Kicked in the Fanniachs

[pigeon]

Maybe this was not my best plan but with easter monday off work i was keen to get up in the north west to tackle a few hills up there for the first time.None of the other lads were available so Johnny no mates set off for Ullapool on sunday ,pitched the tent at the camp site and headed for a few beers .Up early after a decent sleep and back down to the start of the chosen walk,the four eastern Fanniachs.The forecast was not the best but i was keen to crack on tackling Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich first.Now early on i knew something wasn't right,the path was very boggy and finding somewhere to cross the swollen burn was proving difficult,eventually got across probably much further up than was ideal and began to climb Creag Dubh Fannaich.Here i discovered that my platypus was leaking filling my rucsac with 2 litres of water ,my back and arse were soaked(i had also forgotten a belt so my breeks kept sliding down,this was doing my head right in )but even without these set backs i was really struggling,i began to doubt if i could even get to this first munro never mind bag the four.Eventually i reached the first hill in about 2 hours 45 mins,it had snowed quite heavy on the way up and i was done in,thought about turning back but it's an awfy long drive to here just to climb one hill.Decided i at least had to climb Sgurr Mor,no sure why again but this really took it out of me,by the time i reached the top iwas totally knackered ,this route should have been well within my capabilities but for some reason my legs were like lead,there was no way i could have managed the other two hills .The walk back was no picnic either,i have never been so glad to get back to the car ,7 hours of misery,cold,wet ,aching feet,even the back pack felt heavy .Bit miffed leaving un-finished business but what can you do but return and hopefully be back on form next time .

down loch broom from Ullapool

back to parking spot

the locals

creag dubh fannaich

beinn laith mhor fannaich

B L M F

Sgurr mor

up loch broom

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[PeteR]

I know how you feel pigeon

I was going to try a couple of glen carron munros today (a long drive from Ayshire I know ) but couldn't be a****d, so settled for Beinn Bhuidhe in Arrochar instead. No juice in the tank as I headed up the ravine and it was taking me ages, so I used a heavy snow shower half way up as my excuse to turn tail and head home Absolutely knackered and I can't understand whay

You'll feel a sense of achievement though the day you do go back and waltz all over the four of them eastern fanniachs

[Frigate]

Hard luck pidge, as you say not like you for rubber legs, must have drank from a dirty glass last night. There has been a fair amount of rain up there, MWIS did not forecast much snow. If you didn't have bad luck you'd have no luck at all, she'll be right next weekend.

[Huck Finn]

Not like you to feel knackered and to be struggling???
Normally you are a small dot in the distance
I have been itchin to read the report about another 4 knocked off all weekend, photos and report on the two are as always good , just a real shame you went all that way and were not on your normal form

[monty]

Aye we all have bad days Pigeon. something we ate or drunk that didn't agree with us ends up draining the resources. Good effort none the less. Some nice photos too.

[Graeme D]

i had also forgotten a belt so my breeks kept sliding down,this was doing my head right in

Many bad things can happen out on the hills - clag, whiteout, river crossings gone awry, dog eats your lunch when you're distracted taking a photo e.t.c., e.t.c....... - but few are as bad as when this happens! I remember the first time I did Bynack More in a hooly with kevsbald and on the way back down I stopped to answer a call of nature. My hands were so cold and useless that I could only get my flies halfway done back up and couldn't get the button done up at all. My breeks were practically round my knees for much of the descent!

As for the mysterious jelly legs - it's weird how it can strike sometimes for no real reason. All part of the game!

Nice wee report too!

[Ranger]

We all have days like this

The old 'lead weights' feeling is terrible when it hits you, gasping for breath and muscles aching and cramping after every 10-15 steps uphill. Usually happens on the first hill of the day I've found. Had it on An Socach in Affric and the wee buckle recently.

Make sure you go back on a good day and you'll be thanking your stars you couldnt finish them first time round!

[quoman]

Nae luck pigeon
Weve all had days like that.. might be the drink the night before ..... i had it last year up the Cruachan hills was sick half way up legs like lead still done the two of them though.

