BLACK CUILLIN

Ian starting his leg. Photo Bryn Roberts

Ian starting his leg. Photo Bryn Roberts

         8.2 miles      1950 metres

Start                                          Saturday    07.07
Sgurr Alasdair                                             07.30
Sgurr Mhic Choinnich                                07.50
Sgurr Dearg                                                 08.20
Sgurr na Banachdich                                 08.40
Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh                                   09.10
Sgurr a' Mhadaidh                                      10.00
Bruach na Frithe                                         11.40
Am Basteir                                                   12.10
Sgurr nan Gillean                                        12.25
Finish                                                            13.07

Squares - start (green) finish (red) changeoer (yellow). Circles Summits - today (green) done (red) significant lower (yellow). Courtesy Colin Matheson

Squares - start (green) finish (red) changeoer (yellow). Circles Summits - today (green) done (red) significant lower (yellow). Courtesy Colin Matheson

Time:   Estimated   7.30       Actual     6.00

Ian writes:

Skye! Well what can I say, superlatives fail me. This leg was epitomised by excellence in scenery, the weather and company. The climbing team brought in to support the event were both skillful in their craft and ready to issue welcome encouragement. Days like this are to be remembered for a lifetime.

The Thearlach Dubh gap was as hard as I remember, the In Pin (Sgurr Dearg – the Inaccessible Pinacle) was a “knife edge ridge”, and Collie's Ledge was indeed “a narrow defile on the edge of a plunging void”. All these difficulties were met and overcome and strength welled within me from strength that flowed from soaring heights.

It seemed all too short a time in paradise as I plunged down a gully into Coire Bhasteir below. A run down to a good path and a distant orange flag egged me on to the awaiting terminus. One glimpse back at the pinnacled skyline and a memory of a world only open to the privileged few who “dare” to conquer unreachable heights.

Peaks done  12    time taken  10 hours     peaks to go  265

The climbing team with the Sctottish based runners. Standing John Clarke, Chris Schiller, Tony, Ian, Dave. Crouching Eddie, Bryn Roberts

The climbing team with the Sctottish based runners. Standing John Clarke, Chris Schiller, Tony, Ian, Dave. Crouching Eddie, Bryn Roberts

Tony was waiting for Ian and writes:

The ferry was perfectly placed. We drove straight on, and to the front of the vessel – last on and first off! The ferry sailed as soon as we were on – couldn't have planned it better if we'd tried. I force Ian out of the car and tell him to display his relay tee shirt so that Dave would know that this was the one.

Meanwhile, Pippa and Dave had driven me over to the mainland, from where I took the van and drove up to Cluanie where the mothership was now waiting with the rest of the crew. Colin had driven through the night, with Diana keeping him awake whilst the runners slept in the back. I briefly met John for the first time, and took myself into the loft to get some shut-eye. Colin's gentle protests as Diana's organisational prowess reorganised his vehicle permeated my fitful sleep. But really I wanted to know how things were going.

In the early afternoon Ian and Tony arrived enthusing about the luck they had had with the ferry. There was among some of us a feeling of elation – we had cracked Skye, and after the drive, were ahead of schedule. Most however had still to do anything, and whilst there was great satisfaction in filling in our board, the 265 to go was a forbidding number.

There is no charge for reading this account but please consider donating to Worldwide Cancer Research, the new name for the charity that we ran for.

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