Monday, May 29, 2006

An Gearanach Sat 27th May 06

Set off before 8 for the Ring of Steall, plus Stob Ban and Mullach Nan Coirean, 15 miles & 8000 feet, couldn't see the snow on the tops for the clouds.

Parked the car at tbe lower falls car park in Glen Nevis and set off in a minor monsoon, thankfully this stopped by the time I had jogged the 1 1/2 miles to the end of the road. Took off the rain gear and ran on up the gorge path to Steall Meadows.

Crossed the wire bridge to avoid wet feet but too much water about and ended up wading through a bog and then a river before starting on the major climb up to An Gearanach and the ridge via the zig zag path up Allt Coire Chadha Chaoruinn. As much of a slog as a mouthful with 2500' climb in 2 miles. Paused about 1/2 way up to put the 2nd thermal and rain jacket on as the wind started to bite and the monsoon had restarted.

The path steepens up in the 2nd half and ends in a scramble up loose boulders to gain the top of An Gearanach. Didn't stop at the top pretty horrible by now, scrambled down the other side towards the 2nd top of the ring, An Garbhanach, and picked my way about half way along the ridge with the rain/sleet drops now about the size of a half pint and falling?? almost vertically upwards from the glen below.

Getting cold and miserable, visibility poor and didn't look like it would get any better. Had a choice, either put on spare thermal, jacket & hat or go back. This would leave nothing spare in case of more problems and decided to be sensible & go back down the way I came.

All in 10 miles and nearly 4000' feet of climb, not as planned but that will be there for the good day it deserves. Made up for it with a Sunday morning run up the last few miles of the WHW, 9 miles and 2000'. A couple of pics in the galleria.

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