The actual route, and what happened
Ballater to Montrose
Wednesday 27th
Ballater to Mount Keen. I was in front as we approached the shoulder of Mount Keen. As we were pretty shattered by now I shouted back to lain "Shall we go round?". I received no reply and thought he wanted to go up, so I staggered up to the top. When he joined me he said, "Why the Hell have you brought me up here? We should have gone round". I thought, "Damn me", produced my whisky flask and he drank the lot. He obviously hadn't heard me.
On the way down at the Queens Well there was Mary (the wife of Lord Farndale) with her car. As we approached she exclaimed, "Look at the state of you two, there's nothing of you". We were both pretty exhausted and lain was in quite a bad way, but Mary fed us with cakes, tea and a liberal dose of whisky. We then staggered slowly on to Tarfside where Gladys and family made a big fuss of us. She said "You can sleep in the lounge tonight as there is no one else here". After cleaning up and dinner lain got straight into his sleeping bag and I followed soon after.
Thursday 28th
At breakfast lain said "We will not finish until Friday. I think we should make for Edzell". I agreed, thinking 'I hope we can make it there'. We set off for Edzell, but down the road just before the bridge, where you cross to the river bank, Hamish Brown was collecting leaf mould for his garden. "Hi you two" he said "you had better get a move on as you are expected in Montrose for the dinner tonight".
"No way" we replied. "We cannot make it to Montrose today".
"I will monitor your progress."
"0K, we will give it a try"
We set off and eventually reached the Park Hotel about 6pm, signed in and made our way to the Bar, where the owner had promised us a bottle of Macallan if we succeeded. This was produced and sampled, when Barbara came down and said, "Hurry up you two and get showered and changed - we are waiting to go in to dinner".
In conclusion, we saw no other Challengers, only Hamish & Mary. When we got back to London we both found we had lost over 2 stone. lain was told by his Doctor to do nothing until he had gained at least 2 stone, I went for a run but only managed about 200 yards before giving up exhausted.
It took several months to recover completely, and all this for a little metal badge (worn very proudly) and a certificate. Would I have tried it again? Probably, if it had been suggested, but there were so many other hills and routes.
I must say what a privilege it was to share this adventure with such a wonderful and knowledgeable man of the Scottish Hills as lain Matheson. I hope you have enjoyed this journal.
Mick Daniels
Iain Matheson died in March 2006, aged 93.
