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This walk was
the second and last day of my trip to the Tyndrum Hills. The
previous day I'd
climbed Meall Odhar and Beinn Chuirn before camping
on Beinn Chuirn's summit. Today's plan was to climb the four Tyndrum
Munros and this was something I'd
wished to do for a long time.
I awoke at 3.50am on Thursday morning. In the blue of the twilight, I
looked out of the tent to the sight of the Moon low in the sky.
Beneath it, Ben Lui was almost silhouetted, so I brought out the camera.
None of the images turned out well, but I just about managed to save
one.
Having captured my photograph as best as I'd have cared to, I turned
over and attempted to catch more sleep. I had a big day ahead of me and
a few hours sleep wouldn't suffice. But the night had been clear and
extremely cold, so sleep wouldn't come. I'd put with with the few hours
that I'd got.
I climbed out of my tent, figuring it would be better to move around
than freeze in a sleeping bag. I shot some photographs in the
half-light, although would retreat to the tent every so often to get out
of the wind. After the sun
rose, I packed my campsite away and left, feeling that it would be best
to get moving. I'd been up for a while now, so there would be little
point in even bothering in trying to get back to sleep.
Descent from Beinn Chuirn
Once I was on my way, I headed southwest to Beinn Chuirn's south top.
I'd barely eaten, drank little and I now only felt worse for it. My plan
was to dump the camping gear beneath Ben Lui with the intention of
picking it up at the end of the day, so it meant that I had to descended
550 vertical metres first. On the way, I spotted some deer below me on
Beinn Chuirn. They spotted me first, so they were gone in no time.
I didn't particularly enjoy the descent - I was feeling tired and dehydrated,
descending steep, grassy slopes and feeling no better for it all. The views
were beautiful however, and I took time to appreciate and photograph
them while they were here.
I felt that the good part of the day was still to come but in my current
mood I doubted that I'd climb all four Munros. I put up with my current
situation, because I could always re-evaluate later on.
I reached the valley floor, and came to the end of the track which
terminates at the foot of Ben Lui. The river flows parallel to the track
and I followed it downstream for ten minutes over trackless ground until
I found a suitable place to put the camping gear. I put
everything in a plastic bag and weighted it down with rocks, and so my
rucksack was feeling substantially lighter. I still didn't feel on top form,
so I took the time to rest and drink some water and top up my water
bottle. Once up on the ridges, there would be no opportunities to refill.
Ben Lui
I started on my way to Ben Lui, once again walking through long and
tussocky grass. At the foot of it, I took a fleece off and changed
into shorts. I was reasonably cool now and well hydrated, so was feeling
much better than before. I began climbing Ben Lui feeling very strong,
which was ideal given that I had a long way to go.
In addition, I would be climbing through Coire Ghaothach, Lui's
extremely striking north eastern corrie. It's towering walls are
imposing, but beautiful and bounded by two spurs - Stob Garbh and Stob
an Tighe Aird. I originally intended to ascend via. Stob Garbh, although
the path seemed to lead towards Stob an Tighe Aird. I lost it at
points, so I climbed the remaining distance to Stob an Tighe Aird over
boulder fields. A rough path that I picked up once more brought me to the crest of Stob an Tighe
Aird where with the long drops, I could feel a hint of adrenaline
through me - much similar to many of my Campsie Fells scrambles.
From this point, the 'walkers' route traversed Coire an t-Sneachda to
the south east ridge. It was in this coire that I discovered Lui's
aircraft wreckage. I took some time to explore the remains but
moved on within ten minutes, ascending the final slopes to the south
east ridge. From here it was a long and gradual climb to the summit.
I'd hoped to get clear views from Ben Lui's summit. My first time
here less than two weeks before saw four of us walking through cloud to
a summit cairn. We never saw anything and I never felt like I'd been on
top of Ben Lui. Today I wanted views, and to see Coire Ghaothach from
above. There's just something different about standing at the summit
cairn with the mountain spread beneath your feet, instead of standing
beside a cairn in the middle of the cloud.
Some clouds were
threatening to cover it's summit, but I'd got up in good time and took a
panorama. I didn't
stay long either, so before leaving, I walked across the summit ridge to it's old Munro Top
before heading onto Beinn a' Chleibh. (The top in question lies perhaps 50m metres away from the summit, and is almost of
identical height. Once a Munro Top, it was omitted from the lists some
years ago)
Beinn a' Chleibh
The descent from Ben Lui
to the bealach was a little unrelenting, but a damn sight easier
mentally with
the bottom in sight than to do it in the cloud. Once at the bealach, I
stopped for five minutes to change out of wet socks. Why? Because on
this trip, I approached footwear with a different attitude to normal,
wearing on my feet what were little more than trainers. Instead of
trying to keep my feet dry, I brought along several pairs of socks, and
while I changed into dry ones, I'd let the wet pair dry on top of my
rucksack. It was a success, and a far lighter solution than to haul a
pair of boots over the hills. As for ankle protection? The more I wear
lighter, less supported footwear, the less I buy the arguments in favour
of heavy boots. Less on that though and more on the trip...
