I took them to school; deposited them in the playground and as the bell was ringing, I turned and headed off out of town. To Glencoe. Well, Ballachulish but Glencoe is easier to spell.

In 118 miles (a bit less than three hours) I was in the Co-op car park lacing my boots and getting slightly nervous about Sgurr Bhan which towers over the village. And that's just the outlying top. The summit is further back and higher up, tucked away out of sight...! 

The Edinburgh morning had been gorgeous; all blue skies and gentle sunshine. I knew it wasn't going to be a perfect day - Ben More was slightly obscured under cloud, so I figured the chances of a cloud free summit were 50-50. 

After half a mile past the shinty pitch and round the side of the school, the hillside just ramps up in front of you. 300 metres of severe hard work before finally a path appears and suddenly it gets a whole lot easier. Still not easy; just easier. The views are great; back up Glencoe; the Pap prominent; the view up the loch to Kinlochleven and the Mamores; the Ben happed in mist and Argour looking magical.

The hillside becomes much more rocky and the path twists across scree and ever upward; the summit of Sgorr Dhearg now tantalisingly close. 2 and a bit hours into the wander, I'm on top. I'm managing fine, consdering I'd recently tried twice previously to head out for hill action and ended up with a day in bed (alone) instead. 

From the summit, Sgorr Dhonuill looks a breeze but there's 300 metres to go down and most of it to climb back up..! And it's not as easy a hit. More care is required; some very gentle simple scrambling and a couple of slightly narrow bits but really? 45 minutes and done. 3 hours to get both claimed. But predictably the cloud rolls across the top about 10 minutes before I get there so any chance of a view is up in smoke.

I'd seem no one to speak to by this point but out of nowhere a Weegie appeared and we chatted briefly and then we carried on; I went back down to the bealach and exited towards South Ballachulish and a long uninteresting trek through the woods before winding up back at the car just after 5. Not too shabby considering the book said 6-9 hours.

So I nabbed a bottle of liquid and started driving home; tired but elated, endorphins trying to kick me into action. An uneventful drive until just before Lix Toll when a red deer leapt across the road and I clipped it's rump and it disappeared off into the forest, leaving me a set of lights on the nearside down on the deal. Coulda been worse, so much worse, so I set about tailing someone with lights who wasn't going to outrun me; I got as far as Doune and then the oncoming traffic assisted with lighting duties back onto the M9 and home. With only the dipped driver's side lights, I was probably paying more attention than I normally would; at least there was no likelihood of drifting off into a knackered doze.

In; the bath / tea / dinner stuff also coinciding with a call fae Maw in Sooth Ronaldsay; talking about Christmas dinner..... 

198 are done; 84 remain. I had a most enjoyable potter about; and no Cigs were spotted on the A82 / A85. Must try harder.

An aerial view of the trek.