Scottish Islands Peaks Race 2010 - The Squeeky Mouse that rOARED!!!

Those dark winter days spent in the office desk under fluorescent lights are when the dreams of adventure come... in the form of an email that gets through the spam and "never-ever-again" filters. After last year's ordeal of Survival around the Mull one could be forgiven for hitting the delete key...

The glory team of last year on Marisca had split. Olly Stephenson chose the (easier?) option of the Paddy Buckley round in North Wales (60 miles, 28000 feet of climb and 47 summits). Debbie MacDonald had decided to compete in the tourist class as a runner this year. And Alastair was taking his yacht Marisca on a therapy tour of the Clyde in attempt to banish the flashbacks to '09!

So only Chris 'Doc' Oliver and I were left from last year's Class 3 winning team. The search for a all-rounder crew team for Chris's good yacht Mara began. A SIPR sailing veteran Dougie Bell was joining us, but for him running was new experience. We also had SIPR newbees Caroline Coyle and Abby White signed up, although with a week to go Abby had to pull out.

Salvation came in the shape of Ramon Garcia, the right man at the right time. Although new to the SIPR he came with impressive credentials - Mont Blanc Challenge being serious stuff!

So the team Squeeky Mouse was in place for Scottish Islands Peaks Race 2010. Why Squeeky Mouse? The Squeeky Mouse was a much sought after hill running prize for the (slowest) combined times for Manor Water and Pentland Skyline hill races. Chris and Caroline had vied for that title the previous year...

Oban

Arriving with Ramon by train on Thursday night we met up with the crew at Oban. Chris, Dougie and Caroline were already there. We were getting some amused looks from the other teams as glam Caroline had a flower in her hair, pink suitcase on wheels and other baggage more suited for a Caribbean cruise than a yacht race...

Once we had all our luggage on the yacht we had a wee dram (all except the teetotal Ramon) and undertook to approach the race with a "let's finish rather than be competitive..." attidude. Hmmm...!

Nervous

Friday morning, race about to start as we picked up some last provisions from Oban Tesco. Caroline notices that I was rather nervous.

Caroline: "Why are you nervous?"

Me: "Because I have done the race before!"

Caroline was recovering from a knee operation. Dougie had not run further than 14 miles. Ramon was hopefully fine but in many ways an unknown. Chris occasionally mentioned his plantar fasciitis and I was recovering from a wipe out in the Ben Lomond Race. Sea-sickness was probably the least of my worries!

Off To A Crawling Start

The Oban Run passed unevently. The slippy steps caught some other poor runner this year! We were soon backt to Mara and underway - slowly!

Chris and Dougie had fixed rollocks on so we could row and row we did. We crept passed several yacht out of Oban harbour, probably about half-way up the fleet that was busy dodging the CalMac Ferries!

The sail up the Sound of Mull was slow but very beautiful. The Morvern coast rising on one side, Mull on the other. The yachts with spinnakers just about filling looked like so many colourful flowers drifting across a pond. The Bristol Pilot Cutter looked stunning with its yellow hull and many sails. Dougie put Chris's Runrig CD on which blasted out as we passed rival yacht from last year Ogun. We would see a lot of them over the next 70 hours...

Ben More in the Dark

Caroline, Ramon and I set out from Salen on the Mull leg. It was getting late.

"We should slow down and keep a steady pace so we can pass runners on the return."

"Not that we are competitive?"

"No, I am not competitive..."

We reached the summit of Ben More in the gloaming. The final scramble to the summit was a new experience for Caroline. The descent into the dark proved interesting. Ogun's runners joined us. The checkpoint in on the Dhiseig Burn appeared to be lower than it should according to Ramon's fancy altimeter watch. It usually is!

It was headtorches now as we we contoured round the head of Gleann na Beinne Fhada to the col. The descent into Glen Clachaig was slow. Caroline yelped in peril... only for us to be told she had seen a toad!

Sail to Jura - Whirlpools and Sea Creatures

Back on the yacht Dougie and Chris had a fantastic meal of Caroline's lasagne warm and ready for us. The runners got some rest as Dougi and Chris inched us back down the Sound of Mull.

Rising from slumber to find we were still in the Sound and just approaching Duart Castle with yachts all around spurred us into some rowing action. Out with oars, Ramon and I - though not competitive(!) - were willing and eager. Passing other yachts a fair amount of banter was exchanged. In particular, a rivalry between ourselves and Ogun, who were not even in our Class, arose...

Tide was helping us along to the Sound of Luing but progress was slow. Behind us, many yachts were still stuck by Duart Point and we were leaving them far behind. Helming through the Sound was a thrilling roller coaster as the sea, other calm, boiled in the tidal races. Soon the Gulf of the Corrievreckan, famous for its whirlpool was to our starboard. We passed it.

By now the tide was changing. As evening approached we needed to get out of the counter-tide and we rowed to a safe anchorage of Lussa Bay, out of sight of the pursuing yachts. A very quick swim to wash off the Mull mud was most refreshing.

At 1 am the alarm went off. The tide was turning back in our favour as Chris, rudely awakened, came up one deck. The anchor was lifted and we rowed silently out with the stealth of Jason on the Argo so as not to alert the serpent fleet behind.

