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Thread: Tranter Round

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    Tranter Round

    I am considering having a go at the Tranter Round this June.

    The stats make it look a lot easier than the Bob Graham (36 miles + 20,500ft cf 65 miles + 27,000ft) but the ground is clearly a lot rougher. I was hoping that I could go at a significantly more relaxed pace than on a 24hr BG and still get round in 20 hours. If I went at a 24 hr BG pace how long would I take on the Tranter? (I am hoping the answer is about 16 or 17 hours which would give me plenty of leeway to go at a more relaxed pace and still get round in 20 hrs).

    Which way round? I understand that Philip Tranter's traverse in 1964 was anticlockwise and set off from Achriabhach (2.5 miles up Glen Nevis from the youth hostel) but to me it seems more sense to get the big ascents of Ben Nevis and the Aonachs etc out of the way first. Has anyone tried the ascent up by the waterfalls above the end of the road or alternatively a more direct ascent from Achriabhach via Carn Dearg south? Are these ascent routes worth the saving of 1.5 miles as compared with starting at the youth hostel?

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    Grandmaster IanDarkpeak's Avatar
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    Re: Tranter Round

    Quote Originally Posted by burt View Post
    I am considering having a go at the Tranter Round this June.

    The stats make it look a lot easier than the Bob Graham (36 miles + 20,500ft cf 65 miles + 27,000ft) but the ground is clearly a lot rougher. I was hoping that I could go at a significantly more relaxed pace than on a 24hr BG and still get round in 20 hours. If I went at a 24 hr BG pace how long would I take on the Tranter? (I am hoping the answer is about 16 or 17 hours which would give me plenty of leeway to go at a more relaxed pace and still get round in 20 hrs).

    Which way round? I understand that Philip Tranter's traverse in 1964 was anticlockwise and set off from Achriabhach (2.5 miles up Glen Nevis from the youth hostel) but to me it seems more sense to get the big ascents of Ben Nevis and the Aonachs etc out of the way first. Has anyone tried the ascent up by the waterfalls above the end of the road or alternatively a more direct ascent from Achriabhach via Carn Dearg south? Are these ascent routes worth the saving of 1.5 miles as compared with starting at the youth hostel?
    There are people out there with more knowlege of this than me but the Tranter is an easier pace than the Ramsey and traditionally goes the opposite way round to the Ramsey i.e. a/c

  3. #3

    Re: Tranter Round

    There is a write up and times for a Tranters here

    I think you should go round anyway you want

    I'd rather get the Ben done first as I wouldn't fancy such a big descent at the end of the day.

    One of my support last year went up the Ben via the waterfall (he wanted a change from the normal ascent) but I'd rather go up the main path from the Youth hostel as its a brutal way to start.

    20 hours should be ok at a relaxed pace
    Bill

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    Re: Tranter Round

    I've never done the Tranter round but have good knowledge of the various options. If I was to do it, I would go clockwise and would come down the north ridge of the Mullach, which is a proper mountaineering finish rather than that dreadful few miles on the road/track. Start/finish as per Ramsay. 20 hours should be a pretty relaxed pace.
    Yiannis

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    Senior Member Alan Lucker's Avatar
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    Re: Tranter Round

    Its a good decent that Yiannis. Will and I did that route by accident last year whilst on a recce. We did however proceed to get hopelessly lost in the woods afterwards, thinking that we had descended the usual RR NE ridge, doh.

    I am thinking of doing a Tranters round by setting off and supporting a RR contender (Mr Baggins) then cutting off at Stob Ban (Grey Corries) to miss out my 5 least favourite munros on the round. So clockwise it is for me. I will probably do the rest of it on my own after picking up a food dump at Tom an Elte (or somewhere around there). The only down side to this is carrying more gear than I need, and if setting off at 11 am doing some of the route at night. Still it will add to the challenge.

    At RR pace it would take about 17 hour’s ish. (Assuming that you do it in daylight hours)

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    Re: Tranter Round

    Which is best (going clockwise):-
    Binnein Beag then Sgurr Eilde Mor or Sgurr Eilde Mor than Binnein Beag (and if the latter which is the best way from Stob Ban?

    Yiannis mentions the north ridge of the Mullach (as opposed to the NE ridge). Can anyone describe the way down to the Youth Hostel from the end of the north ridge?

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    Re: Tranter Round

    Quote Originally Posted by burt View Post
    Which is best (going clockwise):-
    Binnein Beag then Sgurr Eilde Mor or Sgurr Eilde Mor than Binnein Beag (and if the latter which is the best way from Stob Ban?
    I asked FullMoonAddict about this and he reckons that on a clockwise round: going Binnein Beag, Sgurr Eilde Mor then Binnein Mor is the way to do it.

    Don't know about the descent off Mullach.
    Bob

    http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bob_graham.php

    Without me you'd be one place nearer the back

  8. #8
    Senior Member Alan Lucker's Avatar
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    Re: Tranter Round

    Yes I will go this way. Off Stob Ban South West via Coire rath then Binnein Beag, Sgurr Elide More the Usual way then fairly direct up Binnein Mor (a tough looking climb).

    The north ridge goes via / to the left of Sgor Chalum then Yiannis might be able to help with the route through the forrest. You then will hit the main forrest track and cut off right faily soon (at the point were the track and road are closest) after and meet the road to the youth hostel.

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    Re: Tranter Round

    Doing Binnein Beag first is about half a km shorter with a little more climb. If the ascent to Binnein Beag from the glen is not much rougher that the climb to Sgurr Eilde Mor then the first one appears to be the best route (just).
    Yiannis

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    Re: Tranter Round

    Quote Originally Posted by Alan Lucker View Post
    Yes I will go this way. Off Stob Ban South West via Coire rath then Binnein Beag, Sgurr Elide More the Usual way then fairly direct up Binnein Mor (a tough looking climb).

    The north ridge goes via / to the left of Sgor Chalum then Yiannis might be able to help with the route through the forrest. You then will hit the main forrest track and cut off right faily soon (at the point were the track and road are closest) after and meet the road to the youth hostel.
    Alan, from Sg Eilde Mor the optimum route to Binneinn Mor would go between the lochans, follow the path west and climb to the ridge leading to the 1062 top. From memory, a direct route would either lose height or would involve some pretty rough contouring.
    I had a recent exchange with someone about the Mullah North ridge. I had reccied it in the past and found the best way through, which was much easier to follow than the usual one. On my solo completion I did not do it as I was short of time and very cold; the weather was bad, it was dark and I wanted to get down as quickly as possible.
    Yiannis
    Last edited by ydt; 28-02-2010 at 08:14 PM. Reason: error

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