Ramsay Round Shortcuts

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Originally Posted by Full Moon Addict

video to follow courtesy of FMA productions. i'll post up on youtube when i've edited which may be a while. was a pleasure to support and no doubt i'll get another opportunity next year Bill. Thanks to wynn for the cooking.

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Just back from Scotland. I really enjoyed the round, well, apart from the climb of Sgurr Elide Mor will and I both found that really hard work. Snow on Ben Nevis and CMD soon gave way to a beautiful day and night. Thanks to everyone that helped us, you were all fantastic.

Sorry it didn’t happen for you Bill but needless to say when you have another go you will have 2 more to add to your hill support team.

I am looking forward to the video John, thanks for doing that, I know it meant catching us back up with a heavy pack each time.
Wynn and Yiannis and Bill do you have the official Summit times, I have rough times in my head e.g. down a bit up a bit. But I think I will need to be more accurate for Jonathon.

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Originally Posted by Alan Lucker

..............Wynn and Yiannis and Bill do you have the official Summit times, I have rough times in my head e.g. down a bit up a bit. But I think I will need to be more accurate for Jonathon.

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Alan,
1. Congratulations for a great success and for giving me and others an excuse to roam those wild Scottish hills.
2. I will email you the times.
3. Sgurr Eilde Mor: I personally never liked the way up from Locheilt lodge ruin, which involves a long track and a very steep climb of nearly 2400ft. The best way up for me starts at a small footbridge at NN266678. The ascent is more progressive and pleasant. I did that in my solo run and it cost me no extra time. If going anticlockwise this is faster than the usual way and saves a lot of muscle fatigue from droping straight down.
Yiannis

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Originally Posted by ydt

Joe,
Mullach nan Coirean:
I often go off the path in order to run on soft grass but have not taken a straight line to the stile. Where about do you leave the path? Next w/e I am again up there supporting another attempt and will look at that.

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Follow the path through the scree, below the scree cut the corner on the left, down the grass on the LHS of the path until it turns to heather, then direct to the stile. Follow the boggy bits and other natural gaps in the heather.

I marked my whole route up on bikehike as near as I could, including all zigzags and shortcuts:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=9484

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Originally Posted by ydt

Some years ago I (with Rob Woodall) had reccied a route along the N ridge. It has very good running apart from a couple of rough bits and misses out the track/road running at the end. I did not do it in my solo Ramsay as I was finishing in the dark in bad weather and had little time to spare.

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Did you go via Dun Deardail? There's a good track from there to the forest road, then a track down through the forest that misses out the zigzags on the track.

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Originally Posted by Joe

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Did you go via Dun Deardail? There's a good track from there to the forest road, then a track down through the forest that misses out the zigzags on the track.

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The route passed on the E side of the Dun Deardail fort and dropped steeply to the track at the hairpin apex (NN128706). There were a couple of fences to be crossed. Then along the track for a short distance and down a forest ride and to the road.
Yiannis

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Originally Posted by ydt

The route passed on the E side of the Dun Deardail fort and dropped steeply to the track at the hairpin apex (NN128706). There were a couple of fences to be crossed. Then along the track for a short distance and down a forest ride and to the road.
Yiannis

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That sounds like a good route down. Coincidentally Dun Deardail was where we were headed when we saw you, and that's the forest ride we came down to our car by the youth hostel! For once it wasn't a walk chosen for it's recceing possibilities, but pure accident.