As the tide and the very slight wind pulled us to Craighouse, dolphins came to play with Mara. Maybe five of them, their paths marked by the phosphorescence in the dark water, escorted us along. It was a magical moment. Too dark for the camera - but all the more special for that.

As daylight came Mischief was catching us as we rowed in past the Small Isles. Coming into Craighouse their dinghy work meant they arrived ashore ahead of us. Caroline, Chris, Ramon and I were ashore and heading for the kit check.

Paps of Jura - Snakes and Eagles

Jura is another world. The kit check was thorough. It needs to be. Jura is very remote and very rugged. There are no paths.

Climbing in the warm sun up from the burial ground at Keils we were making steady progress. Overhead an eagle soared and our eyes followed it. "Watch out!" There on our path was an adder, Britain's only venomous snake, right by our feet - hissing. After that we proceeded with more caution, only for another to appear even closer hissing at Chris' ankles as he cleared the trail.

A team of runners passed us and then took a low line. We met them again by the Lochan on the ridge before the first Pap. Navigation, slow and steady, makes a difference on the Paps.

The first Pap rose above us like an impenetrable fortress. At first glance there appears no way up but by following dribbles of heather between the scree it is possible to make steady progress to the ridge. The descent however is something else, riding the scree down. Chris likened it to skiing and was an instant convert. Ramon took it steadily. For Caroline it was a whole new world that her mother would never believe...

The next Pap was similar, with a tough descent but the final one had two teams waiting on the summit - one of them Ogun's runners. They joked they were waiting for someone to show them the way off. One team took their own line and Ogun's runners followed us in search of the "Golden Scree Run". Dropping through a hollow further along the ridge we found the line. The trodden scree is yellower than that around - truly golden amidst the bigger, more difficult boulder scree. We descended steadily, Chris loving it and preferring the scree to any line of heather. "Easier on the knees." he said...

The return run from the loch at the foot of the last Pap is in two stage - across the moorland and then along the road. Caroline set a scorching pace over the moorland, sinking deep into the boggy sections. Reaching the road we washed off in the river before heading along the road. Caroline was tiring. Ramon and Chris forged ahead. When they stopped we thought they were waiting for us. Perhaps they were or perhaps the topless bathers had caught their eye... Oh, well. Without a Caroline, Ogun's runner behind us might be more delayed!

With the finish in sight Ogun's runners were catching us but with a final effort Caroline kept going to hold them off. Then, in the community hall she disappeared to "freshen up" with proper plumbed facilities available!

Around The Mull

Heading southwards the wind was picking up. For the first time Mara started to fly along, exceeding its hull speed as we planed along at up to 7.1 knots. Caroline in her Princess forecabin emerged looking green. Both her and Dougie were sick. Ramon and I got our heads down and slept through the worst of rough sea. It was a rough night for Dougie and Chris on deck. Cold too.

At 3am, Monday, I joined them in the cockpit. Sanda was now behind us . Dougie went below to get some shut-eye before his Arran run. Chris slept in the cockpit while I helmed a 60 degree course for Pladda. Alongside Ogun was struggling. We passed as they fought their spinnaker. Being no sailor and having two sailors exhausted, sticking with the sails as set seemed the sensible gamble. We were at least making progress. At Pladda, Ramon rose and made Chris and me tea and a roll. Very welcome.

Ramon took the helm with Chris. and tacked into Lamlash at about 9am.

Arran Run

Ramon, Dougie and I set off from Lamlash. we were warned about dehydration as we would be running through the middle of the day. We ran the flat and downhill and walked up all the hills. Dougie was motivated to beat Chris's time from last year. (In fairness to Chris he had ran in the dark in foul weather).

In many respects Arran and Goatfell are a doddle. However lack of sleep and cumulative exhaustion of running, rowing and sailing mean that it is still arduous. Navigation though is very simple (in daylight at least) and the compass did not come out of the bag.

With fluids and issue, the cleaner mountain streams proved a real saving. We met several teams who had motored - they were out on the hill for experience.

Descending Goatfell, Dougie set a blistering pace for a non-runner. It took its toll as his knee started to ache. Gamely he ran on the flat bits through Brodick. At Prospect Hill we stopped for him to cool his knee in streams.

Phoning ahead, we startled Chris and Caroline by being early. They had not even put the pasta on!

We finished and rowed out to the yacht, parched with thirst. Unfortunately the boat was out of water - perhaps used to salve the scalding Caroline received from the pasta - so we were forced to resort to beer. Tough life!

Sail To Troon

The sail to Troon was fantastic. The wind was set fair. We had no yachts close. At the marina, dashing up to the offices, we arrived 14 minutes before the 1800hrs cut off time and only 28 minutes behind Ogun.

Amazingly, we were third place in the all-rounders class and 14th boat overall! But most of all, we were finishers of one of the most amazing and varied challenges available. We were the "Squeeky Mouse That rOARED!!!"

Thanks

Thanks are due to our crew: Chris, Dougie, Ramon and Caroline; the organisers and marshalls: many, many thanks; and most of all my family for letting me go.

Links

Scottish Islands Peaks Race