Ramsay Round – Graham Nash
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| Five years ago I sat on the summit of Stob Choire Claurigh with my dad and saw
2 runners approach. We exchanged greetings and they said they were doing
the Ramsay Round. Before I could ask what it was they were running downhill
and onto Stob Ban. A quick internet search the following week revealed what
Ramsays Round was. I couldn’t believe it was possible for someone to run
over 24 Munros in 24 hours. But there was a list of 49 names who had achieved
this challenge. And a seed was sown in my brain. A couple of years later I started hill running and began to increase the distance in races and the seed slowly grew. Could I do it one day if I trained hard enough? Did I have the right physical makeup and the determination? I then joined Carnethy Hill Running Club and discovered there were a number of members who had completed the Round. The seed grew bigger, until finally, at the start of this year I decided I was ready for an attempt. A conversation with Willie Gibson over beers after KB training one night revealed he had completed the round 5 years ago on his 50th birthday. Could he have been one of the runners I saw five years ago? A quick check at my Munro Log Book confirmed the date, it was indeed Willie with Jason Hubert who we had seen that day on their way to complete their successful Round. Strange, how small the world is sometimes. The seed had now fully grown and developed into an obsession to complete the Round. |
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| It’s 7.45am, Saturday 13th July and I’m standing outside Glen Nevis youth hostel with Jim Hardie waiting for my watch to read 08:00. I feel apprehensive, excited, nervous, thrilled to be here – a mixture of emotions. My focus now to get to the top of Ben Nevis – break the challenge down into manageable chunks. My wife Nicola takes a few pictures, wishes us luck and then we’re off, running over the bridge that crosses the Water of Nevis. The tourist track is busy and Jim, who is to be my pacer for the first leg over to Fersit, greets everyone, apologises on my behalf as we squeeze by. Eventually we leave the tourist track and take the forbidden path to the Red Burn crossing, and then the race route. At last we are free of the crowds and I feel more relaxed. We reach the summit in 1.23, 2 minutes ahead of schedule, Jim’s pacing has been spot on. It’s misty, so we take a bearing of 135° to escape the summit and reach the bouldery descent to the bealach and the start of the Carn Mor Dearg Arête. | ||
| The arête is exposed, but not technically difficult, it seems easier than my recce with David Williams a month before, my head not clouded from the effects of beer the night before, I’m more focused. The summit comes quickly, although we’re now 3 minutes off the schedule. It’s getting warmer and I’m drenched in sweat, I’m drinking my fluids and making sure I eat regularly, aiming for 200 - 300 calories every hour. Not enough to replenish the estimated 12,000 calories I’ll use over the next 24 hours, but my training has taught me that’s all I’ll absorb anyway. Jim leads the descent down the ridge, his descending skills superior to mine and in no time we’re at the bealach to find the path to gain the Aonach Mor ridge. We fill our water bottles from the trickle of a burn, knowing the next water will not be until after Aonach Beag. Touching the cairn, we about turn, 10.49 – we’re on pace. The run down to the start of the climb to Aonach Beag is a delight, soft spongy grass. I feel relaxed, really enjoying the moment, the clouds are breaking and I take a moment to admire the views. Aonach Beag, 11.05, only 1 minute off schedule. | ||
| Next, the crux of the round, the descent from Stob Coire Bhealaich. Charlie’s gully had been full of snow and impassable the month before. Mark Hartree sent me a text the day before confirming it was now all clear. The entry into the gully is alarmingly steep and once inside under the rock overhang, it’s full of loose, damp stones. We slide and slip our way down to the grass ramp and the angle eases. Jim shouts he has to stop to get stones out of his shoes. I continue on, looking for water to replenish my empty bottles. There is none. Perhaps Jim will find some. I eat the last of my food, Jim now has my remaining food. As I near Sgurr Choinnich Beag, I glance behind to see Jim 400 yards behind – he’ll catch me I’m sure. Sgurr Choinnich Mor, 12.00, still on pace. No Jim. The traverse through Coire Easain is across boulder scree, Jim seems further behind. I keep to my pace, but now I’m thirsty. No water. Stob Coire an Laoigh, 12.35. I’ve lost 5 minutes, I’m slowing, the effects of the heat and lack of water | ||
