Tuesday 30 August 2011
Sgurr a' Mhaim
Day 29 - A well earned McDonalds for the team!
Monday 29th August
Well rested after a good 8 hour sleep in the Kinlochleven AT centre and with a hearty full English/Scottish breakfast in their tummies, Tom and Alex set off at 0725 on their trusty road bikes.
The support team and navigators are trying very hard to change the route and timings so that the team are able to make up the time they lost by not being able to do the Aonach Eagach ridge on Sunday. They should hopefully be able to make up for it by the end of the week. They completed the ridge in record time yesterday due to some better weather conditions than expected. Stu and Becky are to be thanked for finding a good track up onto the ridge which saved them a lot of time. In fact they ended up being an hour ahead of schedule! The time managed to whizz by as Henry got them all into a big political debate about the educational system! Both Alex and Tom stopped off at the bike drop off at 1400 to refuel with snacks and water.
On they went; more miles and another 2 Munros which were climbed with support team members, Tom, Henry and James. Very boggy routes up and down but they managed to avoid the rain and even enjoyed a brief spell of sun at the top. Back down the hill on Mountain bikes which is always good fun...less fun for the support team who have to cycle them uphill! All the way back Tom and Alex were dreaming of the proposed stop at McDonalds in Fort William! They have been talking about this little detour for weeks so it was very lucky that they had time to do it! It was pretty amusing watching Alex cycle off with a McDonalds in one hand and trying to steer with the other!
Meanwhile the rest of the support team 'moved in' to the nights stop, the Youth Hostel in Fort William - luxury. Beds had to be made, clean clothes sorted and Sarah and Char cooked a hearty Irish Stew for supper. Ceri has got stuck into support team duties and very kindly offered to take 4 very large bags of washing to the laundrette, which certianly kept him occupied!
Alex and Tom arrived at the Youth Hostel nearly 2 hours ahead of schedule which is a record! It was time for showers and a very early nights sleep to prepare for the many wild camps and very long days over the next few weeks. As eyes started to droop over pudding the team were whisked away to bed for a very early night! Meanwhile the support team managed to completely take over the Youth Hostel dinning room by pouring over maps and making plans for the next few days.
The Munros climbed today were all dedicated to The Rifles. Meall Dearg was dedicated to Rifleman Jamie Gunn and very kindly sponsored by Alastair Rellie and Lucasta Cummings who left the the message "With great respect, affection and gratitude to the Rifles." Sgorr na Fiannaidh was dedicated to Rifleman Adrian Sheldon and Sgorr Dhearg (Beinn a' Bheithir) was dedicated to Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher.
The team are just passing the Commando Memorial near Spean Bridge. This photograph was taken when the team visited it a few months ago.
Well rested after a good 8 hour sleep in the Kinlochleven AT centre and with a hearty full English/Scottish breakfast in their tummies, Tom and Alex set off at 0725 on their trusty road bikes.
The support team and navigators are trying very hard to change the route and timings so that the team are able to make up the time they lost by not being able to do the Aonach Eagach ridge on Sunday. They should hopefully be able to make up for it by the end of the week. They completed the ridge in record time yesterday due to some better weather conditions than expected. Stu and Becky are to be thanked for finding a good track up onto the ridge which saved them a lot of time. In fact they ended up being an hour ahead of schedule! The time managed to whizz by as Henry got them all into a big political debate about the educational system! Both Alex and Tom stopped off at the bike drop off at 1400 to refuel with snacks and water.
On they went; more miles and another 2 Munros which were climbed with support team members, Tom, Henry and James. Very boggy routes up and down but they managed to avoid the rain and even enjoyed a brief spell of sun at the top. Back down the hill on Mountain bikes which is always good fun...less fun for the support team who have to cycle them uphill! All the way back Tom and Alex were dreaming of the proposed stop at McDonalds in Fort William! They have been talking about this little detour for weeks so it was very lucky that they had time to do it! It was pretty amusing watching Alex cycle off with a McDonalds in one hand and trying to steer with the other!
Meanwhile the rest of the support team 'moved in' to the nights stop, the Youth Hostel in Fort William - luxury. Beds had to be made, clean clothes sorted and Sarah and Char cooked a hearty Irish Stew for supper. Ceri has got stuck into support team duties and very kindly offered to take 4 very large bags of washing to the laundrette, which certianly kept him occupied!
Alex and Tom arrived at the Youth Hostel nearly 2 hours ahead of schedule which is a record! It was time for showers and a very early nights sleep to prepare for the many wild camps and very long days over the next few weeks. As eyes started to droop over pudding the team were whisked away to bed for a very early night! Meanwhile the support team managed to completely take over the Youth Hostel dinning room by pouring over maps and making plans for the next few days.
The Munros climbed today were all dedicated to The Rifles. Meall Dearg was dedicated to Rifleman Jamie Gunn and very kindly sponsored by Alastair Rellie and Lucasta Cummings who left the the message "With great respect, affection and gratitude to the Rifles." Sgorr na Fiannaidh was dedicated to Rifleman Adrian Sheldon and Sgorr Dhearg (Beinn a' Bheithir) was dedicated to Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher.
The team are just passing the Commando Memorial near Spean Bridge. This photograph was taken when the team visited it a few months ago.
Monday 29 August 2011
Day 28 - A wet and windy start
Sunday 28th August
The team were up at 0355 this morning and out on their bikes at 0500 for a very wet and windy cycle in the dark from the campsite at the Kingshouse Hotel, to the Glencoe Ski Centre. They were met by DecAid co-founder Rupert Laing, his sister Becky and friend Charles who had come all the way from Forres that morning, leaving at 0200! The team were delighted to also be joined by the Laing's spaniel Bumble. She looked less than impressed as she was pulled from her basket in the car and attached to her lead in the pouring rain, but I'm afraid the team had little sympathy for her! Rupert, Becky and Charles expertly navigated the team over Meall a Bhuiridh and Criese, two Munros which are very popular with mountain bikers in the summer, before heading back down to the road to meet the support team. Meall a Bhuiridh was dedicated to Sergeant Christopher John Reed of The Rifles.
The support team sent Alex, Ceri and Tom off on their road bikes along the A82 before collecting them back again a short way down the very exposed and windy road. Following behind them in the 4x4 it was clear that most of the teams energy was being used to stay upright as they battled against the elements! After refuelling with food and water the support team sent them on their way up Stob na Broige and Stob Dearg which was a particularly blustery walk, especially for poor Bumble! Both of the Munros were dedicated to The Rifles. Once at the top of the final Munro Rupert took himself off on a recce to see whether there was a shorter route back down to the road. After clambering down 100m of rock face and ripping his trousers in the process he decided to return to the team who were sensibly making their way down the well trodden footpath back to the road!
The team have now climbed nearly 160 Munros in just 28 days. Unfortunately Ceri announced yesterday that he has decided to temporarily join the support team. He has been suffering from an extremely painful back and his feet have been causing him a lot of problems recently. But he hopes to join the team again very soon once he has recovered.
If you are following the SPOT tracker then you will have noticed that the team have changed their routes quite a bit over the last few days. The Aonach Eagach Ridge can be particularly treacherous when it is very windy so the team decided to do it today instead which has temporarily pushed back timings. However, they are hoping to make up the lost time over the course of the week. If you are hoping to come and join the team then please e-mail decaidmunromission@live.co.uk if you would like us to confirm summit times for any of the Munros.
End of day 28 - 158 Munros climbed.
The team were up at 0355 this morning and out on their bikes at 0500 for a very wet and windy cycle in the dark from the campsite at the Kingshouse Hotel, to the Glencoe Ski Centre. They were met by DecAid co-founder Rupert Laing, his sister Becky and friend Charles who had come all the way from Forres that morning, leaving at 0200! The team were delighted to also be joined by the Laing's spaniel Bumble. She looked less than impressed as she was pulled from her basket in the car and attached to her lead in the pouring rain, but I'm afraid the team had little sympathy for her! Rupert, Becky and Charles expertly navigated the team over Meall a Bhuiridh and Criese, two Munros which are very popular with mountain bikers in the summer, before heading back down to the road to meet the support team. Meall a Bhuiridh was dedicated to Sergeant Christopher John Reed of The Rifles.
The support team sent Alex, Ceri and Tom off on their road bikes along the A82 before collecting them back again a short way down the very exposed and windy road. Following behind them in the 4x4 it was clear that most of the teams energy was being used to stay upright as they battled against the elements! After refuelling with food and water the support team sent them on their way up Stob na Broige and Stob Dearg which was a particularly blustery walk, especially for poor Bumble! Both of the Munros were dedicated to The Rifles. Once at the top of the final Munro Rupert took himself off on a recce to see whether there was a shorter route back down to the road. After clambering down 100m of rock face and ripping his trousers in the process he decided to return to the team who were sensibly making their way down the well trodden footpath back to the road!
The team have now climbed nearly 160 Munros in just 28 days. Unfortunately Ceri announced yesterday that he has decided to temporarily join the support team. He has been suffering from an extremely painful back and his feet have been causing him a lot of problems recently. But he hopes to join the team again very soon once he has recovered.
If you are following the SPOT tracker then you will have noticed that the team have changed their routes quite a bit over the last few days. The Aonach Eagach Ridge can be particularly treacherous when it is very windy so the team decided to do it today instead which has temporarily pushed back timings. However, they are hoping to make up the lost time over the course of the week. If you are hoping to come and join the team then please e-mail decaidmunromission@live.co.uk if you would like us to confirm summit times for any of the Munros.
End of day 28 - 158 Munros climbed.
Sunday 28 August 2011
Day 27 – Another toughie....
Saturday 27th August
Yesterday evening saw the team make a change of plan. They decided to call it a day when they passed their camp at about 2130 instead of continuing on to do the final Munro of the day, Ben Starav, which would have seen them get into bed at 0130. Instead they arose at 0330 this morning and started walking at 0400 after a quick snack. They returned for breakfast before going on to today's Munros. Beinn Fhionnlaidh (Glen Etive) was dedicated to Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton and Sgor na H-ulaidh was dedicated to Bombardier Samuel Robinson and Lance Bombardier Mark Chandler, all from The Royal Artillery. Bidean nam Bian was dedicated to Captain Alex Eida from the Royal Horse Artillery. They also climbed Stob Coire Sgreamhach and all the Munros climbed today are all part of a particularly stunning section of the route and involve walking down a beautiful valley featured in the Munro Mission video on you tube.
