Hillwalking Thread

[Hedgecutter]

Ice-axe required, but the crampons remained in the sack.

A rather odd sentence from a desert nomad.

"Oh no, a giant steep sided dune! We shall have to walk 3km around it!"

"Fear not, for I have my crampons with me"

[oht]

Picked off the Lawers five yesterday: Beinn Ghlas, Ben Lawers, An Stuc, Meall Garbh & Meall Greigh. Parked one car at Ben Lawers Nature Reserve car park and the other at the Lawers hotel. Think it's about 10 miles and 1800m ascent in total going by some web articles and it took us just under 6 hours so roughly tallies to Naismith's rule.

Descent from An Stuc is a bit hairy as it's steep and loose gravel under foot. Meall Greigh is probably the most boring munro I've ever done but coming down off it is actually pretty painful on tired legs.

Probably the toughest route I've done but certainly manageable for experienced hillwalkers.

Edited May 7, 2012 by oht

[jester]

I had some fun up at Drumochter the other week

[Sweet Pete]

Myself and a mate set out from the hills outside Milngavie yesterday (near Hilton Park golf club) and after a pretty energetic climb we made camp in the woods yesterday afternoon and started out again this morning at 7. We descended to The Jaw reservoir and down through Cochno Farm into Clydebank at 10 today. It was good, though yesterday was a four seasons in one sort of day as we sun, rain, snow and sleet at various times, though thankfully we didn't get caught in the heaviest stuff too much as we were undercover by then. The descent today was fairly leisurely (albeit with tired legs) but the ascent yesterday was quite challenging at times as we took a route that required us to climb straight up frequently, interspersed with long sections of dense evergreen forest that made for difficult conditions underfoot.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Ben Lomond yesterday. Ptarmigan ridge for ascent and tourist route down. 70mph gusts and rain stinging the eyes but the most frightening thing was seeing about 50 youths on some charity outing, some of them wearing tracky bottoms, some of them wearing plimsolls. Deary me.

I completed my first hill walk yesterday by taking the Ben path up to the Nevis summit. I genuinely had no idea how popular it is. The place was hoaching with various people, including a 400 strong youth group/club/whatever. How none of them got seriously injured is beyond me. Just before we reached the summit, we passed a guy coming back down in t-shirt, jeans and trainers, looking quite unwell and attempting to do a massive slide down the snow covered steep incline. Fucking idiot could have knocked down a good few walkers. Another few of them tried to shortcut the diagonals by climbing down the steeper bits in similar gear, completely oblivious to the possibilty of dislodging a heap of wee rocks onto the walkers on the path below.

Little c***s.

[bullywee]

Did the Aonach Eagach Ridge on saturday under a cloudless sky and it was absolutely stunning, but jesus f**k, some parts of it are pretty insane. Didn't start it until 1 o'clock and it was dark before i got to the Clachaig. The book said 3-5 hours and even if i wasn't held up for ages by a few of the people i was with, i doubt i would be able to do it in that time.

Although quite stupid, it was probably for the best that we started so late, as we bumped into two girls along the way that were just lounging about, unaware of how much further was left to go and how long it was going to take to get down. They had no water left, no torches and were planning on descending down a properly ridiculous path. We had to share our water with them and lead them down. I got to the Clachaig half an hour before anyone else and it turned out that someone from the campsite these girls were staying at had informed mountain rescue that they had left to do the ridge at half 10 that morning and still weren't back by half 10 at night. I had to tell the guy from mountain rescue that the two girls were in good company and that they wouldn't be too much longer.

[Fudge]

Just had a look at McNeish's book at it claims 3-5 hrs. Is that the book you looked at?

I normally find myself being close to the lower end of his time predictions but find it very hard to believe you could do the Aonach Eagach in 3 hours, unless you were jogging. I keep a spreadsheet of my walks and it according to that it took m 5 hrs exactly.

