BEINN EIGHE - LAWSON, LING & GLOVER’S ROUTE
By far the finest way to approach Beinn Eighe, Lawson, Ling & Glover’s route takes what appears to be an improbable line, barred in its upper reaches by an imposing pinnacle. In fact, the scrambling is mostly straightforward and not overly exposed. Given Grade 2 in every guide, some may feel the crux moves a little hard for the grade, but it is a short section which tops out on the pinnacle, this in turn being revealed as a remarkable flat slab. Above, the superbly situated summit of Sàil Mhòr faces the incomparable Triple Buttress, seen to best effect late in the day when the sun finally hits the plunging quartz walls, though if the ridge beyond remains to be completed, there is still a long way to go.
Another scramble, of the same grade though it feels considerably easier, follows to the summit of Còinneach Mhòr, where the choice must be made to complete the out and back to the highest of Beinn Eighe’s tops, or continue directly east, following the ridge out to the Black Carls.
I’d intended to do both on my last run, but dropping to the col from Còinneach Mhòr, skipping down rubble strewn rock steps, I went over with all my weight on my left ankle, the crunch of ligaments clearly audible in the still air. Unable to weight the leg or even stand for a short, while I debated the options. The descent to Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair was the obvious choice, but would leave a long, rough walk to the road. The alternative was to continue east and drop directly to the road either via Fuaran Mòr or by Coire an Laòigh. It would mean taking the quartz strewn ridge for some distance yet, followed by a descent of 3,500ft on steep rough slopes, in just over 1m. Either way it was going to be a long and painful afternoon and I opted for the latter.
By the following morning, my foot was hugely swollen, covered in livid purple and black streaks while the ankle itself was indistinguishable from the rest. As it turned out, I’d ruptured the ligaments but also fractured the fibia, still weak from a stress fracture in the same spot that had gone undiagnosed for several months.
Commenting on the mess a few weeks later, a friend had remarked that it was a mountain rescue situation. Frankly, it hadn’t occurred to me. But the weather had been kind. I can think of any number of days on these hills when the same scenario might have played out quite differently. But such is the nature of what we do. In general it is a low risk albeit in some cases high consequence activity. The hills are great teachers of humility. And that is as it should be.
