The Great Outdoors - UK (2021-08)

skyline that runs frome Cobbler’ssouth peak roundto Cruach

nam Miseag.

A wee rest, adrink and then – another verygood reason for

heading outwith friends – it was storytime. If you’re on your

own, youcan’ttell tales ofthe mishaps and victories of previous

visits. You can’texplain that oddly positioned glacialerratic

boulder andyou can’tpass on a bit of history– somethingthese

hills arefull of.

Going solo, you don’thear questions either. Like “Is that where

we’regoing for tonight?” asyour buddy peers upat the shattered

rocks high on Beinn Narnain with a grin as wide as the corrie itself.

“Aye, that’sthe plan,”was the answer given and the words had to be

returnedwith a grin just as wide.

e sun sank into the craggy skyline as we stumbled and

scrambled up the rough ground above the Narnain Boulders

towards the bealach between the summitand Cruach namMiseag.

It’sa fantastic ascentroute as it’sconstantly varied and makes you

work, plus there’sno real track at alluntil the last few metres.

Cloud slipped in as we gained height, draining colour from

both the ground and the sky. As the windpicked up, we felt a chill

in the air for the first time thatday.

I was slow and feeling mypack weightwhen Greg popped over

the edge of a huge boulder above me. I looked up, ready to launch a

quip about his abundance ofenergy, but caught the view of summit

crags instead.Ribbonsof greycloud nowtore across them – the

wind was stronger thanwe’dbargainedfor.

“I think wemight have a weechange of plan,”I shoutedup at

the face peeringover the boulder. “atwind is pretty strong.

We’ll get tothe bealachand see what’swhat.”

I got a grin back and “All rightmate, see you there,”as he

disappeared again.

at was the ideal response. Mypal was having fun – the

weatherhad turned and he didn’tcare.

On a solo trip, I don’tknow howI’dhave felt rightthere and

then. Would I have been so cheery if I hadn’thad the company to

keep myspiritsup? I was a bit tired, I was definitely hungry, but the

banter and laughs werestill there– and I think that was fuel.

SHARING THE JOY

e final 100 metres of broken crag to the topof Beinn Narnain

were in and out of view as the cloud rushed past in waves and the

light dimmed. Welooked around, considering the possibilityof

pitching right here. I’dnever camped on this spot before. In my

mind it was toonarrow; but on the north-east side there’splenty

of space for a couple of small tents, and it’salmost completely

shielded from the wind.

“is is us; let’sget the tents up.”

Withour packs stowed safely where the wind couldn’twhip

away any of the contents, we got to making camp.

e two tents went up quickly and Greg needed next to no

directionin pegging out and guying his tent– a mix of gooddesign

and natural aptitude, I think.

By the time we’dinflated both matsand le our down

sleeping bags to lo inside the tents, it was dark enough to need

Greg was a happy man after a hot dinner

“We laughed and chatted as the^

stoves boiled, enveloping us in^

steam, and wewere soon happily^

eating hot pasta and drinking^

hot coffee^ as^ the^ night^ billowed^

harmlesslyaboveour heads.”

48 The Great OutdoorsAugust 2021