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Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:23 pm
by xpfloyd
After giving up on Beinn Bhuidhe 2 weeks before hand due to poor conditions, myself and gman27 (Gregor) revisited on Sunday and thankfully got it done. A group of 5 of us headed down to Loch Fyne early doors and began the long walk in from the car park to the bottom of the hill. After an hour and a bit we were back at the disused house and back on the track up the burn towards the waterfall. Unfortunately one of the group had to pull out at this point as their legs just werent coping so they set off back to the car to start the long wait on us coming back. There was no way I was giving up this time after having to repeat the long walk in!

The rest of the walk was fairly straight forward up past the waterfall to the point we gave up the last time. The weather was very changeable and I was having trouble getting my layers right but apart from that all was well. We put our crampons on as the snow was starting to get thick and headed up the steep section onto the ridge, myself and Gregor now in unknown territory. We had picked up the footprints of two people ahead of us which helped us find our way in the snow. The walk along the ridge was alot longer and tougher than i had been expecting, and with the mist and the snow it was quite a daunting place. After a bit of a slog I was on the final slope to the summit cairn and realised up ahead that 2 of our group had caught up with smithysmc and his mate. Finally I had met someone else from walkhighlands!

After a few summit photos in the wind we took shelter and prepared for the long walk back. We didnt want to chance finding the alternative route back in the weather we were in so just retraced our steps. We made the most of the snow slopes going back sliding down them all on our backs and practicing ice axe arrests. This was all fun and games until I couldnt stop myself in time and crashed into my mate Jamie who had just stopped on the slope in front of me. In my panic of not wanting to knock him further down the slope I forgot I was wearing crampons and came crashing into him feet first. His hands were still holding his axe following his arrest and my spikes went right into his hand after priercing his glove. :shock: :shock: He had 3 or 4 punture holes across 3 of his fingers and couldnt wiggle them. Not good! We quickly bandaged them up and got on our way to get off the hill in case things got worse. Luckily after the pain died down a bit we realised nothing was broken or sliced off and he was going to be ok, panic over.

It rained pretty heavily on the way back and took us 7 hours all in. Apart from the near finger amputation it was a good day and im glad we got it done on the second attempt. Not got any pics though apart from the camera phone ones from the summit as my digicam got water damaged 2 weeks ago on this hill! Its safe to say me and Beinn Bhuidhe are done for good.

2012-01-22 12.06.12.jpg
Left to right, Me, Jamie, Martin (smithys mate) & Smithysmc

2012-01-22 12.07.02.jpg
gman27 with the camera starting to steam up!

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:07 pm
by Gman27
Nice one m8,I might get someone to compose a pipe tune.....Farewell to Beinn bhuidhe.. :D
Great day out but i'm glad i wont be going back any time soon

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:15 pm
by smiffysmc
Great to see a report from another perspective on the same day. Forgot about the crampon incident!!! Good to hear everything was ok.
Feel privileged to be in the same picture as the flag, ha! Don't know where I was looking though, might have to steal that picture though :)

Also forgot about the trio that were just starting on the hill path ascent at 2pm( ish). Wouldn't have liked to be up there in the dark!!

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:18 pm
by xpfloyd
Was just talking about those 3. Heard a guy had died on the hills at the weekend and the first thing I thought of was it being one of those 3. If they made the top they would def have been coming back down in the dark!

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:28 pm
by smiffysmc
I did ask them and they were deffo planning on the summit. But just as we got back to the car park there was a wintry shower following us down the glen. It must have been a white out anywhere above the water fall as the temp had dropped 3 degrees over the day.

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:49 pm
by 2dalmatians
Well done for going back to bag this one xp! I have had that happen a few times and I really think the sense of achievement is better when you bag one you had to turn back on.

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:55 pm
by ChrisW
Great stuff xpfloyd well done on getting back and defeating the hill :D I'll bet your mate was impressed with crampons to the fingers :shock: glad to hear no damage done :D

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:06 pm
by xpfloyd
ChrisW wrote:Great stuff xpfloyd well done on getting back and defeating the hill :D I'll bet your mate was impressed with crampons to the fingers :shock: glad to hear no damage done :D


No it wasnt my greatest moment. On a previous outing with him (Not hillwalking) I have also accidently broken his false front teeth! :)

Re: Beinn Bhuidhe : 2nd Time Lucky

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:50 pm
by ChrisW
xpfloyd wrote:No it wasnt my greatest moment. On a previous outing with him (Not hillwalking) I have also accidently broken his false front teeth! :)


:lol: what else are friends for :lol: