MUNRO ADVENTURE 2015: Day 54/55 (23/24 June)
A WEE WANDER IN LOCHABER

1 Mullach nan Coirean
2 Stob Ban
3 Sgurr a’ Mhaim
4 Am Bodach
5 Stob Coire a’ Chairn
6 An Gearnach
7 Na Gruagaichean
8 Binnein Mor
9 Binnein Beag
10 Sgurr Eilde Mor
11 Stob Ban
12 Stob Choire Claurigh
13 Stob Coire Laoigh
14 Sgurr Choinnich Mor
15 Aonach Beag
16 Aonach Mor
17 Carn Mor Dearg
18 Ben Nevis

This round of hills is known as the Tranter round; it is all the 18 Munros surrounding Glen Nevis. It’s the third time I’ve done this and it’s definitely a huge hill day which requires a high level of fitness but more importantly to be very strong-minded with a ‘never give up’ attitude. When Rachel decided she wanted to do this to raise funds for Scottish Mountain Rescue, I offered my services to get her round them which also allowed me to climb them in my own Munro Adventure.

We missed the last spell of good weather due to me being in the Cairngorms so when this weather window appeared, we decided to give it a go. We met in the Achriabhach car park in Glen Nevis at 22:00 on Monday evening. The weather was to be, ‘cloud lifting off the summits mid to late morning with rain arriving early on Wednesday morning’. As we were going to be out for about 24hrs it was going to be dark while on the hill so we decided on a 08:00 start to miss the cloud and hopefully be back before the rain started.

Basically we started at 07.55, on our first summit at 09.30, at the end of the Mamore ridge at 18.15, crossed over Glen Nevis and onto Stob Ban about 21.45, we didn’t need to put on the headtorches till midnight. My biggest worry was getting up onto Aonach Beag in the dark as it’s bad enough in daylight to find the route. We didn’t need the torches on after 03:00 as it was light enough again without them. We got the most spectacular sunrise just as we approached the summit of Carn Mor Dearg with Ben Nevis glowing red.

We also got a Broken Spectre at this summit and we got the snow-covered summit of Ben Nevis to ourselves at 06:00.

The first spots of rain were felt within five minutes of leaving the summit, so we got our starting timing spot on.

A huge well done to Rachel. She found it very tough in the later stages but just kept battling along to the end to complete her task in hand; it’s amazing what your body can put up with when you put your mind to it. She’s certainly no quitter.

Today’s totals
42.16 Miles
6,210m Ascent
25hrs 15mins
167 Munros to date in our 100 day Munro round

Author: Graeme Morrison
Tranter Round Participants: Rachel Higgins, Graeme Morrison and Penny (the Wonder Dog)

A massive well done to all from the Moray Mountaineering Club. If you would like to sponsor Rachel for this worthy cause, it is not too late. You can do so here.