PIcture's are nice.

[Ian Bayne]

Hard luck Dave more unfinnished buisness looks like a cracker of an area if the photos are anything to go by looking forward to them

[jonny616]

As others have said we all have bad days The combination of leaking plat & your belt situation must have left you with a wet, cold exposed ar*s*

[blanchie]

Must have been something in the air on Monday. Climbing BF, also known as Beinn Fionnlaidh, I could easily have given it another name

[mountain thyme]

well done pigeon. no harm in turning back or not managing what you set out to do . ive done it a couple of times.. the hills will always be there

[pigeon]

I know how you feel pigeon

I was going to try a couple of glen carron munros today (a long drive from Ayshire I know ) but couldn't be a****d, so settled for Beinn Bhuidhe in Arrochar instead. No juice in the tank as I headed up the ravine and it was taking me ages, so I used a heavy snow shower half way up as my excuse to turn tail and head home Absolutely knackered and I can't understand whay

You'll feel a sense of achievement though the day you do go back and waltz all over the four of them eastern fanniachs

That's not like you pete,Beinn Bhuide could be next on our radar so we'll see how it goes

Hard luck pidge, as you say not like you for rubber legs, must have drank from a dirty glass last night. There has been a fair amount of rain up there, MWIS did not forecast much snow. If you didn't have bad luck you'd have no luck at all, she'll be right next weekend.

Not like you to feel knackered and to be struggling???
Normally you are a small dot in the distance
I have been itchin to read the report about another 4 knocked off all weekend, photos and report on the two are as always good , just a real shame you went all that way and were not on your normal form

Hard luck Dave more unfinnished buisness looks like a cracker of an area if the photos are anything to go by looking forward to them

Think if you guys were there we would have done the 4,you lot could have carried me the rest of the way Am staying off the drink at Kintail

i had also forgotten a belt so my breeks kept sliding down,this was doing my head right in

Many bad things can happen out on the hills - clag, whiteout, river crossings gone awry, dog eats your lunch when you're distracted taking a photo e.t.c., e.t.c....... - but few are as bad as when this happens! I remember the first time I did Bynack More in a hooly with kevsbald and on the way back down I stopped to answer a call of nature. My hands were so cold and useless that I could only get my flies halfway done back up and couldn't get the button done up at all. My breeks were practically round my knees for much of the descent!

As for the mysterious jelly legs - it's weird how it can strike sometimes for no real reason. All part of the game!

Nice wee report too!

I won't make the belt mistake again Graeme

Aye we all have bad days Pigeon. something we ate or drunk that didn't agree with us ends up draining the resources. Good effort none the less. Some nice photos too.

Cheers monty

We all have days like this

The old 'lead weights' feeling is terrible when it hits you, gasping for breath and muscles aching and cramping after every 10-15 steps uphill. Usually happens on the first hill of the day I've found. Had it on An Socach in Affric and the wee buckle recently.

Make sure you go back on a good day and you'll be thanking your stars you couldnt finish them first time round!

Cheers ranger,been feeling good on the last few trips and was ready to take on some tougher routes,just a bad day i suppose

Nae luck pigeon
Weve all had days like that.. might be the drink the night before ..... i had it last year up the Cruachan hills was sick half way up legs like lead still done the two of them though.

PIcture's are nice.

As others have said we all have bad days The combination of leaking plat & your belt situation must have left you with a wet, cold exposed ar*s*

Must have been something in the air on Monday. Climbing BF, also known as Beinn Fionnlaidh, I could easily have given it another name

well done pigeon. no harm in turning back or not managing what you set out to do . ive done it a couple of times.. the hills will always be there

Cheers jonny,MT,blanchie and quoman,I shall return(said that a few times now )

[rockhopper]

Sounds a bit rotten johnny but it'll get better the next time We're getting closer I was on these hills only 2 days later but wasn't far away this day - and can vouch for the weather ! - cheers