| I write a note for Jim on my map, leaving it on the cairn, telling him to miss No. 7 and meet me at the Stob Ban Lochan. I’m desperate for water now and spot a hill walker on the ridge. I explain my predicament and she kindly shares her water with me, a life saver. Water needs met, I now need food. Stob Choire Claurigh, 13.11, time is slipping. From the summit I see the lochan, but not Jim, perhaps he is sheltering in the shade. | ||
| I’m really hungry now and starting to bonk, struggling to focus, I see a frog and contemplate eating it. At the lochan, there is no Jim, but water. I gulp down bottle after bottle, avoiding the tadpoles. I wait 5 minutes. No phone signal. I’ll climb Stob Ban to get a signal. This is my lowest point. I’ve lost my support runner, no food, it’s 2 ½ hours to static support at Fersit. I can’t make it without food and keep to the schedule. Eventually I get a phone signal and phone Nicola. I tell her I’m quitting. Can’t get to Fersit on time. No food. No energy. Jim has hurt his ankle and can’t continue. Nicola takes control, phones Willie, phones Jim. Tells Jim he has to meet me. Stob Ban summit 13.45, 13 minutes off schedule. I start to descend, my phone rings, it’s Jim and we arrange to meet on the decent off Stob Ban. I’ve never been more pleased to see him and he offers me the food bag, I grab a banana and some flapjacks. His parting words; “you’ve got an hour” – referring to the hour of slack in my 24 hour schedule. I leave him lying in the heather, feeling slightly guilty, but he’s got my waterproofs, so he’ll not get cold. | ||
| The banana is the best I’ve ever tasted, it’s energy radiates out to my muscles and I feel energised. I know I can now get to Fersit. But the long 2,000ft climb to the Easains is first. The temperature is now getting unbearable, but there’s plenty of water. There’s also plenty of clegs, piercing my salty skin at every opportunity. I’m starting to cramp in my quads, the effects of the heat and lack of food over the past 3 hours. The water is getting scarcer as I climb and eventually all the burns are dry. Stob Coire Easain, 15.13, 21 minutes off schedule. Food all gone again. No fuel. No 200 – 300 calories an hour. This isn’t going to happen today. It’s only 68 minutes to the dam. Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin, 15.32. I begin the descent, it’s all runnable and soon hear a shout – it’s Helen Wise and Willie Gibson come to meet me. Surprised, as it’s not on the plan, but Willie knows how hard it is on your own, and has decided I’ll appreciate the extra support. He’s right. My eyes fill with tears. I know now it’s back on. Water, satsuma, banana. Willie leads the way. I feel rejuvenated, the pace is good. | ||
| Loch Trieg Dam. 16.17, 17 minutes off schedule. Nicola, Phil and Elly Humphries are waiting. The static support are fantastic, everything is laid out and waiting. I’m totally hyper. I know I can do this. The plan is back on track. Change of socks, shoes, tea, food. Phil and I are away, across the Dam, Nicola follows us with a box of noodles, to the edge of the forest. Now the 2,500ft climb to Stob Coire Sgriodain. | ||
| It’s a tough climb across rough terrain, no path, it’s still hot but Phil has carried plenty of fluids and I gulp greedily. Eating again, trying to get the calories on board. My legs are cramping more frequently. Phil’s chat is good and we focus on gaining the ridge. Passing the cairn on Stob Coire Sgriodain, 17.39, 24 minutes down. Phil leads me on a good line across the minor tops and at one point I hear a shout of “go on Graham”, glancing round I think I see Charlie Ramsay waving. Another surge of “I can do this” fills up inside me. The water point before the quad track is dry. But the temperature is now not as hot. Chno Dearg comes quickly, 18:13, Phil is passing food to me regularly. The descent down the South East ridge to the river is steep and rocky. Every time I slip my calfs are cramping. Locking solid. Phil tries rubbing them. I try punching and swearing at them and they ease off. The previous hours of heat and lack of food are now taking effect. Phil gives me some Nunn solution. | ||
| We reach the river, where Phil fills our water bottles and begin the climb to the North East ridge of Beinn na Lap. I take a rising traverse, Phil opts to head more direct to gain the ridge. I munch on Jelly babies struggling to swallow them, my water bottles empty again. We meet just below the false summit. The cramps are coming less frequent but I take more Nunn solution anyway. I realise I haven’t had a pee all day, a sign of dehydration. Beinn na Lap 19.27, 27 minutes off schedule. The descent off Beinn na Lap is easy. Phil finds the faint path that turns into a quad track, and we reach the railway bridge quickly. Phil picks up the pace and we chat about his recent West Highland Way Race achievement. Phil passes me food and flat Irn Bru. The river crossing is reached quickly. The river is low, but our feet still get a soaking. I stop to change to dry socks and have my first pee. It’s the colour of Lucozade Sport, but it’s a sign I’m finally not dehydrated. We run on, Phil maintaining the pace, giving me more Nunn solution, through clouds of midges and suddenly we see Willie on the track and then the ruin at Loch Eilde Mor. 21.45. Back on schedule. Phil has done a fantastic job, making up half an hour, testament to his ultra running ability. | ||
