We have had some amazing weather fabulous snow decking the mountain tops, there has also been a high risk of avalanches and that has kept me off the Munros. Today looked perfect though and I set out for Binnein MOr, the last of the Mamores, near Kinlochleven. D kept Meg for me and I set off on my own. Initially I was going to park at the Mamore Lodge: then I turned a corner on their single track road to find 20 metres ahead a car parked in the road. Out jumped the back seat passenger and landed on his bum. Out jumped the front seat passenger and landed on his bum. The driver got out and just as she shouted to me “Sorry, we need to put the snow chains on” the car started rolling backwards and not a soul inside! Fortunately the steering wheel was locked at an angle and took the car back end into the side of the road before the front started to come round to face me!
Checking the startled former occupants of the car were ok, I began reversing back down the road.
So I started my mountain walk from the village. Saw only six people all day! The snow on Sgurr Eilde Beag made the ascent quite steep. The views all around once on the ridge made the effort well worth while: snow capped mountains 360 degrees, clear crisp, bright and sunny.
Even my sandwiches were frozen as I lunched on the summit of Binnein Mor.
As the ascent of Sgurr Elide Beag had been very steep I decided to try another way down – from the bealach between Binnein Mor and Na Gruachan. I could clearly see the path but as I approached the start of the path, I hesitated as it did look very steep. It also looked like someone had sledged down it! (And, as I met others sledging down slopes further along, I know someone had sledged down it. Yikes!)
While I was debating with myself if I should go down this steep bealach route, the lads I’d met earlier caught me up. “Do you think I should go down this way?” I asked. “Hmm, manageable, but you’ll have a hard time walking the snow further down. Come with us over Na Gruachan” one of them replied. So I did. And their company was a fab end to a glorious walk
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