Once the climbers were off, the support team had to head back up the boggy hill that the climbers had spent the night on, to collapse their tents and bring all their kit down. With such late nights and early mornings it has become a priority to make sure the support team are well rested to ensure they are on top form for when the team are back down at camp. They are therefore taking every possible opportunity to catch some shuteye. It has also been very wet here for the past 48 hours so they are on standby for another trip to the laundrette in Fort William (the only one for miles around!) when the team return. On Friday poor Charlotte got left at the laundrette all afternoon as the team ran out of vehicles to pick her up. The support team all felt very sorry for her until they found out that the owner of the laundrette had taken pity on her and given her a bath and taken her out for tea. She also mentioned a trip to the pub so she soon lost their sympathy!
Today was particularly long but considerably shorter after some expert rearranging by support team member Stu Buchan. He suggested the team didn't use mountain bikes for one particular part as it meant they would spend a lot of time losing and then regaining height. Instead he managed to find an alternative route which kept them as high as possible and cut numerous hours off the day. Stu navigated them to a rendezvous point at the foot of the last 2 Munros, Stob Dubh (Buchaile Etive Beag) and Stob Coire Raineach, where he handed over to Lucy at 2020. After a quick break to change socks, powder feet and eat some food, Tom, Ceri and Alex were ready to crack the final leg of the day.
The team were glad to have a good footpath up to the saddle in between the final 2 of the day which were done in the dark. The winds really started to pick up and by the time they reached the summit it really was quite blustery. The team could see the end of a very, very long day in sight and managed to get back down to the road in 3 hrs which was very good. They then met up with Stu and Becky who administered the change onto roadbikes. Becky set off with them for the 8km cycle into the camping spot at the Kingshouse Hotel however she got a puncture about 1 km from the tent and had to push her bike the rest of the way. Back at camp Sarah had a very warming bacon risotto waiting for everyone which was much appreciated. The team ate their supper in their sleeping bags and were asleep by 0100. However they were up at 0400 the next morning for another very long day....The team are doing very well but are looking forward to a decent night’s sleep!
End of day 27 - 154 Munros climbed
Yesterday evening saw the team make a change of plan. They decided to call it a day when they passed their camp at about 2130 instead of continuing on to do the final Munro of the day, Ben Starav, which would have seen them get into bed at 0130. Instead they arose at 0330 this morning and started walking at 0400 after a quick snack. They returned for breakfast before going on to today's Munros. Beinn Fhionnlaidh (Glen Etive) was dedicated to Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton and Sgor na H-ulaidh was dedicated to Bombardier Samuel Robinson and Lance Bombardier Mark Chandler, all from The Royal Artillery. Bidean nam Bian was dedicated to Captain Alex Eida from the Royal Horse Artillery. They also climbed Stob Coire Sgreamhach and all the Munros climbed today are all part of a particularly stunning section of the route and involve walking down a beautiful valley featured in the Munro Mission video on you tube.
Once the climbers were off, the support team had to head back up the boggy hill that the climbers had spent the night on, to collapse their tents and bring all their kit down. With such late nights and early mornings it has become a priority to make sure the support team are well rested to ensure they are on top form for when the team are back down at camp. They are therefore taking every possible opportunity to catch some shuteye. It has also been very wet here for the past 48 hours so they are on standby for another trip to the laundrette in Fort William (the only one for miles around!) when the team return. On Friday poor Charlotte got left at the laundrette all afternoon as the team ran out of vehicles to pick her up. The support team all felt very sorry for her until they found out that the owner of the laundrette had taken pity on her and given her a bath and taken her out for tea. She also mentioned a trip to the pub so she soon lost their sympathy!
Today was particularly long but considerably shorter after some expert rearranging by support team member Stu Buchan. He suggested the team didn't use mountain bikes for one particular part as it meant they would spend a lot of time losing and then regaining height. Instead he managed to find an alternative route which kept them as high as possible and cut numerous hours off the day. Stu navigated them to a rendezvous point at the foot of the last 2 Munros, Stob Dubh (Buchaile Etive Beag) and Stob Coire Raineach, where he handed over to Lucy at 2020. After a quick break to change socks, powder feet and eat some food, Tom, Ceri and Alex were ready to crack the final leg of the day.
The team were glad to have a good footpath up to the saddle in between the final 2 of the day which were done in the dark. The winds really started to pick up and by the time they reached the summit it really was quite blustery. The team could see the end of a very, very long day in sight and managed to get back down to the road in 3 hrs which was very good. They then met up with Stu and Becky who administered the change onto roadbikes. Becky set off with them for the 8km cycle into the camping spot at the Kingshouse Hotel however she got a puncture about 1 km from the tent and had to push her bike the rest of the way. Back at camp Sarah had a very warming bacon risotto waiting for everyone which was much appreciated. The team ate their supper in their sleeping bags and were asleep by 0100. However they were up at 0400 the next morning for another very long day....The team are doing very well but are looking forward to a decent night’s sleep!
End of day 27 - 154 Munros climbed
Saturday 27 August 2011
Day 26 – A tough one...
Friday 26th August
This morning a very tired team were awoken at 0600 and practically forcefed their breakfast in order to wake them up. All three of them felt very sleep deprived as they only manage to get about 4 hours sleep. Sarah and Lewis on the other hand didn't make it to bed. They were up fixing bikes, making sandwiches and sorting out other important things for the busy day ahead. Thankfully both of them managed to catch up on sleep later in the day.
New support team member Stu Buchan took the team up the Munros today which were very boggy, and although the views were absolutely stunning, the team were really feeling the lack of sleep as tiredness truly kicked in. Glencoe is the team’s favourite area and they have been looking forward to it the most. It was a glorious morning and the scenery looked fantastic.
Today was always going to be a long day and by about 1900, the team had already climbed 6 Munros, all dedicated to The Royal Artillery. Meall Non Eun and Stob Coir an Albannich were the first two, with Stob Coir an Albannich dedicated to WO2 Michael Smith of The Royal Artillery. They were delighted to meet the McIlroys who represented the Highland Gunners and climbed today's 3rd Munro, Glas Bheinn Mhor, In memory of Sergeant David Wilkinson. Glas Bheinn Mhor was kindly sponsored by Rachel Wilkinson with the message "A million years from now my heart will ever hold you."
The team also climbed Beinn nan Aighenan, Ben Starav and Beinn Sgulaird. The team added Beinn Sgulaird (dedicated to Bombardier Craig Hopson) to today's route which was initially going to be climbed the next morning. We apologise for the confusion that these last minute changes in plan have on people following the team on their online route maps and trackplotter. However in situations like these, the climbers have to make sure that they are changing routes to accomodate how they are feeling at the time. These days are getting so long that if cutting a bit of time off one day makes all the difference. Unfortunately though, due to the last minute change in timings, the team were very sad to miss the Sawyers who had come up from 2 9 commando Plymouth to climb Ben Starav in honour of Captain Tom Sawyer in black tie!
After all of this the team met at an RV point to collect the roadbikes just before 1900, a little later than expected. They cycled to a small car park where they were given bowlfulls of chorizo pasta and three helpings of pudding! They sat in the van for an hour whilst the support team refueled their camelbacks with water, crammed as much food into their daysacks as possible and tended to their feet which are looking very much like prunes! Ceri is starting to have back troubles but it only seems to be a problem when he stops and sits down. The balls of his feet are still fairly numb but no one can fault his morale which considering his nasty bike incident yesterday is remarkable.
Alex is as usual very jolly and always meets the support team after a long day with jokes and banter.
Tom is in very good spirits and doing exceptionally well during these very tough days. He still absolutely loves the cycling part!
The support team sent them on their way at 2000 up a very steep and boggy hill which didn't have much in the way of a path. The support team had been up there earlier in the day to set up two tents with all the kit the team would need for a nights stay. It took about an hour and a half to get to the beautiful spot which was high up overlooking two lakes. Sadly it was too late and dark for the team to see the views when they got in. The support team left Becky up there so that she could cook them supper (number 2!) and check that they were all ok. Tom Elliot took the climbers up the very boggy hill (by now a well rehearsed route). They were due to get back to the camp at about 2300 but we have yet to catch up with Tom E to find out how they got on.
The team have got another couple of very tough days ahead of them before things become a little easier. It is amazing how much confidence they all have in each other. It was definitely a bonus to have had a really tough week (week 1) as it has given them a lot of confidence that they can do it again.
Over the last few days we have all been so touched by the incredible generosity of the local people. On Thursday the team were interviewed by Alan Thomson from STV. He very kindly managed to get us a night in the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. We are also grateful to Nadia and Duncan who were so generous in giving us all a bed for the night for free and for looking after us all so well. The use of a drying room has become sheer luxury as has a kitchen in which to eat breakfast away from the midges. We also owe a massive thank you to Mr and Mrs Lawrie who have let us camp on their grass verge for 2 nights now. With such wet weather we couldn't be more grateful for the use of a loo and hotwater! The cup of tea and KitKat went down very well too!
End of day 26 - 148 Munros climbed
This morning a very tired team were awoken at 0600 and practically forcefed their breakfast in order to wake them up. All three of them felt very sleep deprived as they only manage to get about 4 hours sleep. Sarah and Lewis on the other hand didn't make it to bed. They were up fixing bikes, making sandwiches and sorting out other important things for the busy day ahead. Thankfully both of them managed to catch up on sleep later in the day.
New support team member Stu Buchan took the team up the Munros today which were very boggy, and although the views were absolutely stunning, the team were really feeling the lack of sleep as tiredness truly kicked in. Glencoe is the team’s favourite area and they have been looking forward to it the most. It was a glorious morning and the scenery looked fantastic.
