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Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...


Postby sarahejones » Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:00 pm

Route description: Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas

Munros included on this walk: An Stùc, Beinn Ghlas, Ben Lawers, Meall a' Choire Lèith, Meall Corranaich, Meall Garbh (Ben Lawers), Meall Greigh

Date walked: 11/10/2014

Time taken: 10.3 hours

Distance: 22 km

Ascent: 2074m

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My first post! This site was so helpful in getting routes organised on my first week of munro-bagging, I wanted to write a couple of reports...

I had originally hoped to do all seven munros in the Ben Lawers range doing this route:


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



However, here's the route I finally ended up taking...


Ben_Lawers (1).gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



As I was hoping to bag the whole range on my own, I thought the best option would be to walk from the Glen Lyon side, and do the horse shoe of munros, tagging on Meall Greigh and basically double bagging Meall Garbh on the way across. I'd intended to do the clockwise route, as suggested by helpful munro-ing folk I met in various places.

Unfortunately, I bumped into the farmer who works on that side of the valley at the homestead (beginning of the valley lane) at 7.45am, and he requested I go anti-clockwise as he would be working on that side (glad I was wearing my brightly coloured 'I'm-not-a-deer-headband')... 'anyway, it's easier that way,' he said... to my gaffaws, 11 hours later. Or I would have gaffawed, if I'd had the energy to open my mouth...

image1lane.jpg
The lane on the way to the boggy slog


It took 2 and a half hours to slog through the boggy, murky grimness of what I like to call 'lower Scottish mountainside, in Autumn' made slightly more bearable by the vole, deer and of course sheep sightings, which my trusty sidekick, Peggy tried to eat for the rest of the day.

image2cloudy.jpg
Cloudy murkiness, and sidekick


I emerged through some fairly dimming cloudy fog to discover a plateau, on which I eventually located a cairn, and ceremoniously bagged Meall a' Chorie Leith with the standard selfie that is the way of the lone wolf (or anyone with a sidekick that doesn't have opposable thumbs)...

summit1.jpg
Meall a' Choire Leith Summit


It was then a fairly pleasant walk across to Meall Corranaich, mostly on path, with a few patches of grassy stuff and quite a lot of sheep poo. Clouds were still very low, and I hadn't yet seen the other side of the horse shoe, probably for the best...

summit2.jpg
Meall Corranaich Summit


From here, I finally started seeing other people. Rather embarrassingly the first lot came into view just after I was pulling my pants up from going for a wee. Whoops! To be honest, I don't remember much of the walk from Meall Coraniach to Beinn Ghlas, more path following, and drizzly mist... On arriving at Beinn Ghlas I had my only non-selfie photo taken by a couple of chaps carrying a Brazilian flag.

summit3.jpg
Beinn Ghlas Summit


It was like Piccadilly Circus all the way from Beinn Ghlas to Ben Lawers, with that polite British way about us as we got out of each others way with a 'Good afternoon' or 'Hard going?' I found this part quite vile - I loathe steps and walking up them just adds insult to injury. However, the cloud was lifting at last, and a good view of the valley could be had.

valley.jpg
The view back across the valley from Beinn Ghlas


I'd yet to pass anyone going the same way as me, and didn't for the entire route, but a lot of people did give me rather pitying looks when they saw that it was already early afternoon and I still had as much distance or more to walk again. They didn't think I would make it... they were basically right.

Still, I was in good spirits on finally reaching the pair of Ben Lawers cairns, and despite lots of people eating their sandwiches, I took a selfie. You shouldn't interrupt that all great past-time of picnic eating.

summit4.jpg
Ben Lawers Summit


I headed onwards, eating a sandwich on the go, well aware that time was limited, though got some good views back towards Ben Lawers and across the valley.

benlawers.jpg
Looking back to Ben Lawers on the way to An Stuc

view.jpg
The clouds finally lifted enough to see some of the range


I accidentally went up Creag an Fhithich rather than around it which was rather an irritation at the time, for both my mind and my knees... Still, I finally made it to the top of An Stuc.

summit5.jpg
An Stuc Summit


Now for the bit I dreaded the most, the rock scramble... As luck would have it, a lone chap was coming up the other way. So I kept and eye on him as he came up, and he seemed to keep a vague eye on me going down, though I think he was more impressed with my billy goat dog skipping down than whether I was going to crack my head open. Either way, I felt more comfortable knowing I could shout for help should it all go pear shaped.

rockscramble.jpg
An Stuc rock scramble... icky


The climb ahead up Meall Garbh looked thoroughly awful, though didn't hurt as much as I thought it would - less of the steps, and more of the grabbing tufts of grass and heaving myself up... I made it from An Stuc to Meall Garbh in about half an hour so took a quick picture whilst making my next decision.

summit6.jpg
Meall Garbh Summit


I had the choice to cut out Meall Greigh and head straight back down the other side of the valley back to the car, or risk the long walk across to the seventh munro which might be tough to complete and return from before darkness fell. I checked my OS map and thought that at worst, I could walk down the other side and catch a taxi back... So off I went...

