the few times that I wished I had a pocket camera.

Mark was asleep and unfortunately for him I'd to wake him up to drive up to near Kingshouse to meet the others. Everyone was asleep there too while I was still wide eyed having been invigorated by travelling through the night. It was amazing how short the darkness really was.

While washing in the local burn after breakfast Ross finished his leg and nipped into his waiting dome tent. His head then popped up through the roof rotating from side to side in periscope motion, before disappearing again after having surveyed the scene. I couldn't help but find him amusing at times.

Peaks done    56      Hours elapsed    68      Peaks to do    221

Graeme continues:

It was shortly after this I had the unenviable accolade of knackering the disposal unit of the portaloo inside Flexihol having not been able to function it properly following my visit. Colin immediately brought it on himself to sort out the messy situation and was adamant that everyone else “clear off” from his near environment while he investigated things. I felt helplessly responsible but the appliance had broken before so I suppose it had to happen again to someone.

This was only one of the many times when I was amazed at Colin coping with different people, taking situations in his stride and not becoming ratty with tiredness.

We all moved to Bridge of Orchy where I grabbed some difficult and restless sleep during the heat of the day.

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