Orran Smith - 1451300

The Group:6 people + Nikki and Me.
Two women over 60 were part of the group; one had broken her leg back in April of this year but was adamant she'd be fine, and the other has arthritis in one of her ankles but also was sure she'd be fine so long as we took it easy.
There were two children, aged 11 and 15, both well adapted to the fells and mountains.
Lawrence, a man in his 30s who is comfortable with running and trail running but hasn't done much mountain hiking, was also in the group, as well as a woman in her mid-30s who doesn't do much outdoor activity at all but given the pace we'd planed to move at she was sure shed be ok.
Then there was Nikki and me both very well adapted the the fells and mountains.

Given this group dynamic and the fact that everyone was incredibly psyched to do the hike, I planned to take everyone up the steeper technical route at a very leisurely pace. Taking time to stop and explore the vegetation and share stories on the way. After the summit we would drop down the more open easier tourist trail. Moving at a really steady pace with plenty of stops I was sure we'd get round the 12km route in around 6hours. Starting at 10am also gives us an extra hour of light in case we take longer.
The Weather:
It wasn't quite like what was forecasted. The forecast predicted a low chance of rain, yet it rained the whole time. It was foggy from 150 meters up, and the wind was cold.
The Route:
After leaving the woods, we passed Sput Ban, Everyone was moving well except for Annmarie (one of the older women - (Nikki's mum)); she was struggling with the big boulder steps and the steep sections. Her hip was starting to bother her, and she was starting to tire by half way. This was becoming more increasingly noticeable from about 3 hours in. I proposed that we increase our resting time each time we stopped to cater for this. She was claiming to be fine to continue and really wanted to make the summit, this would be her only Munroe ever. Everyone was happy to move at a slower speed to cater for her and she was still enjoying the time with the younger crowed. We made the best of the waiting/ recovery time by talking about the moss, the geology and the Gaelic names. We had a break for lunch just before Ptarmigan as the cold wind was stronger higher up but we'd found a perfect sheltered spot that was warm. After the break I discussed with Nikki for her to lead the fitter faster folk onto the summit and back down at a more appropriate pace as we really didn't want them getting cold.
The tourist path back to the carpark was well trodden and Nikki is more than capable to do this (She'd also been up and down this mountain several times in the past). Lawrence stuck with me and Annmarie as we continued at a much slower pace to the summit. If we hadn't been so close to the top I might have been more inclined to turn around but I was sure that the descant on the other side was much more manageable than the rough rugged trail we'd climbed so far. Annmarie made the Summit and everyone was waiting for her (there was actually no wind up there) as they wanted to celebrate with her.
After hugs and cheers we began our descent down the easier tourist trail. Nikki and the others headed off at a much faster pace than Annmarie and I. The fog and rain cleared as we descended below 300m which gave us some great views of the Loch. In spite of her troubles Annmarie was insistent that she was enjoying herself and was glad she'd taken on the challenge.
She remained in good spirits the whole way around. We made it back to the carpark before dark. Nikki came back along the trail a bit to see how we were getting on as we were heading back through the forest. She was clear that her group had had a great time descending and laughing and joking the whole way down. Lawrence and Avril (the other older woman) let us know they enjoyed it and thanked us for the experience too.

Learning - Gaelic References:
Sput Ban translates to "white spout" or "white spray.
"Tom Fithich: "Tom" means "hillock" or "knoll," and "Fithich" is the singular of "fitheach," meaning "raven."
Ravens are common and important to the mountain's ecosystem.
Bealach Buidhe (pronounced "bah-luk booey") means "yellow pass."

Challenge:
Group management was quite a challenge, with Annmarie struggling from the early stages, the fog being so thick from low down, and the unfortunate wet conditions that weren't forecasted. Annmarie needed a lot of support on the tougher climbs, but she made it through.

Roundup:
Despite tough conditions, it was a great day out in the fells with a large, diverse group. Everyone enjoyed it and got down safely, and there was a shared sense of accomplishment at the Summit and the end.

Notes for future:
Although I enjoyed the challenge and the opportunity to coach the older, less adapted folk around, I think I'd prefer to stick with taking fitter more adapted groups out on the fells and mountains. Had the conditions been worse I would have definitely changed the plan. This hike was quite far from what I'm used to in terms of group management but on reflection I think I made some really good decisions and was never in doubt of myself. Annmarie was incredibly thankful and generous with her praise when she talked about the support I offered her during the tough ascent to the summit.