Hillwalking Thread

[Priti priti priti Patel]

@invergowrie arab @Futureboy @Swello thanks for the replies - won't quote them to save space.

How many folk will you find in a bothy? What's the comfort level? I assume no bed sheets or pillows etc. How's the hygiene?

Someone referred to watching the bothy telly, but I googled photos of the inside of bothies and they all seem pretty bare bones, brick walls and a fireplace and that's it.

Also what is it that makes for a good night in a bothy, with or without your mates? I assume with your mates it's just the banter and the bothy is secondary, but if you're on your own or surrounded by strangers?

[Futureboy]

4 minutes ago, Margaret Thatcher said:

@invergowrie arab @Futureboy @Swello thanks for the replies - won't quote them to save space.

How many folk will you find in a bothy? What's the comfort level? I assume no bed sheets or pillows etc. How's the hygiene?

Someone referred to watching the bothy telly, but I googled photos of the inside of bothies and they all seem pretty bare bones, brick walls and a fireplace and that's it.

Also what is it that makes for a good night in a bothy, with or without your mates? I assume with your mates it's just the banter and the bothy is secondary, but if you're on your own or surrounded by strangers?

Who knows how many you will find in it.  It can go from zero to sardines in a box (hence I go when it should be quiet). Comfort is minimal, some have an outside loo. Most don't. You carry in your own fuel for the fire.  You get a sleeping platform for your bag. That's it.

Bothy TV refers to having the fire on. 

What makes it a good night? For me, getting away from all the nonsense for a day or two, usually joining up a good couple of hill walks. Usually if meeting folk it's just sharing hillwalking stories and having a good yap. 

I would disagree with Swello to an extent. Mostly I stay in bothies in winter, so if I meet folk, it's like minded people enjoying the outdoors. I don't do easy ones at the weekend (especially in good weather) as it's a carry out and a bevvie thing (which I do agree with Swello about). 

Pick and choose and you have a great night in the wilderness to yourself, with a roaring fire and no distractions. 

[invergowrie arab]

31 minutes ago, Margaret Thatcher said:

@invergowrie arab @Futureboy @Swello thanks for the replies - won't quote them to save space.

How many folk will you find in a bothy? What's the comfort level? I assume no bed sheets or pillows etc. How's the hygiene?

Someone referred to watching the bothy telly, but I googled photos of the inside of bothies and they all seem pretty bare bones, brick walls and a fireplace and that's it.

Also what is it that makes for a good night in a bothy, with or without your mates? I assume with your mates it's just the banter and the bothy is secondary, but if you're on your own or surrounded by strangers?

I was being slightly tongue in cheek. They are usually fine.

Its just your luck, obviously in peak summer season and the closer to a road you might get more people but there have been times I had Ryvoan to myself in July and and another time i had to sleep on the floor at Barrisdale Bay in April.

Most people will be sociable and likely share a dram with you. Dont go empty handed!! Whisky is best as you dont want to hike 10 miles with a slab of tins. You are also expected to carry all your rubbish out with you and the etiquette is to clean and tidy the place up including carrying out less considerate peoples rubbish if necessary.

Expect everything from couches,roaring fires and multiple rooms to single rooms with no fire, mice and a single bench and a table depending on where you go.

TBH i have probably camped outside more bothies than i have slept in. Usually go in to cook dinner and for a dram then take myself out to the tent.

If you are looking for a party Friday night at Bob Scott's can be wild but its an awffy squeeze.

There are two types of bothy. First are those maintained by the Mountain Bothy Association MBA and you can look them up on their website.

The second are non MBA bothies and its considered bad form to disclose their location. The idea is you get in with people and they let you in on the secret. All bothies including MBA were a bit like this at one point.

Without being a bothy bore my 2 faves aren't MBA so im not going to name them. Probably my favourite MBA bothy would be Ruigh Àitechean.

Im not so familiar with those around Lomond/Argyll.

For me they are really a stopover for going A to B i have never gone out with the express purpose of overnighting at a bothy. However, i can see the attraction as they are a great place to chill and get away and you meet some characters.

 

[LondonHMFC]

9 minutes ago, MixuFixit said:

It's disappointing that you hear more about these rowdy bothy parties where big groups take them over.

Something I never really expected. Thought most folk would be too knackered to think about getting sloshed. 

