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Legs 14 & 15

(14) June 6th  15.32 to 19.50
(15) June 6th 19.50 to 20.10

cycle from end of leg 13
23                              Spidean Coire nan Clach
24                              Ruadh-stac Mor
cycle to Kinlochewe

Lynn Smith and Fiona Russell

Yesterday, I played a small part in an impressive challenge that is currently taking place in Scotland. Along with a new friend Lynn, I reached summits 23 and 24 in the Veteran Women’s Munro Relay.

There are many women who have far greater and more impressive roles, yet still I am proud to be involved in this inaugural Munros round epic.

By the time it was my turn on the afternoon of June 6, 22 Munros had been summitted.

Beinn Eighe with a new friend

As I prepared to drive from my home near Inverness to Kinlochewe to meet my relay team-mate Lynn, I felt the nerves and excitement rise. I’d been checking and double-checking the on-line tracker – being carried in a toy squirrel named Morag – to make sure I wouldn’t be late.

I had work to complete but I also wanted to be closer to the action. In the end, I couldn’t sit still or concentrate, so I shut the lap-top and set off.

As I drove, I wondered if I would be well-matched with Lynn, or if she would be much faster than me. I hoped we would get on and have plenty to chat about. I also hoped I would have enough phone reception to make contact with the team so I would be ready for the off when the pair before us descended their mountains.

I looked at the relay spreadsheet to see what Sue S and Maria had to do before us. It turned out it was a very testing route on two ridge routes, Beinn Alligin and Liathach, both in Torridon, to reach four Munro summits. I was relieved that Lynn and I “only” had two relatively straightforward Munros on the Beinn Eighe ridge.

From the minute that I met Lynn, I felt relaxed and comfortable in her friendly and positive company. Obviously a very fit lady, I expected the pace to be fast but I was up for a challenge and I knew I was going to enjoy the adventure even if I needed to work hard.

As we waited for Sue and Maria to finished their section, Lynn and I chatted. We have children of a similar age and plenty of other common interests. We immediately got on and I looked forward to our part of the relay together.

We chatted about the logistics, deciding to leave Lynn’s car in Kinlochewe and travel in my van with our bikes to the foot of Beinn Eighe. This would be our base.

From there, we cycled to the foot of Liathach, where we met Sue and Maria and collected Morag the Squirrel.

We cycled back to the start of our walk-run, left our bikes in my van and started on foot for the Munros, Spidean Coire nan Clach and then Ruadh-Stac Mòr.

Our pace was brisk and we walked fast uphill, then ran the flats and descents. It was great to have a purpose and while we carried on talking as we ascended and descended, we didn’t hang about. There was a sense that we should very much enjoy the relay but that we would go as fast as our chat and leg muscles would allow.

Whenever we met another person, we told them what we were doing and also mentioned the charity, Free to Run. I felt proud to be part of the amazing challenge.

We were fortunate with the weather. It wasn’t too hot, nor too cold and the views were superb. I have no idea how many times we remarked to each other how amazingly lucky we were to be out in the mountains in a brilliant location and in such fantastic conditions.

The hardest sections were the first part of the climb from the car park when I wondered if I’d be able to hold on to Lynn’s feisty uphill pace – and then a section of re-ascent after second Munro and before the delightful downhill.

By the end of the hike-run, my legs felt a bit wobbly but we still needed to cycle to Kinlochewe to hand on the tracker to the next pair.

I was expecting a 10km uphill ride while desperately trying to keep Lynn in sight but, thankfully, in the end it was mostly downhill and Lynn rode at a kind-to-me pace.

Our entire section comprised a moving time of just more than four hours and included a bike and hike of 31km but it felt so much shorter. Time flew by and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

It was also a drop in the ocean as the Veteran Women’s Munro Relay heads on to complete all 282 Munros over the next few weeks.

Lynn had already bagged a Munro earlier in the challenge and will be doing more later on. I am keen to summit another Munro as part of the relay if it fits in with the logistical planners. For now, I’m happy to rest my tired legs and follow the tracker.

As I write this, 34 Munros have been bagged. It’s so great to see a group of active and very happy women aged over 40 enthusiastically playing their part in a Munro round first.

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