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Day 28 - 30

April 30 2023 – Day 28

Cr282 was ready and resourced to return Euan and Eric to the base of Schiehallion for the day’s Munro. Schiehallion is one of Scotland’s most iconic mountains for a variety of reasons. First of all, it stands very much alone in the area. It also has a very conical and distinctive shape but this time COHN – Committee on Hill Names – has eschewed its normal practice of naming it Sgorr or Stob or Bidean, recently knowledgeable readers will be ahead of the herd here. Reading this blog regularly does pay off.


Schiehallion – Fairy Hill of Caledonia


This mountain has several caves around its circumference. Legend suggests that as you enter a cave and pass through a door, you are trapped there for ever. It also was a refuge for Templar Knights and the abode of the hag goddess of winter, Cailleach Bheur. This deity emerges at Beltane and then turns into a standing stone or a maiden. Flowers are laid by local maidens here to curry favour. It should be noted that Euan climbed Schiehallion on April 30 – the day before Beltane – he suffered no ill effects, at least on the surface.

Another significant feature of Schiehallion is its history which is told on a plaque at its foot. In 1774, the astronomer royal, Nevil Maskelyne carried out plumb line calculations on its slopes to prove the force of gravity according to mass. That is a summary of what the plaque says and is the extent of the commander’s school boy physics. Following this work, Reuben Burrow and Charles Hutton also did surveying work which for the first time used contour lines on land. A mountain worthy of its status.

Euan went up and down in1hr 53mins over the 10.9k, 2477ft of ascent, 2509ft descent. Munro no 73. He then cycled to Blair Atholl – the not inconsiderable distance of 39k in 1hr 53mins, 1778ft of ascent, 1768ft descent. He then unsurprisingly stopped for the night.

That morning, the commander stood and watched as Euan and Eric prepared Cr282 for the days ahead. He had mixed feelings – he was glad to be home for a few days but was wondering how Euan and Cr282 will get on without him. (Besides Euan, is this also a campervan you’re attached to? Really…– the Editor). The commander couldn’t resist thinking – “Will the sweet talking Eric turn Cr282’s head with his smooth gear change and nifty manoeuvring? Will she forget all the days and nights spent together in faraway places? Will the relationship forged on the narrow roads and sloping parking sites endure for 7 days and at a distance?” (This mush has to stop. Now! – the Editor)

The commander took a day or two to adjust to life outside the campervan. Every area was so big, the flooring so soft and the spaces so warm. He did think that the thermostat controlling the house heating was surely set a little high. (The adjusting of the thermostat downwards was a sure sign that the commander was returning to the norm – the Editor). During the night on a toilet visit, the commander momentarily thought he would need outdoor shoes to make the visit and where exactly was the toilet in this modest sized house. This confused state has proved to be temporary and with care and support from family members, the commander has, unfortunately for them, returned to his old cantankerous self.


May 1 2023 - Day 29

May 2 2023 – Day 30


The Editor wishes to alert regular readers that for the next 7 days, the writer will be on unpaid leave of absence and as a result blogs will be both shorter and a tad less detailed. We would like to apologise for the inevitable short term loss in quality and length but rest assured that Euan is continuing to keep up the high quality and intense focus on Challenge282. All the other tracking features and posting of images will continue as before.

The sharp eyed reader will have noticed the term “unpaid leave of absence” in the above paragraph in relation to the writer’s work. This is merely a contractual term since, you’ll be relieved to hear, that he does not receive any payment/benefit/payment in kind/inducement for the time and musings which he produces when he is present! He may divulge the negotiations which took place between Euan and himself prior to Challenge 282 in later blogs but readers will have wait.

Euan has now entered the Cairngorms, the nearest he will get to his Scottish home in the challenge. He was fortunate to gain access to private estate roads into the southern part of this vast range of mountains. As a result he will be able to garner the Munros there with a combination of walking and cycling as before and using Cr282 as a base. That said, he’s just completed on Day 30 a walk/climb/cycle of 68k which he acknowledged was too long to gain 3 Munros.



Day 29 – 4 Munros


Beinn a Ghlo Range – Hill of Mist/ Veil/ Hood

Carn Liath – Grey Hill

Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain – Upland of the Corries of the Round Blisters

Carn nan Gabhar – Hill of the Goats

Carn a Chlamain – Hill of the Kite


37k covered, 7hrs 38mins, 6709 of ascent, 4790ft descent, 184 bpm

Total Munros 77


Day 30 – 3 Munros


An Sgarsoch – Place of the Sharp Rocks

Carn an Fhidleir – Hill of the Fiddler

Ben Dearg – Red Hill


68k covered 9hrs 58mins, 7076ft of assent, 7604ft decent – not a misprint….

Total Munros 80

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2 Comments


margaret.ludgate
margaret.ludgate
May 07, 2023

What a beautiful photo above Day 29-4 Munros.

I'm drawn to the bench ----- but do you have to climb x number of Munros to get there?

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kmasson2
May 06, 2023

The details of the blog may suggest this has been the most challenging days of Cr282, in terms of distance covered along with height gained and lost. The reading has at times made me break into a sweat. Warm congratulations on this resilient effort.

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