https://strava.app.link/WQDZap3M2ib
I chose the Loch Monar circuit deliberately to get my tally up by a good number given that my lockdown project I suppose has been to focus on munro bagging, what with the lack of racing. This year has seen me do quite a few long hilly days out so I was fairly confident I could get round these in a very long day. The route is described by our own club member, guide Steve Fallon on his site (https://www.stevenfallon.co.uk/lurgmhor.html#). Reading the description I was looking forward to the promised views but of course on the day this wasn’t the case, with all of us in the north west having a day of clag and persistent rain, often heavy I booked myself into a lovely airbnb in Strathpeffer, always good to have a bit of comfort before and after these epic days out. I really admire those folk who camped before heading out but as the rain pelted down the night before, I was very glad I wasn’t.
Getting up in darkness at 5 ish on the morning of the 14th was tough but really necessary to ensure the route itself was done in daylight. I took my big 32L OMM mountain marathon rucksack full of stuff with me given that the area I was going to be in was very isolated and I would be on my own. Plenty of food, tons of clothing layers, extra compass, charging pack for the phone, hand warmers and an emergency mountain shelter in case it all went horribly wrong. I was prepared for anything I thought and mostly I was.
Taking Steve’s advice I took my gravel bike to ease the trek to the start of the route itself up a track. This was, as described, thigh bustingly steep but I looked forward to the easy cycle back to the car at the end of the day. I left the bike at the recommended spot, changed my sweaty top, left it hanging on the bike and set off pretty much in full winter gear. The rain had started halfway up the track and was heavy for much of the day. I was glad I’d put on the goretex lined inov8 boots I use in winter, rather than lighter running shoes though they weren’t so great, as it turned out, for the many river crossings, filling up and requiring emptying though they’re pretty comfy and my feet didn’t suffer too much. I’m a big fan of injinji toed socks too which are brilliant for preventing blisters.
I’d read all about my first obstacle, a wire bridge which Steve described as ‘fun’. Great, I thought, I do actually like wire bridges but this one wasn’t really, requiring some adjustment. The top wire was a bit slack so it wasn’t possible to walk upright, more like 45 degrees which must have looked hilarious and somewhat precarious. My day really could have ended right there. I was pretty relieved to get to the other side and relieved too that this bridge wasn’t on my route coming back. A bit further on I had to decide if I would press on for the Munros or take in an avoidable Corbett. It wasn’t necessary but given that it’s a bit of a trek just to get to that point I thought I’d better bag it to avoid coming back once I’ve completed the Munros. With a bouldery climb, it took a bit longer than I thought but I didn’t think I’d run out of daylight so no problem. Pressing on I did have another Corbett to negotiate before the first Munro of the day which I reached almost 4 1\2 hours after setting off from my car. A fairly big day out just to reach that first Munro and looking at the map I think it dawned on me what a mammoth day it was going to be. On the plus side , the 2nd Munro wasn’t too far away. At this point, I thought I’d just head on and bag Lurg Mhor ‘s top as well rather than go back to the bealach to descend. Steve Fallon describes this top as being a bit tricky in winter but not a problem otherwise. Perhaps tackling it when it’s hosing it down isn’t the best plan… let’s just say the waterproof trousers got some sliding action and Alan Renville’s description of it as ‘spicy’ is pretty accurate, but I survived and no one heard the swearing. The descent down to Loch Monar was pretty exciting too, being wet and steep. More bum sliding and a lost water bottle. At this point, I had to negotiate another river in spate but no bridge this time and no way across without wet feet. So much for gore-tex boots …soggy feet for the rest of the day. On the plus side though I could actually see in front of me at this point for the first time and after a steep climb numbers 3 and 4 were ticked off in quick succession. At this point, I suppose I felt like I’d turned a corner with only 2 to go but it was still a very long way to go and another river to wade across. 2 hours later number 5 safely in the bag and I descended in sunshine to cross the river Meig. At this point, some layers came off and I thought yes, finally the forecast has come good and I’ll finish the day in dry fine weather. I’d been warned about the last Munro Moruisg being a bit of a slog and looking across the valley it still seemed a very long way.
Crossing the river Meig I slipped and went in quite deep. Damn, my phone was wet. Seemed ok though, phew. Heading up the last climb my legs suddenly felt very heavy and I had to stop quite often but I wasn’t bothered. Last Munro ahead, plenty of daylight left, all good. At some point, the rain started again and I found myself in dense clag once more.Never mind,not long to go. I did have to do quite a lot of motivational chat to myself at this point but yay, there it is, I’ve done it. Phone out for the final pic, click, done ….oh crap, low battery, oh crap phones gone dead. No problem, get the charger out. Oh crap, it’s not working. Hmmm….Phone is f¥€$ed…oh dear, people are gonna worry, oh dear …what if I meet mountain rescue coming up the track as I cycle down? Nooooooo, what am I gonna do? ??? Ok, keep calm and carry on. Get back to the car, see if phone can be revived and if not find a payphone(a what ???), call my mum as I can actually remember her landline number, get her to call my daughter Maddie who can contact President Hartree (friends on FB) and let him know I’m fine. Right, just that last Corbett to get over and cannot be avoided, easy descent and back to the bike which I feel like hugging. At this point, I’m being eaten alive by midges and they don’t have much trouble keeping up as I pedal back down the track. I have a gate to get through halfway and at this point, I notice my front wheel is perilously close to falling off having not screwed the quick release mechanism up tightly enough to withstand the rough track. That was a close call, wouldn’t have been a soft landing. Crisis averted I finally make it back to the car… just as my new watch finally runs out of battery but it’s proved its worth. Safely in the car the charger I keep there revives the phone and contact with mission control is made with sighs of relief all around I think. Finally, I go back to my lovely airbnb and have a well-earned beer. Oh hang on, wtf there’s a slug on my tights, oh no, not a slug, some type of animal shit. I’m guessing fox judging by the lovely smell now filling my newish car. Now that’s just a cruel end to an epic day. And weirdly, I got a bit lost going back to my accommodation but I did finally, quite late, get my beer.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that the only reason I completed this round on 14th August was because I’m a Carnethy and didn’t want to let the side down. If I’d been just going out for me I think the forecast might have had me planning something smaller but I am, if nothing else, bloody-minded and determined!
Thanks to everyone involved in organising this epic day.
Munros:
Bidean a’choire Sheasgaich
Sgurr Choinnich
Sgurr Choinnich
Sgurr a’Chaorachain
Maoile Lunndaidh
Moruisg
Corbetts:
Sgurr nan Ceannaichean
Sgurr na Feartaig
Beinn Tharsuinn
Michelle Hetherington
Michelle’s epic day out on Munros-in-a-Day Day is the last of the reports to go up here. This and all the other reports we have received will get their own section on the website in due course (Digby is working very hard on this) and there will also be a special edition of the club journal with reports, photos and more (Sean, Peter MacDonald and others are working on this). We nearly have a full set of reports but if you did not send yours in yet, please consider writing at least a few paragraphs . Every single effort on this day contributed to the achievement and deserves its place in the records of the day. Send it to webteam@carnethy.com.
Ken Fordyce