We’ve been making lots of cakes recently and most of them get put up on our facebook page but I thought I’d thought I post a few pictures up here in case you missed them.

A gingerbread Invergarry Lodge from christmas

Loch Ness monster cupcakes

A Loch Ness monster birthday cake (although Alby thought it was a turtle??)

Matt

A cold but happy Dylan

Not much to report on the route, the standard route I’ve done before from Corriechoille near Spean Bridge, follow the track for 5 or 6 km then head up to Stob Ban, down the steep and surprising long descent to the bealach then up, up some more, keep going up, then finally after a little more up to the summit of Stob Coire Claurigh (the 14th highest mountain in Britain).

Heading northwards, initially across a narrow ridge, then some blocky ground you’ll soon reach a long grassy descent which is a joy to run down and takes you back to the car. About 11 miles in all, lovely.

Cold summit of Stob Coire Claurigh

Some of the snow was bullet hard..it gave me a chance to test out my new crampons.

Hopefully there will be a few more days out in the upcoming months before the hostel gets busy again, although I think our new baby might have something to say about that.

–Matt

P.S. I am aware the blog goes a little quiet from time to time, be sure to join us at out Facebook page to keep more up to date.

Unfortunately the blue skies did not last all day and by the time we got to the top (we didn’t set off until 11.30) the weather was beginning to come in and it was snowing heavily by the time we got back to the cars.

It must have been fairly hard going for Dylan to be sat down!

One of the locals

Great to see the hills covered in snow again and good to be out in it despite the occasional thigh deep snow drift and some very cold feet.

Matt

Not much to say about the route, just the standard route anti-clockwise as listed here (http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/spideanmialach.shtml) following good stalkers tracks up and down.

The view across loch Quoich to Gairich (left) and Sgurr na Ciche (pointy one at the back)

- surely one of the best views in Scotland?

Along the ridge from Gleouraich

Final ascent to Spidean Mialach

Things were beginning to look a bit more promising as we neared the first summit (and talk of ultra distance races died away….. gulp!). The Ben was threatening to clear but never quite managed it before we descended into cloud for the arete proper.

The arete was fairly slippy in the damp conditions but good fun as always and we only had one small canine logistic incident when Ian’s dog got a little stuck. As we came round off the arete and headed up the final slog up to the summit of Ben Nevis we broke through the cloud, dry rock and views pushed us on to a deserted summit.

Isla celebrating being the highest dog the UK

Ian’s silhouette as we start the descent.

And the view to the south as we headed down.

We had an interesting descent. Neither of us had brought head torches but we just about got away with it. We made it down and back round to the north face before things got dark, the path back down to the Leanachan forest was just runnable in the gloom (dark path, light rocks) but we had to walk most of the way through the forest as we couldn’t see – a lesson learnt.

4 hours for the round trip, pretty good going considering the slippy arete, dark descent and the 20 minutes snapping pictures on the summit.

–Matt

Two days running in the mountains with all your supplies on your back didn’t feel like a great prospect at the start line but things turned out fairly well for us on the first day. Memorable moments included seeing a poor guy go nipple deep in a freezing river whilst his partner was already 100 meters up the hill and none the wiser, Ian having to run back down a hill to pick up his map, the longest, coldest, hardest 7 km of my life between checkpoints 4 and 5, helping two lost and confused Swedish guys and some guy asking us (as we stood freezing cold, soaking wet in foggy horizontal rain struggling to use our hands) if we where happy with where we were – we knew perfectly well where we were we just weren’t particularly happy about it!

A wet and cold overnight camp was made worse by Ian having a wet sleeping mat and a very wet sleeping bag but our spirits were lifted when we found we were placed 10th overnight which was better than either of us could have hoped for.

Day two went very well for us, Ian’s navigation was spot on (as it was all weekend) and we kept up good running for most of the day, the sun even came out as we descended from the mountains for the last few checkpoints.

Sorry for lack of photos, not much to take photos of for most of the weekend and by the time the sun did come out my camera had given up ( I think it drown)…Ian also reminded me it was a race! This photo from the finish “borrowed” form the official OMM photographers – hence the watermark.

We ended up 7th fastest on the second day which moved us in to 8th place overall. A fantastic result for us which we are both very happy with. I’m also happy not to have anything in the foreseeable future to train for.

–Matt

An Ruadh Stac and Beinn Damh

“>

Beinn Damh from the summit

Across to the Torridon giants

Matt

Anyway, we do get out in the poor weather as well, it just doesn’t always make on to the blog…normally as a result of not having any good photos to show.

Local wet weather, low level options include a circuit of Loch Oich, a 10 mile loop starting at the hostel and finishing conveniently at the pub.

Loch Oich in the mizzle

In Glencoe in poor weather you could try the two laraigs, an 8 mile mid level loop around Buachaille Etive Beag among great surroundings. If anyone fancies this, we recommend a clockwise direction – a better path on the way back.

Looking down to Loch Etive

And most recently, in what turned out to be very poor conditions…horizontal rain and deep bog (Ian went in up to his waist within 5 minutes) we got the train to Corrour and ran the 15 miles (16 if you take a poor route choice through the final forest) back to Spean Bridge. I’m not sure our dog Dylan has forgiven me for taking him on this one yet.

Unfortunately it’s not all sun and blue skies in Scotland but you can always find something to do….and it makes you appreciate the good days even more!

–Matt

I would never claim to be able to run 45 mph but the facts seem to suggest I can. Lets look at the evidence.

1. Wind speeds were 45mph with gusts up to 70mph.

2. I was running downhill from the summit of Stob Choire Claurigh with the wind behind me.

3. I slowed down to help Dylan over some slippery rocks and it started raining on me.

4. Looking back it was very grey and I was about to get soaked.

5. I set off running again and was soon out of the rain and stayed dry all the way back to the car.

I’ve done a quick technical diagram to help explain.

One thing that doesn’t quite add up though – If I can run 45mph, how come it took me 3 hours to do 11 miles and two munros?

Oh, I nearly forgot the obligatory mountain photo…Stob Ban from the bothy

Sgurr nan Eugallt is a Corbett (2946m high) between Loch Hourn and Loch Quoich, basically the last hill on the left as you head down the joyous 25 mile dead end road to Kinlochhourn.

A quick little hill, only 4km form the road to the summit, I was up and down in about 2 hours 20 minutes including plenty of time to take in the views, and what views…..a fantastically placed hill.

Looking back to Loch Quoich munros

Dyls enjoying the view

Looking across Loch Hourn to the Saddle

And finally, sun rays over Sgurr na Ciche on the way home

A stalkers path zigzags up to about 650m which is pretty boggy (makes for a good descent) and then just follow the ridge up to the trig point. The true summit lies 600 m beyond the trip point so make sure you continue along the ridge for the tick…you’ll probably want to anyway for the views!

–Matt