In Tranter's Footsteps: Pics of a Classic Backpack

© Colin Henderson

Join outdoor snapper (and site user) Colin Henderson for this photo feature on one of Scotland's best two-day hill walks.


A natural progression when you've been going on backpacking trips is to look for opportunities to link together different routes, increasing their length and difficulty to set yourself a challenge. One such is Tranter's Round in Lochaber.

David Hetherington heading towards the summit of Binnein Mor  © Colin Henderson
David Hetherington heading towards the summit of Binnein Mor
© Colin Henderson

The route is named after Philip Tranter, who in 1964 devised a 24-hour challenge for fell runners when he connected 18 Munros in the West Highlands of Scotland - the Mamores, Grey Corries, Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag, Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis - in a 40-mile epic that covers 20,600ft of ascent.

It's a fell runner's classic (though somewhat superseded in terms of difficulty); but of course Tranter's Round also makes the perfect basis for a backpacking challenge.

We paused on the summit of Binnein Mor to dry out sleeping bags  © Colin Henderson
We paused on the summit of Binnein Mor to dry out sleeping bags
© Colin Henderson

Leaving the summit ridge of Binnein Mor with Carn Mor Dearg, the arete and Ben Nevis in the distance  © Colin Henderson
Leaving the summit ridge of Binnein Mor with Carn Mor Dearg, the arete and Ben Nevis in the distance
© Colin Henderson

For our two-day backpacking attempt (with roughly 10,000ft of ascent each day), we started in Glen Nevis and ascended Mullach nan Coirean, bivvying on the summit at 2300 hours (okay, I'll accept we cheated slightly).

Early the next morning, we continued over the Mamores - first Stob Ban, then No match for crag id:"Sgurr a'Mhaim" and Am Bodach. I didn't go out to An Gearanach, choosing instead to spend the time in the sunshine drying out my sleeping bag after the previous night's miserable bivvy. Na Gruagaichean came next, then Binnein Mor, Binnein Beag and Sgurr Eilde Mor. Sixteen hours after starting out we descended to spend the night at Meanach Bothy.

Nice evening light as we descend from the summit of Sgurr Eilde Mor   © Colin Henderson
Nice evening light as we descend from the summit of Sgurr Eilde Mor
© Colin Henderson

Descending the NNE ridge of Sgurr Eilde Mor, headed for Meanach Bothy (visible in the distance, above the loch)  © Colin Henderson
Descending the NNE ridge of Sgurr Eilde Mor, headed for Meanach Bothy (visible in the distance, above the loch)
© Colin Henderson

The return leg on day two is commonly called the Lochaber Traverse. First we ticked off the Grey Corries, starting with the other Stob Ban, then Stob Choire Claurigh, Stob Coire an Laoigh and Sgurr Choinnich Mor. Then a steep, grassy scramble took us up onto a very wintry Aonach Beag.

The morning after our overnight stop at Meanach bothy  © Colin Henderson
The morning after our overnight stop at Meanach bothy
© Colin Henderson

It was here that we decided to cut our trip short. A storm that had been distant for much of the afternoon brought in 50mph winds and freezing rain and, in true Scottish style, what had been a pleasant Summer's day turned distinctly nasty with a great risk of hypothermia. None of us are new to bad weather but with eight hours in, two Munros to do (including Britain's highest mountain) and a sharp scrambly ridge between them, it wasn't hard to make the decision to bail over Aonach Mor and make a miserable descent to the roadside through the debris and detritus of the Nevis Range.

Despite our disappointment, it was a great outdoor trip, and Tranter's Round proved a very worthy backpacking route.

Starting out on the Grey Corries with Ben Nevis in the distance  © Colin Henderson
Starting out on the Grey Corries with Ben Nevis in the distance
© Colin Henderson

NB. The record for Tranter's Round, as at 01 June 2014, is 12 hours 17 minutes by Stephen Pyke in 2012. In fell-running terms, the route has been superseded by Ramsay's Round, named after Charlie Ramsay who lengthened the route to 24 Munros, 56 miles and 28,500ft of ascent in 1978. The record today for Ramsay's Round is 18 hrs 23 mins by Adrian Belton in 1989. I have massive respect for all. (Source: Scottish Hill Runners).

photo
Chris Hill leaving behind the Ring of Steall en route to the Munro, Na Gruagaichean
© Colin Henderson


Colin Henderson

About Colin Henderson

Colin Henderson participates in and photographs a variety of outdoor activities and adventure sports for brands, companies, editors and agencies worldwide.

Born in 1971 in Edinburgh, he's travelled widely across Scotland and the UK, to Europe and both North and South America. The farthest from home he's been is the very tip of Southern Patagonia, which he's visited four times, the first time to trek and photograph on the Southern Patagonian Ice Cap and the second to write a travel and trekking guidebook to Los Glaciares National Park (see article from the UKC archives here).

Photography remains his passion, and he spends most of his outdoors time in the Scottish Highlands, capturing people playing in its world renowned magical mix of mountains and coastline.

  • To see his photo galleries and a link to his blog check out Colin's website here.

UKH Articles and Gear Reviews by Colin Henderson



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