Ben Nevis Youth Hostel
8:58 am |
It was not until I joined Carnethy that I first heard
of Ramsay’s
Round. Then I assumed that Ramsay was some historic figure (well
I suppose he is!). There is something about the round that I find
attractive,
whether its is the scale of the run or maybe the fact that the climb
is around the same as Everest, I am not that sure. Perhaps it is
my memories of my first summer job in the Commonwealth pool, seeing
Charlie
Ramsay going running regularly and thinking that it was a strange
thing to do, and then my first marathon where Charlie was running.
It did not click with me that Ramsay’s Round was named after
the guy from the 'Commy' that I remembered and that I thought was
strange with his running obsession.
Anyway, having had a Tranter's
attempt
where we were rained off the hill and then A Ramsay's attempt
where I turned it into a successful Tranters in thick
mist., it was time for what I thought would be a serious attempt. Cathi's
parents had booked a holiday home in Norfolk for a week in June
and somehow had forgotten
to count me in, so I had a free week. |
I had always wanted to do the round unsupported, I feel
that these things were meant to be done that way, but I was glad of
Moira’s help, at least to meet me half way and perhaps pick
up the pieces. A week or so before the chosen weekend, Jamie Thin
had contacted me asking if he could join me for the attempt. I was
happy for the company but a little worried that my natural pace (or
lack of it) might be affected by company. But we met up on the Friday
night (27th June 2003) and prepared for the run the next morning.
Jamie’s
pal Mick James was coming up to run the Mamores section on Saturday
morning. |
Binnean Beag
15:14 |
Jamie and Mick descending Binnean Mor
15:14
|
The weather was not too promising in the morning so
we held off the start until 9am when we stood outside the youth hostel
in Glen
Nevis and took a photo before saying goodbye to Moi and heading up
Mullach nan Coirean. It was not a great day but we had a good blether
on the climb. I heard the story of Mick’s mountain experiences
and enjoyed the fact that I was not alone. At the top of Mullach nan
Coirean I found a hat sitting on the cairn, that'll do me I thought
as I put it on to keep the drizzle off my glasses. There was not much
to say about the first few hills. The going was fairly
leisurely
but
steady
and the weather was improving.
Moira met us on An Gearanach, where she had been sitting trying to
work how to use her new mobile phone for some time (bought especially
for the support role). She left us after giving us a few jelly babies
and said she would see us at Fersit. It was about then that I pulled
my 1.5 Litre Tango bottle out of my rucksack much to Mick’s
amusement. As we ran to Binnean Beag there was the odd opening in
the cloud and the weather really started improving. |
We reached the end of the Mamores in about 8 hours, by this time the
hat I found on Munro 1 was beginning to dry out and started to smell,
I decided to leave it on the the cairn of Sgur Eilde Mor. I wondered
how many times that hat has traveresed the mamores?
Jamie and I
said farewell to Mick and headed for Loch Trieg. This was
the
first
time
that we had been off paths but there was still a bit of bounce in
the old legs and it was a pleasant run down to Luibelt. Then Jamie
followed the river, while I followed Jamie, along a track that was
rather less of a track than I had imagined. This is the part of the
round
where keeping up the pace was important. About 6 miles of flat, and
that is exactly how I felt FLAT. Without Jamie ahead I would have
been walking far more. |
Climbing Beinnn na Lap with Corrour in the background 19:29
|
A good excuse for a rest 19:29
|
We eventually reached Loch Treig and followed a better
track, round the Loch, which went under the rail bridge and then started
up Ben na Lap.
It was a slog and it was Jamie’s turn to feel tired. After being
on a track it was hard to lift the legs over the heather but, as we
climbed, the heather got less tall and by now the weather was looking
rather good. Once at the top, the hills were very runable and the
evening light was amazing. I took a few photos as we went round but
realised
that we were going to be running off the last hill in darkness. The
route off was interesting. I have done this part of the round 4 times
now and have never found a good way off, but this was the best so
far. |
Climbing Chno Dearg
20:20
|
Looking to The Ben
20:20 |
The evening light climbing Stob Choire Sgriodain
21:37
|
A stunning sunset desending to the dam
21:38
|
What an evening looking to Glen Roy
21:38 |
. We were both fairly knackered as we reached
the Dam and met a Midged Moi at 10:30pm. Moira had used her womanly
wiles to get the key to the gate so that she could get to the Dam
in her car. She had
been there 4 hours by the time we got there She fed us with cakes,
chocolate, tea and coffee as we huddled in the car. Jamie decided
to call it a day. I was tempted but decided to carry on anyway. By
this time I reckoned that getting round in under 24 was not on, but
I would be close. |
Moi escorted me along the track and part of the way
up the first, Easain, in the pitch darkness and then left me alone
on the hill. It
is an eerie feeling being alone on a hill in the darkness, especially
when you are heading up on a compass bearing unable to keep to the
track. The climb seemed endless but then the Dam was the
nearest to sea level on the round, so its not surprising. The top
of the first,
Stob a Choire Mheadhoin, eventually arrived, and then I realised it
was just a marker cairn! This seemed to go on for ever, when I eventually
got to the top there was no mistaking it and I could follow the path
over to Stob Coire Easain fairly easily. |
Dawn on the way up Stob Ban
04:38
|
Then came the big descent. Slipping, tripping, sliding,
falling over rocks into hollows, over peat hags going on for ever
and trying
to read the map and watch my footing. What I had hoped would be a
fun run descent, was a toil. My plan had been to hit this section
before dark!. By the time I crossed Allt na Lairig I was feeling done-in.
