a relaxing weekend at last!!

So relaxing - in fact - that I forgot to write my blog!

Every weekend since I returned from America has been active, with Munros ahoy & a hiking/cycling challenge that left me with a sore bum for a bit too long!!

This past weekend was finally - finally - an extremely restful weekend. Long lies in, good company, nice food, fresh air and - my ultimate favourite thing to do - a trip to the beach.

Dave and I took a wee trip to East Lothian, enjoying a nice drive and a long walk on Yellowcraigs beach. Bliss.

Dogs everywhere and a 3-swan flyover (supposed to be good luck?), this was an afternoon to be savoured - and it was.

I hope to bag a few more Munros in the next couple of weeks - there is a trip to the West Coast coming up & as long as the weather behaves, there should be some bagging to be done.

20 miles, 3 peaks - and not a Munro to be seen!

After six Munros in three weekends, it was finally time for a rest!

Now, in my book, a 'rest' involves a long-lie in, lots of food, not a lot of activity and even more sleep. In my mum's book, a 'rest' involves a bike ride, a dog walk, and lots of other activity. It doesn't involve much sleep, or much actual rest.

This weekend, she 'encouraged' me and my wee bro Ross to take part in a local charity event to raise money for St Andrew's Children's Society. A very worthy cause, and a well-planned event that involved three local hills and plenty of cycling inbetween: http://3-peaks-challenge.com/

I was quite concerned how I'd get on with the cycling part having not been on a bike for around 10-15 years! I didn't do any training and was just hoping for the best. We were sceptical that the route was as far as the 20 miles it proclaimed and so I thought, ach I'll give it a go.

I left Edinburgh around 8.45am on Saturday morning, and drove to West Linton wondering what had happened to the girl who could sleep til at least 1pm on the weekends.

Mum and I then drove to Newlands, a very small village around 3 miles from West Linton, with our bikes in the back. Ross, clearly too keen, cycled to the start! After registering and getting our team 'Murray Magic' photo taken, we set off just after 10am.

We walked a mile or so along the road in the direction of Peebles before heading off the road and up into the hills. The sun was shining and it was warm when the wind wasn't blowing.

We followed the signs marking our route, and all seemed well. The views were nice and easy on the eye, the sun was shining, on and on we walked....until we'd been walking for rather a long time without going up...surely we should've conquered our first peak, Drummaw, by now? We kept going until we met one of the organisers, who confirmed that we'd missed an 'up' arrow - and so had most others! He recommended doing the second peak, Wetherlaw, first as it was the tougher one.

So we started heading up. It was reasonably steep initially, and after nearly two hours of walking, it was a tough test. My legs were certainly struggling after the previous weeks, but thankfully this was shorter, sharper, and over quicker. Soon we were on top of the hill and could see the trig point in the distance.

Hooray! Our first peak, Wetherlaw, 479m! It was windy and hazy at the top, but the views of the Pentlands in the distance were still fantastic.

We took some photos and then began the descent. We were swithering about heading up Drummaw - those extra miles we'd done having taken their toll. After speaking to a number of the other competitors who'd made the same mistake as us, we were reassured that Drummaw was the easiest of the hills and wouldn't require too much extra effort.

It certainly felt tough going initially as it started steeply. My legs were screaming for me to stop. Again, it was short and sharp, and soon we were at the summit. Ross and I were pleased - but of course not surprised - to see mum follow us up to the top. She said she'd give it a go, and even if she didn't think she would make it, we never doubted it.

Yay, our second peak, Drummaw, 445m!

A short climb up meant a short descent and soon we were back on level ground (phew) and heading back towards Newlands.

It took a wee while to get back but thankfully it was reasonably level and straightforward. However, by the time we got back to Newlands it was almost four hours since we'd started. This was turning out to be more than an afternoon's activity! I was now even more concerned about the cycling...

After some much-needed cake, we were off on our bikes. Immediately I knew this was going to be hard going. First of all because I was getting a face-full of midges. Second because within the first five minutes the saddle was giving me...issues. I couldn't figure out the gears and my limbs were actually screaming at me to stop the pain.

