Munro 10- The revenge of Beinn Ime
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:30 amMunro 10- The Revenge of Beinn Ime
How am I going to write this post without using bad language? Yes, you guessed it, I had an absolute nightmare today trying to bag Ben Ime and I’m a little bit annoyed while writing this. Why? Because I’m a complete tool. Here’s why…..
I’ll try to be as positive as possible but it’s going to be hard as I really, really struggled today due to stubbornness, stupidity and the nastiest weather I have ever encountered.
After bagging Beinn Narnain with pleasure a couple of months ago I was looking forward to returning to Arrochar to Bag Ben Ime. I arrived at Succoth car park at 11.15 and was on the hill and ready for action (or should I say punishment) at 11.30. I decided to take the zigzag way up. Within no time I was stopping to adjust new kit and removing layers due to overheating. This scenario pretty much continued due to malfunctioning gaiters and a “possessed by the devil” map case until 1.5hrs later when I finally reached Narnain boulders. Time for a drink and some scran while sheltered. Opens bag, where’s my scran??? On the kitchen bench at home! Arrrghh!! Never mind I thought, I’ll have a nice cup of coffee and a cereal bar! Gets out the flask. Pours a cup, no steam? Checked the cup, cold! I forgot to switch the kettle on. F***@$%£** !!! This is what happens when you have a late night, then leave Durham at 7am to get up here ASAP without taking time to double check your stuff.
At this point I am pretty peed off as I’m cold, wet and my left gaiter has decided it has had enough of being 2 weeks old and dies. So off they come and within 20mins my ankles and boots are soaking with the lashing rain. It’s at this point where I think what’s the point, but having failed to bag my last Munro I solider on in search of glory.
After rounding the cobbler I spot the track up Beinn Ime or should I say 20 metres of it as the low cloud is hiding most of it. Again I think should I turn back but of course not, it’s only a bit cloud and my toes will survive! I have done alright with the compass on my last 2 outings so I thought to hell with it “here goes”.
Almost 400m & 2.5hrs later, after slipping, falling, being soaked and blown over 4 times and then my walking pole dieing I reach the shelter/cairn. No crampons and no ice axe made it murder to scale the last 150ft. I was so preoccupied trying to get up there that it didn’t occur to me how this would affect my decent. Obviously I didn’t hang around as it was -8c and I could feel my soaking base layer starting to freeze around the pork medallions.
I took about 6 steps back down and suddenly lost my footing on the ice. 20 meters later with 2 bloody knees, a ripped expensive new glove and a snapped rucksack strap, I came to a stop.
My first thought was that I had broken my leg, and with only 5 ft of visibility I started to panic. Then after a few moments when the shock of the fall wore off I realised that I had just badly knocked it and I could stand. But with no crampons I couldn’t go anywhere so I had to use my map case and sledge down using my heals and palms for brakes. Cut a long story short by the time I reached the cobbler after getting lost and ending up on the south face of the Ben about 800yds away from the path I was pretty miserable, completely soaked through everywhere and aching all over. I don’t think my kit was too pleased with me either. The walk back was spent cursing and limping and full of regret. I tried to convince myself that it was worth it as I didn’t give up and reached the summit against all odds but really it was just luck that I didn’t hurt myself. Needless to say I struggled to maintain the old positive mental attitude! “Not long till I reach the car , what else could go wrong! (Fate well and truly tempted with that thought)
After reaching the dam the not too bright section of my brain decides to take a different route back round Narnain and down through the forest as it looks easier on the map than the zigzag path I’d come up. Soaked to the skin with drenched and blistered feet I was absolutely knackered and sooooo looking forward to returning to the car asap. Again, what a nightmare! It was boggy, slippy, loose and steep and my knees were barely managing. It was torture.
I finally limped across the road to the car at 5.20pm and was not a happy hiker as you could probably imagine.
But Hey, ho! A valuable lesson learned.
1: Don’t underestimate the weather.
2. Don’t hike in January as it’s as much fun as watching big brother.
3: Don’t chuck your new kit receipt out thinking your stuff won’t need returning
4: Remembering lunch is not a bad idea.
Bring on Ben Chabnair tomorrow. Ha ha, love it really!!
How am I going to write this post without using bad language? Yes, you guessed it, I had an absolute nightmare today trying to bag Ben Ime and I’m a little bit annoyed while writing this. Why? Because I’m a complete tool. Here’s why…..
I’ll try to be as positive as possible but it’s going to be hard as I really, really struggled today due to stubbornness, stupidity and the nastiest weather I have ever encountered.