Today was always going to be a long day and by about 1900, the team had already climbed 6 Munros, all dedicated to The Royal Artillery. Meall Non Eun and Stob Coir an Albannich were the first two, with Stob Coir an Albannich dedicated to WO2 Michael Smith of The Royal Artillery. They were delighted to meet the McIlroys who represented the Highland Gunners and climbed today's 3rd Munro, Glas Bheinn Mhor, In memory of Sergeant David Wilkinson. Glas Bheinn Mhor was kindly sponsored by Rachel Wilkinson with the message "A million years from now my heart will ever hold you."
The team also climbed Beinn nan Aighenan, Ben Starav and Beinn Sgulaird. The team added Beinn Sgulaird (dedicated to Bombardier Craig Hopson) to today's route which was initially going to be climbed the next morning. We apologise for the confusion that these last minute changes in plan have on people following the team on their online route maps and trackplotter. However in situations like these, the climbers have to make sure that they are changing routes to accomodate how they are feeling at the time. These days are getting so long that if cutting a bit of time off one day makes all the difference. Unfortunately though, due to the last minute change in timings, the team were very sad to miss the Sawyers who had come up from 2 9 commando Plymouth to climb Ben Starav in honour of Captain Tom Sawyer in black tie!
After all of this the team met at an RV point to collect the roadbikes just before 1900, a little later than expected. They cycled to a small car park where they were given bowlfulls of chorizo pasta and three helpings of pudding! They sat in the van for an hour whilst the support team refueled their camelbacks with water, crammed as much food into their daysacks as possible and tended to their feet which are looking very much like prunes! Ceri is starting to have back troubles but it only seems to be a problem when he stops and sits down. The balls of his feet are still fairly numb but no one can fault his morale which considering his nasty bike incident yesterday is remarkable.
Tom is in very good spirits and doing exceptionally well during these very tough days. He still absolutely loves the cycling part!
The team have got another couple of very tough days ahead of them before things become a little easier. It is amazing how much confidence they all have in each other. It was definitely a bonus to have had a really tough week (week 1) as it has given them a lot of confidence that they can do it again.
Over the last few days we have all been so touched by the incredible generosity of the local people. On Thursday the team were interviewed by Alan Thomson from STV. He very kindly managed to get us a night in the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. We are also grateful to Nadia and Duncan who were so generous in giving us all a bed for the night for free and for looking after us all so well. The use of a drying room has become sheer luxury as has a kitchen in which to eat breakfast away from the midges. We also owe a massive thank you to Mr and Mrs Lawrie who have let us camp on their grass verge for 2 nights now. With such wet weather we couldn't be more grateful for the use of a loo and hotwater! The cup of tea and KitKat went down very well too!
End of day 26 - 148 Munros climbed
Friday 26 August 2011
Day 25 – The team make it to the halfway mark!
Thursday 25th August
Today marked the halfway point in the Munro Mission, and what a day it was to mark this point. After a lovely night in The Bridge of Orchy Hotel, the team had a quick breakfast and the last shower for what may be some time. They were out of the hotel (see below) by 0600, with their wet kit all dry thanks to the drying room facilities. A massive thankyou goes to all at the hotel for their generosity and letting the team stay the night. It was hugely appreciated by everyone.
Today the team met DecAid patron Simon Hollington and Alan Thomson from STV. After the attempted filming session in the torrential rain last night, Alan kindly decided to come and meet the team this morning for some action shots on the hill and a few interviews with Tom, Alex, Ceri and Simon.
After about 45mins of posing and interviews the team were on their way. Simon Hollington met the team ready to climb the first 2 munros of the day, Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh. The first Munro, Beinn Dorain, was sponsored by Simon and Anne as it was dedicated to their nephew Royal Marine Richard Hollington who lost his life from injuries sustained in Afghanistan last year. It was an absolutely stunning day. Blue skies and the warmth of the sun really helped to lift everyone’s spirits especially as it was a bit colder this morning! The team are certainly starting to feel the temperature difference as they approach September and head further North. The photo below shows Simon and the team on the summit of Beinn Dorain (Munro number 136) at 0855 today.
The climbers had a really good day; spirits were high and they were extremely pleased to meet Ed Parker (founder of walking with the wounded) and his daughter Kitty on the hills. This photo below shows then on the bealach between Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh at 0945 today.
The team went on to climb Beinn Mhanach which was dedicated to Corporal Danny Winter and Beinn a'Chreachainh dedicated to Lieutenant John Thornton, both of The Royal Marines. Earlier on in the day Tom had worked out that at exactly 1524 the team would be exactly half way through the Munro Mission! 24 days and 6 hours in....The photo below shows the exact moment as measured by their Nitewatches!
The team were walking until 1600 when they picked up bikes for a quick 45minute cycle down a beautiful track to the road bike stop. There were a fair few river crossings to negotiate on their way down and not all of them went smoothly. It was especially treacherous for Becky who flew off her bike into one such river, getting more than a little damp! But the day didn't finish there for the Munro Mission team...
With a new DecAid member joining the support team, the boys out on hill, a fresh attitude and raring to go, spirits were high as the climbers set off for the later part of the day. The team changed their initial route for the evening, adding the first 2 from tomorrow’s route on to the end of today as they were concerned about the length of the days. This included Stob Ghabhar, dedicate to Lance Bombardier James Dwyer of the Royal Artillery, kindly sponsored by climber Ceri and his wife Jo. There were some more challenging routes to overcome this evening and they proved to put the team to the test at the end of a long and tough day in the Scottish highlands. However, they all arrived safely at their final bike stop to pick up the road bikes and enjoy a steady ride into camp. Ceri unfortunately suffered a rather scary crash bursting a tyre and finding himself buried in undergrowth. Still in one piece though, if a little shocked and stiff as a result of the crash, it was a relief to find camp where there were dry clothes, warm food and a bed waiting for them all. The team were allowed to camp outside a very kind gentleman’s house and use his outdoor facilities (including a toilet and hot water!!). The Munro Mission team are constantly amazed at the generosity shown by the locals and the positive reception DecAid receives. Being able to camp in private grounds and make use of facilities and hot water makes such a difference to everyone involved. At the end of the arduous day, not finishing until 0130, it was quick to bed ready for an early rise the next morning.
End of day 25 - 142 Munros climbed.
Today marked the halfway point in the Munro Mission, and what a day it was to mark this point. After a lovely night in The Bridge of Orchy Hotel, the team had a quick breakfast and the last shower for what may be some time. They were out of the hotel (see below) by 0600, with their wet kit all dry thanks to the drying room facilities. A massive thankyou goes to all at the hotel for their generosity and letting the team stay the night. It was hugely appreciated by everyone.
Today the team met DecAid patron Simon Hollington and Alan Thomson from STV. After the attempted filming session in the torrential rain last night, Alan kindly decided to come and meet the team this morning for some action shots on the hill and a few interviews with Tom, Alex, Ceri and Simon.
After about 45mins of posing and interviews the team were on their way. Simon Hollington met the team ready to climb the first 2 munros of the day, Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh. The first Munro, Beinn Dorain, was sponsored by Simon and Anne as it was dedicated to their nephew Royal Marine Richard Hollington who lost his life from injuries sustained in Afghanistan last year. It was an absolutely stunning day. Blue skies and the warmth of the sun really helped to lift everyone’s spirits especially as it was a bit colder this morning! The team are certainly starting to feel the temperature difference as they approach September and head further North. The photo below shows Simon and the team on the summit of Beinn Dorain (Munro number 136) at 0855 today.
The team were walking until 1600 when they picked up bikes for a quick 45minute cycle down a beautiful track to the road bike stop. There were a fair few river crossings to negotiate on their way down and not all of them went smoothly. It was especially treacherous for Becky who flew off her bike into one such river, getting more than a little damp! But the day didn't finish there for the Munro Mission team...
With a new DecAid member joining the support team, the boys out on hill, a fresh attitude and raring to go, spirits were high as the climbers set off for the later part of the day. The team changed their initial route for the evening, adding the first 2 from tomorrow’s route on to the end of today as they were concerned about the length of the days. This included Stob Ghabhar, dedicate to Lance Bombardier James Dwyer of the Royal Artillery, kindly sponsored by climber Ceri and his wife Jo. There were some more challenging routes to overcome this evening and they proved to put the team to the test at the end of a long and tough day in the Scottish highlands. However, they all arrived safely at their final bike stop to pick up the road bikes and enjoy a steady ride into camp. Ceri unfortunately suffered a rather scary crash bursting a tyre and finding himself buried in undergrowth. Still in one piece though, if a little shocked and stiff as a result of the crash, it was a relief to find camp where there were dry clothes, warm food and a bed waiting for them all. The team were allowed to camp outside a very kind gentleman’s house and use his outdoor facilities (including a toilet and hot water!!). The Munro Mission team are constantly amazed at the generosity shown by the locals and the positive reception DecAid receives. Being able to camp in private grounds and make use of facilities and hot water makes such a difference to everyone involved. At the end of the arduous day, not finishing until 0130, it was quick to bed ready for an early rise the next morning.
End of day 25 - 142 Munros climbed.
Thursday 25 August 2011
Day 24 - The team bag a hotel room for the night!
Wednesday 24th August.
This morning the team were up and out by 0700 and the day started with a road bike to a power station (with a visitor centre!). Once there they then had a steep ascent to a dam which had to be mounted by ladder. The first Munro of the day was Ben Cruachan, which was very kindly sponsored by Claire Neilson. All of the Munros the team climbed today were dedicated to The Royal Marines. This was completed on time, with stunning views of mist and more mist. The climbers then continued to walk along the ridge top which was intermittently broken up by some nice scrambling to the top of the second Munro, Stob Daimh, which was sponsored by Colonel A.K Miller. The drop off the top of Stob Daimh was very boring and led them to the bottom of the valley. As the team dropped down they had an ominous view up through the grey swirling mist toward the dark defined profile of Munro number 3.
