5 Munro Friday.

A good sleep bar a random helicopter flying over in the dark. Porridge and tea and then walking by 7. A 2 mile trudge up a track before open boggy hillside and up up up onto Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich - 2 hours later I was on the summit; view through the murk towards Ullapool, An Teallach covered in menacing cloud; Sgurr Mor too looming ominously above me; happed in mist; the rest of the ridge also under low cloud.

Suddenly as I started the descent towards Sgurr Mor, it brightened; amazing views up to the fantastic peak. Corries and lochans below. Red deer; dotterels and frogs by the dozen.

As I approached the summit of Sgurr Mor (seriously, within 100 metres of real distance not ascent), the cloud swept over and I was denied a view to Sgurr Nan Clach Geala.... Oh well. And the rain started as I came back down onto the ridge and stormed across Meall Gorm - the third summit of the day. As I cleared the next top, again - the sun burst out of nowhere. From 50 yard visibility to widescreen epic views. (Sgurr Mor remained hidden, but the rest was amazing.)
Onto the 4th and - yup - the cloud descended again. I had some much needed chicken noodle soup (she'd sent me off prepared) and I sheltered under a slabby overhang and then exited north. Again the cloud lifted a little and the north face of the hills I'd just done were exposed - immense corries, lochans, cliffs. Severe and threatening and mightily impressive.

Then the bog trot. Actually, not as bad as I'd been led to believe.

And by 2.30, I was brewing tea by the tent in glorious sunshine. 15 miles, 4 munros 1300 metres ascent.

Half an hour later I decided to quickly scoot up Am Faochagach. So off I set - the river crossing was - dodgy. Off with the boots and socks, wading knee deep across 30 yards of fast moving water...

And slowly but relentlessly I plodded up onto what is a bigger hill than it looks and finally staggered onto the summit to claim a fifth summit of the day. Sunny and clear; amazing close up views into Beinn Dearg - a hill I remember all too well from before Tom was born. My 81st munro. This is my 182nd. 100 left to do. 101 in 9 years and a few months. I lingered a bit and admired the view (the blip) before descending, recrossing the river (which had risen! - eep!) before 20 minutes of tropical rain storm. Soaked....
And back - a mere 5 hours - considering what had gone before, I'll take that. I sat in the car; dried out and eventually an hour later the rain abated, cooked dinner and slipped into the tent once more. I was out; the car parked next to me was gone the next morning - I never heard it start, or the doors close or anything.
24 miles 5 munros, 2000 metres of ascent. Only a 100 left...! :)

Extra shows the route - red from car to #1and #2 (they look close, but trust me - there's an hour between them); then yellow is the ridge walk across #3 and #4; green is the descent; and doesn't show how boggy and rough the going is'; pink is the ascent / descent line on the final one Am Faochagach - the summit is at least another mile behind me although not much higher) I felt I'd earned a rest and a look at the day's events by this time)