22/09/14 - Bein Narnain - (me, Conners, Steve)

Started the last day with questionable energy levels. We parked up and set off - I knew it was going to be steep and involve some scrambling so I was unsure how far we'd get. Andy, as always, was ready with a range of Garmin devices - I was starting to see the benefits, but unlike Andy, only as a backup to a map rather than as a means to gather numerous bits of (largely depressing), data.

The going was steep and relentless, there was a clear set of targets but not much in the way of a path. The patches of scrambling were fun, but Steve was a little unsure of things. This was particularly the case on the final section up Beinn Narnain which was very exposed - you just had to keep going and not spend long looking down. However, no-one complained and sounded any great foreboding or annoyance.

Views from the top were spectacular, especially looking west as the loch opened up to the see and the islands beyond. The Cobbler also looked spectacular, we ll worthy of further attention even though it's not a Munro.

We neither had the time or energy to take in Beinn Ime (it's becoming the case that every walk I do, I fall short of doing the full route).

The walk back was enjoyable until the last mile or so as we wound down the steep path and the pain was apparent in all our knees.

Eventually we arrived back at the car and set off on the long journey home. I drove to Glasgow and then handed the keys over (for the first time of the weekend), and was able to sleep most of the way home.

Munro - Bein Narnain

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21/09/14 - Lochnagar Range - (me, Conners, Steve)

We woke early and stiff to consume more fried breakfast and make more sandwiches. We made the northward trip to Balmoral in very good time but it wasn't clear how much walking Andy (and particularly), Steve would be up to doing. However, we set off our "truck" in good spirits. It was surprisingly, and disappointingly busy, and the ascent was steady and constant, but the weather was shaping up to be well and joints and muscles were warming and loosening too.

Once we took in Lochnagar I worried that people would want to turn back, but without deliberation we continued on our planned route. We were rewarded by a realisation that the work was largely over and we were now walking on relatively level ground. What's more the crowds has disappeared and we had the world to ourselves.

We followed the path along, but opt to move from the path to take in Carn a Choire Bhoidheach which was such a non-descript ascent and summit that it hardly felt like a Munro. But it did involve a return to the path which was steeper and less easy to traverse.

We enjoyed a bit of a bathe in a mountain stream and continued on in the now glorious weather.

It's disappointing, but we skip Carn an Sagairt Mor because  irrespective of energy levels I get worried that we'd going to run out of daylight. I wonder when I'll be able to return to pick off this Munro and whether I'd need to repeat the entire route in order to do so.

We dip down and the rise to Cairn Bannoch. The sun is now slowly descending and the expansive vista is taking on an evening glow. We're completely alone and a significant distance from any civilization. The mountain hares are the only local population. We take in the boulder strewn (and potentially ankle twisting), Broad Cairn. From here, it's all about descent, which is long and gradual.

The path descends to the side of Loch Muick and as the sun sets we're treated to a view of a doe and 2 foals skipping away from us. We pass a stunning Loch side House which I later learned was Queen Victoria's bothy.

The final mile was arduous (as it always is), and we make it back to the car with just a couple of minutes of daylight left. We stop for some pub food (a hearty home made lasagne), in Ballater and then undertake the long drive back to Kenmore. On the way back a couple of deer nearly meet a timely end as they run out in front of the car.

Munro - Broad Cairn, Cairn Bannoch, Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach,  Lochnagar

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20/09/15 - Meall nan Tarmachan to Ben Lawers - (me, Steve, Conners)

We travelled up on 19/9 (the day Scotland voted to stay in the UK (potentially fortunately...)). We stayed in an apartment on the Taymouth Estate. The morning consisted in fried breakfast, sandwich making and then a drive up to Ben Lawers car park. The mood was jubilant and somewhat overly confident.

We added Meall nanTarmachan at the beginning of the route on the basis that I'd found I'd covered routes quicker than the routes advertised themselves as.

The walk to the top was steep - the banter and confident displayed in the car soon dissipated and I started to regret adding Meall nan Tarmachan to the start of the route.

We soldiered down Creag an Lochain, it was steep, off path and hard work. We then walked round the reservoir and started the proper route. With no path through the very boggy terrain we opted to skip Meall a Choire Leith and head straight for Meall Corranaich - i.e. straight up the side of it, with no use of path. This was hard slog. The banter was now aimed firmly at me and my choice of routes - I started to worry that people weren't enjoying it. However, we eventually got to the top (with Andy counting down nearly every metre with his GPS), found the path and the collective mood picked up as we started to walk along the ridge.

We soon took in Meall  ??? and even Ben Lawers was a breeze in comparison to what we'd already dealt with. However, we didn't have the energy or remaining daylight hours to continue so we headed back to the rather than continuing on the rest of the route to the Lawers Hotel. Regrettably there was a reluctance to take in Bein Ghlas on the way back, but even I was very tired by the time we got back to the car.

We drove to the Lawers Hotel, had a well deserved meal and pint and then had an early night. Main lesson learnt - don't extend the route at the beginning and don't take short cuts off path....

Munro - Meall nan Tarmachan, Meall Corranaich, Ben Lawers

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