Beinn a'Chochuill, and the fourth Munro of the day Beinn Eunaich, were sponsored by seafreedomkayak. It was Tony from seafreedomkayak who very kindly joined the climbers for their crossing of the sound of Mull on the 1st day of the Mission. Upon summiting Beinn a'Chochuill, there was little to be seen except more mist. However on route to Beinn Eunaich, the team had to walk along a wide, winding, windswept ridge (try saying that one fast!) On this ridge they met a lovely couple who were very interested in DecAid, and promised to donate, so thankyou!
On the summit of Beinn Eunaich the team were lucky enough to have clear blue skies and great views (only joking, more mist) before hopping onto mountain bikes. The mountain bikes were exchanged for road bikes and the team had a 30 KM bike ride to the Bridge of Orchy. This ride felt especially nippy due to the presence of an STV camera crew! Upon arrival at their destination, The Bridge of Orchy hotel, the team discovered that they were allowed to stay a night in the hotel for free which was absolutely fantastic! They couldn’t quite believe their luck and tucked into a delicious dinner at around 2000. So despite what was quite a dull day up on the hill, the team went to bed with smiles on their faces!
Below is a glimpse of the Glencoe area which the team will be approaching on Friday. Despite it being very mountainous and steep, they are very excited as its beauty and fantastic walking makes it their favourite place. Becky and Tom Elliott were doing a recce today so that they are well prepared for the tough long days to come.
But before then the team will reach the halfway point in the Munro Mission so watch this space!
End of day 24 - 135 Munros climbed.
This morning the team were up and out by 0700 and the day started with a road bike to a power station (with a visitor centre!). Once there they then had a steep ascent to a dam which had to be mounted by ladder. The first Munro of the day was Ben Cruachan, which was very kindly sponsored by Claire Neilson. All of the Munros the team climbed today were dedicated to The Royal Marines. This was completed on time, with stunning views of mist and more mist. The climbers then continued to walk along the ridge top which was intermittently broken up by some nice scrambling to the top of the second Munro, Stob Daimh, which was sponsored by Colonel A.K Miller. The drop off the top of Stob Daimh was very boring and led them to the bottom of the valley. As the team dropped down they had an ominous view up through the grey swirling mist toward the dark defined profile of Munro number 3.
Beinn a'Chochuill, and the fourth Munro of the day Beinn Eunaich, were sponsored by seafreedomkayak. It was Tony from seafreedomkayak who very kindly joined the climbers for their crossing of the sound of Mull on the 1st day of the Mission. Upon summiting Beinn a'Chochuill, there was little to be seen except more mist. However on route to Beinn Eunaich, the team had to walk along a wide, winding, windswept ridge (try saying that one fast!) On this ridge they met a lovely couple who were very interested in DecAid, and promised to donate, so thankyou!
On the summit of Beinn Eunaich the team were lucky enough to have clear blue skies and great views (only joking, more mist) before hopping onto mountain bikes. The mountain bikes were exchanged for road bikes and the team had a 30 KM bike ride to the Bridge of Orchy. This ride felt especially nippy due to the presence of an STV camera crew! Upon arrival at their destination, The Bridge of Orchy hotel, the team discovered that they were allowed to stay a night in the hotel for free which was absolutely fantastic! They couldn’t quite believe their luck and tucked into a delicious dinner at around 2000. So despite what was quite a dull day up on the hill, the team went to bed with smiles on their faces!
Below is a glimpse of the Glencoe area which the team will be approaching on Friday. Despite it being very mountainous and steep, they are very excited as its beauty and fantastic walking makes it their favourite place. Becky and Tom Elliott were doing a recce today so that they are well prepared for the tough long days to come.
But before then the team will reach the halfway point in the Munro Mission so watch this space!
End of day 24 - 135 Munros climbed.
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Day 23 - A comfortable start to Week 4
Tuesday 23rd August
This morning the team awoke after a fantastic nights sleep in the youth hostel in Crianlarich. The short day ahead meant that they were able to have a lie in until 0800. The extra few hours in bed in the morning and the night before were just what both the climbers and support team needed to refresh themselves and regain some much needed energy. Everyone got up very quickly though once Sarah announced the prospect of a cooked breakfast! Everyone tucked into scrambled egg on toast before saying goodbye to Rachel Mander, Sophie Archibald and Jack Lister who were leaving the team. The climbers then reluctantly headdc off for a day on the hills at a casual 0900.
After a short cycle up the road on the road bikes the team swopped their cycling shoes for their walking boots, collected their rucksacks from the 4x4 and made their way down a track to the base of Beinn Dubhchraig. This particular Munro had a long steady approach and as they ascended the weather started to close in and it became particularly foggy. The heavens then completely opened in time for the climb up the second Munro and the team got completely soaked as they climbed Beinn Oss, Ben Lui and Ben Chleibn. The team managed to pick up some good paths along the route but much of the day was spent clambering over heather and long grass. However the team did very well and managed to keep to schedule throughout the day despite the weather conditions. It was new support team member Tom Elliott's first day in the hills and he and Henry did a fantastic job navigating the team. It was all going well until they reached the forest at the end of the day and were forced to clamber through masses of thick undergrowth which the team were not too amused by! However the support met them shortly afterwards and they were in very good spirits and appeared to have enjoyed their day!
The climbers were sent off on their roadbikes for the final part of the day and they peddled back as fast as they could in order for Tom to do a radio interview for Central FM. The day then continued to get even better when it was announced to Tom, Ceri and Alex that Sarah and new member Charlotte Elson had managed to get the village hall in Lochawe for the night...another warm and dry night under a roof! Really good news to have a fourth night in a building as the end of the week and the coming weekend are set to be particularly tough for the team with a couple of 20 hour days. The team are full of confidence however since they experienced even harder days in the first week.
They are all in really good spirits which is excellent as they approach the halfway mark this Thursday. Make sure you follow the team’s progress tomorrow as they conquer another 4 munros in the Bridge of Orchy area. The Munros continue to be dedicated to the Royal Marines and tomorrow Simon Hollington, Uncle of Marine Richard Hollington, will be visiting the team at their camping spot ahead of his climb with them on Thursday. He will join them for Beinn Dorain which he has sponsored as it is dedicated to his nephew.
As we approach this half way mark we would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sponsored the Munro Mission team online and for the wonderful messages of support and encouragement. We printed them all off today for the team and they really are a huge boost for them and mean a lot. They were incredibly touched by all the support so thankyou very much.
End of Day 23 - 131 Munros climbed
This morning the team awoke after a fantastic nights sleep in the youth hostel in Crianlarich. The short day ahead meant that they were able to have a lie in until 0800. The extra few hours in bed in the morning and the night before were just what both the climbers and support team needed to refresh themselves and regain some much needed energy. Everyone got up very quickly though once Sarah announced the prospect of a cooked breakfast! Everyone tucked into scrambled egg on toast before saying goodbye to Rachel Mander, Sophie Archibald and Jack Lister who were leaving the team. The climbers then reluctantly headdc off for a day on the hills at a casual 0900.
After a short cycle up the road on the road bikes the team swopped their cycling shoes for their walking boots, collected their rucksacks from the 4x4 and made their way down a track to the base of Beinn Dubhchraig. This particular Munro had a long steady approach and as they ascended the weather started to close in and it became particularly foggy. The heavens then completely opened in time for the climb up the second Munro and the team got completely soaked as they climbed Beinn Oss, Ben Lui and Ben Chleibn. The team managed to pick up some good paths along the route but much of the day was spent clambering over heather and long grass. However the team did very well and managed to keep to schedule throughout the day despite the weather conditions. It was new support team member Tom Elliott's first day in the hills and he and Henry did a fantastic job navigating the team. It was all going well until they reached the forest at the end of the day and were forced to clamber through masses of thick undergrowth which the team were not too amused by! However the support met them shortly afterwards and they were in very good spirits and appeared to have enjoyed their day!
The climbers were sent off on their roadbikes for the final part of the day and they peddled back as fast as they could in order for Tom to do a radio interview for Central FM. The day then continued to get even better when it was announced to Tom, Ceri and Alex that Sarah and new member Charlotte Elson had managed to get the village hall in Lochawe for the night...another warm and dry night under a roof! Really good news to have a fourth night in a building as the end of the week and the coming weekend are set to be particularly tough for the team with a couple of 20 hour days. The team are full of confidence however since they experienced even harder days in the first week.
They are all in really good spirits which is excellent as they approach the halfway mark this Thursday. Make sure you follow the team’s progress tomorrow as they conquer another 4 munros in the Bridge of Orchy area. The Munros continue to be dedicated to the Royal Marines and tomorrow Simon Hollington, Uncle of Marine Richard Hollington, will be visiting the team at their camping spot ahead of his climb with them on Thursday. He will join them for Beinn Dorain which he has sponsored as it is dedicated to his nephew.
As we approach this half way mark we would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sponsored the Munro Mission team online and for the wonderful messages of support and encouragement. We printed them all off today for the team and they really are a huge boost for them and mean a lot. They were incredibly touched by all the support so thankyou very much.
End of Day 23 - 131 Munros climbed
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Day 22 – Looking the Kit Monster straight in the eye
Monday 22nd August
The team awoke this morning to the wonderful smell of pancakes wafting through the Arrochar Cadet Training Centre. Quite a treat that went down really well with the team. However the climbers left the centre with heavy hearts, wishing they still had another hour or so in bed to enjoy the sheer bliss of proper mattresses and duvets. The support team also took full advantage of a large space enclosed by four walls, a roof and a temperature that was significantly warmer and midge free than outside to lay-out and sort out all of Tom, Ceri and Alex’s kit. It is amazing how the elusive ‘kit monster’* can steal items, but everything was relocated and placed in the correct person's box and/or bag.
