27B - BEN ALDER
Beinn Bheoil from Ben Alder. Photo tms.nickbramhall.com
14.2 miles 1590 metres
Start Monday 04.10
Beinn Bheoil 04.53
Ben Alder 05.41
Sgor Gaibhre 06.58
Carn Dearg 07.23
Finish 07.38
Squares: yellow - changeovers. Circles summits: green - this leg, red - done, purple - to do. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 3.52 Actual 3.28
Graeme writes:
By the time the van had rumbled up the Loch Ericht track and round the corner to Loch Pattock, a horrible dark murk had descended to well below the mountain tops obliterating the area where I was shortly to go. Looking towards the Ben Alder range and its bowl shaped approach route, made me feel cold and uneasy. The white speck of Culra Lodge or bothy beneath this awesome mass of greyness dried my mouth a little.
I'd read several snippets in books and magazines concerning this area. Stories of hangings, unexplained footprints in the snow, presences being felt and of bands of bloodied venison seeking poachers with strange loyalties to one another, more than just friends. I felt apprehensive and glad it was three miles away while I was in the sfety of the warm van eating tasty pasta, listening to the happy radio with Ross for human company.
This did not last long however as I had to reach my changeover point before darkness so I reluctantly left on the path from the shed. After a mile or so I realised this was more than just a path, more like a properly constituted hard underfoot roadway which seemed to continue in straight line sectins as far as I could see. I cursed for not bringing the bike, but not so much for me but Mark's sake on having to walk out at the other end of his leg.
Nearing Culra my pulse was beginning to work overtime and when two figures with dogs appeared from the doorway into the gauze like semi-darkness towards me the hair on my neck sprang up unnervingly. I'd been imagining being watched over the last few miles approaching the area and my pace picked up to a scurry ready to burst into a sub four minute mile sprint.
Thankfully, the figures veered off keeping themselves to themselves and my heartbeat subsided but the fear of the unknown remoteness in this relatively infrequently visited area in conditions which were now light drizzle certainly gave me creeps unlike any other time in the relay. The discovery of a flat lying unerrected tent next to a pitched one in a hollow near the changeover with no human presence spooked me even further.
Despite my overactive imagination I managed some relaxed sleep and even dreaming till Mark and his shouting woke me. It was wet and drizzly but at least early morning was here and by that I mean 3 o'clockish. Wading through wet heather I soon picked up the path to Loch a' Bhealach Bheithe and splattered along it to the screes on the west of Beinn Bheoil.
On ascending this first Munro of the leg I was aware of a strange feeling in my sweat as if my body was flushing out an excess of something. I wondered if it was anything to do with these powdered sports drinks during the past few days. I don't normally drink them and I certainly hadn't been drinking them to excess.
The rock strewn summit of Beinn Bheoil and its south western pimple didn't do my feet or studs any good at all but descending to the Bealach Braebag the going became more spongy. It was still wet and misty but the daylight had brightened things up.
I latched onto the stream coming down the south easterly slopes of Ben Alder and never encountered any of the crags on the map. Once over the nearby top I had the cliffs to follow and soon located Ben Alder's trig point just after the watery patch on the map which was actually a snow patch on the ground.
A tentative descent followed down south westerly slopes over dangerous slabs of rock realising that if an injury should occur then rescuers would be thin on the ground way out here. After crossing the Ben Alder cottage/ Bealach Cumhan path the terrain changed from grass to heather and my long legs romped over it where shorter ones may have struggled.
At this lower level to Lochan a' Bhealaich I had my only real view of the area over south Loch Ericht before I climbed back into the clag of the pointy Sgor Gaibhre. Also here the bird call of nearby dotterels caught my attention.
A bit of double compass bearing and common sense map checking with some fast spongy running took me down to the Mam Ban and then up to Carn Dearg. Shortly after leaving this Munro heading for Peter's Rock I came across stones laid out on the grass spelling SABINAS SEAT. What it was I do not know. A nearby viewpoint seat made from rock perhaps? I just floated over the terrain from here past Peter's Rock and and down to the Youth Hostel at Loch Ossian enjoying the free easy running and sense of achievement from completing the leg smoothly without any cock ups.
On nearing Eddie and friend at the changeover a distant growling attracted my attention to a rumbling class 37 British Rail engine hauling its stripy snake of sleeper carriages through Corrour northwards to Fort William. If last night's weather had been better and the relay had saved some time I might have been down on the Corrour Station platform right now flagging down the train to stop especially and pick me up. I'd secretly been hoping and looking forward to doing that but instead, after packing up Eddie's tent and belongings, spent three hours sleeping in the grubby and dilapidated waiting room till the next northbound train arrived to take me to Tulloch.
It was quite a packed trainload of unknowing tourists having just run for four hours over one of Scotland's remote mountain areas alone concentrating on navigating through the mist and cloud. Another contrast was the weather which was now blue skies and brilliant sun while I still had layers of waterproofs on, my body temperature having dropped while asleep. All this plus the unexpected “mini super hero” welcome at Tulloch Station from the rest of the relay team seemed a strange anticlimax to the selfish personal high feeling of unstoppability when finishing my leg only hours ago.
Peaks done 189 Hours elapsed 192 Peaks to do 88