A return to some sort of form

[weaselmaster]

The last weeks have been a bit strange - fitness under considerable strain, Allison away on holidays, gigs in Oxford instead of climbing hills...we really needed a standard weekend out to see how we might, or might not be progressing. A fortnight ago we had some short walks which didn't really answer the fitness question, other than Allison was completely done in by the Sunday. The weather wasn't going to be very friendly, apparently, with only Saturday set to be reasonable. I'd decided we'd head up towards Fort William and pick off some hills in that region.

For Friday it was to be another try at Geal Charn and Meall na h-Eilde - we'd been turned back by stalkers there a fortnight ago. Camped up at the start of Loch Arkaig with thunderous noise from the nearby waterfall. Rain was on and off for much of Friday, clag was down, so not a lot to see. Took the standard route up along the Allt Dubh, choosing to tackle Geal Charn first because of the wind direction - always helps a little to have wind on your back rather than in your face. I'd bruised my ribs last weekend at our gig, so was hirpling a bit and only using one walking pole. Ascent still quite an effort. From the summit we followed the fence line over Meall Coire nan Saobhaidh all the way to the top of Meall na h-Eilde, passing a line of hinds heading towards their namesake hill. From the summit a tussocky traipse back down to Gleann Tarsuinn and back to the track. If I'd had a bit more energy I'd have headed over the Graham of Glas Bheinn, as we have done on both previous excursions here, but I lacked the battery power for that. Back at the car in under 7 hours, which was acceptable.

CCF65F2C-72C4-4186-A8DF-02B9139F3D7C_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

E67E451E-E6E7-4B10-A126-B528A60DDCB8_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

4E492D74-EFDD-4B22-89FF-C40941970722_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

9D5E5327-B48B-464B-A8CB-84C1921CEB29 by Al, on Flickr

Gaor Bheinn was the target for Saturday, the best weather day of the weekend. We mulled over where to camp overnight and ended up stopping off in Glen Loy once again, in the nice wee spot we discovered a fortnight ago. The rain was heavy when we pitched and remained so most of the evening and intermittently overnight. No otter cubs this time.

We headed round to the parking area just under the bridge at the start of the A861 in sunshine, no less! A bit later than ideal for this time of year - we didn't set off til around 9.45. This is my fourth time doing Gaor Bheinn and I've done it the same way each time, which is a poor show. I did look at a route including Gaor Bheinn, Bhraigh na h-Uamhachan and Streap, but that's one for when - if ever - I feel properly fit and have more hours of daylight at my disposal. Anyway, we headed up Gleann Fionnlighe which was quite wet underfoot. Passed nobody, indeed we saw no-one else all weekend. I was feeling pretty done in when we reached the snout of Gaor Bheinn and insisted upon an early lunch for energy. Then the slow climb up the more of the hill which is basically 800m upwards without respite. But there is a path, and it's not really that steep, I guess. Once at the 961m top we knew there was almost a mile each way to and from the summit. I remembered our first trip up here with double cornices to negotiate. Nothing like that today, just a bit of wind. The flanks of Bhraigh na h-Uamhachan looked like plush velvet from up here, and we speculated whether one could climb it and Streap from Strathan. Will need to look at that on a map.

73FDA67A-4396-48FB-8A93-1904DA0DD718_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

The typewriter was unexpected
0F08EC5C-65BE-4B4E-A06F-23991B89AB4A_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

B1A87096-1E82-43F3-B404-CA83E19124F2_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

BCB828D1-208E-40C5-A67A-0F9EF264C6B8_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

1223D800-F046-4C66-B2A9-C56A110B48B9_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

5B592828-A175-43FA-9722-2CF10AAD99CE by Al, on Flickr

We turned around and followed our outward path back down. It had taken five and a quarter hours to get to the top, fortunately it was only three and a wee bit back to the car. We made it along with the last of the light, which was pretty good timing. However, we still had to seek a place to camp for the night, in the dark. We were going to do Stob Coire a'Chearcaill on Sunday and I knew there was a useable spot somewhere along the loch side but didn't remember enough as to where it was for a night-time seek out. So instead we headed along to Callops and used a fairly soggy spot there. The wind howled all night, so it was probably just as well we were in relative shelter rather than being on the exposed loch side, as it turned out.

The clocks went back overnight - that would have been good if it had granted me another hour of sleep, but I had a poor night's sleep as it happened and just had longer to feel uncomfortable in bed. The rain had stopped long enough to get packed away in a dry spell - I looked at the rain radar online and saw a line of heavy showers the length of Britain, in a line coming up the west coast only. I expected the worst The winds were also to be particularly fierce. We drove along to the parking area and set off up the track. I had a strange moment as I attempted to climb the first gate and pivoted almost upside down, much to the amusement of the watching herd of cows and calves. Onwards up a muddy trampled track, the wind held in check by the hillside for now. It was unseasonably warm - the car told me it was 15C when we left it and it was hot work walking up the track in waterproofs. No suppression of the elements when we got to the crest of the ridge - blasted we were. The rain was, at least, intermittent rather than perpetual. Bands of rain came and went, sometimes we got views of the surrounding hills, sometimes we saw great black walls of suspended water. Summit gained, wind bellowing and tearing at us, back down by the same route.

B6BACE3E-96B4-4B83-A36D-A509D91F2167_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

DC9575A1-DE94-4672-87A7-92D38C2328C4_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

5BA444F0-0B69-443E-AEBA-B735B0574F93_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

D488086F-1CE8-4119-A925-982A624662EF_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

E200A91E-9B65-4735-95A9-F78E5488B5D7_1_201_a by Al, on Flickr

DC20F3DC-883C-4431-9266-45166930B9DC by Al, on Flickr

Moderately positive about the weekend's ventures - we managed some longer walks, admittedly with only day packs on, but in times that weren't too shabby, by our recent standards anyway. Maybe the antibiotics have helped us both (if it was Lyme that we had) or maybe, if it was something else post-viral, it is starting to ease off.