walkhighlands

First 2-Munro day in 10 years

Route: Mayar and Driesh, Glen Clova

Munros: Driesh, Mayar

Date walked: 10/08/2020

Time taken: 24 hours

Distance: 26km

Ascent: 1000m

I had a spell "anns an ospadal" (in hospital for those with less Gàidhlig than me) 8 years ago which almost finished me so I hadn't been up a Munro for a long, long while but when this nonsense started - which people & press call 'coronavirus' - I thought "you can sit in a corner or get your rear end out on the hill". Fortunately, my eldest grandson Luke decided to come and make things easy for me. We called on friends near Ullapool & managed to get Sail Mhòr in a pic of Luke & I.

sailmhor.jpg
Ullapool & Sail Mhòr

I should put in here that I am a 'line bagger' and for many years always looked for a new way up a Munro or a way to join Corbetts and Munros together so the plan was to start at Glen Prosen lodge but, making another cock up which I am famous for, I had come up the most northerly of the 2 little yellow roads, parked and set off wondering where various things were which I couldn't see.

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Lineage on Driesh & Mayar

We came upon a number of buildings and I thought "this is wrong", asked a man and he said it was Balnaboth so I had parked in Glen Prosen village!!! Did I mention my dickey ticker? Well, adding 6 miles to a route when you're in your 70s with Atrial Fibrillation is not a good idea so I turned to Luke and said "shall we go back?" "Nah grandpa, come on, we've got the bags and the fly sheet so let's get over Mount Bouie and see what happens".

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Luke out post

This we did and I finally found him at 700 metres just below Cairn Inks with the sheet erected and some goodies out.

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The trusty Saunders flysheet

Next morning I left him at about 7 and trudged gingerly on along the crag above Hill of Strone but, when Luke caught me up, I realised we had little fluid left and realising there was a burn flowing round the hill to the right of us, pleaded for Luke to go round to fill up while I made some metres up Driesh. Trojan that he is, he came back with about 3 litres and we were set for the day.

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Burn above Glen Clova & Luke returning with fluid

"Bloody 'ell" I thought when I reached Driesh summit "when were you last up a Jacob?"* (Jacob = Jack & Jill i.e. hill)

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John & Luke Vaughan

Since the day was beautiful and it was still early, I told Luke I wouldn't mind going for Mayar too but was a little concerned about the extra 3 miles at the end. The rise on to Mayar goes between the shanks of 'Drumfollow' & 'Drumwhallo' and is 'no too bad' and on the summit stretch I sat and talked to many pleasant folk but none more so than a father and son from Ballater who knew my good Thai friend who had had the Monaltrie hotel where we had 2 of our annual dinners in the early 2000s.

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Good folk on Mayar

Luke left me soon after and said he would run down for the car and save me the last 3 miles which was really great. Luke's 14 years old by the way. I followed him soon after but stopped for a kip on the Kilbo Path before pacing myself quite well down to Glen Prosen Lodge.

mayarkip.jpg
2 in a day; first time in 10 years!

The car park above seemed empty but as I craned my neck I saw tucked in the trees the little black Hyundai with a great pair of feet sticking out the open window and Luke's long white friend 'skinup' dangling from his gob. Just noticed I said Luke is 14, actually it's 24 and I felt he had earned his few draws since he hasn't passed his driving test yet! (Only joking constable).

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Comments: 2


Bungellington


Activity: Wanderer
Pub: Aulay's Bar
Mountain: Binnein Mor
Place: Lochan nam Breac
Gear: Sanders S Plus flysheet
Member: Mickey Mouse Mountaineering Club
Ideal day out: bivvy to bivvy with a few hills etc in between
Munro rounds: 4
Corbett rounds: 1

Munros: 1



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Statistics

2020

Trips: 1
Distance: 26 km
Ascent: 1000m
Munros: 2


Joined: Sep 26, 2020
Last visited: Jun 01, 2023
Total posts: 7 | Search posts