Tim, Sarah, Mark and Ian had already decided on their line of attack on the Ben. Amanda, Jane and Phil had their arms twisted by lain to tackle the ascent by the tourist route. Tuesday brought with it the most glorious whether of the trip so far with brilliant blue skies with hardly a cloud in sight. The minibus left the lodge at just after 9am and headed towards Fort William. We stopped to let the bashers out of the bus by the Great Glen golf course and then A, I, Pand J continued the drive into Fort William, brought some maps and lost one another whilst searching for the toilets.
When we’d found one another we drove to the Youth Hostel began our ascent up rocky steps made for giants. The higher we climbed the more impressive the views became and the more frequent the exclamations and sharp intakes of breath. stopped for lunch by the always f the treachery of the Cambells and what happened at a Burns night.
Then upwards we continued and round to the Red Burn, there was a fantastic view of the valley below, perhaps too clear and impressive a view, for Amanda had an attack of vertigo and had to turn back. Iain went back with her and Phil and I set off along the snow-covered zig-zags. We zigged then we zagged then zigged again stopping for gulps of water en route. When we came along the penultimate zag we met lain who’d bashed his way straight up the mountain. Then the final climb began through the soft and deepening snow. This stage was very slow and for me extremely tiring. I had to force feed myself with glucose tablets since by this stage the summit was in sight at points. I even crawled along at times. With numb legs I reached the level approach to the summit. Phil came to meet me and I went to the trig point of my first Munro and did my Pope impersonation. The summit was totally clear and we admired the views and ate Mars bars.
Then we started our descent bivvy-bagging down the snow slopes which ended 2, 500ft below at the Red Burn: It was great fun glissading down, making the descent much much more rapidly then we’d gone up. In the final l00ft I realized that I was travelling much too quickly and made several attempts to stop myself with my hands and feet but in vain. I simply succeeded in slowing down and changing from feet first to head first before going over the six foot drop into the rocky burn below. thinking “oh dear I’ve hurt myself – serves me right I guess” whilst the real me was screaming, sobbing and moaning. Phil ran off down the hill to get help. lain got me out of the water and into the snow. Help came in the form of other walkers – one whose name was Sid was really good and various attempts were made to keep me warm whilst I continually grumbled about which bit of me was getting cold.
After what seemed like an age l heard a helicopter overhead and broke down with relief. The winch man and the mountain rescue doctor arrived and checked me over coming to the conclusion that I was only suffering from bruising and shock.
I was really terrified when they ripped the bivvy-bag open and I could see the valley 2,000ft below. I felt that I was on a narrow ridge but then reason told me that I wasn’t so I calmed down. Then the team carried me up to a flatter piece of ground – I found this scary, as was the helicopter coming in to land. I was winched up into the helicopter, keeping my eyes closed. It was a real relief to be on solid rather then melting ground. A couple of minutes later we landed in the hospital car park and I was transfered from the strait jacket stretcher to an ambulance stretcher and moved into the ambulance. I felt very insecure on the bed and hung onto the side as we drove into the hospital. I had to keep explaining what had happened but thankfully nobody made any judgmental statements.
Then into casualty where I was prodded again and x-rayed, nothing broken but they weren’t too happy about the dampness of my clothes and the state of my internal organs so they kept me in overnight.
This sojourn made me realise that there was no way I would ever like to look after geriatrics, for I shared a ward with a snoring, jaundiced, disorientated, senile, nurse calling female had to be turned every hour during the night which was accompanied by screaming. So I was pleased when the morning arrived.
Whilst I was eating my breakfast reporters and group secretaries were ringing up. I got up and noticed that my tracksuit bottoms were shredded, Oh well! I wanted to get dressed and get out so I had to show myself fit so I limped around the hospital.
At about 11.00 I was taken back to the x-ray department. This time I was injected with 12912 and photographs taken every 5 mins for 30 minutes. Thankfully nothing was damaged and I went and had lunch. I’d just swallowed my last drink of milk when I heard my name mentioned; so I wandered over to reception and saw Dave G. and lain there come to pick me up with some real clothes. So I got changed whilst lain tried to reassure Jenny (the old lady) and tell her to stay in bed. I said goodbye and thanks and went on to explore Fort William.
Jane.