Some shots of the Mamores section here - http://picasaweb.google.com/BobEWigh...Round07062009#

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Originally Posted by ydt

Alan Lucker and Will Houghton, both of Bowland fellrunners, had a successful Ramsay on Sat/Sun 6/7th June. Bill Williamson, who started with them had to drop out before the Mamores. Support before, during and after the event was organised by Wynn.
Yiannis

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Many thanks for all the support and that stew of Wynns did wonders :)

Alarm bells started ringing when I got cramp in the back of my leg after about four hours :confused:
Managed to make the schedule times between tops until Stob Ban but cramped up again on the descent, took 1:29 to get up Easian by the time I summited Will and Alan were half way up Mheadhoin.
Made it there in 19 mins then took 50 mins to descend to the dam where I was humbled to see Alan and Will still waiting (they must have been there at least 20 mins and would wait another 20 until I was ready to go)

After about 20 mins of ascent up Stob Sgriodain I realised I still couldn't go at their pace so told them to leave me and take our only support runner with them. They weren't too happy about this but I was adamant I felt they had lost enough time due to me and must carry on.

By the time I'd got to Chno Dearg I was two minutes slower than the scheduled pace and 30 mins in total. I was hoping to make time up on Beinn na Lap but ended up losing another 6 mins and by now it was dark.
The descent was horrible sore knees and sore feet, don't know if it was tiredness or a run down battery in my torch but I could hardly make out where I was putting my feet and seemed to hit every rock going and stumble into every hole, took me 56 mins to reach the railway line I knew then it was over.
What happened next was the longest six hours of my life, all the way to Mamore Lodge.

Many thanks to my support for coming looking for me with veg stew and rice pudding.

Anyone fancy a run out around Glen Nevis in June 2010 :D

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Originally Posted by Baggins

Anyone fancy a run out around Glen Nevis in June 2010 :D

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Tough luck Bill. The problem with these big rounds is everything has to click. just one part of the plan goes astray and it all goes to pieces.

Just to try it shows you are good enough and have it in you.

If I'm free i'll help out.;)

Sorry it didn’t work out for you Bill.
When we went ahead Up Stob Coire Easain, our original plan was to have a break 3/4 of the way up and wait for you. We then decided that more rest at the Dam would be a better idea, so just carried on for a longer break. We were never going to leave you. Sorry it ended up coming to that on Sgriodain, but if you hadn't let us go on at that point I think we would have been struggling for time. Thanks for that brave decision, it didn't feel good to leave you at that time, with night closing in.:(
Next time it will work out better, cramp that early must have been a sign it wasn't to be your day.

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Originally Posted by Baggins

Anyone fancy a run out around Glen Nevis in June 2010 :D

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Count me in Bill, I’m sure I speak for Will also!:)

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Originally Posted by Baggins

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Anyone fancy a run out around Glen Nevis in June 2010 :D

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Bill,
you will not be short of support in 2010, just tell us when and we will be there!
Yiannis

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Originally Posted by Bob

Some shots of the Mamores section here - http://picasaweb.google.com/BobEWigh...Round07062009#

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some lovely early morning shots there Bob. :)

Thanks everyone :)

Lovely photos Bob makes that walk up from Loch Treig look beautiful :rolleyes::D

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Originally Posted by Baggins

Thanks everyone :)

Lovely photos Bob makes that walk up from Loch Treig look beautiful :rolleyes::D

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I'd slightly less mileage in my legs Bill :rolleyes:

Apart from the Dutch couple camping at the bothy (first day's walking in Scotland apparently) I saw no-one from Loch Treig until Ian & co turned up at Loch Eilde Mor later that night. Did feel very remote though.

Well done Alan, looks superb.

Unlucky Bill, well done for making call, must have been tough to tell them to push on. Keep us informed for next year. I intend to do the WHW race again if that weekend's free, but wouldn't mind getting involved in a few recce's and help on the day if there's time.

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Originally Posted by Bob

I'd slightly less mileage in my legs Bill :rolleyes:

Apart from the Dutch couple camping at the bothy (first day's walking in Scotland apparently) I saw no-one from Loch Treig until Ian & co turned up at Loch Eilde Mor later that night. Did feel very remote though.

