Hillwalking Thread

[Benjamin_Nevis]

22 hours ago, Swello said:

My joint favourite Munro (along with about 8 others ) - certainly a clear winner in the Best View from a Summit category - I've got a plan to paddle in to the causeway in the Packraft and do it again sometime soon. Given the length of the walk in, etc - definitely one to keep for a clear day/night. I'm sure you've looked into it already but there is a mildly scrambly route that is better than heading up the main path when heading up from the causeway side - via Fuar Loch Beag and Fuar Loch Mor...

I think i've looked at about 10 different ways to do these 

I've sort of settled on biking in past Loch a'Bhraoin, ditching the bike at the bothy then following the track round to cross below Loch an Nid and up the Sgurr Ban slabs and walk the ridge from there. The worst part of it appears to be a big height loss after Beinn Tarsuinn across boggy ground then a grassy 400m slog up the eastern slopes of A'Mhaighdean, carry overnight gear. It'll be pretty hard going. The approach from Poolewe does look terrific though. I might leave Ruadh Stac Mor for that route as I'll be absolutely fucked after the other 4. 

[Swello]

I did Sgurr Ban & co from the Loch a'Bhraoin route and it is a decent approach - wouldn't fancy the bit after Tarsuinn though - always put me off doing the Shenevall round that bit  You could get well past the bothy on the mountain bike - it doesn't get really shit until a bit further on....

I've done A'Mhaighdean twice - once from Poolewe which was a classic route to my mind - and once from Kinlochewe via Loch Maree & Letterewe. The latter was brilliant but it was part of my Cape Wrath Trail route, so I didn't have to walk back out that way  

[Benjamin_Nevis]

9 hours ago, Swello said:

I did Sgurr Ban & co from the Loch a'Bhraoin route and it is a decent approach - wouldn't fancy the bit after Tarsuinn though - always put me off doing the Shenevall round that bit  You could get well past the bothy on the mountain bike - it doesn't get really shit until a bit further on....

I've done A'Mhaighdean twice - once from Poolewe which was a classic route to my mind - and once from Kinlochewe via Loch Maree & Letterewe. The latter was brilliant but it was part of my Cape Wrath Trail route, so I didn't have to walk back out that way  

I've never fancied the Shenavall approach, partly because the walk in seems less than appealing, and partly because I can't realistically use a bike on it 

I biked quite a way towards Lochan Fada last year while we were on holiday in Kinlochewe, just to have a look really. There's a large hydro scheme going in, and the track into Gleann na Muice is a bit of a quagmire after rain now. Pish. The other problem with that approach is having to loop right back over some crap looking terrain to get to the foot of Sgurr Ban, unless I want to have to climb MCMF on the way out to Sgurr Ban and back to Tarsuinn, so Loch a'Bhraoin it is.

Can you remember if there are any decent water sources on the ridge?

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Managed to to end up in the favourable 50% of MWIS "cloud free summits" forecast and had a glorious day on the two Ballachulish munros, Sgorr Dhearg and Sgorr Dhonuill. The initial 500m to gain the ridge is an absolute leg burner through very steep boggy grass and heather, but after that the ridgewalk is excellent with glorious views all over the place. The walk out is pretty long and tedious and an accident near Glencoe meant we had to divert back to Oban to get to Tyndrum resulting in a seethe-filled 4 hour journey home, much of which took place at 30mph thanks to a series of oblivious camper-van driving c***s. 

[Kejan]

Done my first two (maybe three, I think so today -  Geal Charn, A' Mharconaich and up to Beinn Udlamain. Not until I got home did I realise there are four of them in this area - about 8 miles south of Dalwhinnie. Also, I'm not fully sure if I did Beinn Udlamain - ended up losing the track somehow and went up the grassy, heather, bog root ; and the book mentions it should take 4-5 hrs and I was down in about 3hours, I am fairly fit and walked pretty much the full way, and I'm a bit of a fud so I'm still wondering if 'I did it right'.