| Nicola, Elly, Helen, Willie, John Ryan and Lisa Gamble from HBT are there. I’m hyper again, totally excited. I know this can be done. Full change of clothes, and shoes, pizza, tea. It seems a rush and suddenly we’re away, climbing over the heathery ground to Sgurr Eilde Mor. Nicola comes with us, feeding me noodles. They taste dry and I struggle to swallow them. We say our goodbyes and I continue with Helen, John, Lisa and Willie. I feel a blister forming on my left toe and tell Willie I have to stop to sort it. Looking at my big toe, it looks like it’s been forming for a while. I lance it with my swiss army knife and cover it with a Compeed. Socks and shoes back on. Willie tells me the pain will go. I hope so. Sgurr Eilde Mor, 10.51, 4 minutes ahead of schedule. It’s still light, but focusing on the ground is becoming harder. Willie leads the descent down the scree to towards the small lochan. Once we leave the path it’s too dark to see the ground and the headtorches come on. I think we’ve gone too far right, but Willie’s line has been spot on and we reach the burn just before the path. Water bottles refilled. I’m passed food regularly, craving bananas, I must of have had ten by now. At the lochan below Binnein Beag, Willie and Helen wait, while John leads the way to Binnein Beag summit, 23.51, still 4 minutes up. It’s really dark now and the outline of the hills are not visible. Just blackness. | ||
| We begin the descent, but it feels wrong, we’ve gone too far East, John leads a traverse across the boulders and we see Willie’s head torch at the lochan, and take a direct line. Back at the lochan we re-group and I describe the ascent of Binnein Mor to Willie. We begin the upward traverse, climbing over large boulders below crags. The ground gets steeper until we’re all climbing using all fours. Thankfully it’s so dark we can’t see down. Willie leads the final scramble onto the summit ridge, it’s seems to have taken a while to reach the summit, 00.53, 8 minutes down on schedule. | ||
| We run along the ridge to point 1062, down the ridge and climb to Na Gruagaichean, 01.20, 7 minutes off schedule. We’re running well as a group, the support runners passing me food, flat Irn Bru and water, always one runner in front and another close behind. It feels comforting. We reach the bealach and now have to find the faint path that traverses into the coire before An Garbhanach. It’s so black. We sweep our head torch beams to the right, looking for a path. I think I see it and we leave the main path, but the terrain soon becomes rough and boggy. Lisa takes the lead and soon we’re back on the path. In no time we’re in the coire and can see lights on An Garbhanach. It’s Bob Johnson. My spirits rise again. At the coll, Willie and Helen wait while we climb to reach Bob. He has more food, flat Irn Bru and water. Bob leads the way along the narrow ridge. We’re not hanging about and soon we reach An Gearanach, 02.18, 5 minutes off schedule. Bob takes us back along the ridge, concentrating hard not to have a slip, quickly we’re back at the coll and regrouping. Now we are six. Willie and Helen lead the climb to Stob Coire a Chairn, 02.45, 2 minutes off schedule. This can be done. It’s still dark, the sun not due to rise for another two hours. | ||
| The climb to Am Bodach soon starts, I’m starting to countdown the summits, five to go. The cramping is coming back, luckily Bob has some Zero rehydration solution and I gratefully accept it. The last few metres are a scramble, then we’re at the cairn, 3.17, 1 minute ahead. It’s a real boost, the first time I’ve been ahead of schedule for a while. Four summits to go. | ||
| On the descent to the bealach we can see the wall of the Devils Ridge ahead. The light’s improving. Maybe it’ll be light for the airy walk across the ridge. I think I see a light on Sgurr a Mhaim. Discussion starts as to who it could be. Must be Mark Hartree, who was doing Tranters Round with his dog Sparky, the previous two days. | ||
| Sgurr an lubhair, 03.42, 1 minute ahead. Three summits to go. I get another surge of “I can do this” Just need to keep moving at this pace. We start the descent and can see the lochan below, the light is definitely coming. Willie decides to meet us near the lochan and the rest of us head for Devil’s Ridge. | ||