There were a few small but challenging hills on the way to our third summit. These roads were our roads though, as we cycled past our house and towards the golf club. Soon we were leaving our bikes in the allocated field, filling up on more cake, and then walking towards Mendick. I was so so relieved to be back on foot.

These signs kept us going on the tricky latter stages of the day.

Mendick is a hill the Macnabs are very familiar with, having grown up with it just a short walk or bike ride away from the house. We were dragged up there many times as kids, until we started going ourselves! I even dragged Dave up there on Boxing Day 2010 in the snow - it's a short sharp hill, quite steep, quite boggy on the top, with lovely views.

This was a whole new experience, with our legs just wanting to stop. We went a different way to the top than we were used to - but it was a good route, and one we'd choose again. But finally - finally -

Woop! Our third summit of the day, Mendick, 451m!

Then the descent, and a walk through a wet field, before we were back to the bikes. OH NO my legs and bum were saying but what choice was there - we'd come this far, it was just a couple of miles until completion.

Our support team - Dad - was waiting outside the house with chocolate biscuits as we cycled back again - yay!

I stood up on the pedals for as much as the cycle back as possible - it was just too painful to sit down! I had one main concern (apart from my bum) - there is one horrible hill on the way back to Newlands. It had been in my thoughts for much of the day.

Soon it was upon us and soon it was over. It was sooooo painful! But the best thing about it was as soon as it was over, it was a 5 minute cycle back to Newlands centre where we'd begun this crazy day!

Our time - 6 hours and 40 minutes - wasn't a winning time, but the feeling of achievement on completion was incredible! I'm so proud I managed to keep going and not give up. It turned out it was a 20 mile route after all - and we'd done extra miles!! Mum is of course a legend for completing it herself, having not been feeling well. I think it's safe to say it may be some time before we're dragged - I mean encouraged - into the next event. Maybe not as long as I hope, knowing her....

A barbeque followed that evening, and then it was eventually time for bed. I slept so well and woke up in such pain!

The event raised over £1,000 for charity (and still counting) and I'm really glad to have taken part. It was a much different challenge to a Munro, but I'm keen to improve my overall fitness. Most of all, I just want the pain in the following days to not be so bad!!

eight - and NINE - down, 273* to go!

Oh aye!! Here we are again....a double-bag for the third weekend in a row!! 6 in 2 weeks...

I fully intended to take a weekend off from the Munros this weekend. This time last week I didn't want to see another one for a long long time! The week got off to a painful start too - if I thought I was in pain on Monday, I had a new definition of the word on Tuesday! Sheer agony! I took the lift as often as I could at work, and even though I did manage to walk home, getting on and off pavements was a real struggle!!

However...by the end of Wednesday/Thursday I was feeling back to normal again, and having a weekend free from plans tempted me so much to get back out there. Only this time, with all my usual walking companions busy, I was going to go solo. I was quite excited about it, and nervous too.

I actually got more and more nervous the closer I came to going. I was going to go on Saturday morning but it seemed like Sunday was the better bet. I started to doubt whether I was kidding myself that I could go it alone. After all I had had a humbling lesson in ability last weekend...was I ready for this? Ahh the nerves were building. But funnily enough the nerves reassured me - they have been a companion of mine for so long now :) But not recently. Recently I've been feeling happier than ever. More confident, more self-assured, more relaxed. Almost comfortable in my own skin for once. The lack of nerves was refreshing. Now they were back - but it felt comfortable, like slipping into a pair of shoes you haven't worn for a while but are still your favourites. What's best about it though is that I think the nerves were justified, they didn't hold me back, and now I've achieved what I set out to do, they are gone. Well, if that isn't a success story for overcoming anxiety, I don't know what is :)

And so Sunday morning it was. I was heading for Highland Perthshire again, back to the Ben Lawers car park that I've been at twice this year already (2 attempts at Meall nan Tarmachan!), but this time for Ben Lawers itself. The 10th highest Munro in Scotland. Oh, and throw in Beinn Ghlas on the way up, why the hell not.

