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Wishing for a bike in Glen Lochay

Wishing for a bike in Glen Lochay


Postby snowdonia7 » Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:58 pm

Munros included on this walk: Beinn Heasgarnich, Creag Mhòr (Glen Lochay)

Date walked: 30/08/2015

Time taken: 8 hours

Distance: 24 km

Ascent: 1518m

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As soon as I started off I knew it was going to be a bad day, both of my achilles were very painful and flat ground seemed to be the worst and I had plenty of that ahead of me. I really wished I had brought a bike.
Well I had traveled all the way to Scotland and I wasn't prepared to give up yet, so I plodded on lost in the music on my iPod.
At Batavaime I started to follow the hydro road before heading off across boggy ground to crags below Sron nan Eun. I doubted this was the right route as the scramble was more than a little hairy - made all the more so as water was pouring off all the rock surfaces making it more of a waterfall climb. So I was quite relieved to reach the broad ridge and head towards Creag Mhor, although once again as soon as the ground was fairly level my ankles were excruciatingly painful. The pain eased on the steeper section towards the summit, although my legs were just thoroughly fatigues from doing too much too soon after such a long break from the hills.
Al the way to the summit I was promising myself that I would not even attempt Beinn Heasgarnich. Once again I only paused at the top long enough for a photo before heading for lower ground in an effort to get out of the foul weather.
Creag Mhor.jpg
Creag Mhor

I followed the north west ridge initially to avoid the crags before veering eastward to the bealach. There I sat behind a rock to shelter from the worst of the rain, ate my less than appetising cheese sandwich and found that i did not have any pain killers in my first aid kit. I sat and watched wave after wave of rain flow past me as I wrestled with the decision whether to head down the valley and head back or press on to the next summit.
Eventually i decided to press on - time was on my side and I could afford to keep stopping if I needed to. However, by taking my time I made the climb to Stob an Fhir-bhoga without stopping (and at one point the sun even popped out to raise my spirits).
Once I had the high ground the pain flared up in my achilles, but there was nothing for it now except to trudge to the munro, which was about 1.5K of undulating ground in worsening weather.
A brief stop at the summit and I started back straight away.
Beinn Heasgarnich.jpg
Beinn Heasgarnich

I continued back along the same route but veered off SE at Stod an Fhir-bhoga, allowing me to lose height easily. Eventually I reached the hydro road that runs parallel to the walk in (albeit it some 300m higher). I followed the path back in real difficulty, each step feeling as if my achilles would rupture and serioussly wishing I had brought a bike.
The hydro road eventually meets a road that descends to the farm at Kenknock from where it is a short walk to the parking area.
Although I was glad to have completed both munros I was apprehensive about the damage I had done to my ankles and hoping this isn't going to be a recurring problem.
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snowdonia7
 
Posts: 184
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Joined: Jul 8, 2011

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