29C - SGURR NAN CEATHREAMHNAN
Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan fron An Socach summit, Mullach na Dheiragain off picture to right. Photo tms.nickbramhall.com
13.0 miles 2800 metres
Start Tuesday 02.57
Beinn Fhada 04.03
A' Ghlas Bheinn 05.09
Sgurr nan Caethreamhnan 06.35
Mullach na Dheiragain 07.19
An Socach 08.02
Finish 08.12
Squares: yellow - changeovers. Circles summits: green - this leg, red - done. Map Colin Matheson
Time: Estimated 5.02 Actual 5.15
Graeme writes:
During the day I failed miserably to catch up some sleep during the restless heat of the day. By the time the settled darkness arrived I found myself having to cycle from Morvich along the 'Highland Cross' route as far as the bridge past Glenlicht House.
At least it was a fine mild night for sleeping out. It was here I burst the bottom of my bivvy bag due to lying on a slope and I kept slithering out the bottom. It was an erratic short lived sleep since it had taken me longer than expected to get there and Mark had wasted no time in covering the ground on his leg.
I must have set off around half two since the morning light had just barely arrived. I had the feeling of never having had a decent restful sleep since the end of my last leg. The steep slopes of Beinn Fhada were a relentless plod which seemed to take forever.
At the top I had a quick glimpse of patchy neighbouring peaks but thick cotton wool cloudbanks were whipping along from the south west and soon obliterating things. The air turned very cold as I hurried down to the low point before Meall a' Bhealach and veered off easterly towards Loch a' Bhealaich.
I had a few moments shelter while crossing the Bealach an Sgairne but on the ascent of A' Ghlas Bheinn and its multitude of false rocky knoll summits I stopped to don waterproof jacket, balaclava and gloves for it had become horribly cold and breezy with thick drizzle. Once on top I wasted little time in descending steeply into Glen Ghaorsaic where the weather seemed to change to more muggy close summeery conditions with a glimpse of sunlight.
The last big haul of the leg then followed into the more pleasant mists of the double topped Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan. I'd recceed this remote mountain air before the relay which reassured me on what to expect, and it does make a difference.
The long run to Mullach na Dheiragain took longer than expected with the ground being littered in loose rocks all beckoning an accident to my tiring legs. I kept a reasonable pace going though and it wasn't till contouring back round for the final ascent of An Socach that my body started to feel seriously fatigued.
The final short descent to Eddie on the col at Bealach Coire Ghaidheil was far from sprightly and I was quite happy to just lie back and rest for a while after the changeover.
Unfortunately I couldn't just fall asleep right there and then for there was still quite a long walk out with Eddie's backpack to Alltnamulloch followed by a cycle to the Loch Affric car park. This passed quicker due to having the company of a Swiss backpacker to chat to, who was heading to Aberdeen to see the highland games before going back to the continent.
The cheerful face of Craig greeted me at the van where I quickly changed and fed myself but it was not long before I was seriously out for the count.
That afternoon was probably my lowest physical point of the relay, my body feeling genuinely weak, in need of sleep and rest. I have only vague memories of being driven up and down Glen Strathfarrar when beforehand I'd wanted to have a good look at the area since it's not a glen one would frequent very often.
Peaks done 220 Hours elapsed 217 Peaks to do 57