Nemesis overcome after 2 years

[peter tindal]

nemesis (ˈnɛm ə sɪs)

1. a source or cause of harm or failure.
2. an unconquerable opponent or rival.
3. (cap.) the ancient Greek goddess of divine retribution.

I am the first to admit that when it comes to unconquerable opponents or a source of failure, Stuchd an Lochain is not the first Munro that springs to mind. If I was away to tell the tail of summitting the Inn Pin, or crossing the Aonach Eagach or even completing the Forcan Ridge then you might think the title was apt, but no, I am afraid that I considered SaL as my nemesis, but not now, its done. Now before you all move on to a more intresting WR let me explain my reasoning behind this.

Back in the spring of 2011, I headed up Glen Lyon to the car park to bag Meall Buidhe and SaL. It started well, managed to get to the top of Meall Buidhe but with visibility down to 5m the decent was slow. Once back at the dam wall I decided to miss out SaL to return soon. I felt that it would be a nice winter walk when daylight hours was limited.

January 2012 saw a second attempt which saw me cross over by the Ben Lawers car park to be met by a wall of snow. I know, there is a sign saying that the road is not cleared in the winter. I felt a bit silly attempting this until I got turned around and met another 3 cars attempting the same. Two of which were filled with hill walkers heading to Loch an Daimb. So after a long detour by Invervar I gave up at Bridge of Balgie and headed home with my tail between my legs

Attempt number three was a couple of months later when this time I went in by Invervar and got as close as 200m of the car park when I gave up. Yes I could have went back down and did a longer walk in but again, daylight hours was against me as was the snow that was still falling. Right i thought, this is a SUMMER hill.

So 1st June this year I found myself returning to complete the hill I set out to do over two years ago.

I parked at the already busy car park and booted up. I headed round the dam and and let the track at the bend and headed up the old track. Paul Webster et al said that the track is eroded but I found it ok and I soon found that the hieght was soon gained and the final pull I soon found myself on Creag an Fheadain, a 887m summit almost due east of the final destnation. From this area there is nice views back toward Glen Lyon.

View back down Glen Lyon

A simple walk following the path soon brings you across Sron a'Chona Choirein and the short dash up to the nemesis aka Stuchd an Lochain.

last of the spring snow

Bagged at last!

Up to this point, I had met no one and only saw one person away ahead of me and they must of decended by the north ridge. For all the cars in the car park I thought I would have seen more folk. Maybe they were all on Meall Buidhe I decided to return by the same route. It only took 1.5 hours so I was in no hurry. If it was quiet on the way up, it certainlly wasn't on the way down. First I met a group of 5 men and a dog. All spread out over several hundred meteres I stopped and spoke to a few of them. The dog was busy carring a stone to the summit to I guess, place on the cairn! Over the next hour I spoke and saw another 20+ folk on the hill including a party of about 10 guys who went as far along as the boat house and was heading straight up to find the track I was on. The were unlucky because they were just to far west and they would have ran parallel to the track without finding it all the way to near the summit of -887 had they not seen me and doubled back. They were only 30m or so too far west. So if you do go as far along as the boathouse, stay east of the re-entrant that runs down the hillside to make sure you pick up the track.

I was soon back at the car, boots off and enjoying the last of my coffee. Nemesis beaten, happy and just to prove a point, I went home via Ben Lawers car park where this time it wasn't blocked. Lawers car park was very very busy.

[kevsbald]

Well done Pete.
Always good to take revenge on a stubborn hill.

[Collaciotach]

hahaha she is a grand wee hill