This is the Journal of a 1987 Challenge to cover the 8 (at that time) 4000 Ft Mountains.
Team Iain Matheson aged 74 and me (Mick Daniels) aged 53.
The route, like all good routes, was conceived in a pub in Kennington one evening after a 10 mile walk in September 1986, like this.
Iain: "Challenge next year - what do you fancy? I fancy the 4000ft Mountain Route. I have tried it three times, but was forced off each time by the weather."
Me (full of whisky): "OK, why not?"
Iain: "OK, I will do the route."
Me: "Good"
Then I promptly forgot about it
Later Iain said, "I have submitted the route, and it has been approved, with the comment: This has been tried and no-one has succeeded, so best of luck to you not-so-young men"
| Date | Route Summary | OS Map No |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 15th May | Drive overnight to Fort William, request a parking space with police permission. Leave my keys with the police, who will watch my car. |
N/A |
| Saturday 16th May | Catch 8.30 train to Lochailort, sign out and start walking to Cona Glen to camp. | Map No. 40 |
| Sunday 17th May | Cona Glen to Fort William on the road as there is no Sunday ferry at Camusnagaul - meet Iain (who is starting at another point) at camp site |
Map 40/41 |
| Monday 18th May | Camp site - Ben Nevis - Carn Mor Dearg Arête - Carn Mor Dearg - Aonach Mor - Aonach Beag - Grey Corries - camp or bothy |
Map 41 |
| Tuesday 19th May | Camp to Nancy Smith's Hostel at Fersit. Pick up parcel & phone in. | Map 41 |
| Wednesday 20th May | Fersit - through the forest to loch laggan - Kinlochlaggan - Monadhliath Hotel. Camp | Map 40/42/35 |
| Thursday 21st May | Monadhliath Hotel to Kingussie. Find a bed & breakfast, clean up & phone in. | Map 35 |
| Friday 22nd May | Kingussie - Feshie Bridge - Feshie Forest to small bothy - Creig Dubh - south of Loch Mhic Ghille Chaol - camp by river |
Map 35/36 |
| Saturday 23rd May | Camp - Braeriach - Cairn Toul - Angel Point - Devil's Point - Corrour Bothy | Map 36 |
| Sunday 24th May | Corrour Bothy - Ben Macdui - Cairn Gorm - Fords of Avon - Derry Lodge - Braemar - camp or B&B - phone in |
Map 36/43 |
| Monday 25th May | Braemar - Ballater - camp | Map 43/44 |
| Tuesday 26th May | Ballater - round Mount Keen - Tarfside - phone in | Map 44 |
| Wednesday 27th May | Tarfside - Edzell | Map 44/45 |
| Thursday 28th May | Edzell - Montrose | Map 44/45/54 |
I suddenly realised what I had let myself in for, as this was only my third Challenge. Iain said, "There are some very long hard days, which means early starts at 5 to 6am - never later than 6."
My Equipment:
(remember there was not the lightweight equipment available today).
- The tent was a Korean copy of a Blacks Backpacker 2 - cost £35 Weight 4.5 pounds ( this tent did 11 Challenges, visits to the Alps & the Andes and is now in Malawi being used by the Rangers).
- Rucksack was an Alpinist 5 climbing sack, with added side pockets - total capacity 75 Litres. With a waist belt, not a padded hip belt, weight 5 Ibs.
- Sleeping Bag, a 4 seasons hollow fibre filled (very bulky), weight 3 Ibs
- Foam roll up mat.
- Trangia Meths stove with a bottle of Meths and a spoon for eating.
- Cotton tee shirt
- Cotton lumberjack shirt
- Wool outer socks and cotton squash socks as inner socks.
- A Sprayway breathable Cagoule (which I still use)
- Heavy over trousers
- Yeti gaiters which fixed on to ...
- Scarpa boots.
- Spare clothing was also carried.
- lce axe, crampons and a 9mm rescue rope.
Food.
- Dry porridge to make up.
- Crackers with a tube of cheese.
- Dried milk.
- Sugar, coffee and cup-a-soup.
- Evening meal was Pasta or Noodles.
Total weight carried:
40 to 44 lbs (18kg - 20kg). I only weighed 10 stone 10 lbs (68kg).
There was no GPS, Mobile Phone or Spot!
