Saturday 16 April 2011

Binnein Beag & Back Again


So, I set off late on Friday morning, and place the full blame upon Gary, the warden at Blackwater Hostel in Kinlochleven, who dragged me into the Bothan Bar at the Ice Factor and wouldn't let me out again.

Therefore, with a raging hangover, I decided to drive to Mamore Lodge to gain a bit of altitude as the way I was feeling, every foot would help.

My intention was to walk Sgurr Eilde Mor, but there was another couple at the parking area with the same intention and I didn't want them to see me struggle on the ascent, so in my ...wisdom???...I decided to let them have that and I would tackle Binnein Beag, then cross the ridge to Binnein Mor.

A quick re-programme of the Satmap Active 10 and off I set and started to burn off the previous nights lager.
Passing the wee lochans at the base of Eilde, I veered off to the North and was in dismay to see I had to drop copious hundreds of feet down to the river then ascend again to reach the first peak.

By this time, my ankle blisters from last Sunday had opened up again...but hey, I'd come this far.
Upon reaching the ridge, the wind had picked up a good bit, so it was wooly hat time and then stow the poles as it was all loose scree to the summit and not the best of climbing conditions in my fragile state.


I quickly decided, that due to the state I was in, I would just descend and follow the path back to the lochs, and if I felt ok, would veer off and climb Eilde, but this was not to be, as the cloud base had started to lower and so I headed back into Kinlochleven.  At least that's the furthest away Mamore done, and next visit, hopefully in better fettle, I can have a wee pop at my missing Mamore Munros.

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