Tranter's Round

Tranter´s Round
02/04/2017
Anticlockwise, solo, unsupported. 15h 42min.

Actual schedule (more detailed in the attached image):

Summit - Split Time - Total Time - Clock Time
Glen Nevis Youth Hostel - 0:00 - 0:00 - 05:00
1 Mullach nan Coirean - 01:29 - 01:29 - 06:29
2 Stob Ban - 00:32 - 02:02 - 07:02
3 Sgurr a Mhaim - 00:49 - 02:52 - 07:52
4 Sgorr an lubhair - 00:23 - 03:15 - 08:15
5 Am Bodach - 00:17 - 03:33 - 08:33
6 Stob Coire a Chairn - 00:24 - 03:58 - 08:58
7 An Gearanach - 00:21 - 04:19 - 09:19
8 Na Gruagaichean - 00:52 - 05:11 - 10:11
9 Binnein Mor - 00:21 - 05:33 - 10:33
10 Binnein Beag - 00:37 - 06:10 - 11:10
11 Sgurr Eilde Mor - 00:53 - 07:04 - 12:04
12 Stob Ban - 01:48 - 08:53 - 13:53
13 Stob Coire Claurigh - 00:42 - 09:36 - 14:36
14 Stob Coire Laoigh - 00:39 - 10:15 - 15:15
15 Sgurr Choinnich Mor - 00:41 - 10:56 - 15:56
16 Aonach Beag - 01:14 - 12:11 - 17:11
17 Aonach Mor - 00:22 - 12:34 - 17:34
18 Carn Mor Dearg - 01:00 - 13:34 - 18:34
19 Ben Nevis - 00:57 - 14:31 - 19:31
Glen Nevis Youth Hostel - 01:10 - 15:42 - 20:42
TOTAL 15:42

On sight sections:
- From Glen Nevis Youth Hostel to Sròn Riabach (1/3 on the way up to Mullach nan Coirean, the first Munro in the Mamores).
- The descent from Binnein Mor to the lochan at the foot of Binnein Beag.
- From Sgùrr Eilde Mor (last of the Mamores) to Stob Ban (first in the Grey Corries).
-From Sgùrr Choinnich Mór to Carn Mór Dearg.

After getting up at 2:30 and driving on my own to Fort William from Inverness I set off at 5:00 a.m. from Glen Nevis Youth Hostel. Just a few hundred meters I turned to the right leaving the road to find myself fighting my way under a light drizzle in the darkness among felled trees and branches of every kind and size with no hint of a path which made lose many minutes until I finally found the forest track. When I turned to the right again to leave the forest track and start the proper climbing by a forest break more felled trees, branches and so on for several hundreds of meters. When I eventually got out of the forest daylight was already starting to grow and I could turn off my headlight. I don’t like timing myself so I only checked my time twice before the finish. The first time was in Mullach nan Coirean summit, the first Munro in the Mamores (1h 29min).

The first half of the Mamores covered in fog and occasionally very light rain, light wind but cold though. Having decided the day before the attempt I didn’t test my custom made bag arrangements to carry food and water before so I discovered then that they didn’t work: having a couple of pouches clinging and hitting my stomach wasn’t comfortable at all. Eventually, the waist strap fastener snapped so I had to knot it, rearranging everything to avoid needing to take off the bag from my back where it stayed for the whole day since then. That meant that I didn’t left my bag behind in the detours to reach some of the summits to avoid all the hassle with knots and straps. I drank and refilled my bottle in the lochan before Devil’s Ridge. Devil´s Ridge itself covered under light rain and fog. The rocks in the Mamores are slippery when wet so extra care was needed. I made three minor navigational mistakes when starting the descents from Stob Ban, Sgorr an Iubhair, and Am Bodach which again made me lose a few minutes. I started to feel light knee pain (more in the left one) in the descents that wouldn’t disappear during the whole day, getting worst towards the end.

The second half of the Mamores with clouds rising, sunny spells, wind getting slightly stronger and rising temperatures. A few soft snow patches mainly on ridges. Just before climbing Sgùrr Eilde Mor I passed the first two hill walkers I’d seen that day. I checked my time for second and last time before the finish in Sgùrr Eilde Mor summit, last of the Mamores (7h 04min). I wanted to make sure that I could reach the gully to access Aonach Beag before temperatures could drop too much in the late evening making the snow harder. Moreover, I wanted to see myself in known ground after the Aonachs (that means from Carn Mór Dearg on) in case I had to cover the last km in the dark. After that, a good descent to the river crossing where I drank and refilled my bottle before heading to Stob Ban.

From the river crossing, I avoided Meall a’ Bhùirich top going along its eastern slope while climbing towards Stob Ban in the Grey Corries. I knew I would have phone signal in Stob Ban summit so I waited until then to phone Irene briefly and let her know I was ok. In the Grey Corries longer sunny spells with summits free of clouds, much stronger winds and few areas covered with soft snow. I climbed some tops that can be avoided. In this section I passed another three hill walkers (the last people I saw) but none of them could tell me how the conditions in the Aonach Beag gully were as they had come from different routes.

Finally, I reached the point I’d been looking forward all day. The gully to Aonach Beag was full of snow but I didn’t want to climb Spinks Ridge on sight so I approached the gully to check the state of the snow as I didn’t carry winter gear (crampons, axes). Luckily, it was soft enough to let me nail down my hands and feet but hard enough to hold my weight while climbing up, preventing me from sliding to the bottom of the gully. Nearing the top of the gully the slope was steeper so I decided to move to the right, getting off the snow and climbing the last meters on a mix of wet rock, mud and grass (the grass being the only surface reliable in this point).
Aonach Beag summit was foggy, with strong winds and thick layer of harder snow with temperatures dropping quickly. Aonach Mór summit free of clouds and with less snow. On my way between these two summits I put on my thin waterproof jacket for the first time, wearing it to the finish (from the start I wore a running T-shirt, my mountain bike windstopper, football shorts and a brand new pair of Inov8 Mudclaw 300 taken out of the box the night before, which might explain the blisters in my upper feet at the end). The descent from the Aonachs towards Carn Mór Dearg very steep and hard for my knees.

Carn Mór Dearg and Arête free of clouds but with very strong winds that made me get off the main line of the ridge at some points looking for some shelter while moving. Fortunately, the rocks in the Grey Corries, CMD area, Arête and Ben Nevis have much better grip that those in the Mamores. While climbing the last part before Ben Nevis summit I made the second and last phone call to Irene to let her know where I was and to receive very appreciated words of support. Ben Nevis covered in thick fog and a deep layer of snow. Winds easing, snow disappearing, temperatures rising and visibility becoming very good after descending about one quarter from the summit. Just then I started to have some problems with my right iliotibial band along with the mentioned knee pain but I could still run my way down to the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel when the light was already fading. I arrived 15h 42min after my departure. Already in the car, changed clothes, ate something and drove home, only stopping in Fort Augustus for a much needed 25min nap!