My Round of the Munros: ( Munroist / Compleator No. 445 )
An interesting scramble down the Long Leachas ridge of Ben
Alder
completed my round of the ( then ) 276 Munros. Some three years
previously, when the Munros Tables of the 3,000ft hills were first
encountered, I had been surprised and embarassed to find that after
some 15 years of excursions into the Scottish Highlands that I had only climbed 40 of the Munros - fewer than the number of 3000 metre peaks climbed in the European Alps. This situation was soon remedied and the Munros tackled in all weather conditions,
hail, snow, mist, high winds
and occasionally blue skies and sunshine.
The majority have been climbed
solo but I have enjoyed the pleasure of
many different companions, mostly
from the 24th Glasgow ( Bearsden )
Venture Unit ( of which I was once
leader ) and also students
from Bell College of Technology,
( where I was senior
lecturer in computer studies ). It was not all mere simple pedestrianism. ln winter months ascents and
descents of 33 Munros were made
on skis including several which
additionally required the use of ice
axe and crampons — real ski-mountaineering.
In summer several canoe trips
down inland and sea lochs ( Monar,
Mullardoch, Treig and Hourn )
gained access to some of the
remoter Munros while a bicyle was
used in the eastern Cairngorms
where the unsurfaced estate roads
are nevertheless amenable to this
mode of transport.
Rock routes were also taken when
desirable ( e.g. Curved
Ridge on Buachaille
Etive Mor, Tower
Ridge on Ben Nevis ) or unavoidable
( Inaccessible
Pinnacle in Skye )
although none are graded more
than moderate.
Only five overnight stays away
from the roadside ( i.e. pubs ) were
involved. The reputed remotest
Munro, A'Mhaighdean, was
traversed, together with its ( then ) five
neighbours in the Fisherfields region, in one day from the
Dundonnel road, albeit necessitating a six o'clock start and 15 hours
( still not as bad as the two o'clock start and 18 hours required for Monte
Rosa ).
The use of the canoe and one
bothy ( Ben Alder cottage ) avoided
ever having to backpack a tent and heavy
rucksac.
Doing the Munros ( once! ) was
well worthwhile as it entails visits
to parts of Scotland that would
otherwise be neglected.
Alan Ingram, Milngavie & Bearsden Herald, 19th August 1983
