Out of Doors, Saturday 19 March

Here's a blog from Euan McIlwraith ahead of this Saturday's Out of Doors.

Half past nine in the car park at the foot of Beinn Eighe and I was pretty nervous. I was joining the combined RAF and Torridon Mountain rescue teams as they climbed into one of the most difficult climbing regions of Scotland. The event was to lay a wreath at the site of a Lancaster Bomber which crashed into the side of the mountain 60 years ago.

Beinn Eighe Lancaster Bomber crash, 60th anniversary

The sky was closing in, the mountain clad in snow and the wind was rising. High above on the slopes some avalanches had already collapsed and the snow slab was unstable. Not the greatest conditions for some one like me who is, to be honest, less than mountain fit!

But my guides were the best in the country, Eoghain Maclean leader of the Torridon Mountain rescue team and David "heavy" Whalley now retired from the RAF and one of the best known mountaineers in Scotland.

Two and a half hours of hard walking and climbing they said. Four hours later of slogging through waist high snow and we still had a long way to go. A great bunch of guys and I could not help feeling I was holding them back!

Finally we crested the oxygen sucking entrance to Coire Mhic Fhearchair and one of the most dramatic sights in Scotland. Three massive buttresses dominate the sky line. A natural Cathedral set in a massive Amphitheatre. And the site of the crash.

On the 13th March 1951 at 1804hrs, Lancaster TX264 call sign 'D' Dog of 120 Squadron, converted for reconnaissance purposes, took off from RAF Kinloss, she never made it.

The subsequent rescue attempt was highly critisised at the time and led to the formation of modern day rescue teams. As the RAF men laid a wreath a Coastguard Helicopter made a respectful fly past.

By now the weather had closed in and there was not enough daylight to get off the mountain. The Coastguard Helicopter came in to take me off.

Quite simply it was one of the most dramatic and frightening things I have ever seen. 60 mile an hour winds, driving snow and a rock filled crater. It took 10 minute for the pilot to inch down between the rocks and battle against the wind which threatened to blow the machine off the exposed ridge at any minute.

At that point I was more than prepared to brave the walk out than to put the team and crew at risk. I honestly thought they would not make it!

Finally the helicopter settled and heart pounding I scurried through the blinding down draft of snow and ice into the aircraft.

10 minutes later I was set down in a field outside the Torridon Youth hostel. Exhausted, I begged a lift from the youth hostel manager who took us back to the departure site.

A brilliant but humbling day and nothing but respect for the guys of the Rescue teams who battle the elements to save lives, and to the crew of the rescue helicopter who showed amazing skill in taking us off the mountain.