Final Training weekend!

On Saturday I was brought back to earth with a bump after all the dry and sunny weather we've had recently, by a wet, claggy and very windy day spent running the Bridge of Orchy hills: 28km (17.5 miles) and 2731m of ascent (no camera, sorry!)

Greg and I set out from the train station at 9:30am and started up the main track to the beaclach at Coire an Dotaidh. The day started well, with only light drizzle, low winds and the promise of cloud lifting. We took a surprisingly pleasing line from the col, which traversed the western slopes of Beinn Dorain on a rocky track. This track leads round the southern end of the summit, requiring a switchback to the summit at 1076m. From here we headed in a northerly direction and then NE to Meall Garbh. We intended to descend the grassy ridge NE from here but my sloppy compass bearing drew us too far north and in the end we descended to the wee lochan at Grid Ref [332392]. The line involved chunky scree at the top and boggy, rocky terraces further down. Nevertheless, we reached river Allt Coire a' Gabhalaich in good time. At this point the rain had ceased and we had dropped into warmer, less windy climes. Therefore, we packed away waterproof layers and crossed the river to traverse the lower SE facing slopes of Beinn Achaladair. Keeping as high as possible, we later joined the old military road at the foot of Beinn a' Chuirn. This was to be our second hill of the day and involved an evil ascent up very steep grass and (at the top) rock/scree. It was a killer this early in the day and secretly we both worried what the rest of the day would feel like if it felt this difficult so early on! On reaching the top, we were surrounded by thick cloud and our bearing to the summit brought us slightly too far west. After then following the higher ground to our east, we found the true summit; a small cairn on the top of the most circular, rounded hill I have ever been on! At 923m, this mountain is not classed as a Munro (presumably due to its proximity to its taller neighbour, Beinn Mhanach at 953m).

From Beinn a' Chuirn we dropped to a broad col to the NE at 849m before ascending a good track to the top of Beinn Mhanach. I had started to get rather cold by now and had put on a hat and mitts, so we decided to seek some shelter from the strengthening wind and have a bite to eat. We stopped above the crags running NW from the summit of Beinn Mhanach. From this lunch spot our ascent route up Meall Buidhe lay directly opposite, across Gleann Cailliche. From this angle it looked impossibly steep and improbable but fortunately by the time we had dropped to the river, Allt Cailliche, this apparent angle had eased and it didn't look as bad as our first impression.

We followed the E bank of the small river running into Allt Cailliche at Grid Ref [369425], which enabled us drink regularly on the way up. In the coire we were sheltered from the wind and we decided to follow the river to the col directly, rather than veer off up Meall Buidhe. It was a good choice, because even though it seemed to go on forever, it was good ground and we popped out at the col at 932m above Lochain a' Chreachain. By this time the weather has seriously deteriorated and we stopped at the col to layer-up in the strong wind.

From here we followed a good track heading easterly over rocks to the summit of Beinn a' Chreachain (1081m). On the summit slopes, the wind was very strong and I lurched left and right with the powerful gusts. As we reached the summit it began to rain and we had to delve into our bags for our waterproofs again. We didn't stop long, as it was rather chilly and instead turned and descended back to the col again.

From here, the terrain improved dramatically and good running was had along a grassy ridge, over Meall Buidhe and down to the col at 813m. We glimpsed fleeting views out over Rannoch Moor and were impressed by the cliffs lining the coire now visible below us.

We ascended a zig-zagging path up Beinn Achaladair and were soon at the first cairn marker at 1036m. From here, we jogged along this flat-topped hill looking for our true summit at 1038m. It didn't seem to have a cairn until much further on than expected though. The weather had again taken a turn for the worse and now we were pelted with hail stones speeding along in the wind. Nevertheless, we pressed on (using a crab-like sideways gait to avoid facing into the hail!). We ran along the ridge, skirting its 1002m top and dropping, over good running ground to the final col before Beinn an Dotaidh at 768m. From Beinn Achaladair, this final mountain had looked savage, rearing up steeply and presenting a considerable undertaking this late stage in the journey! There was nothing else to do though but start the final slog uphill. Jelly babies powered us to the southern top at 993m and from here, the thought of ticking our 5th and final munro of the day drove us on to the eastern summit (which lay to the north of us) at 1004m.

A quick handshake marked our success and we quickly began our run down over soft and gradual terrain, across the coire to the south and back to the beaclach at Coire an Dotaidh, 744m. We finally returned by the same path back the car.

The whole round trip took us a respectable 8.5hrs and we were relieved to be home and dry, when the rain began to pelt even harder than it had all day. Yuk!!

A good hard run and ideal final training day. Cheers Greg!


Approaching Sron na Lairig

Sunday: Today we walked 3km up the Lairig Eilde to the foot of the classic scramble, Sron na Lairig (2/3***). Unfortunately, the rain was so heavy and persistent that we were soaked through before we arrived. At the col we decided that given the rain and high winds, we would save the scramble for a sunnier day and headed back.

Typically, the sun came out in the afternoon to reveal a glorious sunny sky....long may it continue (ideally for another month!!)