Once every one had met, the team set off for a scout hut at the base of the first Munro of the day. It was another short 15 minute cycle, warming the legs on a cool and overcast morning. Jack Lister, Becky Roby and Lucy Taylor met the guys at the transition point and were ordered on a search mission in the surrounding woodland. They were ordered to hunt for the beginning of the footpath that led up to the peak and after several minutes rooting through undergrowth they found it. The path was described as “subtle” most of the way up, but not even waterfalls (quite minor ones, don’t worry!) and fallen trees could halt the Munro Mission. After the steep ascent, the twisting and turning path emerged from woods and became more substantial. However, as the team learnt earlier in the mission, when Mother Nature appears to being kind to you, take it with a pinch of salt and enjoy it while it lasts. After a short time, the lovely path turned into some rather steep crags, leading all the way to the peak of Ben Narain. Once the peak had been reached, the team turned for Ben Ime. The navigation between the first two peaks was fairly simple, but Becky came into her own leading the team across the last two Munros of the day and down some incredibly steep and technically demanding hillsides, made tougher by ever present crags. Once the team had reached a lower altitude, the terrain didn’t let up. Solid and menacing rock crags gave way to knee deep, feet soaking bogs. The going got even worse as the day wore on, with the last Munro of the day, Ben Vorlich (another Ben Vorlich, not the other the team climbed a number of days before hand) offering nothing in the way of a footpath and Alex describing the route they had taken as “only fit for mountain goats!” However, the peak was scaled none the less and the day ended with a short cycle to the Crianlarich Youth Hostel. The team arrived at the comparatively early time of 6.30pm and were treated to a beer and a very delicious chicken pie by Sarah and new support team member Charlotte Elson. Back in the wild on the 23rd though, so the guys made sure to make the most of another night in a proper bed!
All of the Munros climbed on the 22nd August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines and sponsored by William Tracey Group http://www.williamtraceygroup.com/
Ben Vane was dedicated to the memory of Marine Darren Smith
The team awoke this morning to the wonderful smell of pancakes wafting through the Arrochar Cadet Training Centre. Quite a treat that went down really well with the team. However the climbers left the centre with heavy hearts, wishing they still had another hour or so in bed to enjoy the sheer bliss of proper mattresses and duvets. The support team also took full advantage of a large space enclosed by four walls, a roof and a temperature that was significantly warmer and midge free than outside to lay-out and sort out all of Tom, Ceri and Alex’s kit. It is amazing how the elusive ‘kit monster’* can steal items, but everything was relocated and placed in the correct person's box and/or bag.
*The kit monster is the entity responsible for the phenomenon of putting something down, looking away and then looking back to discover that the item, that you swear you have just place it front of you, has gone.
The sheer pleasure of staying in the cadet centre was responsible for a minor miracle on the 22nd. The team left, bang on time at 0700, to meet Alan Harrison and Scott Houltram. Both had brought a number of friends along with them. Alan climbed Ben Narain in memory of his son, John Harrison of the Royal Marines. Scott climbed Beinn Ime in memory of Andrew, his brother, also of the Royal Marines.
Once every one had met, the team set off for a scout hut at the base of the first Munro of the day. It was another short 15 minute cycle, warming the legs on a cool and overcast morning. Jack Lister, Becky Roby and Lucy Taylor met the guys at the transition point and were ordered on a search mission in the surrounding woodland. They were ordered to hunt for the beginning of the footpath that led up to the peak and after several minutes rooting through undergrowth they found it. The path was described as “subtle” most of the way up, but not even waterfalls (quite minor ones, don’t worry!) and fallen trees could halt the Munro Mission. After the steep ascent, the twisting and turning path emerged from woods and became more substantial. However, as the team learnt earlier in the mission, when Mother Nature appears to being kind to you, take it with a pinch of salt and enjoy it while it lasts. After a short time, the lovely path turned into some rather steep crags, leading all the way to the peak of Ben Narain. Once the peak had been reached, the team turned for Ben Ime. The navigation between the first two peaks was fairly simple, but Becky came into her own leading the team across the last two Munros of the day and down some incredibly steep and technically demanding hillsides, made tougher by ever present crags. Once the team had reached a lower altitude, the terrain didn’t let up. Solid and menacing rock crags gave way to knee deep, feet soaking bogs. The going got even worse as the day wore on, with the last Munro of the day, Ben Vorlich (another Ben Vorlich, not the other the team climbed a number of days before hand) offering nothing in the way of a footpath and Alex describing the route they had taken as “only fit for mountain goats!” However, the peak was scaled none the less and the day ended with a short cycle to the Crianlarich Youth Hostel. The team arrived at the comparatively early time of 6.30pm and were treated to a beer and a very delicious chicken pie by Sarah and new support team member Charlotte Elson. Back in the wild on the 23rd though, so the guys made sure to make the most of another night in a proper bed!
All of the Munros climbed on the 22nd August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines and sponsored by William Tracey Group http://www.williamtraceygroup.com/
Ben Vane was dedicated to the memory of Marine Darren Smith
Ben Ime was dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Andrew Houltram, Royal Marines
Ben Narain was dedicated to the memory of Cpl. John Harrison, Royal Marines
End of Day 22 – 127 Munros climbedMonday 22 August 2011
The BIG Blog update; Days 18 – 21 The Team emerge from the wilderness PART 2
Apologies for the lack of updates over the last few days, the team have been off adventuring in deepest, darkest Scotland and the phone signal wasn’t up to sending out the updates back to DecAid HQ.
The boys finished a bit later than planned at 9pm. However, they were in for such a treat. Not only was there the alluring prospect of a warm bed and hot showers, the Cadet Camp’s mess hall had produced an epic pizza dinner for them! It made a big change to the usual camp produced food. Not that Tom, Ceri and Alex had anything to complain about, but they really enjoyed something so different! As if a warm bed, hot shower and delicious pizza weren’t enough for the lads, Anna Wylie, a sports physio, also agreed to come and help the team. However, Tom, Ceri and Alex exchanged some nervous looks as they lined up for the treatment. They had all heard a few horror stories about legs being bent in some very painful ways. However, after 20 days of constantly using your legs, a sports massage is exactly what was needed. In fact Anna was quite surprised at how good the guy’s bodies seemed to be coping with the demands they are putting them under. The guys have now all reached a plateau as all of their bodies have adjusted to the routine. Let’s hope a few small niggles and the occasional sore feet are all the chaps have to deal with. A special thank you (directly from Tom, Alex and Ceri) to Anna for being so gentle!
All of the Munros climbed on 20th August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines.
Day 20 – Saturday 20th August; The bonnie banks O’Loch Lomond
The team were once again up at 0600 for a 0700 start. However, despite the best efforts of the support team the team left slightly late at 0710. The long days of physical exertion mean every minute of sleep is valuable, even if it is a cheeky extra 10 minutes under the disapproving eye of Mother Hen or as she is more commonly known, Sarah! However, as Sarah was still at the Blair Castle Horse Trials, the guys got away with it. A short 20 minute cycle to warm up the legs ensued and as ever with the road bikes, the weather threatened to close in and soak Tom, Ceri and Alex. But, given the guys were only on the bikes for 20 minutes, as soon as the team popped of the bikes, the weather turned out fine. Tom, Ceri and Alex, had a strange sense of déjà vu as the next Munro to be climbed was Ben More. However, it is a different Ben More to the first one they conquered all those days ago on the Isle of Mull. Henry was left to guard the road bikes, which had to be left on the main road. Henry once again showed his cunning and craftiness by erecting a hammock by the bikes using the replacement 4x4 and a conveniently place fence post and passed most of the time until the next RV examining the inside of his eyelids!
Rupert took time out from Blair Castle Horse Trails to return Sarah to the support team. There was also a tactical substitution, Lucy for Sophie Archibald, to allow Lucy some time off and the opportunity to take in all that was going on at Blair. Sophie and Sarah then returned to the camp site to help pack up and collect Rachel, Tom’s girlfriend, before the now complete support team headed off to the location of the next two nights camp, the Arrochar Cadet Training Centre, located on the stunning shores of Loch Lomond.
Meanwhile, having woken sleeping beauty (Henry Munns) at the road bike RV at 1145, the team, still accompanied by Becky, went on to conquer another 5 Munros. The weather was stunning, just like Day 18, but once again there were steep slopes and scrambling was again the only way to summit the peaks. The descent and ascent between Beinn a Chroin and An Caisteal (the second and third Munros of the day) was particularly arduous, with no footpath and lots of hidden holes that strangely seemed to catch Becky out more than the others! The incredible views kept the team going and they went on to meet three families during the day. They met Mrs Manuel and the host she had brought with her on top of Beinn a Chroin and a prayer was read for Corporal Marc Birch. It was a very touching moment and once again reminded the team why they are doing the Munro Mission. The team went on to meet Marine Tom Curry’s father on top of Caisteal and Ian Wright on Beinn Chabchair, along with wife Rosemary and daughter Karen. Special congratulations to Karen as she had worked a night shift the night before and only managed a couple of hours sleep! The team have commented on how it is such an honour to meet families on the hills and it keeps them going when times get hard.The boys finished a bit later than planned at 9pm. However, they were in for such a treat. Not only was there the alluring prospect of a warm bed and hot showers, the Cadet Camp’s mess hall had produced an epic pizza dinner for them! It made a big change to the usual camp produced food. Not that Tom, Ceri and Alex had anything to complain about, but they really enjoyed something so different! As if a warm bed, hot shower and delicious pizza weren’t enough for the lads, Anna Wylie, a sports physio, also agreed to come and help the team. However, Tom, Ceri and Alex exchanged some nervous looks as they lined up for the treatment. They had all heard a few horror stories about legs being bent in some very painful ways. However, after 20 days of constantly using your legs, a sports massage is exactly what was needed. In fact Anna was quite surprised at how good the guy’s bodies seemed to be coping with the demands they are putting them under. The guys have now all reached a plateau as all of their bodies have adjusted to the routine. Let’s hope a few small niggles and the occasional sore feet are all the chaps have to deal with. A special thank you (directly from Tom, Alex and Ceri) to Anna for being so gentle!
All of the Munros climbed on 20th August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines.
Ben More was sponsored by George Lopes and dedicated to the memory of Marine Dale Gostick
Stob Binnien was dedicated to the memory of Marine Neil Dunstan
Cruach Ardrain was dedicated to the memory of Marine Alexander LucasBeinn Tulaichean was dedicated to the memory of Marine George Sparks
Beinn a Chroin was sponsored by Charlene Birch dedicated to the memory of Sgt. John Manuel, Royal Marines, Cpl. Marc Birch, Royal Marines and Marine Damian Davies. Charlene Birch has a special message; “In Memory and Dedication to Cpl John Birch Royal Marine. KIA Afghanistan. Dearly missed and loved by all who knew him. A devoted Husband, Son, Brother, Grandson, Nephew, Uncle and Friend. Treasured Memories of happier times, Always in our thoughts, Forever in our hearts. Lest we Forget."An Caisteal was dedicated to the memory of Cpl. Robert Deering, Royal Marines, L/Cpl. Ben Whatley, Royal Marines and Marine Tom Curry
Beinn Chabhair was dedicated to the memory of Marine Gary WrightEnd of Day 20 – 121 Munros climbed
Day 21 – Sunday 21th August; Is this a kayak or a Banana?
The team awoke after all the treats of the previous evening with high spirits. Not even the rain could dampen their enthusiasm as they ventured out at 7am on their road bikes. The team were joined by Becky once again they made their way to the Inverbeg Holiday Park. They were greeted by Sophie and Sarah from the support team who just happened to have 4 kayaks for the team to use to cross the beautiful Loch Lomond! A massive thankyou goes out to Bob from Lomond Adventure who let the guys’ use the kayaks free of charge and even gave a donation. Ceri and Alex had a slight moment when they convinced themselves that they wouldn’t fit into the kayaks, but after a little encouragement and a lot of squeezing, all of the craft took to the water and set off across the loch. At approximately 8am, everyone had reached the other side. However, no-one is quite sure what happened to Alex as they approached the landing at Rowardennan. He managed to make a number of 360o turns and started mumbling that his kayak was like a banana! Jack Lister and Rachel were there to observe this strange docking manoeuvre and once they had finished laughing, they helped the guys change and prepare for the climb ahead. By 8.45am everyone was en route to the top of Ben Lomond on a lovely, well walked path. The climb was dominated by low cloud, but by the time the team had reached the top and preparing to descend, the weather had cleared. The team were wished well by scores of walkers heading to the top to enjoy the scenery and when the team had reached the foot of the mountain they were greeted by Leona Walker, there in memory of Corporal Steve Walker, Royal Marines. Leona presented the team with a fantastic bottle of whisky, which will be greatly enjoyed, especially as the nights start to draw in over September.Upon returning to the kayaks to re-cross the loch, Alex, keen to not to repeat his ‘navigational malfunction’ insisted on trying 3 other kayaks. In the end, he just had to suck it up and get back in the ‘banana boat’. The team returned to the Cadet Training Centre on the road bikes for a spot of lunch. After consuming another awesome meal provided by the kitchens at the centre the team set off for a couple of hours on the road bike and swapped to the mountain bikes at Achadunan. Unfortunately, the path was un-manageable on the bikes and the team were forced to walk much sooner than they had anticipated. This added approximately 45 minutes onto their journey, but they were determined to make it to the top, as they were climbing Beinn Bhuidhe in memory of Cpl. Stephen Curley, Royal Marines and Marine Scott Taylor. Unfortunately, the ground under foot was incredibly unpleasant and after a few tumbles and very wet feet, the guys renamed Beinn Bhuidhe, Beinn ‘Boggy’!
The team finally finished the day at 10pm. They returned to the Cadet Centre a fair way behind schedule and very tired. Despite having climbed only two Munros, the team had done an awful lot of biking, which not all the team enjoy. However they enjoyed a lovely dinner of homemade lasagne and apple strudel, all cooked by Sarah.
All of the Munros climbed on 21th August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines and sponsored by William Tracey Group http://www.williamtraceygroup.com/
Ben Lomond was dedicated to the memory of Cpl. Steve Walker, Royal Marines and Cpl. Chris Harrison, Royal Marines
Beinn Bhuidhe was dedicated to the memory of Cpl. Stephen Curley, Royal Marines and Marine Scott Taylor
End of Day 20 – 123 Munros climbed
The BIG Blog update; Days 18 – 21 The Team emerge from the wilderness PART 1
Apologies for the lack of updates over the last few days, the team have been off adventuring in deepest, darkest Scotland and the phone signal wasn’t up to sending out the updates back to DecAid HQ.
Day 18 - Thursday 18th August; Every Silver Lining...
When Mother Nature gives you sun, you are pleased. When Mother Nature gives you no footpaths, you are less pleased. Tom, Ceri and Alex were blessed with a lovely summer day and were all for making the most of the glorious weather after a number of incredibly wet days. So they set off into the hills only to discover that not only were there no footpaths to help them on their way, there was also an awful lot of scrambling to be done. For those of you who have never had to scramble, be thankful. It is somewhere between full on climbing and crawling (vertically) on your knees. Very dignified! Making matters worse, Mother Nature then decided that the team were in danger of sun burn and sought to rectify this by sending rain.
The support team welcomed back an old friend. Lewis Ashton rejoined the team after a short time away. After picking Lewis up from Pitlochry, the support team head further down the road to Braemar to pick up supplies, wash some very smelly socks and pick up a few more bits of waterproof kit so the lads are better equipped to face the wet, autumnal weather that seems to be following them around the highlands. Sarah also headed off for a well-earned break at the Blair Castle International Horse Trials where DecAid was the charity appeal of 2011.
Tom, Ceri and Alex finally arrived at the camp site, just east of Comrie, in the dark and pouring rain. The team (or Tom) demanded hot chocolate and scones as soon as they dismounted their mountain bikes to help recover some energy, warmth and all important morale. A more nutritious course of lamb tagine and a mountain of couscous followed the rather strange starter. The team went to bed with the happy thought that the BLESMA veterans from their home in Crieff, had supplied them with delicious looking pack lunches which Lucy had picked up when she met Nancy Johnston during the day. A special thanks to Nancy and all the lovely people at the BLESMA home in Crieff.
All of the Munros climbed on 18th August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines.
Creag Mhor was sponsored by Whetman Pinks Ltd. and was dedicated to the memory of Marine Richard Watson. http://www.whetmanpinks.com/
Sgiath Chuil was dedicated to the memory of Marine Ben Reddy.
End of Day 18 – 111 Munros climbed
Day 19 – Friday 19th August ; Two wheels, good. Four wheels, bad.
Tom, Ceri and Alex, once again mounted their trusted steeds (the mountain bikes) and set off towards Ben Chonzie on fairly good paths. Better than the previous day’s no paths. The climb was fairly epic owing to the steep side of the mountain. However, as the old saying goes, what goes up, must come down. After a swift descent, the team executed a swift transition onto the road bikes and set forth to conquer Ben Vorlich.
Not long after the support crew had waved the lads off, disaster struck. The 4x4 became trapped by the most notorious off-road trap, a ditch! Eventually, Ian, a heroic worker from the local estate appeared on the horizon to come and rescue the stranded vehicle. Lewis had to drive the stricken vehicle to Perth to swap it for a hastily arranged replacement. It all worked out in the end as the rest of the support team were recovered by the van and the rest of the day’s transitions went without incident. The team once again finished the day in the pouring rain. Can you see a trend emerging...?
All of the Munros climbed on 19th August were dedicated to fallen members of the Royal Marines.
Ben Chonzie was sponsored by Marches Care Ltd. http://www.marchescare.co.uk/
Ben Vorlich was sponsored by Brigadier Jack Johnston, Nancy and Toby. They have a special message for the RAMC; “Remembering all our troops and special thanks to all RAMC personnel for the valuable work they do."
End of Day 19 – 114 Munros climbed
Wednesday 17 August 2011
Day 17 – 106 Munros down, only another 177 to go!
Wednesday 17th August 2011
This morning Lucy and Jack joined the team up a fairly gentle Munro (Meall Nan Tarmachan) in the morning sun. In high spirits the climbers enjoyed beautiful views and a calm morning. Alex tested out his brand new walking boots which he had to get Sarah to purchase as his feet have swelled up so much he could no longer wear his other ones! He is very pleased with them even if they are a size too big!
The team left the camp half an hour late but after climbing the first Munro in record time the team caught up and were then ahead of schedule. The support team are threatening to wake the team up half an hour earlier tomorrow so that they leave on time! The team returned back to a track to pick up mountain bikes for the final stretch back to the vehicles while Lucy and Jack jogged back.
At the vehicles they changed into their fetching lycra gear and hopped onto their road bikes for a 15 km cycle to the base of the next Munro (Meall Buidhe). After negotiating some wonderful highland cattle (Highland Coos!) that were very intrigued by the team’s bikes they peddled on up some pretty steep hills and around some very windy roads. The scenery was fantastic.
In no time the team were up and down the second Munro, back on the mountain bikes and down to the vehicles for a quick lunch pit stop. Henry had done a fabulous job having everything laid out and the 4x4 was very neatly organised!
The climbers made their way up the third Munro (Stuc an Lochain) enjoying the scenic climb and the very friendly walkers they met on the way up. A few false summits and the team were on the top of Munro 105!! Back down and another quick pit stop with the support team before heading off for the final Munro of the day (Meall Ghaordaidh). The team have had lots of stops with the support team today which they like as it gives them a chance to chat and boosts their energy levels. The support team are getting very well rehearsed at having everything ready for them; snack box out, cycling shoes lined up, lycra in named piles and protein shakes at the ready!
Tonight they are camping below the damn at Loch Lyon by the power station. It is still fairly windy but a nice evening despite being a little chilly! Today they have also been joined by Rachel Mander, a new support team member. Kedgeree for supper! The team have now climbed 106 Munros which is absolutely fantastic. Only another 177 to go!
Day 16 - Fish and chips and an early night!
Tuesday 16th August 2011
Today the guys had a really fantastic day with a group of 11 Regiment Explosive Ordnance Disposal members (bomb disposal guys!). They met 10 of them at Boreland Farm (the eco bunk house they camped outside and borrowed facilities from). After a breakfast of cereal, juice and jam sandwiches, the team and the EOD bods headed off up through the farm and out onto the hills at about 0730. Unfortunately this was a bit behind schedule as Alex needed another session with foot specialist Si Long, but these things are important if his feet are to survive the next few weeks.