I was planning an early start, but after another bad nights' sleep, the alarm call at 5.45am was not welcome at all. However, a second alarm at 6am, titled 'DO IT!!' was enough to get me up. I wolfed down my porridge - I've a new tactic - speed rather than endurance - who wants to endure that? And then I was off:

It was actually 6.40am, my car clock is 10 minutes fast! The streets were quiet and before I knew it I was zooming down the M9. Stopped quickly at Lochearnhead again for bathrooms - they are fast becoming my most visited public toilets of 2012. Even with the stop I was at the car park at Ben Lawers nature reserve by 8.25am. I was the fifth car there, can't say I wasn't a little bit disappointed not to be the first, but oh well. There was no sign of anyone, so I quickly got under way...

The path was so pleasant at the start, ambling (appropriate), scenic, more purple heather, a trickling burn (thank goodness I'd had an official toilet stop!), not too steep. I was enjoying it. Although - I was struggling more than I thought I would. Perhaps my legs hadn't fully recovered from last weekend. Plus, and worst of all, I had no one to complain to. This was annoying. But forced me to be positive and get on with it.

Then, across the stream, upwards towards a gate, and a fork in the path. My instructions didn't instruct me as to whether to go left or right, but left went along and right went up. I'd love to say I figured it out at the time but it wasn't until I came down a different way and reaching the fork that I made the connection. Left is to 'just' do Ben Lawers. Right is to include Beinn Ghlas. Good job I went right then. I began the much talked about zigzag section of the mountain - I was weaving my way up and up. It was pretty steep. I had views looking back - and I could see 2 people about 15 minutes behind me - but I knew I was about to go above the cloud line and lose the views...

And then. There was just me, on a path, in a cloud. It was getting really windy the higher I got. I just kept plodding on and didn't think too much. Then I got 2 frights. (I was about to get a whole lot more...)

First fright - more bloody sheep!! Now I'm not the biggest fan of sheep at the best of times, but when you're neck-deep in a cloud, can see about a metre in front of you, and a sheep pops its head up in front of you...well, it's a bit scary!

Second fright - the wind suddenly blew the cloud away and I got a glimpse of a mountain to my left (I think the Tarmachan ridge). Holy sh*t. I got such a fright! I can't really explain it, it just took my breath away. I also realised how high I was.

The wind then very briefly blew the cloud from the remaining hulk of Beinn Ghlas in front of me. Jeez. I had a long way to go, it was steep, it was high in the sky.

I think the cloud also made me feel like I was on a narrow ridge with nothingness around me. I couldn't see slopes so I felt I was suspended on this ridge. It was such a weird feeling. With the wind that strong, I felt I could've been blown into that sea of cloud at any moment. I felt like crying a wee bit. I felt alone.

I kept going, knowing I wouldn't be entirely sure of the summit when I reached it. There were no clues. I had no idea where I was. I got some reassurance by being on the path obviously but that was it. I came to a small cairn and I sat down. A very lonely moment. I didn't know what to do next. I was scared because I was on my own in the middle of nowhere. I was annoyed at myself for thinking I could do this alone. I sat and thought I would wait for the couple behind me to catch up, then follow them. But what if they weren't coming up this way?

Okay, pull yourself together and go, I thought. And so I walked on. Turns out I was about 50 yards from the summit! Or what I thought was the summit - then the couple caught up with me and indeed confirmed that I'd just bagged Beinn Ghlas!

The wind was brutal so I did my best to take my mandatory summit photo. It's not a good one, I dislike it, but I had to prove I was there:

My 8th Munro - Beinn Ghlas - conquered!

I was so relieved to see other human beings. I told them I'd got the heebie jeebies and would they mind if I followed them for a bit? They said no, and off we went. I learned in the next hour or so they were Neil and Jenny from near Aberdeen and they were on their 105th Munro - on their second time round!! Each Munro I mentioned I'd done was met with 'oh that's an easy one' but I was sure to emphasise how new it is to me and how I hope to progress.

The wind was simply crazy.  I've felt crazy winds at Neist Point but this was something else. On so many occasions I was frightened by the sound of a large waterfall or a fast flowing river. It was the wind.