[Swello]

10 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Without being a bothy bore my 2 faves aren't MBA so im not going to name them. Probably my favourite MBA bothy would be Ruigh Àitechean.

Aitechean is great - I like Meall Bhuide and Oban as they are stupidly remote and anyone that has managed to carry 12 cans, a bottle of Bells and 5kg of coal in there can do what they want IMO Closer to (my) home, a great wee hidden gem and a personal favourite is Dryfehead in Eskdalemuir forest - very quiet, well looked after and a really nice spot - too many bothies in the south are trashed due to easy car access along forestry roads.

[Ross.]

14 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Yeah i thought that too. I imagined tourist information signs, car parks and good paths on every hill when i first started.

If you do end up doing bigger hills its really only the 10 most popular hills will have a well worn path all the way with no real opportunity to lose yourself.

In good visibility even the most complicated walks are a piece of piss. When the mist comes in its a different story.

One thing I do like here is how well maintained the paths and routes are. You could probably walk the length and breadth of the country on the wanderwegs and never get lost thanks to how well they are looked after and set up with signposts etc. Aside from the Kantons being expected to maintain anything that falls within their borders, a lot of private companies(healthcare, insurance, domestic tourism and sports shops) put a lot of money in as it either saves them or makes them more if there are more people using the routes. The website for the walk ways is tremendous also and is updated constantly with notices on the weather conditions and how it affects some of the routes. Compared to back home it is unreal, especially in terms of being accessible to people regardless of ability and experience.

[Swello]

1 hour ago, Ross. said:

One thing I do like here is how well maintained the paths and routes are. You could probably walk the length and breadth of the country on the wanderwegs and never get lost thanks to how well they are looked after and set up with signposts etc. Aside from the Kantons being expected to maintain anything that falls within their borders, a lot of private companies(healthcare, insurance, domestic tourism and sports shops) put a lot of money in as it either saves them or makes them more if there are more people using the routes. The website for the walk ways is tremendous also and is updated constantly with notices on the weather conditions and how it affects some of the routes. Compared to back home it is unreal, especially in terms of being accessible to people regardless of ability and experience.

I get this approach - and I liked the same thing when I went to Austria a couple of times - very obvious paths that were signposted in terms of time to the next place and huts selling food and drink all over the place - it was a nice change. In Scotland, part of the attraction for many is there are few paths and you need to navigate and learn the required skills and you get the solitude that you are never going to get on "tourist routes".

I personally think there is room for both here - waymarked/graded stuff that allows people to get into it and plenty of scope to go off piste once they are ready - I guess like Mountain bike centres here already are an example of that....

[Ross.]

2 minutes ago, Swello said:

I get this approach - and I liked the same thing when I went to Austria a couple of times - very obvious paths that were signposted in terms of time to the next place and huts selling food and drink all over the place - it was a nice change. In Scotland, part of the attraction for many is there are few paths and you need to navigate and learn the required skills and you get the solitude that you are never going to get on "tourist routes".

I personally think there is room for both here - waymarked/graded stuff that allows people to get into it and plenty of scope to go off piste once they are ready - I guess like Mountain bike centres here already are an example of that....

There are something like 40000 miles of walking routes here, so it is still very easy to find a bit of peace and quiet if that is your aim. The hill and forest behind the town I'm living in probably has around 40 different paths, crossing over and going in all directions between various towns and villages nearby, been plenty of Saturdays where I've gone out and done 20km+ and not met another soul. That said, if you decide to go somewhere like Luzern or Interlaken then you'll be struggling to find a spot that doesn't have people queuing up to pass you if you aren't doing double speed.

[vikingTON]

On 07/01/2020 at 09:35, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

Right you fine specimens....
First time in this topic. I'm the absolute novice of hillwalking, never done one in my life.
Over the last few years I've had operations on my knees etc so I'm aware of my capabilities. Recovered well through the gym etc, and I've just recently got another dog which will need a lot of walking, hit my plan is once the dogs a year old in the summer, to get out and do a bit of hillwalking at the weekend with her.
Obviously with the knees I'll be limited to some of the stuff I can do, so I'm looking for "the pie and Bovril beginners guide to hillwalking" (that's also dog friendly).