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Yes, a wonderful sense of remoteness. Definitely qualifies as "The Big Country"! Bob, how long had you been sat on the watershed between Loch Eilde Mor and Loch Leven, when Andy, Talitha and I landed? Must have been a brilliant sunset over Ardgour?
Once Alan and Will had set off up Sgurr Eilde Mor with Yiannis and we had despatched Cookie and Tal back to Mamore lodge with all the unnecessary kit, Andy and I were very anxious for Bill's plight as we headed out towards Luibeilt and the Abhain Raith. The sense of relief as his headtorch appeared over a crest on the track, just 600 - 700 yards short of Luibeilt, had to be experienced to be understood. The 8 or so miles back to Mamore Lodge was a 'once in a lifetime' Highland dawn, with the sun rising behind us and, ahead of us, the Glen Coe hills turning pink from the summits down.

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Originally Posted by wheezing donkey

Yes, a wonderful sense of remoteness. Definitely qualifies as "The Big Country"!

The 8 or so miles back to Mamore Lodge was a 'once in a lifetime' Highland dawn, with the sun rising behind us and the Glen Coe hills turning pink from the summits down.

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WD, you are making us jealous. :D

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Originally Posted by wheezing donkey

Yes, a wonderful sense of remoteness. Definitely qualifies as "The Big Country"! Bob, how long had you been sat on the watershed between Loch Eilde Mor and Loch Leven, when Andy, Talitha and I landed? Must have been a brilliant sunset over Ardgour?

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I was probably there about 2 1/2 hrs in total but wasn't sat around:p as the wind made it a bit cold. At first I wasn't sure if you had already got there and gone on to the ruins so I wandered that way for a while before figuring that the contenders would have to have been well ahead of schedule for that to have been the case. Then having a bite to eat then wandering back and forth to see if you were coming up the track.

After you carried on, I walked slowly up to the lochain between Binneins Mor and Beag and was there for about 2 1/2 hrs again and nipped up Binnein Beag while waiting.

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Originally Posted by Bob

Some shots of the Mamores section here - http://picasaweb.google.com/BobEWigh...Round07062009#

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some great photos there Bob. Just wondering of you have them in a larger size to download.

Some inspirational route descriptions - so much so that i am off to walk / reccie the Tranter this weekend.

One quick question for those who know the area better than me, what is the preferred route from Sgurr Eilde Mor to Stob Ban? The line "looks" to me to be NE down ridge to the flat ground by the river and then NE again up to Stob Ban contouring North round Meall a Bhuirich? The alternative seem to be to pick up the stalkers path from Luibeilt and head up Stob Ban from the South?

Cheers, Pete

i'd do sgurr eilde more first then binnean beag and cut straight down to the glen before going up the glen below meall a bhuiridh to the col before stob ban. if you do it the other way round 9which i think is slower) def follow the stalkers path up from luibeilt.

Thanks FMA - i think we'll decide on the day between Binnein Beag and Luineilt then (may come down to where we decide to bivvy).

Guys,

I am hoping to have a crack at the CRR in June probably, I dont want to leave it later as I have an entry for the UTMB, but for various reasons find myself a little under trained at the moment.

This thread contains lots of great info and I plan to digest it at leisure, but I have a couple of questions from a reccying/ preparation perspective:

What are the bunk house options like at Fersit and Corrour? I have stayed in the one at Tulloch Station which was fine (they seemed OK with turning up late), but keen to get your recommendations, I guess I need to think about bedding, is just turning up with a small bar of soap acceptable?

I had thought about trying to reccie the Round in a single push over three days staying at Fersit/ Corrour (so day 2 would be a short day) and laying down some food and drink on the way but am thinking that doing two reccies might be the lowest risk if the weather craps out and easier to plan. So I am thinking Visit 1 Day 1: Ben Nevis to Fersit, Day 2 on to Corrour, then train back to Fort William and taxi to pick up my car; then Visit 2 Train from Bridge of Orchy to Corrour and go from Corrour to Glen Nevis Day 1; then probably just train it back to Bridge of Orchy.

I have to say the reccying logistics make my brain hurt!

