29A - LOCH CLUANIE NORTH
the Mullach Fraoch-choire ridge. Photo Colin Lamont
12.2 miles 1610 metres
Start Monday 19.57
Carn Glusaid 20.36
Sgurr nan Conbhairean 20.58
Sail Chaoruinn 21.10
A' Chralaig 22.03
Mullach Fraoch-choire 22.28
Finish 22.44
Squares: green - start, yellow - changeover. Circles summits: green - this leg. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 4.03 Actual 2.47
Ifor writes:
Everyone had been having good runs today. Ross had taken 40 mins off his leg and I felt I would have to do better, a peak an hour was for the first time looking like a possibility for real.
There was quite a long drive to the start of this leg which Steve enjoyed. We spent some of it behind a Golf driver who was going quite fast but eventually gave up trying to keep in front and let us past.
I really went for it on the first climb pushing hard and finding some good slabby bits that were dry and grippy. The top came sooner than expected but I was glad to be running again. Although there were some rocky sections I made good progress to the next top. By this time I was thinking of doing 2.5 hours not the 3 I had told Steve to tell Mark in the car.
The next hill really is only a pimple but the route between it and A' Chralaig was going to be interesting. I backtracked to the col and then went diagonally downhill to the corrie across a nasty slope. From the top I had seen what looked like a good grassy contour across to the main col. Unfortunately I got too high at the start and had a tricky scramble down to get to the grassy section.
After the long slog up the ridge I was faced with climbing up the cairn which is a very well constructed affair of 12 feet.
I had intended to contour around the 1008 metre point on the ridge but the east slope was a bit too steep for my liking and I went almost right over the top. There are several rocky pinnacles along the ridge to Mullach Fraoch-choire which the books said to avoid to the east. Actually the path, which is good, goes to the west of the first one and then to the east of the rest.
Initially I was going to go straight down from the top but having looked at it it looked like the numerous gullies all ended in a rocky section that I did not want to waste time in, having had such a good run up to this point. So I descended back along the ridge to the col and down the smallest steep section which was quite pleasant being reasonable scree.
I then set off hell for leather into the gathering gloom of the valley hoping that Mark had come up with plenty of time. I got a reply when I shouted which was a relief but I still couldn't see Mark until he flashed his torch. Just before getting to him I twisted my ankle but that didn't matter, I had had a really good run and taken 76 mins off the schedule. Even so it seemed a long walk out especially when I had to get my torch out.
Peaks done 209 Hours elapsed 207 Peaks to do 68
There is no charge for reading this account but please consider donating to the RNIB, the charity we ran for.
Share this page