Neil said the summit of Ben Lawers wasn't far and we ploughed on. They set a blistering pace and I really struggled to keep up - but I was determined to. I didn't want to lose sight of them. It was good in a way because it meant a real fast track to the summit that I never would have managed by myself. And after a bit of a slog and a struggle - with no views and ferocious winds - we were at the top of Ben Lawers!

My 9th Munro - Ben Lawers - the 10th highest - bagged!

I didn't spend long at the top - what was the point - and said my goodbyes to Neil and Jenny. I assumed when they said they were doing other hills they were carrying on past Ben Lawers, but actually they were heading down and then off in a different direction. So they caught me up very quickly on the descent and powered on. On a couple of occasions on the way down the cloud shifted enough for quick views, but my hands were so cold I could not get a camera to them before they disappeared again. Plus it was so freaking windy I couldn't take my concentration off my balance or I'd have fallen over!

Neil & Jenny powering down the descent...

damn moisture on my camera!

I got back down to the bealach between Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers and there was Neil and Jenny waiting to see if I got down safely! Amazing. I was planning to head back over Beinn Ghlas (foolishly thinking at one point I'd get views on the way back) but Neil recommended taking the bypass path back down. I'd be sheltered from the wind and it was a different way down. I was hesitant but I knew they were right - and who am I to disagree with someone on their almost 400th Munro?!

We walked down the path together and chatted about our respective lives. It was really nice; it passed the time and took my mind off the descent. Then we got to the point where they were headed off so we said our goodbyes. They made those hills for me, and whilst I may have struggled on without them, I doubt I'd have enjoyed it half as much.

On the descent I couldn't stop smiling. I was so elated, and not even fussed about the views. And sure enough I got below the clouds and I could see Loch Tay again!

I met some people who were heading up, and I felt like a proper pro having bagged 2 before midday. I do know now that my early start may have prevented me from seeing views (although there was no guarantees of views later and the cloud still looked thick when I left) but I was so pleased to have got an early start. It was so nice to be the one coming down rather than the one slogging up!

I came to the fork in the path again:

...and realised where everything joins up! Maybe next time (I'll have to go up again because I'm sure the views are tremendous on a clear day!) I'll go up the other way and do Lawers first.

Car park for me!

I then met a lovely lady with the most beautiful golden retriever I've ever seen (and I can say that because Robbie is blonde not golden) and I had a lovely chat with her. She was so nice and so supportive of my efforts, after that I could not keep the smile off my face :) I nearly cried for the second time that day, but this time from joy not fear. I am a bit of an emotional wuss after all :)

I practically skipped back to the car and was chuffed to get back in under 4 hours. There had been a fair bit of chatting, but no time at the summits, and a much faster push up to Ben Lawers than I may have done. I left the car park (now pretty full) around 12.40pm, feeling exhausted but happy!

The drive back to Edinburgh was much slower with the Sunday drivers and tourists but I was still back in the Burgh by 3pm. Over eight hours but I had the rest of the day to recover! This was a lovely feeling.

The first thing I did when I got home - before I'd even showered - was something I've been meaning and wanting to do for ages but just haven't done so. I wrote my first report for Walkhighlands! It's a bit more about the walk than my emotions! I've had some lovely comments already, and given the walker spirit that I saw today, I truly grasp the closeness of this walking community. I hope to do many more reports! Especially when I get such an early start and have the rest of my day free....

You can find it here: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25255

Well, another epic Munro day and now I am shattered. But so so happy!

Next weekend may well be a Munro-free weekend but there is the matter of the West Linton Three Peaks Challenge so it may not be an entirely rest-free weekend...

*The eagled eyed amongst you may have noticed that I bagged 2 Munros last week and had 276 to go, but this week I've bagged 2 and have 273 to go - how can this be?! This week a Munro got declassified to a Corbett, meaning there are 282 Munros in Scotland. Well, that makes things a bit easier!

six - and SEVEN - down, 276 to go!

It has taken me around eight months to climb 3 Munros.

I've just done 4 in a week! FOUR!!