From the bealach, it was a short haul up to Beinn a' Chleibh. A very easy,
very quick ascent. Funnily enough, Ben Lui was now shrouded in cloud, so
I was glad to have been on it when I was. Any cloud would be gone soon
though, because the weather improved throughout the day from here
onwards. Ben Lui dominated the view from Beinn a' Chleibh, and
even if the summit didn't make the best viewpoint, I took a
panorama anyway. After that, I had no reason to stay, so I
left and headed back to the bealach.
Ben Oss
Next was Ben Oss.
Once back at the bealach, I'd have to traverse Ben Lui,
and only then begin climbing Ben Oss. It would be a long way to go. I
bashed on anyway, crossing Leacann Beinn Laoigh (translates to 'slopes
of Ben Lui'? Gaelic name for Lui's broad south face).
The traverse across the leacann was long and trackless the entire way,
at points warm underneath the sun. I made fair progress and soon arrived
at the bealach between Ben Oss and Ben Lui. Now I had a very long,
gradual climb to Oss' summit. I became fairly tired too, feeling my
energy disappear. I could feel the effect of my lack of sleep the
previous night, and occasionally I just wanted to sleep here on the
ridge. I'd gained some
altitude though and with Ben Lui's Coire Ghaothach catching the eye, I on a
couple of occasions lay down and fell asleep. It seems a little over the
top, but the sun was shining, there was a breeze and the ground was
warm. Falling asleep was all I could do and it was very
pleasant.
Having dozed off for five or ten minutes, I got going again and sweated
my way up the last slopes to Ben Oss' summit. Here I took a panorama,
rested more and admired Ben Lui extensively. There was also the
beautiful Loch Oss, which was an unexpected delight. With new found energies, I
began to consider climbing Beinn Dubhchraig which by now was close by. I
was feeling better now and since I'd come this far, I may as well finish
off the lot and finish what I'd come to climb.
Beinn Dubhchraig
I left Ben Oss and headed down to Bealach Buidhe before reascending to
get to Beinn Dubhchraig. It all took no time and before long, I was on
the summit ridge to Beinn Dubhchraig. Morale was high, and I only felt
physical tiredness - no falling asleep like on Ben Oss. I followed a
path the whole way and it took me to the summit which was marked by a
large cairn. I met an couple here, who I talked to for a long time. They
took my photo, and we talked about various mountains and routes.
Beinn Dubhchraig was, of course, the last mountain of my two-day trip.
And it's amazing what two days in the mountains can do for you. I should
also note that the folk that I met on Beinn Dubhchraig's summit were the
first people I'd seen since I'd left Dalrigh the previous day.
(Discounting the distant people I'd seen on Ben Lui across the valley
from Ben Oss) I was never bored and never felt lonely, as could perhaps
be expected. But there was always so
much interest in the landscape and surroundings and always so
much to think ahead to. There was no time to think about the fact
that I was totally alone and self-dependant. I learned much about
myself, and I look forward to spending multiple days out on the hills
again.
When I did my first major trip to the hills, on
Ben Nevis in 2007,
I experienced, for the first time, following a plan to the smallest
detail: being in one place for a certain time, having enough money to
buy what was necessary, etc... I found it uncomfortable and I would be edgy and
alert every waking moment. Over the course of a couple of years, that
feeling had completely evaporated and I now find myself fairly at home
in the mountain environment. I still have the odd hang up but it's
interesting to watch how I change with time. This trip to the Tyndrum
Hills showed to me a lot about myself.
Descent
But I still had to get back to Dalrigh. I left Dubhchraig's summit
and had walked for a couple of minutes when phoned home to touch base. I
had planned to take the train home, but when Steve (brother) heard that
it was me on the phone, he couldn't do anything else than to make an
excuse
to go for a drive. Excellent! I'd have a lift waiting for me at Dalrigh.
I scheduled to meet him at 3.30pm. It seemed like a good idea initially,
but when I began to think about my own schedule, I probably wouldn't
have enough time. Then the stress of needing to be back kicked in. I
descended Dubhchraig's north ridge for a considerable distance until the
terrain had eased off enough for me to make a descent into Coire Buidhe.
I shot off down the grassy slopes, bound for the camping gear that I had
to pick up. If I didn't have to do that, then this journey would be
considerably shorter...
When
I reached the bottom of Dubhchraig's slopes, I just about drank the stream dry. It had been a hot day, and my
water bottle had been getting low. I then crossed the valley floor to
the river and followed the river back to where I'd left my camping gear.
Being attacked by insects all the while, I strapped everything to my
rucksack and got going. I didn't have terribly long to get back to
Dalrigh and there was still a lot of distance to cover.
I walked to the track that leads in from Dalrigh and just followed it
back. Inevitably, my feet were sore, as well as my legs but I kept the
pace up and the long walk out was just something that I'd have to
endure. I
arrived back in Dalrigh fifteen minutes late which was reasonable and I
met Stephen who was at the car.
Considering I'd been walking for ten hours straight, it felt damn good
to sit down.
Afterwards, we went to Tyndrum's Real Food Cafe for a late lunch before
heading home.
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