There was nowhere there either! I suppose there will be times when its very busy e.g season, famous/accessible ones ; but I don't know why, but I thought I would at least see another sole. The only car in the car park outside the B and B was a dog walker who didn't go up.

Scenery - pretty amazing and wildlife too. Seen hares, sheep, dark grouse, and three red deer staring back at me when I was making my to A' Mharconaich from Geal.

I've done a fair bit of hiking and trailing here and abroad ; but definitely got the bug for this, big time. Just a shame the season is coming in - think I'm a fairweather munro bagger.

Anyhoos, I'm gibbering a fair amount of shite, so I'll go for now ; but yes, I can see why folk love doing this. Brilliant views, a great workout ,and there's no fucker around either!

Edited August 21, 2017 by Kejan

[Benjamin_Nevis]

27 minutes ago, Kejan said:

Done my first two (maybe three, I think so today -  Geal Charn, A' Mharconaich and up to Beinn Udlamain. Not until I got home did I realise there are four of them in this area - about 8 miles south of Dalwhinnie. Also, I'm not fully sure if I did Beinn Udlamain - ended up losing the track somehow and went up the grassy, heather, bog root ; and the book mentions it should take 4-5 hrs and I was down in about 3hours, I am fairly fit and walked pretty much the full way, and I'm a bit of a fud so I'm still wondering if 'I did it right'.

There was nowhere there either! I suppose there will be times when its very busy e.g season, famous/accessible ones ; but I don't know why, but I thought I would at least see another sole. The only car in the car park outside the B and B was a dog walker who didn't go up.

Scenery - pretty amazing and wildlife too. Seen hares, sheep, dark grouse, and three red deer staring back at me when I was making my to A' Mharconaich from Geal.

I've done a fair bit of hiking and trailing here and abroad ; but definitely got the bug for this, big time. Just a shame the season is coming in - think I'm a fairweather munro bagger.

Anyhoos, I'm gibbering a fair amount of shite, so I'll go for now ; but yes, I can see why folk love doing this. Brilliant views, a great workout ,and there's no fucker around either!

Glad you enjoyed your first outing  

Those are decent hills, I've done them a few times now. Beinn Udlamain has a huge cairn at the summit with a load of old fenceposts in about it. There were loads of hares about the first time I did Udlamain, in fact I almost tripped over one that was sheltering at the cairn 

These ones are usually pretty busy at the weekend. 

 

[Kejan]

2 minutes ago, jupe1407 said:

Glad you enjoyed your first outing  

Those are decent hills, I've done them a few times now. Beinn Udlamain has a huge cairn at the summit with a load of old fenceposts in about it. There were loads of hares about the first time I did Udlamain, in fact I almost tripped over one that was sheltering at the cairn 

These ones are usually pretty busy at the weekend. 

 

Cheers!

The plan was to do Dreish on Sunday as a first, and as soon as we get to Kirriemuir, girlfriend comes away with ''Oh shit! I've forgotten my socks'' so we ended up going to Tesco buying the socks but it was around 4-5pm - so ended up doing a walk around Airlie Monument and the Goal - nice enough, but frustrating to set up from outside Dundee and not do it.

The path to Geal Charn was fairly fine/accessible then it turns quite boggy. Something happened, probably fancied a further look over/photo at Loch Ericht and ended up off what felt like a non-existant track in the first place and then almost 90degrees up through the grass - that's where I spotted the deers, taking a breather. 

How difficult are these ones would you say? I didn't find them too bad to trek up.

P.S your photos are fecking brilliant in this thread! I probably should invest in a better camera, or even just a better phone.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

21 minutes ago, Kejan said:

Cheers!

The plan was to do Dreish on Sunday as a first, and as soon as we get to Kirriemuir, girlfriend comes away with ''Oh shit! I've forgotten my socks'' so we ended up going to Tesco buying the socks but it was around 4-5pm - so ended up doing a walk around Airlie Monument and the Goal - nice enough, but frustrating to set up from outside Dundee and not do it.