The EOD members joined the team for the first Munro (Meall Greigh) and were met by another 14 who were waiting at the top of the second Munro (Meall Garbh). This gave the team a real boost, having such a fantastic new group with them and new groups at each summit. So the team send a big thank you to everyone who joined them today. The third squadron had come all the way especially from Belfast! Everyone was in good spirits and the climbers are enjoying having Si with them.
As this was happening, the support team were having a lie-in before packing up the tent. Steve and Becky went off and did bike/car cleaning whilst Sarah and Lucy spent rather a lot of money buying food for the team in Tesco’s and driving around all of Scotland getting kit for the team. They bought a new waterproof for Ceri in Braemar, and walking poles too to ease the pressure on his feet; a new trend set by Alex which Tom has yet to catch on to. They would like a special thankyou to go to the lovely man who works in the Munro shop in Pitlochry for being very helpful!
Henry, Si, the climbers and the EOD went off up 7 Munros together and were ahead of schedule, getting to camp at about 1600 before Lucy and Sarah! The team were camping by a dam on the edge of Loch na Lairige and fish and chips were bought by Steve and Jack to keep them going. The team had very luckily had a very dry day but on arriving at camp it was incredibly windy. A broken tent pole and pegs which wouldn't stay in the ground meant that the tent was on the verge of taking off all night!
Don't forget that you can follow the team's progress in real time via their spottracker.
Video update 1 revealed....
The first video update is finally here! Catch a glimpse of the team's first few couple of days on the Munro Mission.
Tuesday 16 August 2011
Day 15 – The team receive some tragic news...
Monday 15th August 2011
After an epic day and a very late finish the night before, the team were lucky enough to have a lie in today and woke up at about 0900ish. They were in Blair Atholl Campsite and so were able to have a nice shower and a slightly more relaxed morning before leaving at 10:30 on their roadbikes. They started the day by climbing the Munro Schiehallion and met Mrs Rainer and her father-in-law who were very kind and donated to DecAid and bought 2 t-shirts, so thankyou very much!
During the day Jack and Steve from the support team did a recce for the campsite they would be staying in that evening. They met a very helpful man on a lawnmower/tractor who gave them invaluable advice on access routes into hills so a big thankyou goes to him. Jack then had a lovely time as he went off and chatted up some blonde farmer’s daughters.... Meanwhile Lucy and Sarah stayed behind doing admin type stuff. As per usual they did LOADS of washing of smelly socks and wet bits and pieces before bringing the climbers their lunch.
Yesterday the team were joined by Rupert’s friends Si Long and Jamie MacDonald who joined the climbers on their road cycle after lunch. They all rode together quite quickly which Tom greatly enjoyed. However there was a lot of bike envy going on as Jamie and Si are said to have amazing bikes. At least that was the climber’s excuse for not going downhill quick enough! They rode all the way to the carpark at the base of their next 4 Munros and the climbers plus Steve, Jack and Lucy went up together. Everyone was quite chirpy as they climbed at a good pace in the beautiful evening. The nice weather meant that the group were able to enjoy amazing views, looking out for miles and seeing how far they had come. The Munros were on what seemed like a ridge(ish), and were very pretty, yet when they came to the top of the last Munro of the day the team were confused by what seemed to be two peaks on each side. They couldn’t decide which peak was actually the top! Jack and Steve placed a bet on it and after looking at the map, Steve was the lucky winner of a pint to be enjoyed at a later date.
The problem however is that after making it to the top, you then have to come back down. The walk down the Munro was very long and the team had to make their way through thick heather and bog back to where they started. It was very painful on their knees and there was also a lot of fence crossing in the dark which almost resulted in Tom doing himself some serious injury on barbed wire. Furthermore Jack completely misnavigated them and they ended up at the wrong point which meant they had to walk along the road. However, the team could now proudly say that they had made it up their 94th Munro and were now officially a third of the way through.
The climbers made their way down to the base of the Munro at 2300 and ahead of schedule. They got into their cycling gear and onto their road bikes to cycled the 12k back to camp. The team were camping outside an eco farm/bunk house and were able to use their showers and facilities which was wonderful. Sarah cooked them all a lovely risotto but unfortunately managed to burn her fingertips really badly in the process. She is now sporting white bandages on the tips of her fingers and is looking a little like Mickey Mouse. The boys were in bed by about 0030 after Si did an excellent job on Alex’s feet and spent hours taping them etc. which will do them the world of good. Today was the first day of the Munro Mission’s 3rd week and in the first 2 weeks the team have summitted 90 Munros, climbed the equivalent height of Mt Everest four times and covered almost 500 miles on foot, bike and kayak. An incredible feat already.
However at the weekend the Munro Mission team received some tragic news. On Friday, Lieutenant Dan Clack of 1st Battalion The Rifles lost his life in Afghanistan. As a former member of Exeter UOTC he was a wonderful friend to many of the DecAid team and so his loss has been felt strongly. DecAid’s thoughts and prayers are with the family of Dan and of course his fiancée Amy. He will be missed very much and always remembered. This tragedy highlights how important DecAid’s mission is, and reminds us all of why we are doing what we are doing. Please join us in honouring and supporting the brave men and women of our British Forces and their families.
Lieutenant Daniel Clack
Monday 15 August 2011
Day 14 - A monumental effort
Sunday 14th August 2011
Sunday has to be the longest day for the Munro Mission team so far without a doubt. On Saturday night the boys didn’t arrive at camp on Blair Atholl Estate until about 2400 which was extremely late considering they had to be up again at 0400 the next morning. As one can imagine, they were incredibly tired, but the support team were there for them on arrival with food and made beds (or sleeping bags...). They team were tended to and force fed before being put straight to bed without much chatter as they all knew what they were facing the next day.
The next morning (or perhaps the same night, it’s hard to know which one’s which sometimes.) the team were up at the ridiculous time of 0400. Alex was really struggling with his feet as they were so swollen that he could barely get his shoes on. But the team have to push on regardless so the boys gritted their teeth and walked out into what was luckily a dry morning. Thankfully there was no rain and so the boys had dry feet (which makes a change) but unfortunately a river crossing put an end to that.
Feet never stay dry for long...
The climbers walked until 1300 and ticked off the first four Munros of the morning without too much trouble. They then picked up their mountain bikes and continued on them for a while. The climbers caught up with the support team at 1500 and were provided with a late but very substantial picnic lunch consisting of sausages, soup, pasta and more to keep them going. This week the team have also been joined by Jack Lister and Steve Taylor which is great as new faces make a big difference to all of the Munro Mission team.
After a very substantial meal, everyone headed up one more Munro (Beinn a’ Ghlo) while Rupert, Jack, Steve and Henry pushed the mountain bikes to top so that the team could cycle them all the way down to the foot of the 6th Munro of the day, Braigh Coire Chrunin-bhalgain, kindly sponsored by the Griffiths family. The bikes were then transferred to the support team again so that they could cycle them to the next point for the climbers to ride them back to camp at the end of the day. Rupert and Jack up walked slighltly up the hill to meet the team and bring them to their mountain bikes. Tom is really enjoying the cycling and it gives the team a welcome break from being on their feet, but unfortunately not everyone feels the same way (Ceri!)
During all of this Henry and Sarah came back to catch up on sleep whilst Lucy and Sean made dinner. After a lot of waiting, the boys finally arrived back at about 0130 very very tired. Despite the gargantuan effort that today required, the team were very thankful for it to be out of the way and they were looking forward to a bit of a lie-in the next day.
A welcome break from rain..
The team are now beginning to reach a point where they are not only physically tired, but mentally exhausted too. They are doing incredibly well yet the end still seems so very far away. Incredibly though the halfway point is approaching and they are keeping their eyes on the prize.
It is an incredible achievement to even be as far into the challenge as they are now, and 90 Munros are safely under their belts. The support team are also doing an incredible job getting up with the team (or even before!), going to bed with them and making sure everything is in place inbetween. They are working together like a well oiled machine and they will be getting some more new faces over the next few days so the whole team will appreciate that a lot.
Please show the DecAid Munro Mission team that what they are doing is worthy of support, and help us reach our target of £80,000 for our military charities. They have raised almost £18,000 already and deserve every penny and more.
Sunday 14 August 2011
Day 13 - Media Madness!
Saturday 13th August 2011
This morning the team left at just gone 0600 with Bob Hawkes who had come to join the team. They were not happy about having to push their bikes up the hill but it was worth having them at the top to ride between the first few peaks. The support team walked up (no bikes for them!) and waited for the cyclists to finish in the cold and wet. It's not an easy life being a support team member!
The support team then drove round to camp in one of the most remote locations of the challenge.They were worried that they would have a 35km walk to the wild camp spot behind Blair Castle but managed to gain access in the 4x4 along the track which is always a fantastic relief! Thankyou very much to Atholl Estate for their help with this. There were lots of river crossings in the 4x4 but these were very well negotiated by driver and support team member Becky Roby. There were still some pretty hairy moments though, including getting the wheels stuck in a bog and all having to get out and push!
Whilst the support team were breaking a sweat trying to rescue their vehicle, the team were doing brilliantly. They had summited the first two Munros relatively quickly in the most awful weather. They had climbed Carn Aosda and The Cairnwell by 0800 and Carn a Gheoidh by 0900. The next five Munros had 500m of steep ascent and descent between them. The ground was boggy and very heathery so it was very tough going for the guys. Tom chose to have his naps in very scenic locations and again had one at the top of a Munro. It was really great to have Bob Hawkes with them today and he joined the team for 7 Munros. The last Munro was summited at 1830 but it was closely followed by a very long 3 hour walk out which Ceri says was absolutely awful and dragged on and on.