It would be handy to know of any equipment that I might also require but I'd imagine the stuff I'm looking at doing is mostly "a good jacket and boots" type stuff rather than a bag full of stuff?
But that's why I'm here, to find all this stuff out.
Any help much appreciated.

I'd actually recommend doing some long distance trail walking as an alternative to hillwalking: especially in the late winter spring when conditions are likely to be much better at lower altitude. You still get experience of covering long distances, regular up and downhill sections and can get used to equipment, boots etc. without the relentless nature of a there and back again point walk.

The Three Lochs Way is a good starter route that has the benefit of being piss-easy to access from anywhere in the Central Belt, so each section can be combined or split according to your amount of free time. The first stage of the West Highland Way from Milngavie (or just Drymen) to Balmaha over Conic Hill is also a good option. 

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

4 hours ago, virginton said:

I'd actually recommend doing some long distance trail walking as an alternative to hillwalking: especially in the late winter spring when conditions are likely to be much better at lower altitude. You still get experience of covering long distances, regular up and downhill sections and can get used to equipment, boots etc. without the relentless nature of a there and back again point walk.

The Three Lochs Way is a good starter route that has the benefit of being piss-easy to access from anywhere in the Central Belt, so each section can be combined or split according to your amount of free time. The first stage of the West Highland Way from Milngavie (or just Drymen) to Balmaha over Conic Hill is also a good option. 

Cheers for that. That first part of the 3 lochs way looks right up my street and with train access direct from Airdrie, I reckon that's a stick on for the summer once the dog turns 1.  Have you done it yourself?

I think for the first wee while I'll do most of the "popular" trails and hills to try and build up a bit of stamina and see if the knees hold out, that walkhighlands is very good and detailed for someone like myself, and based on the info, I think once i start, I'll invest in a wee pair of walking trainers

[vikingTON]

On 08/01/2020 at 20:58, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

Cheers for that. That first part of the 3 lochs way looks right up my street and with train access direct from Airdrie, I reckon that's a stick on for the summer once the dog turns 1.  Have you done it yourself?

I think for the first wee while I'll do most of the "popular" trails and hills to try and build up a bit of stamina and see if the knees hold out, that walkhighlands is very good and detailed for someone like myself, and based on the info, I think once i start, I'll invest in a wee pair of walking trainers

I completed the Three Lochs Way in 2015. The definite highlight of the route is heading up Loch Long from above Garelochead to Arrochar, as the trail heads well above the tree line for most of the way and so provides magnificent views like this:

In addition to the West Highland Way I've also completed the West Island Way (Bute) a couple of times and finished the Arran Coastal Path last summer. If any summer weather arrives then my plan is to complete the Cowal Way (already done Portavadie to Glendaruel) and add some of the final few stages of the Ayrshire Coastal Path as well. 

 

 

[Futureboy]

Anyone here done the Affric - Kintail Way?

I've fancied doing it for a while and might go for it late spring this year.

[invergowrie arab]

33 minutes ago, Futureboy said:

Anyone here done the Affric - Kintail Way?

I've fancied doing it for a while and might go for it late spring this year.

Yeah, stunning scenery but just watch in late spring for snow met and burns in spate. I would recommend going east to west if you want the scenery to get better as you go. Did it over 3 days, Drumnadrochit to Cannich, Cannich to Allt Beithe and Allt Beithe to Morvich. Got a bus back to Inverness from Morvich

[Futureboy]

14 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

Yeah, stunning scenery but just watch in late spring for snow met and burns in spate. I would recommend going east to west if you want the scenery to get better as you go. Did it over 3 days, Drumnadrochit to Cannich, Cannich to Allt Beithe and Allt Beithe to Morvich. Got a bus back to Inverness from Morvich

That's what I was wanting to hear as I was thinking E to W would be better. Not too bad a push over three days? All my kit is lightweight, so no massive pack weight to lug around. 

Cheers.

Edited January 10, 2020 by Futureboy

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

Similar to above, but has anyone done the Cape Wrath Trail?

Planning to do Achnashellach to Inverlael and was looking for a bit of advice.

[Swello]

1 hour ago, Am Featha *****h Nan Clach said:

Similar to above, but has anyone done the Cape Wrath Trail?

Planning to do Achnashellach to Inverlael and was looking for a bit of advice.