The path to Geal Charn was fairly fine/accessible then it turns quite boggy. Something happened, probably fancied a further look over/photo at Loch Ericht and ended up off what felt like a non-existant track in the first place and then almost 90degrees up through the grass - that's where I spotted the deers, taking a breather. 

How difficult are these ones would you say? I didn't find them too bad to trek up.

P.S your photos are fecking brilliant in this thread! I probably should invest in a better camera, or even just a better phone.

Thanks mate

Hard to tell from that where you ended up, but the ascent of A'Mhairchonach from Geal Charn is a steep grassy slog depending on the line you take. As munros go, these are fairly straightforward as you get a decent starting height. The circuit of 4 is a bit tougher as it's around 13 miles, and the descent off the last one Sgairneach Mhor, is a boggy and heathery clusterfuck. 

Other straightforward routes would be the Glenshee munros (3 piss easy ones on the Ski Centre side and 4 slightly harder on the other), Driesh and Mayar are a nice walk, with the added bonus of the glorious Corrie Fee. Ben Lawers above Loch Tay is nice and easy to follow with an easy munro to accompany it in Beinn Ghlas. 

There are some excellent resources for routes etc, try www.walkhighlands.co.uk and also look up Steven Fallon's site. Some great info in these. 

[invergowrie arab]

33 minutes ago, Kejan said:

Cheers!

The plan was to do Dreish on Sunday as a first, and as soon as we get to Kirriemuir, girlfriend comes away with ''Oh shit! I've forgotten my socks'' so we ended up going to Tesco buying the socks but it was around 4-5pm - so ended up doing a walk around Airlie Monument and the Goal - nice enough, but frustrating to set up from outside Dundee and not do it.

The path to Geal Charn was fairly fine/accessible then it turns quite boggy. Something happened, probably fancied a further look over/photo at Loch Ericht and ended up off what felt like a non-existant track in the first place and then almost 90degrees up through the grass - that's where I spotted the deers, taking a breather. 

How difficult are these ones would you say? I didn't find them too bad to trek up.

P.S your photos are fecking brilliant in this thread! I probably should invest in a better camera, or even just a better phone.

They are probably about as easy as it gets other than Glenshee. Nice high start, nothing too steep, very little drop between summits, short distance.

If you overshoot the bealach coming off Geal Charn you will end up in Fraoch - choire which as the Gaelic suggests is a steep heathery corrie. You might have ended up summiting but might just have hit the north top. You rerally can race round this so 3 hours is quick but not completely outrageous

Edited August 21, 2017 by invergowrie arab

[Kejan]

Cheers to Jupe and Gowrie for the links and advice.

I know a bit of Gaelic -  sure my tenses are all to pot and a lot of basic stuff through online learning, and bits of Alba/RnaG etc; but being able to know what Carn Gorm, Geall Charn, fraoch etc mean definitely enhanced the experience a bit, and the 'of course it means that' when it looks exactly like that. Some names are a bit difficult though but it's nice being able to pronounce them though. God damn those b*****dized Ben Vorlich (Beinn Mhurlaigh, surely?) and the likes.

 

 

Edited August 22, 2017 by Kejan

[invergowrie arab]

Almost every translation I have seen for Vorlich is indeed Beinn Mhùrlaig or Hill of the Bay which makes sense for both the Lomond and Earn ones.

Although I have seen a suggestion that Loch Morlich translates as Loch Mòr Thulaich - loch of the big hillock - probably referring to Meall Bhuachaille

Both translations seem to work equally well in all 3 situations.

Try trying to make someone understand that Ben Vane and Beinn Mheadhoin are the same name.

[Kejan]

3 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Almost every translation I have seen for Vorlich is indeed Beinn Mhùrlaig or Hill of the Bay which makes sense for both the Lomond and Earn ones.

Although I have seen a suggestion that Loch Morlich translates as Loch Mòr Thulaich - loch of the big hillock - probably referring to Meall Bhuachaille

Both translations seem to work equally well in all 3 situations.

Try trying to make someone understand that Ben Vane and Beinn Mheadhoin are the same name.

