The Great Outdoors - UK (2021-08)

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

PETER’S ROUTE

Distance: 11 km / 7 miles

Ascent: 1034 m / 3400 ft

Ascent: 4 - 5 hours

(excluding time at camp)

START / FINISH:

Succoth GR: NN 294049

DIFFICULTY:Some

good paths, some

slightly exposed scrambling

sections on the approach to

Beinn Narnain’s summit and

long sections of very rough,

trackless terrain.

i

Information: The route

starts at the Succoth car

park, crosses the busy A83

and follows the zigzag path up

through the trees. Leave the

trees at 300m and follow the

path towards the Narnain

Boulders.

Before you reach the boulders,

strikeright onto open ground

towards the wide gully that

leads to the bealach between

Beinn Narnain and Cruach

nam Miseag. The terrain here

is mixed heather, grass and

overgrown boulder field and

can be hard going in places –

care should be taken. From

the bealach, a well-worn route

takes in some easy scrambling

up through rocky and steep

terrain onto Beinn Narnain’s

summit plateau.

Descend NE onto the wide
ridge towards the crags of
Creag Tharsuinn and then
on grassy slopes to the top
of A’Chrois. Descend further
into the corrie on steep grassy
ground, avoiding the crags,
and skirt the lower slopes of
Cruach nam Miseag to pick up
the old rough descent route
following the concrete blocks
directly downhill to Succoth.
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I think there are two main considerations when

planning to take someone on their first wild camp: one is

enjoyment and the other is safety. If whatever you plan to

do fulfils both of those goals, you can’t go far wrong.

Both align surprisingly closely. For instance, is your

campsite secure and comfortable? Can you get back from

it easily enough? If the answers are yes, then you should

be having a good time and be safe while you’re there.

This extends to everythingyou do out there. Cooking

by gas should be explained and demonstrated if your pal

isn’t used to using similar equipment, because burns and

scalds far from home are no laughing matter. Clothing

choice is important, as is a first aid kit. Will your friend get

blisters? Are they allergic to insect bites or certain foods?

There’s lots of questions to ask before you go.

Perhaps most importantly of all, you might only have

one chance to show someone just how wonderful it is

spending the night in the hills. It’s your responsibility

not to screw that up! Don’t push your friend too hard, be

patient and understanding, and if you have to stop short

or turn back then do it with a smile. There will be other

times, but they might not want to try again if it goes badly.

The bottom line is: make it fun for you both.

headtorches. So it was under torchlight we set up outcamp kitchen nearby

in a sunken corner surrounded by tallrocks out of the wind.

Welaughedand chatted as the stoves boiled, enveloping us in steam,

and we weresoon happily eating hot pasta and drinking hotcoffee as the

night billowedharmlessly above our heads.

I realisedthat Greg hadn’treally needed me as such. Sure, I helped with

gear and route finding[ but his first ever night in a tent was nearly at the top

of a Munro in high winds and near-zero visibility and he wasn’tfazed at all.

In fact, he was clearly enjoying himself and feeling quite at home.

I’ve always felt thatsitting in a tenton a topis as natural to me as sitting

at home daydreaming over a cuppa, and to witness that natural affinity

being found was quite affecting.

Wewoke up early in thickcloud and, aer a hot breakfast, we broke

camp and headed into the rocks hoping to find the sun.

Wedidn’t– but didn’tmatter one little bit. As we walked out and down

on one ofmy favourite Arrochar routes, we chatted about life, the universe

and everything, butalso about whatwe were going to do next and about

what gear Greg could get to dothis by himself. I think he had got the bug.

Withaccrued miles and experiences, us backpackers and hillwalkersget

ever closer into the detail of what we like and whatwe need so we focus in

on our goals and our methods. But maybe another use of that knowledge

and experience is to turn itoutwards if we can, because I saw the familiar

throughnew eyes and I was all the better for it.

Greg now has first-hand knowledge and experience, and it’sgiven him

the desire to find more ofthe same.

So,take to the hills with a friend. Sharethe knowledge and thejoy:

pass it on.

Planning^ a^ first^ wild^ camp^

with a friend^

Wild camping

August 2021 The Great Outdoors 49