| There’s a good path along the narrow ridge and we run along. Then a tricky descent towards the end and then we’re ascending again. Head torches off and I pass mine to Bob. Just below the summit we see Mark, he shouts words of encouragement and offers me food and drink. We touch the cairn, 04.16, 3 minutes off schedule, just two summits to go. | ||
| Mentally I’m trying to count how much time I have left, my brain is slow. Mark’s dog Sparky joins us. I decide not to go back along the ridge, but to try a short cut Matt Davis had told me about it. Just before the ridge starts we descend right, down a steep grassy slope, Bob picking the line. I can see the crags we need to head for and keep to our left and start traversing. It’s a tricky traverse and my legs are cramping again. Eventually we meet the track and the outlet stream from the lochan. We replenish our water bottles, the last before Glen Nevis. The track is good now and we can see Willie ahead. Mark is in the lead setting a good pace, Lisa goes just in front of me. We re-group with Willie, now we are seven. Stob Ban is the last big climb it gets steeper and rockier. Mark and Lisa continue making good pace. Stob Ban summit, 05.15, 2 minutes off schedule, one summit to go. | ||
| We’re surging forward now. I look along the ridge, it seems a long way to Mullach nan Coirean. Mark assures me it’s an easy run, just like the Pentlands, easy ups and downs. John stops in front and I realise the sun is rising – it’s an incredible sight and I get another surge of energy. We begin the penultimate descent. It’s rocky at first and every stumble cramps my legs. Bob makes up more Zero rehydration solution. The angle eases and the path improves. We’re all running together. Up to the minor top and along the ridge. Mullach nan Coirean, 05.59, 6 minutes off schedule. The last summit. Now all we have to do is descend. | ||
| I tell Mark to lead, as he knows the way from his Tranters Round. I’m slow on the steep, tricky bits. No place to have a fall now, being so close to the end. We reach the stile into the woods. To climb it seems like a huge effort. Into the forest, down and down. We hit the forest track and turn right, then Mark takes the short cut through the trees. I take one look and decide it’s too rough, given the state of my legs. John leads me down the track, Lisa behind, to the hairpin bend and then back along to regroup with the others. Along the track, suddenly I see Nicola ahead, I run forward, my eyes watering. Now we are eight. We find the cairn I had built the night before to lead us through the felled trees to the road. One mile to go. This is really going to happen. It’s like a party atmosphere. The road is hard on the soles of my feet from the previous miles, we walk the slightest ups and run the flat and downhills. I can see the Ben Nevis track to my right, where I started over 23 hours previously. The Youth Hostel appears and I’m fighting back the tears. I’ve done it. It’s over. I kiss the Youth Hostel sign then my wife, and collapse on the path, hands on my head and the tears come. No need to hold them back now. 07.19. 23 hours 19 minutes after I started. | ||
| The enormity of what we have achieved doesn’t seem real. People are taking pictures and giving me congratulations. Some hill walkers come over to see what the fuss is about, and Willie explains what we have done. My legs start to stiffen and I ache all over. I can hardly walk. I need to move and quietly walk away towards the cottage we have rented. I turn the corner and Nicola asks if I’m ok. More tears. I can’t stop. She runs back to tell the others to make their way to the cottage and I shuffle forward. The tears are flowing and I’m sobbing, shuffling forwards, stopping to rest my hands on knees, my legs and feet are sore. I ache so much. I’m so happy. | ||
| Up at the cottage we regroup again. Willie and Nicola take off my shoes and socks. My feet are a mess and I stink. Someone hands me a bottle of beer. It tastes great. What a journey. I feel so privileged to be here, and to have completed one of the greatest hill running challenges. I want this feeling to last for as long as possible, but secretly know it will fade, like the pain in my legs, and that in a few days I’ll start thinking about my next Big challenge. Yes, we really are privileged. | ||
| Thanks: I’d like to thank everyone involved in helping me complete Ramsay’s Round: Nicola and Elly on static support, Jim, Phil, Willie, Helen, John, Lisa, Bob and Mark on running support, my brother Paul on base communications, Anne Forsyth, my physio who has worked with me for the last 5 years to get me in shape and sort any injuries quickly, everyone at Carnethy who has given me specific knowledge and encouragement, Olly, Matt, Jason, Jonathan to name a few, all those who offered to support me on previous non-start attempts and Charlie Ramsay for his inspiration and advice. Cheers. |
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| Graham Nash | ||