On-sight Munro bagging - Tranter's Round

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Staggering through the wind and rain along the summit plateau of Ben Nevis, I realised that being on top for the very first time wasn’t going to be how I’d imagined. I’d spent the last 15 hours alone, out in the hills in an attempt to tag all the summits of the Lochaber Munros on a surprisingly little known route called Tranter's Round. At this point, I’d run just under 60 km and ascended over 6000m of elevation but this made little difference to the swarms of people at the summit. As much as I wished for it there was no pristine sunset, no welcoming party and no hot cups of tea waiting. I was just another hillwalker and despite my elation at reaching the final summit literally nobody else cared.

The first few Munros from the southern section of the route

Tranter’s Round is a slightly shortened version of the now classic long-distance challenge known as the Ramsey Round. The route takes in much of the same terrain (minus the notorious dog leg out to Loch Treig) covering 18 Munros in approximately 65km and 6500m of ascent. Tranter’s is referred to as the ‘original 24 hour challenge’ and after it was recommended to me at a fell race earlier in the year I’ve been keen to give it a go.
Having only developed my fitness for long-distance running in the last year or so, I’d consider myself a bit of a newbie when it comes to Scottish mountains. Some would call it inexperience but I guess I like to convince myself that I’m developing the niche sport of ‘onsight’ munro bagging (definitely a thing). So at 3 AM on the 10th August 2019, I nervously tapped the sign at the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel and set off into the darkness with the promise of 18 new Munros and a very questionable weather forecast.

 I’d opted for the anti-clockwise route so I started off along the forest track before beginning the climb up onto the Mamores ridgeline via the eastern spur of Mullach Nan Coirean (M1). It was still dark when I reached the summit so coupled with the clag, visibility was down to a few metres. Still, the early flat and runnable sections had me skipping along a bit faster than I probably should have been and I soon found myself atop Stob Ban (M2). Despite a minor nav error coming off the top (missed the scramble-y eastern ridge down and went too far south before correcting) my stumbling around in the dark seemed to be quite effective and I was making good time. The head torch was off on the way up past Sgurr An Lubhair and I was coming up on one of Scotland’s most impressive mountain arenas - The Ring of Steall. Cloud billowing up the eastern flank of the hillside formed a wall of mist parallel to the Devil’s Ridge. I traversed along the centreline, spectacular scenery on one side, a white abyss on the other. Cloud was back down for Sgùrr A’ Mhàim (M3) and the returning run but for a few moments on the way up to Am Bodach (M4) I managed to catch a few glimpses of my route ahead.
Looking down onto The Ring Of Steall

Over the summit and along another traverse to Stob Coire A’ Chàirn (M5) I felt like I was cracking through the hills pretty quickly. The ridge out to An Gearanach (M6) required a bit of hands on rock work but after that I had what looked like a steady run over the final peaks in the Mamores.
Cloud lifting to see the rest of the route ahead

Yet, after the pathless traverse prior to the ascent of Na Gruagaichean (M7) a biting wind now skimmed off the hills and the cold set in as I approached the 5 hour mark. Some quality ridge running on the way to Binnein Mòr (M8) had me briefly distracted but I was still struggling to keep the numbness from the fingers once at the top. On to the solitary Binnein Beag (M9) a slightly technical ascent via the south-eastern scree slopes was required to reach the top. Being slightly warmer and nearing the prospect of lunch after the Mamores, my spirits began to lift – but this didn’t last long. After beginning the climb to Sgùrr Eilde Mòr (M10), the forecasted rain finally closed in and shortly after summiting I faced a wet and miserable fight with the wind on the long ridge run down into the valley. I crossed the upper reaches of Glen Nevis above Loch Treig just before the 8 hour mark and stopped for a quick lunch break. I tried to be confident that I could make it home within 6 hours. 

 From here, rough ground underfoot on the trudge up to Stob Ban (M11) made for slow progress but the promise of clear tops in the Grey Corries boosted me up there. Once the hellishly long climb up to Stob Coire Claurigh (M12) was over and done with I could acknowledge the solitariness of my situation and the stunning aesthetic of the ridgeline snaked out in front. Across to Stob Coire an Laoigh (M13) these scenic views spurred me on but my legs were beginning to feel pretty rough. A short break and a bit of food later, I was scrambling down the scree slopes to cut the corner on the way to Sgurr Choinnich Mor (M14) where I met the first people I’d seen all day.


On top of Choinnich with a cracking view back to the Grey Corries

From the summit, I gazed over to Aonach Beag (M15) and tried to pick out the path up the south-eastern slopes. With all this terrain completely new to me I decided to wing it and hope the visibility would hold out on the grassy scramble up the southern shoulder. I definitely didn’t find the best route but it got me up above the crags and onto the first of many false summits that would tease my tired brain into thinking I was at the top. From here I got my first solid view of The Ben and the CMD Arret, both of which I’d been coveting on my running wish list for years. Once I’d made the short traverse over to Aonach Mor (M16) I began the technical descent to the shoulder of Carn Mor Dearg (M17) and made it to the base of the final ridge climb just as the forecasted wind for the evening picked up.

As I slogged up the second to last Munro I kept telling myself that I’d been looking forward to this section for months, it was going to be fun, I was going to enjoy it. Unfortunately, the reality hit at the top. The wind was howling and I could barely stand up so the entirety of the journey over the ridge was hell. In fact, the rest of the run was hell and I’ve subsequently decided that The Ben and I don’t get on. It took all the energy I had left to stay standing while clambering up the grueling boulder field to the summit of Ben Nevis (M18). I picked my way past the mobs to tag the top and then began what I knew would be a grim descent. I opted for the zig-zags for an easy-on-the-knees run down and (not quite) soon enough I was back on the flats of Glen Nevis with a palm on the YH signpost.
  
TOTALS:
15 hours 20 minutes
60.3 km total distance
6010 m total ascent

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/2629303836

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