A month ago, I enjoyed my third day out on the hills to the east of Bridge of Orchy. This group of five Munros, and Beinn Dorain in particular, must be among the most eyeballed in the Highlands, with the busy A82 and West Highland railway line both skirting the western edge of the range, giving the passing traveller impressive closeups of stream-riven slopes climbing to 1000 metre-high summits, and furtive glimpses through lonely glens into the interior.
Munro bagging can be hard on the knees. A combination of sodden ground, steep tussocky slopes, and strong winds took its toll on Saturday. The round of Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a’ Chreachain was a great, if tiring, day out. Twelve miles, and 1300 metres of ascent & descent in rather mixed weather (for which read rain, wind, and cloud), had left me with a twinge in my left knee — one I’ve come to recognise as the beginnings of ITBFS. If ignored (something I’ve done too often in the past), this rapidly becomes debilitating, and puts the hills out of bounds for a good six weeks. Not what I want with a trip to the Alps lined up in the week ahead!