My last Easter Scotland Trip before moving to the USA. At the time I still hoped to stay in England, but I was unhappy with my circumstances – personal and career.
This time we broke the journey and had a wild camp at Steall near the Water of Nevis. Dave Wharton, Phil, Jeff Allsebrook and I climbed Ben Nevis. We took the connoisseur’s route by walking up the glen to the north towards the ridge leading to Càrn Mòr Dearg summit. The final ascent was a hard post-holing exercise. As he was the youngest, Jeff was appointed to break trail. The summit was covered in fog and the weather a complete white-out. We took refuge in the shelter at the summit for lunch, then descended by the tourist route.
This was the second trip (the first being Scourie) that I attended where the group was spread over multiple houses. I was in the same cottage as Dave W. Some notable hikes were An Teallac, my first ascent of Slioch and my first trip into the Fannichs to climb A Chailleach.
I seem to remember that Gordon Cooper and his brother drove up in Gordon’s old VW camper van. Dave Cooper was there too and this was the first time that I met him.
Phil says that we also did Beinn Eighe, but I cannot remember this. My recollection is that I did it on the 1984 trip. There was a day when some of us took a coastal walk. This might have coincided with others going to Ben Eighe.
This was a memorable trip for me because of Ben Nevis, but also because the last hike was An Teallac. I messed up a glissade at the end and tumbled down the last Munro. I will always remember the look of horror on Phil and Jeff’s faces as I flew past them. I recall Jeff saying “he’s laughing”. The only victim was my brand new and expensive Sprayway Goretex jacket – my iceaxe punched a hole in it. The repair cost £10 and the jacket lasted for another 12 years.
I cannot name many of the places in these photos, So I have put the An Teallac memories first.