In total the team did 40km today. They were soaked to the skin by 0700 but the sun put his hat on for a bit so they were quite dry by 0900. This pattern continued all day in typical Scottish fashion. There was a nice breeze in the evening to dry out until the team had to cross a river up to their knees in the final stretch which was a rubbish end to the day. Becky and Henry went off after the support team’s support to join the climbers on their way down whilst Sarah and Lucy caught up on sleep and cooked dinner. They team pitched four 2xman tents in a pony hut in Blair Atholl Estate, and made beef casserole for supper! The team needed all the rest and sustainance they could possibly get for what is a very very long day tomorrow (Sunday).
The team have now done 25%! It is a massive boost for them to know that they now have a significant chunk of the mission under their belt. They have climbed over 80 Munros too so the next big mark will be the 100 Munro mark! Alex is suffering from some minor muscle strain but is constantly stretching and administering deep heat to relieve discomfort. Ceri is in really high spirits despite a tough day and Tom is quite tired but they are all doing incredibly well!
The highlight of the day for the team has most definitely been the amount of newspaper coverage they have received after meeting HRH The Duchess of Cornwall the day before. Ceri has been splashed all over major national as well as lots of local newspapers with the Duchess sitting on his knee, with big cheesy grins on both of their faces! (See yesterday’s blog photos). To date the picture has made it into the Daily Mail, The Sun, The Deeside Piper, The Kirriemuir Herald, Forfar Dispatch, The Press and Journal, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Record, The Daily Mirror and inside the front page of the Scotsman to name just a few! It looks like being cheeky for a bet definitely gets you places!
Day 12 - A visit from the Doctor..
Friday 12th August 2011
This morning the team left the camp at just gone 0700 and were joined by Sally and Lucy from the support team for the first half an hour to keep them company. They were also joined by Tony, Fiona and Mel; a few Exeter Alumni who used to be part of the walking club at the University and have stayed in touch with each other ever since and still enjoy walking together all these years later. They joined the team for the first two Munros of the day, Driesh and Mayar. With a son in the RAF who has served in Afghanistan, Tony had kindly sponsored Mayar with help from others in the 1970’s Exeter Out Of Doors Society. It was also kindly sponsored by The Black Dog MC (Montrose) so thankyou to them. Tony then continued on with the team until 1430. Fresh faces and new conversation are always welcome for the team so they enjoyed having the company.
Later on in the day heavy mist had settled in and stuck around for a while. Unfortunately the team missed a family on the last peak (Creag Leacach) as the mist was too bad, and they only missed them by about 30 seconds! But they came along to the mountain rescue centre for a cup of tea with the team none-the-less which was lovely.
The mist did not deter the team and they arrived to collect road bikes a good hour ahead of schedule. The cycle up to Glenshee ski centre where they were to stay for the night was very steep. At one point Ceri was cycling too close to Alex and fell off his bike which caused Alex to stop and consequently fall off himself!
However despite the nasty weather and all the team’s ailments, they arrived at the Ski Centre in good time. On arrival the team were able to spend the night in the ski patrol’s office which was wonderful as it was nice to have another night inside and to dry out some wet clothes. Furthermore Dr Crookshank from the Glenshee Medical Centre kindly looked at Tom’s feet and put a good dressing on them so hopefully they are on the mend! A huge thankyou therefore goes to all at the Glenshee Ski Centre.
However despite the nasty weather and all the team’s ailments, they arrived at the Ski Centre in good time. On arrival the team were able to spend the night in the ski patrol’s office which was wonderful as it was nice to have another night inside and to dry out some wet clothes. Furthermore Dr Crookshank from the Glenshee Medical Centre kindly looked at Tom’s feet and put a good dressing on them so hopefully they are on the mend! A huge thankyou therefore goes to all at the Glenshee Ski Centre.
Saturday 13 August 2011
Day 11 – A Royally special day.
Thursday 11th August 2011
After a wonderful night in warm beds at the Inver Hotel, the team left in pretty low spirits as they realised that the long awaited night of comfort was over in a flash. They peddled off up the road in the drizzling rain at just gone 6am. It was a mission getting everyone packed up in the hotel without waking the other residents. The support vehicle followed the cyclists up to a track junction. There were slightly more hills along the way than the team expected but they took them in their stride. Meanwhile Sean told jokes to Becky over the radio as she cycled! At the track junction the team changed into their walking gear and ditched their very sodden cycling kit. They headed off up the track to summit Mount Keen (a very antisocial Munro as it was very much out of the way of any of the others so a bit of a pain!). Mount Keen was dedicated to the Parachute Regiment and was very kindly sponsored by Dynamics Modelling.
Meanwhile the support team cycled (walked!) the bikes up the same track so that the team could then cycle them out once they had finished climbing Mount Keen. Once back at the road the team cycled at break neck speed down to Loch Muick where they were to enjoy a lovely lunch with HRH the Duchess of Cornwall.
The team timed their arrived at the cottage where the lunch was to take place perfectly. They had a welcome party to clap them in consisting of Sophie, Rupert, Sarah and the rest of HRH’s entourage who had all arrived just before the team. Sue and Charlotte Snell were also there representing the Inver Hotel, kind sponsors of Lochnagar. The welcome party also included Euan Rellie who had met everyone and donated to the Munro Mission at the Inver hotel reception. Euan was staying on Balmoral Estate not far from the cottage and was very keen to join the team, so they were more than happy to have him join them. Most importantly, the team were greeted by John and Moira Adams from Croesyceiliog in Wales. Mr and Mrs Adams are the parents of Private Kyle Adams, a 21-year-old paratrooper who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2009, and they had come a long way to be with team and HRH on this special day.
The runners were then applauded as they cycled down the drive looking very tired and muddy! The morning had been tough as they had raced to meet HRH on time, and had had to walk on tricky ground with lots of hidden holes, but they were glad to finally be at their destination for some food and a chinwag with royalty!
Almost immediately after, HRH arrived driving her 4X4 and looking the part with her climbing socks, climbing boots and walking stick! After a very quick clean up (Sarah was ready and waiting with the baby wipes!) and a change of clothes, the team were all ready to meet the Duchess, after keeping her waiting for only a few minutes! The photographer put the boys in place and shortly after the Duchess came over to chat and have photos taken whilst the boys tried not to look quite so knackered! HRH was charming, funny, easy to talk to and full of admiration for the team and their monumental efforts. She even mentioned that the Queen was worried about them which cheered them up no end!
The Duchess greets the very tired Munro Mission team
After all the initial meetings, The Duchess led everyone into the cottage for a lovely lunch. The cottage was built by Queen Victoria and has been in the family and untouched since so it was like walking back in time! Everyone tucked into sandwiches, crisps, soup, coke, chocolate, tea, coffee (and even sloe gin!) provided by the Duchess’ team whilst they mingled and chatted. The Adams’ met the team and were truly taken aback by their dedication and the challenge that they were undertaking. At one point he even said “ I can’t find the words to describe how fantastic this group of people are. I really can’t. To be doing what they’re doing at such a young age is something really special”
Once full of yummy goodies, the group then gathered outside with the stunning backdrop of the loch and the rest of Balmoral Estate. Mr and Mrs Adams, the team, HRH and the local minister all stood together whilst the others gathered around. A few lovely words were said by the minister before HRH handed over a handmade heather wreath to the Adams family. It was a truly special moment and everyone was very thankful to be present.
HRH shares a few words with John and Moira Adams after presenting them with a hand-made heather wreath in honour of their son Private Kyle Adams
Unfortunately the midges had started to descend so the group started to get ready to head up their next Munro, Lochnagar. Lochnagar is the 3,789ft peak in Glen Muick which Prince Charles has regularly painted since he was a child, and was dedicated to Private Kyle Adams. The wreath was to be laid at the summit of the Munro in Kyle’s memory, and Lochnagar was kindly sponsored by The Inver Hotel.
Everyone started lathering up with Avon’s Skin So Soft (amazing for preventing midge bites) and Sarah offered some to The Duchess’ Equerry, but he had never heard of it and thought he was being offered moisturiser so a good giggle was had!
The team then said goodbye to The Duchess, Sophie, Sarah and Rupert who were all staying behind, but not before Ceri got the Duchess to sit on his knee! A fantastic moment which has been captured and has taken the media world by storm! They were all waved off and headed up Lochnagar with the Adams family, Becky, Henry, Sean, Lucy, Sally, Rupert, the local minister and Euan.
The Duchess takes a cheeky perch on Ceri's knee.
The walk up Prince Charles’ favourite Munro was absolutely beautiful and not too steep, with lots of wonderful waterfalls littering the way. The heather looked so pretty along the well worn path which made for good walking. The parents of Private Kyle Adams took the wreath they were given by HRH up with them and laid it at the summit in honour of Kyle. The weather also stayed dry which was a wonderful bonus. The team picked up the pace and steamed on ahead, summiting the Munro in 1hr 45mins. They waited at the top for the Adams and the rest of the support team for a photograph in front of the summit. The team then went on to climb the rest of the day’s Munros which they did in record breaking time, finishing ahead of schedule at just after 2100.
The local Minister, The Adams' and the team on Lochnagar before laying HRH's wreath of heather at it's summit in honour of Private Kyle Adams.
Becky and Lucy ran down the whole way from Lochnagar (which was a lot of fun) and then cycled the mountain bikes out the 5miles or so back to the trailer. The rest of the night was then spent in a car park! Hundreds of midges were swarming around everywhere and it was impossible not to use a head net! The team were all suffering a bit with aches and pains and the first aid kit was in full use last night. There was lots of tiger balm for Alex and his shins, whilst Tom went straight to sleep after a good supper and Ceri had a refreshing dip in the river to ease his muscles.
All in all it was a really good day for the team that started off badly but ended up very relaxed and finishing ahead of schedule. They really enjoyed having lots of company up Lochnagar and it was a godsend that the day stayed dry for the Duchess and the team. It is a day that the whole of the Munro Mission team will remember for a very long time to come. It was truly special.
If you would like to support families like the Adams' and honour ex-service personnel like Private Kyle Adams, then please visit our website to sponsor a Munro and donate to DecAid's chosen charities. Thankyou.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)