Any advice on where to place any drink drops would be appreciated. I will leave a can of ministrone soup and a bunch of gels approx every four hours around the route!

Cheers,

Simon

As far as I know the only bunk house option for Fersit is Tulloch Station, which has always been great when I've stayed there.

Unfortunately the lodge at Corrour station is closed down (unless its reopened since I was last there a year ago, but it looks like the closure is permanent). A real shame because on the couple of occasions I stayed there it was superb.

Planning CRR reccies is always a bit of a logistical headache! Your plan sounds fine to me. Last year I did similar to your proposed day 1 & day 2, staying at Tulloch. (Running along the trainline from Tulloch to the start of leg 2 keeps you on your toes listening out for trains!!) At the end of day 2 I got the train back to Fort William and then jogged out to stay at Glen Nevis, in a campervan outside the YH. Then for day 3 ran along Glen Nevis to Binean Beag and did the rest of leg 3 from there (i.e. missed out the long track from Corrour, and Sgurr Eilde Mor). Its quite a long day 3 but was fine.
I know the route quite well though, so didn't really need to recce the track and Sgurr Eilde Mor.

The time before that that I did similar (2009), the lodge at Corrour station was open, so I stayed there - made it a lot easier logistically!

Good luck with it all. :)

Just back from a weekend at Loch Ossian YH with my club, Ochil Hill Runners. The hostel is only a mile from Corrour Station and its ok to just turn up but I would recommend booking. We had the whole place and a couple of girls backpacking through arrived on the Saturday hoping to stay, as they had a tent they were able to camp outside. It can be a busy place at weekends.

http://www.syha.org.uk/hostels-in-sc...ch-ossian.aspx

There is accommodation again at Corrour but not bunkhouse style, three rooms/suites I believe. We did eat and drink there and I would highly recommend it.

http://www.corrour-station-house-restaurant.co.uk/

Hostels, pah.

Just sleep under the rail bridge after Beinn Na Lap CW, it's very comfortable.

Ok, no it isn't. I still have midge bite itch.

Fersit side, nearest is definitely Tulloch. And as far as I'm aware the Youth Hostel at Ossian is the only cheap option Corrour side. If you must use such things.

You could do it in 3 days using the en route bothies.

Stashing some food in the woods just the other side of the railway line after Loch Trieg would be fairly secure. And if something happens to the food stash you could head to Tulloch for the train.

Assuming you went clockwise.

Can anyone help with the final descent off Mullach nan Coirean down through the forest to the first forest track?
On a recent recce, after crossing the deer fence I tried to stick closely to the line shown on the Harveys map but quickly got bogged down in steep, dense forest full of dead and fallen trees. I hit the first track at roughly the right point, but that was definitely a bad line to take. Any hints on what is a better line and how to find it?

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Originally Posted by rsk

Can anyone help with the final descent off Mullach nan Coirean down through the forest to the first forest track?
On a recent recce, after crossing the deer fence I tried to stick closely to the line shown on the Harveys map but quickly got bogged down in steep, dense forest full of dead and fallen trees. I hit the first track at roughly the right point, but that was definitely a bad line to take. Any hints on what is a better line and how to find it?

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The line shown on the Harveys map is not really any good, as you found out!

If you instead carry on following the fence down to the corner, there is a stile. On the other side of the stile there is a new path that takes you down to the track. Turn right and join the Harveys route where it goes down what used to be a ride to the lower track.

But... that used to be all well and good. However the ride between the two tracks is now choked with fallen trees. At least it was when I last checked it out.
It may well nevertheless still be the best option but there is a second one:
Shortly after you meet the deer fence, higher up on the hill, there is a stile. Go over this and drop down steeply to the end of the track shown on the Harveys map at NN138674. The smaller track shown on the map that leads to the corner of the big track is further on.
This way has issues though: it is very steep on tired legs; the track you meet is tricky with felled logs; it is hard to find from the top - easier from the bottom going up.