10A - BRIDGE OF ORCHY
Beinn Creachain from Beinn Mhanach. Photo tms.nickbramhall.com
11.5 miles 2350 metres
Start Wednesday 16.18
Beinn Dorain 17.19
Beinn an Dothaidh 17.57
Beinn Achaladair 18.43
Beinn Creachain 19.23
Beinn Mhanach 20.18
Finish 20.31
Squares: green - start, yellow - changeover. Circles summits: green - this leg. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 4.10 Actual 4.13
Craig writes:
Having spent most of the day with either ice on my ankle or with it immersed in the river, I find myself in the passenger seat of the car with Steve at the wheel. We are hurrying toward a drop off near Auch, the ankle is stiff but I've got a 1 hour long walking climb to get it mobile again. Steve grinning wishes me well, he's just beaten schedule on his run, can I hope to hold onto mine?
Across the railway line and upwards, it's warm, sun on my back and I'm soon down to a pair of shorts. It's only 45 minutes later, as I climb onto the rocky shoulder of Beinn Dorain that I hit cooler air and it's back on with the t-shirt. Shortly before the rocky summit I'm into swirling clouds so onwards without pausing other than to record my time.
Dropping slightly then rising rising again and I encounter a large cairn, which I had been warned was not the summit. That's reassuring, the previous smaller one on the rocky shelf was definitely “it”, Munro number one today.
The descent to the col is uneventful, I remain in the cloud, the path becomes a little indistinct as as it weaves around and through rocky outcrops.On with a thermal as I start the climb to Beinn an Dothaidh, compass out to set a bearing on the middle summit. On for a few hundred metres then miraculously the clouds part for a moment. All three tops are in view and I quickly make for the middle one which according to the books and map is the highest. I'm glad they are so certain as I would have to visit all 3 to be sure, it looks that marginal. As it is I visit the most southerly top as well before swinging away east to the col and then northwards onto the ridge of Beinn Achaladair, today's third Munro.
Back into the clouds, the weather's deteriorating rapidly so it's on with waterproof top. Alternating between a trot, then walking, up the ridge the south summit appears out of the mist. On for the main summit which turns out to be a cairn piled very close to what would appear to be a very precipitous north face judging by the cloud swirling up and over it. A quick check shows that I'm almost on schedule, good.
My ankle seems to be holding up well, I've got 2 all round neoprene (like wet suit material) supports on it. Only when I twist it slightly sideways am I reminded suddenly of its weakness.
As I drop to the col before Meall Buidhe again the clouds part and I have a minute or so to view the extensive wastelands of Rannoch Moor to the north. Climbing Munro number four, Beinn a' Creachain the sky suddenly darkens and there's the distant rumbling of thunder. The undistinguished summit cairn arrives just as the rain begins to fall in quantity. I'm away south westwards as I want to contour around the upper part of Gleann Cailliche to save myself climb to Beinn Mhanach, my fifth Munro today.
The sky's really dark, now and then are flashes of lightening accompanied by stinging hailstones. Up with the jacket hood it's suddenly very unpleasant. Thankfully it doesn't last long and half way up my final ascent it eases off to a drizzle. A last check on the map and schedule, I'm still on it, brilliant.I laugh out loud feeling in very high spirits, I've shown Eddie I can do it, he'll be pleased for sure.
The climb eases off and the summit seems a long time coming, just as I start to curse that I've missed it somehow it looms up out of the mist. Laighing again I record my time, it's downhill all the way now. I'm a bit tense at first protecting my ankle, come on stride out. It's a pleasant descent, long grass but not too tussocky.
I'm looking for Eddie's tent but there's no sign of it, (turns out that it was green so no wonder I couldnt see it). There's an orange shape near the outfall stream, it's moved. E..D..D..I..E is hollered in the agreed fashion of greeting but he obviously cannot hear me. Then suddenly he looks up and sees me. To me he appears to do a startled rabbit impression. Initially still but then suddenly running in all directions. I can't help but laugh, it starts to rain heavily as I climb over the fence 50 feet from Eddie. Through the stream and I'm passing the baton on, he's congratulating me on a “good effort” says “he never thought I would maintain the schedule.” I fill up with pride and wish him well, this rain is torrential, poor eddie's going to be soaked before he's even started.
All that remains to do once he's gone is to take down the tent and put on all my spare clothes as I'm cooling rapidly. Then walking out to Auch near to where I started out some hours before with enough time to reflect on another good run and an injury that seems to be holding up to further punishment. Will it continue to do so I wonder?
Peaks done 76 Hours elapsed 85 Peaks to do 201
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