Heaven and Hell in Glen Finnan

[Frigate]

Getting up at '04 crikes sake' ready for pick up at 05.00 - Hell
Seeing the mountains of Glen Coe appear in the dawn light - Heaven
Meeting up with the team after being split up for several months due to holidays etc and walking into Glen Finnan as the mist clears - Heaven
Getting about 400m distance into the hill and feeling like death, no energy, bilious and sick - Hell
Walking for 50 paces and having to stop to let the heart get back inside the chest, 40 paces, 30 paces - Hell
I'm stripped off to just a base layer and sweat is coursing off me, drink feel sick. Need the water and energy so sip water and nibble chocolate and chopped fruit, don't even have enough breath to do this on the move - Hell.

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Glenfinnan railway viaduct - camouflaged

Harry Potter bridge as our US cousins know it

Deer on the hillside

Glenfinnan Lodge - nice gaff

Gain the Druim Coire a'Bheithe ridge and although the gradient eases I still am having difficulty, its strange legs feel absolutely fine and want to go but the rest of me can not keep up, not to say I am also holding the rest back. They keep waiting patiently for me and I feel like a patient - doctor.

Druim Coire a'Bheithe access ridge to Sgurr Thuilm

Beinn gharbh and Meall an Tarmachain ridge from the glen road

Sgurr nan Coireachan from the glen road

Back down Glen Finnan, the hydro pipe track is starting to blend in

Zoom to the railway viaduct

I drop my bag for the final climb to Thuilm and gain the top absolutely drained. Understanding and sympathy from the team but can I carry on, they have be waiting a good twenty minutes for me and are getting cold. I feel so low that I have seriously considered binning it and just returning to the car. After a rest and taking more water and fruit onboard I feel a little better, bouyed up by the amazing views. Decision time have I another 500m of climb in me, look at the route and break it down in to the three small tops to cross. Go for it, take it slow and steady break it up into small chunks take a wee rest at the bottom middle and top of each climb.

Bealach Leathann, Beinn Gharbh and Meall an Tarmachan ridge from Sgurr Thuilm

Coire Thollaidh under nan Coireachan

North to hills around Glen Kingie

Anyway enough of the whimpering, sympathy comes between sh*t and syphilis in the dictionary.

The weather was kind to us, cool with light winds, brisker on the exposed tops, couple of very light showers.

As we walked in all we could hear was the bellowing of stags from all sides. Reminded me of the film 'Dog Soldiers', were they deer or lycanthropes waiting for us to stray in the darkness of the trees. Could not spot them and even heard them from Glen Pean as we walked the ridge.

Near to the lodge house a landrover pulled up, we were stopped by whom we presumed to be the estate factor, a general enquiry as to our plans and he asked us not to stray off the paths (definitely werewolves about). Also apologised for the state of the bothy, toilet paper and litter outside, had some Fort William boys out for a night on the tiles and he was going to wake them up.

Back to Sgurr Thuilm from the ridge

Druim Coire a'Bheithe ridge with Streap and Stob Coire nan Cearc behind

Glan Pean and Loch Arkaig

Sgurr nan Coireachan

Met an other group of 5 walkers at top of Sgurr nan Coireachan who had come up that way. Very steep as we found out on the way down, glad we did not go up that way or I may have gone to the other side.

Steep descent off Sgurr nan Coireachan

Final view of Sgurr Thuilm

Timing for me as tailend charlie
07.50 - 11.20, 3h 30m to the top of Sgurr Thuilm from the car
13.50, 2h 30m to nan Coireachan along the ridge - slow
15.55, 2h 5m back to the track
16.55, 1h to the car
9h 5m round trip, reckon we could have cut an hour off that if they had carried me.

As we got back to the cars I said "I quite enjoyed that", funny the strange and odd looks I received.

[rockhopper]

Very nice frigate - hope you're recovering now, bet the views made up for not feeling so good was up here in the wind and clag a few weeks back - didn't see anywhere nearly as much as you though but was glad I took the bike ! - cheers

[Gavin99]

That sounds like quite a struggle , glad you made it in the end with plenty of TLC from Pigeon ,Ian and Jake

[Mountainlove]

Oh I know that early morning feeling...getting up too early to do a Munro is pretty hard going...give me any time after 12:00 and I am happy
But good effort and I enjoyed the report..your 'time taken' is funny!!

[Ian Bayne]

An enjoyable day good report Kev get well

[PeteR]

A tougher round than you imagine Frigate, but a great round. Some great pictures you have there too I really must get back to these two one day

[147cjl]

Frigate, third picture, of the deer - is that a huge tree been blown clean over in the background?

[Frigate]

Very nice frigate - hope you're recovering now, bet the views made up for not feeling so good was up here in the wind and clag a few weeks back - didn't see anywhere nearly as much as you though but was glad I took the bike ! - cheers

Luckily I was did not worsen on the way round, thought my luck was in when we saw the Coastguard chopper though.

That sounds like quite a struggle , glad you made it in the end with plenty of TLC from Pigeon ,Ian and Jake

Cheers Gavin, Could here their shouts of concern - from a distance

Oh I know that early morning feeling...getting up too early to do a Munro is pretty hard going...give me any time after 12:00 and I am happy
But good effort and I enjoyed the report..your 'time taken' is funny!!

There is only one 5'o clock on MY watch and it is tea time, enjoy Nepal

An enjoyable day good report Kev get well

Fit and raring Ian, got to find a quick couple for Saturday and 50 this year

A tougher round than you imagine Frigate, but a great round. Some great pictures you have there too I really must get back to these two one day

Love hill walking Pete, just don't like going up. The ridge walk is my cup of tea, watching the surrounding hills develop and fade as you pass them.

Frigate, third picture, of the deer - is that a huge tree been blown clean over in the background?

Yup - full size, pushed over by werewolves I reckon

[pigeon]

Ach you'll be fine for the next one

[Paula Hubens]

Great report and cool piccies. The views must have been extra rewarding after all that torture.
Well done for sticking with it!

[monty]

That made me laugh. great report. I bet i felt worse than you when i did these

[Fudgie]

That made me laugh. great report. I bet i felt worse than you when i did these

Are these hills cursed then?

I think I'll hold off doing them for now if thats the case

[Frigate]

Great report and cool piccies. The views must have been extra rewarding after all that torture.
Well done for sticking with it!

Thanks Paula, just one of those days, yes I'm glad I stuck with it.

That made me laugh. great report. I bet i felt worse than you when i did these

Monty not only do you do the climbs, the distance and the speed, even your illness's are epic.

Fudgie, the hills are fine except for the werewolves, just a whimpy day.