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I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:47 am
by jonny616
It was time for our monthly walk this weekend. MWIS was indicating east was better than west. So we settled on my two remaining Glen Lochay hills. Whilst not technically east the area is covered by the southeast highland report. So if we got the west weather 30% chance of cloud free & a little drizzle. If the southeast it was 60% & no rain expected.
Left Glasgow at 06:30 picked up Gammy on the way & at the start point for 08:15 to meet the others. We had ignored the ‘please park hear’ sign & gone to the road end, thus saving 2k. Top start.
The track up & then along to the Alt Batavaim, were you leave it, is a good gentle start although 7K. Much banter & general merriment. Once of the track the path is not obvious so we made our own way along & then up to gain the ridge of Sron nan Eun. We stopped at about 650 meters for a bite to eat before entering the clag.
Once on the ridge a combination of satmap & compass bearing took us to the summit of Creag Mhor after 4 false summits & our pal George asking ‘is this it’. By this point we were all cursing not having put on water proof trousers earlier as we were soaked & being battered by the wind & rain. Carefull bearings off to avoid the crags & what seemed like an age before we hit the bealach. Another food stop, whilst gazing at the bulk that was the route to gain the ridge for Heasgarnich. Head down, grit the teeth & keep going. The closest we got to banter was my friend Harry saying .don’t evens peak to me’ when I asked him if he was ok.
Like true professionals the summit was made & even in the clag & rain we managed a group photo.
And then………………………

……………..it all went pear shaped.
We could not follow our bearing from the summit because of a huge cornice. So we walked on until past it. Peered down in the clag, looked much like straight down. No chance of decent here. Walked on further & found a possible way down. By this point we knew we were not in the right place. The satmap was damp & fuzzy so after some debate we elected to head down trying to stick as close as possible to the bearing. Much relief when the worst was passed as it was quite hairy in parts. We were now faced with a bloody great ridge in front of us, so around we went.
And then……………..

…………….it all went pear shaped.
Huge peat bog. Five out of seven made it across fairly unscathed leaving just Colin & I. He went knee deep & stuck. I held on to him while he used his poles to dig his feet out. Once out we looked for a different spot. I opted for one with two reasonable looking clumps of grass in the middle, jumped, missed & was waist deep next to the remnants of a sheep before I knew it. I was stuck with no chance of freeing myself. In the end Andy & Paul managed to pull me out some 40 minutes after I went in! A big thanks to them & the others for mental support.

The time was about 5pm & my original estimate was that we would be at the car by 5:30pm. There was a small rise in front of us, once up that the view confirmed that we were roughly where we thought based on Colin’s study of the full map sheet. Looking at Loch Lyon. After a very long walk out we made it back by 8pm having had some views of loch Lyon on the way, from a side I’m sure not many have seen it, and three river crossings.
Not many photos of stunning views, but the ones attached tell the story.
On the summery of the WH notes for these two it says ‘ These two munros give one of the more challenging outings for baggers’. You’re not kidding.
Toughest day on the hills so far both mentally & physically, but already as I sit here typing I’m thinking it wasn’t the best day but it was ok. Must be the sh*t*I was soaked in affecting my brain.
Still kit washed & jacket re-proofed, almost ready to go again. Also thanks to Polly, with whom I was meant to be doing the Lochnagar 5 today (Tuesday) for texting me saying’ Its ok if you’re not up for it. I’ll go to Dalmally’.
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Looking down Glen Lochay
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Towards Sgiath Chuil
Andy pic 5.jpg
Weather not to bad
Andy pic 6.jpg
Leave the track just after the bridge
Andy pic 7.jpg
Tea break
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Summit Creag Mhor
Andy pic 8.jpg
On the way to Heasgarnich
andy pic 3.jpg
Beinn Heasgarnich
Andy pic 9.jpg
Harry at the top of the crags
andy pic 1.jpg
Cragy descent
andy pic 2.jpg
Paul pic 1.jpg
Not my best moment ever!

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Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:58 am
by SusieThePensioner
What a relief you all got back safely and, good job you weren't out on your own :shock:

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:04 pm
by dooterbang
some folk will do anything for a wee rest out on them hills :)

Glad your all safe and well, must have been a tad scary when you couldn't get out of that bog.

A good day however to be out with friends as if solo and this happened i think you would have been calling MR and perhaps had to endure a longer time stuck in that bog.

The weather was certainly crap in the West the whole weekend.

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:28 pm
by Jockstar
Well done everyone for bagging these two. Not a great day but I'm sure will be talked about for years!!
Good bit of teamwork and so glad that no one got hurt! :D

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:06 pm
by jonny616
SusieThePensioner wrote:What a relief you all got back safely and, good job you weren't out on your own :shock:


Thanks Susan. A relief indeed. Can honestly say i would not have gone to these hills on my own.

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:50 pm
by Alan S
Well done to you all for this, Glad you made it out ok Jonny :D Cant say im too bothered about missing this trip :lol:

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:08 pm
by basscadet
Oh I thought this kind of thing only happened to me... :D
Well done, it does look like an overly tiring day :(
Look on the bright side, these kind of days make grand tales to tell to bothy audiences.. :thumbup:
And it wouldn't be fun if they were all easy...

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:27 pm
by Johnny Corbett
When i saw 11.5hrs my first thought was too much loafing about on the hillside having teabreaks :lol: but then i read on and see the real reason. The main thing is you got out and back safely. I had the good fortune of doing these two in clear weather, mainly bacause i was saving them for a good day as i didn't fancy navigating round them in bad weather :? Good read and well done on such a bad day :D

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:36 pm
by jonny616
dooterbang wrote:some folk will do anything for a wee rest out on them hills :)

Glad your all safe and well, must have been a tad scary when you couldn't get out of that bog.

A good day however to be out with friends as if solo and this happened i think you would have been calling MR and perhaps had to endure a longer time stuck in that bog.

The weather was certainly crap in the West the whole weekend.


Cheers DB

I did enjoy the break from all that walking :lol:

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:40 pm
by jonny616
Jockstar wrote:Well done everyone for bagging these two. Not a great day but I'm sure will be talked about for years!!
Good bit of teamwork and so glad that no one got hurt! :D


Thanks Brian. It may come up at Kintail i feel :lol:

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:48 pm
by mrssanta
That was rather an epic adventure!! I was thinking some time ago to take daughter up here as it's a nice high start, but each TR I read from these hills is worse than the one before! perhaps we'll wait a bit longer. :lol:

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:57 pm
by laconic surf
I stupidly told the mrs this story and she's just tried to ban me from walking on my own again :lol:

Glad it worked out ok in the end - one to tell the grandkids...

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:08 pm
by basscadet
Oh I have to keep most of my adventures secret from my dad for fear of lectures and falling outs.. :lol:
Hard to hide the munro chart on the wall from him when he visits though....

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:54 pm
by jonny616
alan s wrote:Well done to you all for this, Glad you made it out ok Jonny :D Cant say im too bothered about missing this trip :lol:


Cheers Alan. You might struggle to persuade me come with you when you decide to do these :lol:

Hope the new home is coming together 8)

Re: I get home with a little help from my friends!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:55 pm
by ChrisW
Good god Jonny what a nightmare, being nuts deep in that stuff is no joke, glad you got out safely. Things are never so bad when you look back but I reckon you would have been better off with Polly round Lochnagar......that'll be a doddle after this :D