THE BUACHAILLES

Stob Dearg from along the ridge. Photo Colin Matheson

Stob Dearg from along the ridge. Photo Colin Matheson

          5.5 miles    1125 metres

Start                                     Friday       03.45
Stob Dubh                                             04.18
Stob Dearg                                            05.58
Finish                                                     06.34

Squares: yellow changeover, red - finish. Circles summits: green - this leg, blue - now a Munro but not in 1990. Map Colin Matheson

Squares: yellow changeover, red - finish. Circles summits: green - this leg, blue - now a Munro but not in 1990. Map Colin Matheson

Time:      Estimated   2.30      Actual   2.49

Tony writes:

The wriggling snake. “Tony... Tony... Tony.” Wriggle wriggle. “Where's the bloody zip?” All night, as I awaited Alwyn's arrival I had practised this move – how to get out of Ian's bivvy sack. In the end I failed dismally and lost a few minutes liberating myself – Alwyn's call simply panicking me.

Earlier, in the Clachaig I was feeling tired as I watched Ian, John and Ed do the fund raising bit. I was not interested in my pint and less interested in walking to the col between Bidean and Buachaille E. Beag. I hoped a good sleep was on the cards – I needed it. It wasn't to be – I'd forgotten that Ian's bivvy sac groundsheet was useless, I hadn't taken a Karrimat, my sleeping bag was too thin and the col exposed. I managed the odd bits of kip but woke up every 30 minutes from the slumber – was it Alwyn's call? No, just a false alarm. I continued to stare at the steep descent Alwyn had to reach me from Bidean. I did not envy him. (In the end he chose a more interesting line and came a totally different direction).

I did not move well up B. E. Beag. This was followed by a rare tactical error – choosing a rock/scree descent direct to the col between the two Bs instead of jogging along to the col and descending a grass slope and then ascending the big B.. I think my error cost me the 30 minutes I was over schedule, (a good line up big B. and rapid progress to the summit couldn't recover it).

A poor display, the highlight of which was the early morning rays of sun on the crags of B. E. Beag, turning them rusty red.

Peaks done   120     time taken   6 days 4 hours     peaks to go   157

Tony then drove John in the van down Glen Etive for John to walk in to his changeover, and await Ian's return.

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