Howard: 15 what?

Tenk: Why Munro’s of course!

Howard: OK, where, and when?

Tenk: Well, it’s either the Mamores / Grey Corries, Glen Sheil, or Glen Shee area.  The best time will be nearest to mid-summer to maximise daylight, but the weather will be a big factor.

So that was the discussion at the end of May 2006.

I did the Cuillin Ridge in early June (48 hours York – Skye – York) with Jim Croft (also York MC) - second attempt in 10 days, first attempt failed mainly due to bad weather 70% into the traverse which made the traverse attempt dangerous.  I would not be attempting another big day without a clear weather window.

I understand that the record for the most number of Munro’s in a day is 29 by John Broxap of Kendal (click this link for information on this and other astonishing achievements). It was not my aim to suggest that this was anyway possible, mainly due to the fact that I am most certainly not a fell runner.  I was however keen to see what could be achieved by a reasonably fit hill walker. 

So we started to plan, and after much discussion settled on Lochnagar as our start point with the aim of going until it was not feasible to continue. 

On Thursday 13 July 2006 we set off from York with a good weather forecast for the following 4-5 days, we had our weather window!  We opted for a very easy chill out day on Friday and after a night in the back of the car at Loch of Lowes near Dunkeld, we did a couple of easy routes at Craig a Bairns, ROUTE1 and ROUTE2.  This left us plenty of time for a relaxing drive and food in Braemar.  After a quick kit check we set off at approx 6.30 and reached the summit of Lochnagar M021 1155m (10km 840m) 3 hours later and so to bed.

Our approach left flexibility for either one or two nights out, and to travel as light as possible.  Howard did insist on carrying a stove and titanium kettle, which we used for 3 brews, one dinner of cous cous and chorizo ham and one breakfast of quick cook porridge.

The intended route seldom dropped below 800m, and apart from the ski centre at Glen Shee there were no roads to cross, our aim was to dsett off early from Lochnagar and complete as a miimum the munro’s to Glen Shee namely Lochnagar, Carn a' Choire Boidheach, Carn an t-Sagairt Mor, Cairn Bannoch, Broad Cairn, Tolmount, Tom Buidhe, Carn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise, Glas Maol and Creag Leachach 11 so far and the 3 (Carn Aosda, The Cairnwell and Carn a' Gheoidh) as a minimum, then to continue on to An Socach (15) then on to Beinn Iutharn Mhor, Carn an Righ and Glas Tulaichean (18) then drop off to Spittal of Glen Shee and hitch back for the car.  Howard has compiled a table of times and distances (see below).

I must note that 3 hills into the Saturday, I developed a chaffing in my nether regions due to my cotton underwear which I ditched and completed the trip commando style.  A big lesson was learnt here and in future I will always wear the appropriate sport / hi-wick underwear as this cost me a great deal of discomfort and probably cost us hill number 16 on day one.

On the Saturday morning we set off from Lochnagar at 5.06, hit Glen Shee at 14.26 and Munro 15 at 20.03, almost exactly 15 hours later.  Settling in for the night a little after 21.00.

OK, those of you who will know me will know I am and always have been a bit of a gear freak, in order to travel most efficiently, we kept our kit down to a minimum for the conditions, this included the following which was essentially  the same for each of us: Inov-8 Roclite 315 footwear, 3 pairs of short off-road socks (again Inov-8), Ron hill Tracksters, shorts, 2 base layer t-shirts, 2 long sleeved base layers (for night time comfort), one cap for sun protection, thin gloves, In-v-8 Mistlite jacket, OMM Mummery 0.5 sleeping bag, Rab survival zone bivi bag, light weight Karrimat / ¾ thermarest.  OMM Classic small 25L pack, 0.85L titanium kettle, MSR pocket rocket stove and of .  Total pack weight without food was maximum 2.5kg.  We did not run (due to my chaffing problem).