No-one has ever mentioned that Meall Greigh is actually gaelic for 'a boggy b@stard of a munro' or I might have given this a miss. It was an awful slog across, and my white terrier was starting to look like a black lab... Still, 45 tiring and draining minutes later I made it to summit number seven.

summit7.jpg
Looking and feeling like death on the Meall Greigh Summit


As I was on my lonesome, I looked at my timings and felt it would be safer to head back to Ben Lawers Hotel and beg a taxi number, rather than go off the path and be eaten by deer and voles, and probably Peggy, should I get caught out after dark. So down the never ending path of doom I trekked, my knees creaking, my water now run out and I was seriously considering eating some of the dogs biscuits. I was also cussing myself for having parked on the Glen Lyon side when I wasn't going to make it. It didn't feel like a total success, and I was about to be £40 poorer from having to taxi it back.

Still, half a pint and a chat to a couple who didn't even know what a munro was, and I was back at the car by 8 or so, and finally in the hotel around 8.30pm. I had to carry the dog to bed from the car, and I followed her into sleep soon after.

It's two days later and I still can't walk... but, this is only my second lot of munros after Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm, so I'm glad I completed (more or less) the challenge I set myself.

On that note, I'm off to find some new knees...
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby SecretSquirrel » Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:27 am

Absolutely cracking report. Well done on bagging all 7! :clap: :clap: (Even if it wasn't by your original plan). That was a good read, but the real sting in the tail is £40 to get from Lawers Hotel to Glen Lyon?!? ouch. Thieving beggars lol
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby The Rodmiester » Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:05 am

Nice one sarahejones! A big day for the time of year. Excellent stuff, I bet you crashed out after that one. Some excellent selfies as well, you've obviously done that a few times. I look forward to your next trip report. By the way my younger daughter has the same name as you :)
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby kaye.cantlay » Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:15 pm

Wow - well done! Very ambitious walk for the time of year...
I did the Lawers 5 a couple of weeks ago with my bike strategically left at Ben Lawers Hotel for the cycle back to the Ben Lawers car park.
That ride nearly killed me!!
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby jepsonscotland » Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:23 pm

Well done. :clap: :clap: :clap:
It is definitely easier that way round and a good time for completion too. :shock:
It does seem at this time of year 'bog' and 'sheep poo' are pretty much 75% of a Scottish Munro!! :lol:
Chris
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby dooterbang » Tue Oct 14, 2014 3:39 pm

Well done....on getting your pants up in time :)

Big walk in not so great weather, nice one :clap:
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby prog99 » Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:16 pm

SecretSquirrel wrote:Absolutely cracking report. Well done on bagging all 7! :clap: :clap: (Even if it wasn't by your original plan). That was a good read, but the real sting in the tail is £40 to get from Lawers Hotel to Glen Lyon?!? ouch. Thieving beggars lol

Not really, its 20quid for me to get to Edinburgh airport from where i live and thats half the distance on decent roads. And a tenner to get back to the start of the Aonach Eagach.

Quite fancy the round of 7 myself, good effort for you and the dug! Only done the 5 in a oner before and left a bike up the hill at the old visitor centre leaving a nice roll back to the hotel.
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby JimboJim » Tue Oct 14, 2014 6:54 pm

Great effort and thanks for sharing. Will make sure I have transport well sorted, if trying that sort of venture!
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby Fife Flyer » Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:06 pm

Nice one Sarah and a great first post :clap: :clap:

As stated by others, you did very well to manage all 7 at this time of year :wink:
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby Silverhill » Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:15 pm

Well done, that is a trek and a half! :clap:
Don’t forget to turn those balloons blue on your munro map! :D
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:22 pm

Brilliant walk - that really is an achievement at this time of year :clap: :clap: .

Many years ago we set out to do the same route, only to get to number 6 and decide to ditch Meall Greigh for that day - went back and did it on a beautiful spring day and missed the bogs :lol: :lol: (Never thought of your cunning plan with a taxi :shock: )
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby Handknittedbagger » Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:44 pm

Well done that girl and dog!
As you will see from my report, I agree fully with your description of Meill Greigh, a b@stardly b@stard of a hill! ... lol
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby sarahejones » Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:36 pm

Thank you all so much! I wouldn't have even had a crack at this if it hadn't been for this website, and the great reports and thoughts from others. Also from the wonderful people around and about in Scotland whether rangers or outdoor shop owners.

I do wish I lived closer, so I could do this every weekend. It's just such a stunning country, and I'm missing it! Though I live in South Devon which isn't exactly ugly!

I'm off to write my other report. Which I already wrote once, and then the whole thing deleted when I pressed submit. Bum. I shall write them in Word from now on.
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby Bruno » Wed Oct 15, 2014 11:22 pm

Well done Sarah!
Love the wee dog - what a wee cracker!
Iain :clap: :D
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Re: Ben Lawers 7: the good, the bad and the ugly...

Postby meangarry » Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:41 pm

Well done Sarah! I particularly like the Ben Lawers summit selfie, Peggy looks slightly confused as to whats going on. :lol:
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