I used to work with a Màiri who spelt her name Mhàiri. It just sounded odd saying it with an M, or am M (sa' Ghàidhlig, nach eil?) after I started learning Gaelic.

You could be right about Loch Mòr Thulaich. Quite interesting that some are anglifed Ben Lawers etc, whilst others aren't.  Driving through Perthshire and I can't mind the village/hamlet, maybe Meigle but seen a Kinloch pub and knowing what that means and many places in Scotland is definitely a great comeback to the 'more Polish speakers than Gaelic' moaners. I know a lot of Icelanders and they can tell you what most of their names, towns mean whilst I doubt many Scots could.

Out of interest, how many have you done, and do you do the same routes often or trying to bag as many as you can?

Edited August 22, 2017 by Kejan

[invergowrie arab]

The Kinloch is indeed in Meigle. I suppose they just think its a nice name. That said even place names get it wrong. Kinloch Rannoch is at the outflow not the head of loch rannoch.

I have done 155. Trying to get round them but there will be some like Mayar and Dreish I have done a dozen times from all approaches and a few old favourites like Scheihallion or Broad Cairn I might go up once a year.

I must admit though the multiple routes are all ones I can get to from the house to and up and down in winter hours.If I'm heading all the way up to Ullapool or Glenshiel I'll try and make the most and get new ones ticked off (although I have done south shiel ridge twice- never again).

As for the anglicization they tend to be around places nearer central belt and popular amongst early climbers. It can work both ways though. The likes of Suilven, Quinag,Healabhals on Skye or Cuillin itself are all Gaelicised versions of Norse names and Mayar, Dreish, Prosen, Clova, Isla  are all likely originally Pictish.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

Almost every translation I have seen for Vorlich is indeed Beinn Mhùrlaig or Hill of the Bay which makes sense for both the Lomond and Earn ones.
Although I have seen a suggestion that Loch Morlich translates as Loch Mòr Thulaich - loch of the big hillock - probably referring to Meall Bhuachaille
Both translations seem to work equally well in all 3 situations.
Try trying to make someone understand that Ben Vane and Beinn Mheadhoin are the same name.

I've also seen Vorlich as an anglicisation of Mhor Leac, or the big slabby rocks.

[Falcor Roar]

Glorious sunshine at Liathach on Saturday. Burnt like a lobster. 

[invergowrie arab]

Took a chance and completely ignored the MWIS forecast of fog from the Glen upwards, pishing rain and gale force winds and had a tremendous day on Ben Vorlich at Loch Lomond.

[D.A.F.C]

Did the Pentlands circuit last Thursday. Decent wee trek.

[Swello]

Just back from a bit of an epic in Galloway, which is an area that I didn't know well - I knew the weather was looking ropy but it wasn't looking great anywhere and so went for it anyway. Yesterday, Climbed the Merrick, Kirriereoch Hill, Tarfessock and Shalloch an Minnoch and then wild camped at a place called "Willie's Shiel" which must be one of the the most isolated former houses I've encountered. Today, I climbed Mullwharchar, Dungeon Hill and Craignaw. 2 Corbetts, 2 Grahams and er, 7 Donalds...

Weather was grim today, so no views but Dungeon hill and Craignaw feel like they've been transported from the Highlands - very rocky and I would climb them on a nicer day if it wasn't for the worst bogfest of a path that I've ever been on (and that's saying something) that leads into them....my sense of humour took a major kicking on the walk out today...Loch Neldricken was also a fantastic wild spot which I'd never heard of before this trip...

Edited August 28, 2017 by Swello

[jamamafegan]

I did Lochnagar on Saturday and I think it's my favourite munro yet. Absolutely stunning. Incredible rock formations as you walk along the cliff edge. Feels like a proper mountain environment.

[welshbairn]

27 minutes ago, Swello said:

Today, I climbed Mullwharchar, Dungeon Hill and Craignaw. 2 Corbetts, 2 Grahams and er, 7 Donalds...

The next height down are known as Marilyns (after googling Donalds), an English term I believe. There are 1216 of them in Scotland. We should rename them Throbbers.