[Desert Nomad]

Did the Aonach Eagach Ridge on saturday under a cloudless sky and it was absolutely stunning, but jesus f**k, some parts of it are pretty insane. Didn't start it until 1 o'clock and it was dark before i got to the Clachaig. The book said 3-5 hours and even if i wasn't held up for ages by a few of the people i was with, i doubt i would be able to do it in that time.

Although quite stupid, it was probably for the best that we started so late, as we bumped into two girls along the way that were just lounging about, unaware of how much further was left to go and how long it was going to take to get down. They had no water left, no torches and were planning on descending down a properly ridiculous path. We had to share our water with them and lead them down. I got to the Clachaig half an hour before anyone else and it turned out that someone from the campsite these girls were staying at had informed mountain rescue that they had left to do the ridge at half 10 that morning and still weren't back by half 10 at night. I had to tell the guy from mountain rescue that the two girls were in good company and that they wouldn't be too much longer.

It`s one I need to do again! Was cloud coming & going when I did it about 7 years ago. Can`t remember how long it took though.

I`ve had a few belting days out over the last month. Starting with a magic day on the Rum Cuillin in early May. Have been over them a few times & just never get bored with it. Askival has to be one of the best/most unique viewpoints of any hill in the country with a 360 panorama of the sea.

Did a couple of hills in Harris as well. A fine little hill called Cheapabhal near Leverburgh. Only takes 1.5 hours to the top & back, but very rewarding views, including out to St Kilda, also overlooking the famous beaches of Luskentyre.

Made it up the highest hill on Harris as well, Clisham. Had a Canadian friend with me so didn`t do the full horseshoe & we had a late start, but amazing views all the way from Rum in the south to Cape Wrath in the north, another amazing viewpoint.

Yesterday made it up Beinn a`Chaorrain & Bein Teallach at the back of Roy Bridge. Had been planning the Ben, but the thought of the previously mentioned crowds put me off. Made the correct descision. A hot, sticky climb was rewarded with a fine day on the hill, not going anywhere quickly, with sunbathing aplenty. Only saw two other guys on the hill, & managed a bit of swimming in the river on the way down, I`ll have more of that this summer please!

Edited May 28, 2012 by Desert Nomad

[tina bonar]

Going to Fort William next month and quite fancy the Carn Mor Dearg Arete to Ben Nevis.Anybody done it and what can we expect?

[bullywee]

Just had a look at McNeish's book at it claims 3-5 hrs. Is that the book you looked at?

I normally find myself being close to the lower end of his time predictions but find it very hard to believe you could do the Aonach Eagach in 3 hours, unless you were jogging. I keep a spreadsheet of my walks and it according to that it took m 5 hrs exactly.

Yeah, that's the one. To do it in 3 hours you'd have to be very careless and take the descent that starts just past the second summit, but that's tantamount to a death-wish.

[vikingTON]

A few of us decided to start doing some walking on Thursday, picking a particularly roasting day to start climbing. Managed to do Beinn Narnairn and Beinn Ime near Arrochar. I found the first one a bit challenging but other than fatigue, Beinn Ime was really straightforward. No-one in the group really had the energy to go on to do The Cobbler as well.

Found that my brand new boots were very grippy when climbing but a bit of a liability on the descent. Seemed to almost have too much grip from step to step on the rocks, so couldn't get any sort of monetum in walking pace. I was starting to go over on my ankle a few times on the path to Arrochar too. Actually think the path section could have been better done in an old set of trainers.

Edited May 28, 2012 by vikingTON

[Desert Nomad]

A few of us decided to start doing some walking on Thursday, picking a particularly roasting day to start climbing. Managed to do Beinn Narnairn and Beinn Ime near Arrochar. I found the first one a bit challenging but other than fatigue, Beinn Ime was really straightforward. No-one in the group really had the energy to go on to do The Cobbler as well.

