The last three Munros of 2015 (1)

On the night of 15/16 October 2015, I travelled North once more on the Sleeper. The weekend for this expedition had not been chosen by reference to the weather forecast, or anything sensible like that - because with the way they price rail tickets these days, the only way to get a reasonable price on your tickets is to book too far in advance to have any idea what the weather is going to be like. You just have to take pot luck ... which I did. Even so, I was unable to get a sleeper berth and so had to travel in the day coach ... which meant getting woken at Edinburgh at 4 in the morning and changing carriages, because the day coach on the Fort William portion of the train does not travel all the way through from Euston. It was certainly interesting ... but it is not a travel option I would willingly choose again.

By very great good fortune, the weekend I had chosen turned out to be absolutely glorious! The train dropped me at Corrour at about 9 o'clock. It was cold, to be sure, but the sky was clear and the air was still, and I just knew that I was destined for two days of absolutely stunning high-level walking. I had in mind to take two days walking through to Dalwhinnie, taking in some of the Munros I had omitted in previous years' challenges (Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre) and a Corbett (Meall na Meoig), then dropping down to Benalder Cott for my overnight stop; then on Sunday I would tackle a third Munro (Beinn Bheoil), drop down to Culra Lodge, and then walk out along the long, hard Loch Ericht shore path so well known and loved (not) by all Challengers. I had originally thought to try to get Ben Alder as well ... but I was concerned about distances and length of daylight in mid October, and decided to keep it down to a shorter, more enjoyable weekend of walking. Then on the Monday, I would travel back South by a variety of trains (the selection being dictated by price, rather than any desire to make the particularly peculiar transit which I had chosen).

I watched the train trundle off towards Fort William, and then I shouldered my pack and strolled down to Loch Ossian Youth Hostel.