And so it was the annual Winter bothy trip with Graeme was back on. Cancelled in 2020 because of this damned pandemic, we confirmed the date of 3rd weekend in November for a new bothy experience, and a new hill! I had forgotten how long the drive takes down Loch Arkaig but what a rollercoaster it is. Total concentration for 40 minutes and eventually I rolled up to the car park at Strathan with a few of the beasts as welcoming party.
It's amazing how close you can get to them. But, that was terrible of me calling Graeme and Luna beasts - they had only been in A'Chuil one evening. We got the packs sorted and began the yomp into Glen Pean; although a threat of rain, it didn't really take hold and we had fine views as we walked further into our destination. It was good to catch up again as we hadn't been on the hill since Knoydart - our Munro extravanganza and the sad acceptance that it was currently two thirds of my total Munros for the year. But it's quality over quantity, isn't it? Not when you're 15 from completing....
After a good hour of walking and catching up, we saw our home for the night and it looked a cracking wee abode.
We unpacked, got the sleeping bags set out on the sleeping platforms and became German for the afternoon - towels down, our platforms claimed for the evening! We needn't have worried as we'd be the only folks in the bothy that night. Our plan now was straight up on to the ridge of Carn Mor, a Corbett that would lead us out to the edge of Knoydart and Loch Morar. It was a brute of ascent and unforgiving but we appeared on the flat ridge after about 45 minutes. From here, our summit lay 2 miles to the West and despite the odd burst of rain, we had a great walk along to the final climb.
