Having done several Munros, the low-level West Highland Way had no attraction for me, but the parallel route over the tops, called the Highland Highway, appealed more. Getting Debs my ever loving and tolerant wife to grant me 8 days off to do it, when we had two very small children, was something I daren’t even ask. So I sought leave for, and was granted, half that with the aim of doing the final four days from Tyndrum to Fort William which were, in any case, always going to be the most challenging.
I managed to convince Guy Lloyd, Jon Emin and Ashley Harrow to join me in what became known as Munro Madness.
I won’t bore you now with the detail, but whilst things didn’t quite go to plan, we did raise several thousand pounds for the NSPCC and Guy and I managed to traverse the Aonach Eagach ridge.
To say it was pretty scary would be like saying it was a bit windy in New Orleans on 29th August 2005. Frankly I was shitting myself at some points and both of us merely chased our food round our plates that night as the others queried what had happened to cause all colour to leave our faces. The next morning neither of us had slept well and had several “falls” during the night.
The lesson Guy and I learned was that if we are going to undertake that kind of expedition again we would hire a guide, so when we undertook The Liathach a couple of years later that is precisely what we did and whilst it was a challenge, I for one felt much safer, albeit not as confident as Guy.
Now it’s 2011 and I have long ceased waking up in a cold sweat just before hitting the bottom of Glen Coe. Whilst I just about survived the Royal Wedding this year, albeit much of it was spent in Costco Milton Keynes, the prospect of more flag waving for next years Queen’s Diamond Jubilee frankly sent ice through my veins. (I escaped the 2002 version by having a Stag Weekend in Amsterdam, which I wished I could relate some tales, but Amsterdam, being Amsterdam, it’s all just a bit of a haze!!!!) So Guy and I have decided to undertake our most ambitious expedition yet, Skye!
Guy and I have talked about an expedition to Skye many times in our years visiting Scotland since Guy’s first trip to the Highlands on 26th May 2001 when we, and several others, climbed Beinn Alligin and so this time the stars have lined up for the opportunity and we are going to take it.
Watch this space as we tell you details of the expedition, the training and the causes we are raising funds for.