Found that my brand new boots were very grippy when climbing but a bit of a liability on the descent. Seemed to almost have too much grip from step to step on the rocks, so couldn't get any sort of monetum in walking pace. I was starting to go over on my ankle a few times on the path to Arrochar too. Actually think the path section could have been better done in an old set of trainers.

Finding a pair of boots that suit your feet can be a challenge in itself. I`d always try on a good selection before purchasing. My last pair I got in the hiking shop in Braemar & the staff could not have been more helpful. The guy took all sorts of measurements of my feet & told me in no uncertain terms that I had previously been wearing boots a size too big for me. I ended up getting a pair of Meindl Lhotse as they can take a strap-on crampon for the winter stuff. Cracking boots which after 5 years abuse & a bit of TLC are still going fine. I also got a new pair of Superwalker insoles after a while, very pricey but a godsend on the feet.

A Gore-tex lining is imperitive thesedays in Scotland when it comes to boots. Not all paths are like the one you mention above Arrocher, and you also walked it after a week of dry weather. There has been a lot of improvements over the years in Gore-tex technology in boots. They are no longer the sweaty hot linings of old. Also they allow you to wade streams and fall in bogs without getting wet feet!

All in all you get what you pay for when it comes to hiking boots.

[Desert Nomad]

Brilliant day out on Monday on the Isle of Skye. Climbed the half-sized mountain of Sgurr na Stri. Brilliant views of the main Cuillin ridge & over Loch Coruisk, also out to the Small Isles. Descended to Loch Coruisk & returned to the road via the coast & "the bad step", an awkward(not really) rock which hangs out over the sea & must be traversed via a narrow crack.

[jester]

I did Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgorr Ruadh in Torridon last week, words and pictures on my blog www.airdrierambler.wordpress.com. I took my daughter up to Corrour on Tuesday and did Beinn na Lap. Great Munro for beginners.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I had Tuesday off for that Jubilee pish, so decided to get as far away from coverage as possible, and took the short drive to Kirrie, then Glen Doll to do Mayar and Driesh. However an organisational clusterfuck resulted in me doing this in a pair of work boots as my walking boots were left in a mate's van. Needless to say, my heels were blistered before i'd even got out of Corrie Fee (a truly stunning place - see pic)

The pull up to Mayar is pretty featureless, but good views were to be had from the summit across the other Angus glens. I had a quick glace at Driesh, which looked like a flattish walk up to the mountain, with a shortish pull up little Driesh then another short one to Driesh summit. I thought this would give my heel a bit of recovery time, which to be fair it did, however the pull up Little Driesh, and then Driesh was hellish and I was delighted to get to the summit cairn. Took a couple of pictures (of f**k all really - it's a big flat summit plateau) and just wanted to get the f**k off the mountain and get my boots off.

Took the usual route down the Kilbo Path and finally made the car park. Four hours for the whole thing was OK, but were it not for numerous stops and fucking about re the blisters, i reckon easily do-able in three hours.

Will be tackling the easy-looking Mount Keen next, then either the Glenshee circuit, or Lochnagar White Mounth round.

[oht]

Did Mayar and Driesh a year ago. Got talked into going up a dried burn towards Mayar and spewing halfway. Never done such a ridiculous ascent in my puff. Apart from that, fairly dull.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Did Mayar and Driesh a year ago. Got talked into going up a dried burn towards Mayar and spewing halfway. Never done such a ridiculous ascent in my puff. Apart from that, fairly dull.

It was probably the back wall of the Corrie in that picture. Good fun eh?

[MONKMAN]

Few mates went for a walk on Tuesday. Did the grey mares tail, round loch skeen and up lochcraig head

[jester]

My blog report on my trip up Beinn na Lap.

Edited June 19, 2012 by jester

[die hard doonhamer]

Hi all, looks like I could be climbing ben nevis in 6 weeks time, I'm relatively inexperienced in hillwalking (did doe bronze and silver at school as well as a decent amount of walking with the BB). Are walking boots a necessity or will a good pair of trainers be good enough? And should I do some training between now and then?