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It's not very often that I get scared on top of a mountain, in fact it takes a lot of dodgy situations, so when I started my walk up Bla Bheinn last Saturday I was blissfully unaware of the jelly knee situation I would find myself 2 hours later.
I had planned a trip to Skye with my friend Anya for a while. As she is a complete non hill walker, we agreed that I would drop her off at Sligachan so that she could go for a gentle walk, while I continued to quickly climb Bla Bheinn further down the road.
It was a nice sunny Saturday and even though the visibility was hazy, I expected to see plenty of people. You might can understand my surprise, when by my arrival at the car park at 12:30 it was deserted minus a van. I set off and my mind drifted to a day many years ago when I once wanted to climb the same mountain, but managed set off to the wrong direction through the forest. Just as well as back then, as I had no experience, no map or any company.
This time I was well equipped and checking out the nearly snow free mountain, I had decided to leave the ice axe in the car- a decision I would greatly regret later!
Bla Bheinn from the road
The walk starts from the road, across from the car park and continues alongside a lovely burn for the first half an hour or so. The climb was easy and followed a clear path. I enjoyed the first hour of the walk which led me up to the first flattish area next to a huge boulder. Up there I met a group of two women and a man, who were part of a bus tour. I was getting worried when they told me they took already two hours, seemed confused about the little height they gained and were not really sure about the path they had to take from their resting point.
The greenish water in the burn on the way up
Looking up
Gaining height
I had only briefly looked at the walk description, so I was not really sure about the path, but on my way up I had decided on the route I thought was the one and pointed that out when they asked me which route I would be taking.
From the large rock a very faith path zig zagged up a hill of scree. On top of the second 'plateau' was a small cairn were I stopped for a drink and to take on the views. Further down I could see that the group of 3 had started to follow me and I wondered how long it would take them..
Looking back down the scree slope
The only way is up
On the way to the top
Looking ahead the path was very hard to make out, but there was no doubt that it was up the hill
. It had not looked too bad from the bottom, but the climb was arduous along loose rock and big boulders. I came across a few cairns, at least it was a path a few did take and knowing that I could not take too many breaks I moved on and was please when I reached the top 2h after setting off from the car. Looking back I did not see the group of 3 anymore and guessed they had been given up or maybe taken another route up.
Standing at the top I looked around, but was annoyed when in the distance I spotted another top. I checked my GPS and realised that I was not yet at the right top-argh!
Moving along a single crow circled above me and saw my first sea eagle in the distance - nice!
The southern top, looking toward the real summit
Looking down
Even though my walk up was mainly snow free, the top of the south side of Blaven was covered in some large patches of snow. I walked towards the real top on flattish ground, until I got to the edge.Looking down I saw a big rocky drop off, surely this could not be the path.
There were no footprints apart from mine and moving back I looked for another path without any results. I checked the GPS but the steep drop of seems to be the only way. Moving back to the edge I slowly climbed down a few meters, but it was impossible to see how far I would had to climb, or how steep it would be. From the top it looked scary!
Sitting down I cursed and mulled over my options. The rock was wet, covered in bits of ice in places and I was alone. So close to the other side, but it seemed so far. The crow I had spotted earlier on, landed on a rock just 2 meters away from me and we stared at each other. What do you think I should do I said to the crow and while I took from pictures, it flew away to the 'real' top and landed on a rock. 'Easy for you' I thought and made up my mind, I would give it a go.
Still some good bit of snow in places
The ledge
Youtube video of the snow covered ledge and the drop offs and bit I had to climb down (never looks as bad, as it does in real life)
View down
Over on the other side
The crow
Strapping my poles to my backpack and putting on my gloves (the rock was razor sharp) I slowly climbed backwards down, while mumbling curses under my breath. At the end it was not too bad, but when I turned around to see what was laying ahead my knees turned to jelly. In summer it must be a small small walkway with a steep drop to either side, but now it was covered in a high layer of snow with a small cornice to one side and steep snow covered drops to either side.
Some rather unlady like swearwords escapes my mouth. Why on earth did I left the ice axe in the car!???
One wrong step or fall and I would be on a unstoppable downhill slide....the reason why one should take an ice axe!
Without snow it would only need a head for heights, in these conditions a ice axe would be vital. Still holding on to the rock I inched towards the snow. It was soft - at least no ice, but the possibility that if I would fall, I woudl probably not be able to stop myself just played over and over in my head.
To make the decision to turn back in summer would have been the wisest one, but I decided against all logic to to the walk. I wanted to reach the stupid cairn. There were no footprints and choosing the right side, I crawled the first few metres on hands and feed. My knees were jelly when I had to stand up to cover the last bit and repeating the mantra 'Don't fall, don't fall' in my head I walked on. I don't think I was ever more happy to reach the other side and placed a kiss on the first boulder I came across. With weak legs, still shaking I moved alongside a beautiful cornice on snowy ground until I reached the cairn.
The cairn
More than happy to have made it
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Challenging fate twice had not been on my mind, but as I had no clue how to get down from the main top, I decided to return the same way. Following my steps back to the 'death drop' I took time to look at it and as pictures never really show the real level of drop I tried to capture it on video. Walking back was equally scary than the first time and using the same technique and retracing my footsteps I reached the rocks I had to climb up. I remembered briefly that the walk description had talked about some mild scrambling and wondered if the bit I had to climb was considered mild, what other scrambling would awaits me by the time I walked up the remaining Munros of Skye. When I stood on top of the south peak again a prayer of thanks had to be said and shaken I made the journey down the hill.
It was only when I looked at the walk description afterwards I realised that there would have been another way up,
but I had completed my first exciting Skye Munro- with a story to remember and a decision to take my ice axe at least until July!
