Monday and I started what should be my last few days out solely with the purpose of gaining log book days by sleeping in!
With good weather forecast for Monday I set out later than expected at 03:15am for the approximately 7hr drive North of the Gteat Glen to claim another Munro in Ben Wyvis.
It turned into a bit of a nightmare journey due to being tired and the road conditions through the Cairngorms as snow had fallen over night.
However it gave me chance to blast out the old tunes to keep me awake with Scottish band 'Big Country' being the main suppliers of tunes. I did make a tenuous enquiry to George McEwan at the Mountaineering Council of Scotland if still knowing the all the words to 'Fields Of Fire' would grant me a bonus QMD but this was denied :-(
Arriving at the car at below Strathgarth Forest still full of coffee and Red Bull I was out of the car and and setting off up the hill like a Duracell bunny!
Making my way below Tom na Callich I then crossed the 'burn' and made my way up the steeply rising slope which took me to An Caber. Here I met an elderly chap who lived locally and remarked he did the route maybe 5 or six times a year! He began to point out distant summits as the lay out in the distance, including the bulk of Ben Nevis which could be just made out on the far horizon.
As I approached the summit a ski tourer joined me and we chatted a while and swapped phones for a chance to have summit photos taken.
After a brief bite to eat and some water I left the summit and began the walk back to the car which would take me down the Corie due South of the summit and left me wondering why the ski tourer hadn't come the same way as the skiing would have been great!
As I reached the Corie floor and crossed the burn again I thought it may have been a mistake not to park in the car park higher up and nearer the hill but it was too late now and I continued over Little Wyvis before dropping down to the car park and then on to find somewhere to sleep for the night!
Summary - all in all a stunning Scottish winter day, more of a challenge through lack of sleep and fatigue than anything else but another Munro in the bag and more importantly a QMD!
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