Ben Lawers & the Tarmachan Ridge

It has been over a month since my last post which might seem unusual given that things were very much positive at that time. Well, in keeping with my general run of luck, that didn’t last.

My right knee started giving trouble again, strangely enough nearly a year since the last time. Not quite as debilitating as back then but more than a niggle and it stopped me running one day when I was doing hills near my house.

I rested for nearly two weeks then eased myself back in on the treadmill. The current state of play is that my knee is not right but as much as it annoys me, I can run. I can fully bend my leg, my knee does not swell, and it is just a minor pain, on and off, roughly to the left of and behind my right patella. I see no benefits in doing nothing, so my plan is to continue to test it.

Three days of good weather emerged, from Friday 16 October. I was desperate to get a trip away and after considering all of my options, I decided not to stray too far from home in the event that my knee failed me and I had to curtail the trip.

My plan was to head off early on Friday, run then head to Aberfeldy where I would camp for three nights at the campsite just on the edge of the town. On Saturday, my running rest day would consist of a packraft outing on Loch Tay, followed by a second hill run on the Sunday.

The weather forecast for Friday was not quite as good as for Saturday or Sunday but it was due to be dry with sunny intervals and a 25-30 mph wind. The cloud cover was due to be around 800-900 metres.

I arrived at the Ben Lawers car park above Loch Tay just before 0900 on Friday. My plan was to do the out and back to the top of Ben Lawers then return to the car. Dependent on how my knee was faring, I then had a plan to refuel at the car then head off on the opposite side, up onto the Tarmachan Ridge.

I headed up the initial path from the car park, trying to pace myself. My knee just wasn’t happy, but I persisted in the hope that it would improve when I warmed up.

After the initial climb beside the burn, there is a slight easing of gradient and some brief spells of running before the long slog up Beinn Ghlas.

Beinn Ghlas is a munro in its own right, but for most, just a waypoint on the route to the summit of Ben Lawers beyond.

The climb is fairly steady, steeper in parts and with some technical challenge in sections. My quads and calves were complaining a bit, as was my knee, but I continued on up.

Great views back down to Loch Tay were enjoyed although the cloud base was as forecasted and the summits above were mainly in cloud. The wind chill got the better of me about halfway up and I stopped to put on my wind jacket.

Eventually, I reached the summit of Beinn Ghlas (1,103m) and paused for the view and a couple of photos.

Cloud continued to swirl around the summit of Ben Lawers beyond, not yet visible.

I descended quickly into the bealach between the two peaks, enjoying the minutes of running that this enabled. As I approached the bottom of the final climb, the cloud broke and I could see the climb and the summit above.

I powered on up the last ascent, once more back into the cloud and quite a strong wind as I reached the bleak summit of Ben Lawers, I believe the tenth highest mountain in Scotland at 1,214m.

I snapped a couple of photos at the top but there was no visibility and it was bloody freezing in the wind, so I didn’t linger long. So, after a few minutes, I was heading back down.

My plan was to take it easy on the way down. With my knee making itself known almost every step and the rocky, technical descent to negotiate, I had no intention of falling. However, I made good progress.

Back down at the bealach, I could have veered off to the right on the path that skirts around Beinn Ghlas but I decided to climb back up the summit. More training for the legs and more of a descent to enjoy going back down.

I made it back up to the top of Beinn Ghlas fairly quickly then set off on the long downhill. This starts steeply and with some technicality but as the shoulder of the mountain is reached, the path, gradient and surface improve to allow some decent downhill running. As much as my knee was not happy, I could run and bear weight fine so I stretched out a little and achieved some good downhill pace and technical running on the way back down.

The skies were clear and the view down to Loch Tay and Killin was a treat as I descended and before long, I was back at the car.

It was late morning by this time so no issues with time. My knee was sore but it wasn’t getting any worse and I could climb and run on it without favouring the leg. So, I decided to head off for round two, but with a few options.

I could just go up to the top of Meall nan Tarmachan then come back down. I could start the ridge but take the escape path down after Beinn nan Eachan, or I could complete the entire ridge. I resolved to head off, to see how things felt and decide as I went.

The path from the west side of the car park climbs very slowly, crossing a vehicle track before rising more steeply towards the start of the climb proper up to Meall nan Tarmachan.

I had fuelled up at the car and replenished my running calories, but my legs were starting to feel the uphill gradient so I had to pace myself to keep my heartrate and breathing down.

After what seemed like an eternity, I hit the shoulder of the hill and took the hard right up onto the grassy path. The climb was more gradual at first, then rising more steeply towards the first minor summit.

Once again, the views back down to Loch Tay were fantastic as was the view across to the Ben Lawers range where I had been shortly before.

I reached the top of the first little summit and paused for a drink and some calories before heading down into the bealach for the final steep ascent.

I passed a couple of small groups on the way up and before long I was on the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan (1,044m).

The views were outstanding as most residual cloud had cleared. Ben Lawers and the surrounding peaks were in full view, as were extensive views to the north towards the Glen Lyon munros and beyond. Most impressive was the view across to the Tarmachan Ridge itself, with its complicated landscape of small peaks.

I was still feeling good, so I decided to continue. The weather was simply too good not to and the descent down off the summit seemed to be very runnable. That turned out to be the case and I enjoyed the descent, then negotiating the uneven ground before the steep but short climb up to the pinnacle that is the summit of Meall Garbh (1,026m).

I took a couple of photos on Meall Garbh, along with a group of about six walkers who were up there at the same time.

I then headed across the little grassy arete before the descent on the other side. This is where things changed.

It was steep, rocky and scrambly, all of which I had been expecting on this particular descent. However, the final section of downhill scrambling was on wet rock and my shoes were just not gripping. I hovered a little but in the absence of safe footing, I felt a very real sense that I might slip and fall.

I am sure a younger me would have gone for it anyway but the present me did not intend to fall that day so I made the decision to turn back. On reflection, I am still pleased that I did.

I retraced my steps up over Meall Garbh, in the knowledge that there was a faint path heading south down the hillside from there. This would eventually take me to the 4×4 track which would have formed the final return leg of the ridge route had I continued anyway. Thus, I was only cutting off the final section of the ridge. To be honest, my knee was still sore and my quads were pretty done as well.

The faint path was actually runnable for a short while, at least until it vanished. Thereafter, it was just a case of forging a path downhill on very uneven, grassy ground which became increasingly waterlogged the further down I went. Coming over the last hump, the track was in full view below, and I just had to persevere to reach it without snapping an ankle in the process.

From that point, it was about two miles around the hillside. My quads were solid by this point and starting to cramp so I swallowed the last of my water and electrolytes and kept going, power walking a couple of the slight uphills.

However, I ran most of the way until I reached the junction with the track back to the car park. This was fairly even and allowed about a half mile of good steady running to finish the day.

To be honest it was a day of mixed feelings.

On one hand, it was great to be out in the hills in such good weather. Overall, the state of my knee overshadowed things as it was the worst it had been for a couple of weeks. However, it was not getting progressively worse after a stiff test of ascent, descent and technical running. I had logged over 1,700 metres of ascent which is decent for a few hours work and the views had been outstanding.

I would wait with trepidation to see how my knee felt the following day….