The call she had been dreading for years

[dearg914]

I have delayed this walk report for a while as, although it was an interesting experience, it might have caused some embarrassment if available earlier.

That narrow, windy, bumpy, tree-girt road to the end of Loch Arkaig is well known as one of the worst approaches to hill country, taking usually 40 plus minutes for the 14 or so miles. But the car park east of Strathan is spacious and the track beyond the locked gate is good.

Our plan was to cycle to the track end on the south side of Glen Dessary and then tackle the remote, steep and splendid Corbett of Bidean a' Chabair.

Smoke was coming from the chimney of the Strathan cottage, and we admired the neatly maintained lawn around the building.

After about 8 kilometres we left our bikes just before a rickety looking bridge over the Dessary, crossed the river and followed the path, rising through the woods, crossed the Dessary again and headed up the hillside. We followed the route suggested on Walk Highland, over Meall na Sroine and the north-west ridge of Bidean a' Chabair.

The hill is steep grass initially, followed by a rough, broad, lochan spotted ridge ascending to a fine little spire at the end. The rocky nose which fronts the summit can be by- passed via a very steep grassy path to the left which brings one out above the little cliff and leaves only a short scramble, with one step over a drop, on to the flattish area at the very top.

A seat, food, splendid views and a wonderful sense of remoteness made the position most pleasurable and I hadn't said, as I have all too often on steep ascents and descents, 'Exactly what part of this am I enjoying?'.

It had taken us some 4.5 hours to get there. Probably a couple of hours back to the bikes and then downhill to the car-park, some 13 kilometres away. On that clear, slightly overcast, day we could see Loch Arkaig- it was very distant.

On the way down Al began to lag. This was very unusual. He was far fitter than me, a runner, cyclist and Munroist, with, then, only some 20 Corbetts to go. When we came to cross the Dessary I was becoming concerned. He was definitely very slow, and his breathing was laboured. Now, I recalled, he had needed more rests than usual on the ascent and 'Yes', he said, he had been feeling a bit rough then.

After the small climb back to the path he needed a break. What was going on? But, he said, once on that path it wouldn't be long until we were at the bikes. On the path he became yet slower, and he was plainly struggling for breath; it sounded very forced. He said though that he felt no pain, we should just walk slowly and comfortably. After a short time on the path there was a little rise as it entered the wood. 'I'll have to sit down', he said, after an ascent of 10 metres. He was plainly unwell. What to do?

Al was for going on. He could breathe, he just had to push it out. The bikes were about 2 kilometres away, downhill. Then it was easy back to the car-park.

But he seemed to be getting worse. Might he collapse on that walk downhill in his deteriorating condition? A fall from his bike might be dangerous. And the cycle wasn't all downhill. Could he drive home safely? Was he having a heart attack?

I discovered it is hard to decide for someone else. Here was someone I knew to be a tough, independent, resilient professional, who had worked around the world, often in uncomfortable situations. If he thought he could go on, could I really gainsay him? How would I feel to be overruled?

I decided to dial 999, for the first time in my life. No signal. I moved around and tried again and again. No signal. Now what? Having decided he shouldn't move, I had to go for help. Maybe there would be a signal further east. The cottage at Strathan had been occupied. They would have a landline.

So, I dug out my emergency shelter and Al had a bivvy bag, a midge net, food and drink. Conditions were mild. He should be comfortable. Interestingly, he made no protest when these decisions were taken over his head. He was feeling worse than he was letting on.

Just before I left Al gave me his keys. He had chained his bike to mine. I imagined how I would have felt if I had got there and after removing my security chain still couldn't move the bike.

So, I headed down the path and once it was level began to jog. And promptly fell over. This was silly. I had to be sensible and make sure I got help. Still no mobile signal. I cycled down a good deal quicker than we had gone up, praying often, and raced into the drive of the Strathan cottage. The family there reacted splendidly.

I was told there was no mobile signal until east of Loch Arkaig and they had no landline. However, they had a satellite phone, a bit temperamental, but I could use it. When we tried the police in Fort William, we couldn't get through.

So, I called my wife and gave her the message she said she has been dreading for years, 'can you call the Mountain Rescue'. I explained Al 's situation and she, a doctor, agreed he should be helped off the hill and medically assessed. She called Al's wife and liaised with the authorities.

The Strathan family, who had already been so helpful, said they would try and locate Al. Maybe they could get him down before it was dark and two of them headed off up the track in their 4X4. But in chatting with a son of the family we wondered whether the truck would get over one bad bit, and Al was 2 kilometres from the track end. Only I knew exactly where he was. He offered to take me up the track in his quad bike. At the track end the truck was there, but the others had not found Al.

So, we all headed back up the path. I discovered adrenalin does work as I marched along with greater energy than I had some 8 hours earlier on our first ascent. I prayed hard. At the top of the little rise, I could see a dark shape under the tree where I had left him. I called his name, and in that nano-second thereafter many thoughts went through my mind. But he responded. He was fine. Our rescuers got the quadbike to within 100 metres of Al and helped him to his feet. He was tottering. But he was able to get to the quadbike and back to the main track and on to Strathan. I rode his bike down, which also solved another potential difficulty.

Back at Strathan we were treated most hospitably. I called my wife again on the satellite phone. She could tell Al 's wife he was off the hill and drinking tea. But was no help coming? Apparently, attempts had been made to call the satellite phone, but to no avail. Should I simply drive Al to A & E in Fort William? At this point the phone began to act up and I could just hear her shouting, but very faintly, 'stay where you are, a helicopter is coming'.

After a while an ambulance appeared. It had been stuck at the locked gate at the public road end. Although I had been told the code to the padlock, which my wife had passed to the police, this had not been given to the paramedics. However a passing neighbour, in Glen Dessary!, had noticed their predicament and let them through.

Al was now in good hands and was taken to the ambulance for assessment. And I could hear the helicopter coming. With profuse thanks to our new friends at Strathan, who could now eat their evening meal, I decided it was time to cycle back to my car, only to discover I had a puncture. Ah well, it was only a kilometre or so to push it.

As I drove along Loch Arkaig I was overtaken by the helicopter, off to the Belford Hospital in Fort William. At the end of the loch, I got a mobile signal and could reassure Al 's wife. I was home before 2 am.

During the night Al had a battery of tests and more the next day. Nothing was found to be wrong. He was released and told to ask his GP to arrange for more tests. His wife took him back to Strathan to again thank the family there, and recover his bike and car.

Over the following few months Al had yet more tests but nothing to cause the episode has yet been discovered. He has been allowed back on the hill and has completed the Corbetts.

Al has often said how grateful he was to all the people that were inconvenienced – the folks at Strathan, the ambulance and helicopter crews plus the staff at the hospital.

‘They were all incredibly helpful and couldn’t do enough to look after me, get me out of a remote location and make sure everything was ok’.

[litljortindan]

Glad it all turned out well in the end.

[kevsbald]

Jeezo; that’s quite an experience for you and glad to hear Al is ok.

[matt_outandabout]

Glad he's OK.
Lots to learn from these events for many of us.