Tthe pathless climb up to Stob Ban was killing me and every time
I slipped and fell I felt like just staying there and sleeping. It
seemed
to take an age but eventually I could see the path up the side and
as I climbed the sun was rising. The beauty of the sunrise was breathtaking
and I felt a lift as I made the summit and then headed for the Grey
Corries. |
From Stob Choire Clairig I could see the mist sitting
in the glens and the tops were crystal clear. The ridge was stretching
into the distance in front of me and the Ben was visible at the
end. I was on the home run. Still feeling knackered I was managing
to
jog all but the climbs and feeling fairly strong until I was coming
off Stob Coire Easain.
I always seem to cock up this section. I saw
a cairn to the right and it seemed to lead down. Before I knew
it I was in a boulder field
on a steep slope and had crags below me. I wasn't thinking straight
but decided to traverse back to the ridge. With the odd bit of
scrambling and cursing I made it back to the ridge and found the
straight
descent far easier. I was off it. Mentally and physically drained,
my relief
at getting off was tempered by the fact that here was a Munro
I had forgotten about. Who put Sgurr Choinich Mor there!!! |
Sgur Innse in the foreground
04:38
|
Looking to the Ben from Stob Choire Claurigh
05:51
|
My strength was
really going now. I was eating Mars Bars , rolls, jelly babies. I
tried everything but got no response. I struggled on over it and eventually
saw the large slope of the Aonachs ahead. I had a signal on the phone
so called Moi, I had 12K to go, "3 hours hopefully". What
a joke! As I tried to climb my heart was pounding and my legs were
weak. I was taking 10 steps and then having to rest. I was getting
frustrated but could do nothing. I just slogged on and on. I realised
my pace had slowed exponentially. This was a wall like I had never
hit before. I was 22 hours out, it was the longest I had ever been
going and my body did not know how to cope. |
The Anoachs were a bit of a blur. I remember running
between the two and being unable to catch a walker ahead of me but
I kept going. The hours were flying past and I was getting nowhere,
no phone signal either! The descent between the Aonach and the Ben
was hellish. Going
down was no easier than climbing!. Then I had the Ben to face, well
Carn Mor Dearg anyway, it is a lovely climb, but it wasn't that day.
Sun beating down , no energy and 2000ft of climb. Every 10 paces I
rested and couldn't muster any energy to do more than that. The climb
took an age and at the top I sat for a moment and checked the phone.
There was a message from Moi "I am at the top of the Ben where
are you?" I phoned and left a message again and then headed
for the Ben along the arete. I was going very slow and feeling rather
weary when I saw Moi wating just before the climb to The Ben. I took
some food and drink had a blether and slowly climbed to the top. |
I meet Moi at the end of the Carn Mor Dearg arette
12:45 |
A little knackered back at the youth hostel
14:58
|
The descent off the Ben was worse than I remember. My
feet were agony on the rough track and the path seemed to snake down
the hill
for ever. Jogging downhill being overtaken by walkers is strange,
and when Moi and I got to the Red burn we headed off the path. I could
actually still descend that and I got down ahead of Moira to see Jamie
at the bottom cheering me. I felt I was there! The three of us jogged
down the rest of the way to the youth hostel and I got there just
under 30 hours after I had set off. The last 3 hours (expected) had
taken 8. I was a wreck. |
I waddled back to the camp eating an ice cream, phoned
Cathi to report (in tears), I lay down on a thermarest and started
panting,
shaking, and sleeping. I was almost having convulsions, I had stopped
and my body didn't know what to do. I was woken up with some coffee
and fell back to sleep. I don’t know how long I was there but
I was happy just to lie, have some rest, and be looked after. Thanks
Moi!
I don’t remember much about getting home. I was in a reclined
seat in Moira’s car and just let myself recover. I had a bath
and thought about the experience. Will I try again? Of course I will!
But next time I will want as much support as possible; I don’t want to
carry anything or have to think! I will run it the other way round (The Ben
at the end it just too much!) and maybe try to do some serious carbo-loading.
I need to Thank Moi for her fantastic support, and Jamie for the company and
for waiting to cheer me up on the way off The Ben, and Mick James for his support
and stories.
A final thought . Charlie Ramsay is incredible, what a feat all those years
ago. Everyone that has completed the round knows how hard it is, I do now and
I took 30 hours, only 6 hours too many. P.S. Anyone that would be available to help next June in my supported
attempt please let me know.
P.P.S. If you wondered about the title of this article "Sore and May Hurt"
is an anagram of "The Ramsay Round" |
In need of a hug
14:58
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