After bagging Beinn Narnain with pleasure a couple of months ago I was looking forward to returning to Arrochar to Bag Ben Ime. I arrived at Succoth car park at 11.15 and was on the hill and ready for action (or should I say punishment) at 11.30. I decided to take the zigzag way up. Within no time I was stopping to adjust new kit and removing layers due to overheating. This scenario pretty much continued due to malfunctioning gaiters and a “possessed by the devil” map case until 1.5hrs later when I finally reached Narnain boulders. Time for a drink and some scran while sheltered. Opens bag, where’s my scran??? On the kitchen bench at home! Arrrghh!! Never mind I thought, I’ll have a nice cup of coffee and a cereal bar! Gets out the flask. Pours a cup, no steam? Checked the cup, cold! I forgot to switch the kettle on. F***@$%£** !!! This is what happens when you have a late night, then leave Durham at 7am to get up here ASAP without taking time to double check your stuff.
At this point I am pretty peed off as I’m cold, wet and my left gaiter has decided it has had enough of being 2 weeks old and dies. So off they come and within 20mins my ankles and boots are soaking with the lashing rain. It’s at this point where I think what’s the point, but having failed to bag my last Munro I solider on in search of glory.
After rounding the cobbler I spot the track up Beinn Ime or should I say 20 metres of it as the low cloud is hiding most of it. Again I think should I turn back but of course not, it’s only a bit cloud and my toes will survive! I have done alright with the compass on my last 2 outings so I thought to hell with it “here goes”.
Almost 400m & 2.5hrs later, after slipping, falling, being soaked and blown over 4 times and then my walking pole dieing I reach the shelter/cairn. No crampons and no ice axe made it murder to scale the last 150ft. I was so preoccupied trying to get up there that it didn’t occur to me how this would affect my decent. Obviously I didn’t hang around as it was -8c and I could feel my soaking base layer starting to freeze around the pork medallions.
I took about 6 steps back down and suddenly lost my footing on the ice. 20 meters later with 2 bloody knees, a ripped expensive new glove and a snapped rucksack strap, I came to a stop.
My first thought was that I had broken my leg, and with only 5 ft of visibility I started to panic. Then after a few moments when the shock of the fall wore off I realised that I had just badly knocked it and I could stand. But with no crampons I couldn’t go anywhere so I had to use my map case and sledge down using my heals and palms for brakes. Cut a long story short by the time I reached the cobbler after getting lost and ending up on the south face of the Ben about 800yds away from the path I was pretty miserable, completely soaked through everywhere and aching all over. I don’t think my kit was too pleased with me either. The walk back was spent cursing and limping and full of regret. I tried to convince myself that it was worth it as I didn’t give up and reached the summit against all odds but really it was just luck that I didn’t hurt myself. Needless to say I struggled to maintain the old positive mental attitude! “Not long till I reach the car , what else could go wrong! (Fate well and truly tempted with that thought)
After reaching the dam the not too bright section of my brain decides to take a different route back round Narnain and down through the forest as it looks easier on the map than the zigzag path I’d come up. Soaked to the skin with drenched and blistered feet I was absolutely knackered and sooooo looking forward to returning to the car asap. Again, what a nightmare! It was boggy, slippy, loose and steep and my knees were barely managing. It was torture.
I finally limped across the road to the car at 5.20pm and was not a happy hiker as you could probably imagine.
But Hey, ho! A valuable lesson learned.
1: Don’t underestimate the weather.
2. Don’t hike in January as it’s as much fun as watching big brother.
3: Don’t chuck your new kit receipt out thinking your stuff won’t need returning
4: Remembering lunch is not a bad idea.
Bring on Ben Chabnair tomorrow. Ha ha, love it really!!
But I do feel very sorry for you. Take comfort from the fact that we've all had bad hill days - my Kintail stuff kept turning disastrous if you have a read of those - granted not so many things went wrong as that in one walk though... January can be a great time to walk but you do need the good forecasts I think and a nice, calm, clear day! And you really need crampons and an ice axe in January no matter what in Scotland... At least you obviously had emergency rations in your bag, which is great... the cold coffee would have killed me though - I really enjoy my hot drinks on the hill in winter. It's funny how you enjoy such awful tasting stuff on the hill - when I finish off my flask back at the accommodation, it invariably tastes horrid - but I enjoy it on the hill! Better luck for Chabhair (I didn't have a great time on that myself as I chose a bad route)...
The minute I found out I had no food or hot drink I would've abandoned the walk. The thought of that is what keeps me going. And as for no crampons 