I did the CWT with a couple of mates over a couple of weeks in may 2005 - a genuine highlight of my life TBH. I was actually sad when I reached the lighthouse (and for about a month afterwards) as if there was another couple of weeks of land heading north - I would have happily kept going. 

for the route you want to do - our equivalent was Strathcarron/Coulags to Ling Hut/Torridon over Bealach Ban (which you can also reach from Achnashelloch station although Loch Coulin may suit you better) and then we traversed Beinn Eighe to Kinlochewe. From there we walked along Loch Maree to Letterewe and then over bealach nan sac and camped at the fantastic causeway between the Fionn and Dubh Lochs. From there we headed to Glen Muice and forded the river at Shenevall and walked to Corrie Hallie where we picked up the hill path at NT116856 that takes you to Inverlael. The last part of this was improvised as we had planned to walk to the Altnaharrie Hotel and get a little boat that ran in those days over to Ullapool for a rest day but we were let down...If you need any detailed advice, let me know.

Inevitably - a few CWT pics to get you  in the mood (with less megapixels than is normal now) 

Glen Elchaig camp spot

Meal Bhuide Bothy

Leaving Kylesku

Walking over Fionnaven on the penultimate day

Last Camp at Sandwood with a view to the Cape

End of the line

[invergowrie arab]

2 hours ago, Futureboy said:

That's what I was wanting to hear as I was thinking E to W would be better. Not too bad a push over three days? All my kit is lightweight, so no massive pack weight to lug around. 

Cheers.

Nah its fine. I see walk highlands recommend over 4 days but there is nowhere to camp at Affric car park and day 3 would take you three hours.

If I was doing it again I would do it over 4 days but head up onto the high ridge between Glen Affric park to Allt Beithe 

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

I did the CWT with a couple of mates over a couple of weeks in may 2005 - a genuine highlight of my life TBH. I was actually sad when I reached the lighthouse (and for about a month afterwards) as if there was another couple of weeks of land heading north - I would have happily kept going. 
for the route you want to do - our equivalent was Strathcarron/Coulags to Ling Hut/Torridon over Bealach Ban (which you can also reach from Achnashelloch station although Loch Coulin may suit you better) and then we traversed Beinn Eighe to Kinlochewe. From there we walked along Loch Maree to Letterewe and then over bealach nan sac and camped at the fantastic causeway between the Fionn and Dubh Lochs. From there we headed to Glen Muice and forded the river at Shenevall and walked to Corrie Hallie where we picked up the hill path at NT116856 that takes you to Inverlael. The last part of this was improvised as we had planned to walk to the Altnaharrie Hotel and get a little boat that ran in those days over to Ullapool for a rest day but we were let down...If you need any detailed advice, let me know.
Inevitably - a few CWT pics to get you  in the mood (with less megapixels than is normal now) [emoji4]

Glen Elchaig camp spot

Meal Bhuide Bothy

Leaving Kylesku

Walking over Fionnaven on the penultimate day

Last Camp at Sandwood with a view to the Cape

End of the line

Thanks. Only got 3 days so going to get train to Achnashellach, arriving just before 1pm, then an easy 4 hr walk to Kinlochewe.

From Kinlochewe to Shenevall bothy. I'm an experienced walker (got ML) but was wondering just how bad underfoot got during that section?

From Shenevall it's on to Inverlael and a hitch to Ullapool

[Swello]

4 minutes ago, Am Featha *****h Nan Clach said:

From Kinlochewe to Shenevall bothy. I'm an experienced walker (got ML) but was wondering just how bad underfoot got during that section?

The path along Loch Maree is good but a wee bit boggy in places, the path into Fisherfield from Letterewe is good. I've been through Glen Muice a few times and it gets very boggy indeed near larachantivore and then the river crossing at Shenevall is often difficult. Path from Shenevall is v boggy at first and the hill path over to Inverlael is well built... 

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

I'm not getting up many big hills of late, my knee gets really angry at me on descents. Still managing decent length low level walks without crippling myself too much.

Today from Flotterstone to Balerno to Stockbridge via Water of Leith path. About 17 miles.

Can't beat the Pentlands at this time of year, they're not as busy as normal and it's a relatively safe place to go walking.

Water of Leith is looking a bit peaky in town. Wouldn't put my washing out today if I lived in Stockbridge.

Couple of pints here then off to see QP. A grand day out!