MIKE WOOD - 488361

With Marion and friends Anne, Andy and Maura
A very different day to yesterday's perfect bluebird inversion on Ben Cruachan. The centre of the anticyclone had shifted slightly, but enough to mean the cloud sheet sat doggedly on the upper slopes and summits all day, giving dull, cool conditions. We followed the standard Munro guidebook route and both summits gained uneventfully.
My reflections are dominated by two main learning points.
Firstly, Anne and Andy continue to gain in confidence having recently completed a basic navigation course with Edinburgh Outdoor Education. I was keen for them to take the lead for much of the day, which they took to without fuss.
Secondly - on the final descent from Beinn Eunaich, just north of Stob Maol, the normal "Munro path" becomes very sketchy and descends to the hydro track directly down the fall-line on very steep grass. This led to a "simple slip" by Maura when she was at the front of the group just ahead of me. Initially sliding on her back, she was twisted to contact her forehead on a outcropping boulder leaving her shaken and with a small gash above the hairline. I had brought a pared-down First Aid kit, which unfortunately to my shame did not have any antiseptic wipes, so had to use gauze bandage alone to clean and staunch the wound. After a few minutes rest and some paracetamol, Maura declared herself fine to continue and we soon reached the well-graded track which leads back to the road. We all kept a close eye on her for the rest of the descent, and her plan to catch the train from Perth that evening was amended with Anne and Andy taking her back to Dundee in their car.
A chastening reminder to bring a fully stocked and checked first aid kit on every outing!
Total Distance 13.79km
Ascent 1229m
Elapsed Time 6:22