Buoyed by my double-bag last weekend, the lack of pain that followed, and the sense of achievement that lasted throughout the week, by the weekend I was keen to boost up a couple more.

Dave and I walked four or so miles by the Water of Leith on Saturday, a 'warm-up' for the challenge ahead. At that point, Saturday night, Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas were our intention...until the forecast seemed to get worse very quickly. Our other option was Ben Vorlich, despite the fact Dave had done it before, and Stuc A'Chroin, which he hadn't. The forecast didn't seem great either but we thought it might improve later in the day. We decided to go for it.

We left Edinburgh around 8.15am on Sunday morning, after some porridge. Still not a fan. The drive north was quick and straightforward. After a wee bathroom break in Lochearnhead, we parked on the other side of Loch Earn just before 10am. There were quite a few other cars there, and a number of walkers around.

The first part was flat. It was a good start. It didn't last long. Some handy signs helped us on our way:

Ardvorlich House

The path then began to go upwards, and layers were shed. It was pretty unforgiving - although steady, we were heading up and up. Thankfully the early efforts were rewarded, as the views at this stage were pretty stunning. Like last week, the heather was purple, and I was feeling good.

And so was Dave - for now.

Ben Vorlich was a slog, and certainly tough going. But what I liked about it was the consistency. It goes up. It just goes up. It doesn't plateau and it doesn't pretend you're almost at the top. It just goes up.

looking back towards Loch Earn

Unfortunately, what we were going up into was  - cloud.

This was no time to look for views. This was a time to grit your teeth, get your head down, and keep going up. Well, there was nowhere else to go. The terrain was tough going - very rocky. As we got higher, the winds got wilder. Soon it was blowing an absolute hoolie, and our faces hurt.

We had passed quite a few people earlier on - but now it felt like we were all alone in a cloud. All I could see ahead of me was rocks and cloud. Rocks and cloud. Cloud and rocks and wait...? Is that the summit?

"Dave! Is that the summit?!"

It came out of nowhere. Well, not nowhere, after all it had almost been two hours since we started. But I guess I got disorientated - I didn't expect it to be there. Now. What a feeling.

Munro number 6 - Ben Vorlich - conquered!!

I intended to hold up six fingers for Munro number six but the wind was just too strong - it may not look it but I was holding on for dear life!! I'm sure that metal pole was straight at one point...

Our 2nd Munro together!

This was definitely the shortest time I had ever spent on a summit. Literally, it must have been two or three minutes. Time for a drink of water, a photo, a quick look at the map, and then we were off. We swithered about heading back down; given the conditions (and lack of views), was it really worth pushing on for another summit?

We - or maybe I - decided it was. We had met two guys at the summit of Ben Vorlich (who took the photo!) who said they were heading for Stuc A'Chroin, and that it was about half an hour. Then they disappeared into the mist. Dave knew the location of Stuc A'Chroin from his previous trip up to Ben Vorlich. I had no idea where we were or which direction we were heading. Thankfully there were some very helpful metal posts marking the way.

We must have descended slightly, because all of a sudden, the cloud swept aside and there were...views. I could see where we going. And I could almost see the challenge that awaited us...

the prow of Stuc A'Chroin almost appears...

It was ominous. It was dramatic. There were 2 tiny figures in the distance. It looked hard.

We stopped for some much-needed food, and a wee energy boost. It had been tough work descending through boulders from Ben Vorlich. I knew already that this was a much more difficult challenge than Mayar and Driesh. However, at that moment, I still hadn't appreciated just how much more challenging it would get...

It initially seemed like we would climb up the rocks in the photo above. I just kept looking up thinking "How?" How on earth would we get up there? Thankfully Dave thinks far more clearly than me, and could see from the map that we had to skirt to the left slightly. We could also see fresh footsteps, so we were reassured that man had passed this way before.....although it seemed like we were lost in Middle Earth somewhere...

The next 3 photos are all the evidence I have of the 'up' part of Stuc A'Chroin - or Stuc A'Chronic Pain as it will be forever known to me as. I love these photos. They remind me of the Quiraing on Skye. It was incredibly atmospheric. But then it was just pain pain pain.

