Mullardoch 12 in a day

[Michellehaining]

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Mullardoch 12 munros

5045m ascent
38.8 miles (strava although Steven fallon has it as 34 but he walks in straight lines where we find paths )
19 hours 49 minutes

A day that’s been 2 years in the making. A day that I’ve always questioned would I have it in me to finish in less than 24 hours. And a day that has kept me awake at night many of times thinking about the route, where to top up water, is the way off back to the dam as bad as it’s made out etc!

Last year we battered the big multi Munro days to get fit then we had 3 weeks where it was too hot then summer was over. We planned to do these June this year when there’s the most daylight but the full summer was a wash out! With daylight slipping away, I thought it was gonna be next year before we could do them all, or we’d have to split them with a camp. Weighing up our options of going light and doing them all in a day or going heavy and splitting them with a camp, and the fact we’ve not done any “big” hill days since may, it was looking like the latter with how late in the year it was getting. When a weather window appeared and we accepted the fact we’d be spending more time in the dark in the morning and we’d be coming off in the dark.

Saturday came and the weather was amazing but we were stuck resting and fuelling up for the next days epic. We tried to get the head down at 6pm, knowing our alarm was set for 2:30am but I just tossed and turned most of the night worrying could I do this and how long was it going to take. It was never a question if Andy had it in him because I always knew how much I was going to hold him back as he’s sooo much fitter and faster than I am! Especially uphill so a 5k ascent day with someone slowing u down all day was gonna be brutal for him

Almost at the first Munro of the day in 1 hour 45

1 down 11 to go

Second Munro as first light broke

Looking back and realising our last hill was going to block our sunrise

Then this happened

Wasted a lot of time here taking photos but it’s hard not to when the conditions are like this

3 munros in now and making good time

Just a jaunt over there now and the north side is done

Cloud inversions were amazing all around

4 north side munros done - that’s the warmup complete

Now for the big descent before the biiiiig reascent up dheiragain

Fogbow

There’s our halfway point awaaaaaaay on the distance

That was a slog and a half up to here! Although the boggy atv track made it easier going than it could have been

Moral of the story, days like this doesn’t come down to fitness…. Yes u obviously need a good level of fitness, but after a certain point it’s all in the mind! I’m not 100% hill fit just now and that was playing on my mind so much before this. But this just proves you can do anything when you put your mind to it.

Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan still a long way away

Brocken spectre

Inversion

Halfway! 6/12 now the route turns and we’re just walking back to the van haha!! If only it was that easy eh

An socach one of the easier ascents of the day! Now for the 450m ascent up mam sodhail

The first 7 munros we had an absolutely amazing inversion! The sunrise was stunning. But from the 8th munros onwards the cloud had lifted and we were in it which makes it a bit more mentally tough as you can’t see what’s in front of you to keep you going. On the detour out to the 9th munro, I hit a brick wall, knowing that after it I had a 350m ascent back up Carn eighe and I was flagging a bit, there was nae views, my feet were wringing and the cloud was soaking us so we had our waterproofs on. This is where Andy was an absolute hero, stuck on his music, gave me an extra gel and told me it was all in my head and to keep going I was doing great and I could do it and just plodded up behind me (he’s usually waaaaaay infront of me ). And he was right. As soon as we got to the 10th munro I felt great again knowing that was all the big ascents done and now it was just the loooooong ridge out to the last 2 then the shi* descent back to the van. We flew along the ridge to the last 2 for it being so late in the day.

Inversion had now lifted and we were in it booooo

This is where my head went down knowing I had another 350m to get up to Carn eighe. Views were gone. Waterproofs were on. And it was now a psychological battle with my mind to get my backside up this 10th Munro then that would be all the “big” ascents done

Made it up 10 after scoffing a load of gels and jelly beans to bring me back to life

Long way along the ridge to Tom a chonnich which was a shame it was in the clag as it’s a cracking ridge from the previous 2 times I’ve done it

Made it to the last one just as it got dark. 12/12 yeeehaaaa we were buzzing

Can’t explain how happy I am that we’ve finally got them done in a day. A day I always read of people doing in awe thinking there’s no way on earth I could ever do that but here we are! Think I’ve read every walk report on here at least 5 times thinking there was no way I could do this!!There wasn’t a lot of the round i could actually jog and I canny jog steep downhills for sh*t never mind run uphill. So I’m quite pleased with our time. Said to Andy he needs to go back next year without me and see how fast he can do them at his own pace.

Now all that was left was the awful descent back to the van which started off great then deteriorated into hell! Don’t know how my ankles and legs got off in one piece! Disappearing down hidden holes! Stuck up to my knee in bogs. Then trenchfoot territory the closer to the road we got

Made it back to the van in 19 hours 49 minutes which I was delighted about! Andy could have done it waaaay quicker without me but he wanted to do them with me as it was my crazy idea haha!

I’ve read and heard horror stories about the descent back to the dam - and knowing we were doing it in the dark, I wasn’t looking forward to this. It started off and I’m thinking, awk this isn’t as bad as it’s made out. Until about halfway down when the heather gets higher and hides all sorts of holes that your leg disappears down. The bog gets worse, to the extent I got stuck in one up to my knee and the bottom half round the deer fence back to the track can only be described as trenchfoot!

A great day on the hills. Now need to go back and get all the outlying Munro tops

This is my first time writing a walk report so please be kind

[prog99]

Nice report. That descent to the dam is indeed a killer.
Did you find the wee path that goes under the dam?

[Michellehaining]

Thank you! No we ended up walking through all sorts of bog, round the deer fence to eventually reach the track that took us to the road. There was a bit of a path through the trees if u could call it that it was just boggy muddy hell

[weaselmaster]

Well done. And at this time of year too: most folk attempt it at midsummer.

I used to wonder if i could manage to do it in a day. I know i can’t now. I think id have gone anti-clockwise as that descent is just the worst.

[jimbell21]

Fantastic effort both of you. Very well done! I'm favouring the two big days with camping gear for my trip, whenever that happens! Cracking photos and perfect conditions, at least it was well worth the wait. Cheers

[rockhopper]

Very enjoyable first report - well done That's quite a challenge especially at this time of year - don't think I'll ever forget the final descent despite sort of finding the track below the dam.

[Michellehaining]

I know! We thought our window was well gone after the rubbish summer i don’t know so much, I don’t think I’d even want to go up it as I’d be scunnered and feet soaked before I even started haha

[Michellehaining]

It was deffo worth the wait! Didn’t think we were getting them this year! Will be epic camping them! Enjoy

[Michellehaining]

Thanks rockhopper! Aye the descent was deffos the worst part of the day

[EmmaKTunskeen]

Fabulous report, amazing planning and achievement and beautiful photos. Hope the feet have dried out!

[Anne C]

Brilliant stuff! What an achievement...you're plenty fit, whatever you say!

[Veryhappybunny]

What an achievement - and what an amazing day!

[Michellehaining]

Thank you! Yes they have at last after that bogfest back to the van haha

[Michellehaining]

Thanks Anne! I hadn’t done a big ascent day since before our cape wrath trail so I was questioning did my legs have it in them but thankfully they did

[Michellehaining]

Thank you! Yes it was a cracker! It was a shame we got clagged in on the last lot but can’t be greedy eh