thirteen down, 269 to go!

I've got the bug again. The bagging-bug. I got this for the first time at the end of last summer, when I surprised myself by bagging six Munros over three weekends. Then I took a four month break!

Last weekend's adventures on Carn Dearg have completely re-ignited my Munro-bagging passion, and I hoped to follow Munro number 12 with Munro number 13 as quickly as I could.

I kept an eye on the forecast all week, but it didn't look great for either of the mountains I had in mind. I had resigned myself to the fact that I'd have to wait a wee bit longer - it was definitely worth waiting for decent weather.

Saturday brought no plans, so Dave and I made a last minute call to head out to Elie. We'd done the Elie Chain walk a few years ago; I'd never heard of it before that but what Dave doesn't know about Scotland isn't worth knowing. He led me on a merry adventure round the rocks of the East Coast, and by the end of the day we both had wet feet. What great fun! We timed the tides totally wrong - or totally right if you're a thrill-seeker. It was amazing!

This Saturday we really did time it wrong - the tide was so far out there wasn't even a hint of water-lapping around your ankles to fill you with excitement.

January 2011

January 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2013

June 2013

It is such a fun thing to do though, and highly recommended if you get the chance. We had it pretty much to ourselves, save for a few other Scots out and about. Beautiful day, a great start to the month of June.

Heading south, I happened to check the forecast for the hills again. And lo and behold - Scottish weather strikes again! The forecast had changed once again, and now it was looking BRAW.

The excitement began to build....the bug had bitten...I just had to get out there tomorrow.

I decided I'd get up early the next morning, beat the inevitable crowds, and have the rest of my Sunday free to get on with other things. I'd done this before when I headed to Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers, and the feeling of being done by the early afternoon was one I definitely wanted to repeat. I decided to go for Ben Chonzie, a straightforward Munro not too far away.

I knew it would be a struggle getting up....especially since I'd had a late night at my mum and dad's on Saturday. Heading to my bed at 20 past midnight on Sunday morning, I set my alarm (s) for the morning:

(yes I still have an alarm to remind me to torque my bus wheels...just a couple of years since I've had to use it....!)

I completely ignored the first alarm, but the second one got me up. 'It'll be worth it' really does work as an alarm title!

I knew it would be worth it. It was 6.30am and the sun was already streaming through the blinds. I knew if I left now I could be back in the early afternoon, and I knew I'd regret not going. So I got up, had a tattie scone for breakfast, and left Edinburgh at 7am.

This trip was just going to be me, myself and I. I said I wouldn't solo-bag again until I built up more experience, but I felt I'd had a few more interesting adventures since that promise, and perhaps felt a bit more confident about things. I also knew that the forecast was so good, it was very unlikely I'd get stuck in a cloud again.

I enjoyed a nice drive out to Comrie, with not much traffic on the roads. The scenery got better and better around me, and after turning left outside Braco I was into another totally new part of Scotland for me. I'd never been down this road to Comrie, and it was so nice! Leaving Comrie, I made my way to Glen Lednock, and the start of the walk to Ben Chonzie.

Yes! I was the first car there. I knew this day would come! However my euphoria was short lived - another car arrived about two minutes after me. Damn. An older chap in tweed and plus-fours got out, and looked far more serious about things than I did.

I decided to hot foot it to the top - I wanted to have the summit to myself and Mr Tweed wasn't going to spoil that!

I think I over-estimated him because of his outfit though - I never saw him again! I guess he was heading out on a different walk. However, the thought of having to share the mountain with someone else was enough to get me going.

I started out at a blistering pace, and then struggled almost immediately on the incline. I'm not a big fan of hot weather (good thing I live in Scotland!) and I was finding the sunshine tough going.

 My legs were quite sore, I was sweating a lot, and I was doubting myself. Things started to get quite steep after that...

I kept pounding away, my legs screaming for me to stop. I stopped frequently.

Then. I saw two guys on the path behind me, maybe around half an hour's walking behind me. This was the motivation I needed. I know it's not a competition, but all I needed was the thought that I wanted to be first to the top, and that kept me going. In fact I went faster than before.

Soon I reached the wee cairn where you leave the main path, and head up into the heather. I couldn't see the summit of Ben Chonzie, but thought it couldn't be far away. Then I got to the top of the heathery ridge I was climbing up...and the summit still seemed a distance away!

I picked up the fence of metal posts, and began to follow it - it would lead me all the way to the summit.

It was quite rocky, but also a grassy summit. The views were amazing! As I looked around, I saw no evidence of man around me (if you excuse the metal poles and the summit shelter). I was surrounded by mountains - I felt like I was the only person in the world. I felt elated, carefree, excited!!

I took lots of photos whilst I had the time to myself.

Looking out to Loch Turret & the Paps of Fife

Munro number 13!

getting carried away with the timer function!

I'd reached the summit at ten past ten, an hour and 40 minutes since I left the car. I'd gone quickly - and I was feeling it now! I sat in the wee stoney shelter for a while, before I got a bit chilly and decided to head for home.

I passed the two guys as I was leaving, and so they got the summit to themselves as well.

I descended the same way as I'd come up. I'm not too fussed about doing that, because for me the mindset between the ascent and the descent is totally different. I never feel like I'm repeating anything - the descent feels so different to the ascent, and on this descent I think I would have skipped if I could!

I passed a couple of people heading up as I was heading down, but not as many as I thought.

I reached my car at noon on the dot, and there were around 8 other cars there. I was completely overjoyed to have bagged Munro number 13 on my own, on a lovely day. I was also shattered!

I made it back to my flat shortly after 1.30pm, 6 and a half hours after leaving. After showering and eating, I still had a large part of my day left - but to be honest I was so tired I couldn't face blogging, doing the big shop, or cleaning anything! Dave and I made our way to West Linton for delicious food and good company, and by 9pm I was flagging rapidly.

Yesterday my hips were quite sore, and I was so tired. An early night last night helped, and I feel somewhat back to normal now, although a bit run down. Perhaps I overdid it slightly, marching up there like it was a race.

The buzz of bagging is so addictive - the sense of achievement like no other. I have so many exciting mountains to go, I can't wait to get back out there!