I learned lessons here. I learned that when Walk Highlands say 'experienced Munroists' they don't mean 'girls who climb 2 on one day and think they know it all'. I learned that when your instructions say 'may involve a scramble with possible use of hands' you will have to put your faith in your hands and hope that they'll get you up. Even though they are freezing. Oh well, I'd already chipped my nail varnish when I landed on my bum just after leaving Ben Vorlich :)

I cannot underestimate how difficult this part was. At one point, every rock beneath me started to slip. The rocks under my hands and feet began to slide downwards, and I began to panic. I moved with it just slightly before Dave shouted at me to stop panicking and get on with it. Not in those exact words but it was what I needed to snap out of it, and get moving before I was forcibly moved. I was scared. I didn't think it would be like this. I didn't think we'd be scrambling around on our hands and knees, sweat pouring down our faces, rocks moving beneath us.

We had to dig deep - really deep. I don't mean to sound so dramatic - but it really was so hard. Eventually eventually we made it up this awful vertical boulder field. We were not rewarded with views - not yet - and we still had a short walk to the summit.

It was spooky:

But after a long slog - a long long slog (an hour and a half not half an hour!!) - we were finally on the summit of Stuc A'Chronic Pain.

Munro number 7 - Stuc A'Chroin - conquered!!

Our 3rd Munro together!

And then - the weirdest thing I have ever seen up a Munro. Weirder than the guy in shorts in the snow on Schiehallion. Weirder than the girls who carried their bikes up Meall nan Tarmachan. Weirder than weird....SHEEP. I struggled up this bloody mountain, I get to the top, and my welcoming committee - is a bunch of sheep? Who seem to be hanging around up there, smug looks on their faces as if to say "what kept you?"

SHEEP

Unfortunately the weather was not kind to my camera so the photos are a wee bit dotted with moisture.

But then - on a day of surprises - the weather faeries heard our wishes, felt our painful stuggle, and finally rewarded us with views. Views!!

Views! Blue sky! Over there!

My first view of Ben Vorlich

It was great, but we were still hurting. We didn't spend long before beginning our descent. I certainly felt that the hardest part was over - but I was completely wrong. The hardest part of the whole day was about to come. We spent the next THREE hours going back down.

First it was gradual. Then it was extremely steep. Then it was boggy. Then it was boggier. Then Dave went up to his knees in boggyness.

We were on the side of a hill, in a bog, for what felt like - and was - hours. It was cruel - having worked sooooooooo hard to get to the top, now we were trudging, miserable, demoralised, boggy....just please let me magically be back at the car NOW.

more sheepies....then we learned that Stuc A'Chroin means 'hill of the sheep fold' - so that's why they are there...

looking back to the prow of Stuc A'Chroin

I shouldn't say much more about the descent or we will be here for a while. Suffice to say, it was agony, it was awful, it was just horrible. We were grumpy :(

We plodded down until we rejoined the ascent path of Ben Vorlich. We were heading towards the six hour mark and just wanted to get back to Loch Earn. The steep ascent that I had been grateful for on the way up was now killing me - I wanted flat and I wanted it now.

And after nearly six and a half hours, the world was flat again.

Ardvorlich House

We ate all of our food that we'd taken up the mountains but been too cold or knackered to eat there. We congratulated each other on our achievement. We tried to stick to the positives and not focus on our pain and suffering!

beautiful Loch Earn

It was a beautiful evening and a beautiful drive home.

Once home, we were in a weird state of tiredness, elation and tiredness. My last photo has to be the consequence of all that bog we trudged through:

As I always do, I learnt so much from these Munros. This was a different lesson though - a more humbling one. Stuc A'Chronic Pain became my first Munro not on Steve Fallon's Easiest Munro list, and if this is a sign of things to come then I am not ready for them. I hope I will be, but for now, I have learned that that man knows what he is talking about (he should after 283 x 14 times!) and I will try not to deviate from his list until I am ready.

My quads are telling me today that I am being punished for trying to be an experienced Munroist. I am of course feeling proud that I conquered a mountain that gave me as much trouble as it did.

I have now completed four Munros in one week. And now I will rest...