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I am now well on my way into my Munros, with nearly fifty climbed, but they have all been climbed in the summer months. This year I decided that winter was too long a period to sit it out waiting for the next warm weather.
I also really enjoyed my high camp last summer on the Fisherfield Six, so I was keen to do some winter high camps too. I got myself a winter tent and sleeping bag as well as the obligatory ice axe and crampons. I already had most of the other gear I would need.
It is a long time since I last wore crampons, back in my college days, so I decided to target easier peaks first in winter. The Walkhighlands forum was really useful in identifying peaks that were easier in winter conditions, and from that source I chose Beinn na Lap. It had a lot of character being only accessible by train, isolated right out in the middle of Rannoch Moor.
With high pressure over Scotland in early January this was the time for the next adventure. Settled conditions for a week or so, with very low winds, no precipitation, and very cold.
I drove up and slept in the car near Spean Bridge, ready to get the train in from Tulloch station next day. It was very cold that night, but I wanted to see how my new sleeping bag performed. It kept me warm, so the trip was on. Next day, being a Sunday, there were only two trains in to Corrour and the first one wouldn’t get me there until 12.30pm, three and a half hours before dark.
As soon as I got off the train, I headed up the mountain as I wanted to pitch my tent on the summit before dark. It is a very pleasant walk in to the base of the mountain with great views along the lake, with its Youth Hostel nestling in the trees on the shore. I took a direct line up the slope to reach the ridge, but it was pathless with very soft vegetation. It was hard work with each step sinking into the veg, even though it was frozen.
The ground on the ridge was much nicer with a path and rockier footing. Also I was now above the snow line. I didn’t use the axe or crampons, finding my poles enough to help my balance on the not too steep gradient. I reached the summit with about an hour of daylight to spare and started setting up my tent in the dip just south west of the summit, which contains a small lochan that was all iced up.
My pitch was in the lee of the summit, and I used my supply of snow stakes on the windward side. I was keeping an eye on the developing sunset as it looked like a good one, and in the end I had to stop pegging out the tent as the sunset demanded full attention from my camera. There was a ten minute period when a wonderful rose coloured alpenglow spread out across the snow where my tent was pitched. Standing where the alpenglow was shining meant I could see close up the changing colours from crimson to pink, a memory I will treasure for a long time.
When the sun had just set, it sent up amazingly vivid reds onto the cloud base. I was in awe - tent would have to wait!
Next I finished off the pegging and set up inside the tent. It was daunting having seventeen hours to go till next light. I put on all the clothing I could, which was six layers, and crawled into my sleeping bag. At first I was warm enough, but as the night wore on I was feeling some cold spots beneath me. Nothing I tried kept me from feeling some cold from below, and it definitely meant I was waking up more often than I should have been.
I heard some strange noises in the night, which was unnerving, but eventually I thought they sounded similar to ptarmigan chirping. When I convinced myself it was ptarmigan, then I enjoyed it until it drifted away.
I was glad when some light appeared and I was up and packing away as soon as I could, finally walking off at 9am. Cloudy this morning with no colourful sunrise, so just head on down warming up my frozen limbs. I got the train out around 11.30am. Once I thawed out my car I went to a cafe and ordered hot soup, really needed that.
I massively enjoyed the whole experience. It is fair to say I did get cold, but the sunset was truly special as seen from the summit in winter weather. I do plan to make two changes next time - I will get a warmer sleeping mat (R7 rating probably) and I will make sure I peg the long side of the tent tight to the ground, as I let the wind get in under the outer tent.
