Limiting Factor Posted September 29, 2022 Share Posted September 29, 2022 11 hours ago, Swello said: The main issue with the Ben on the tourist route is navigating back off the summit if you're in thick cloud - it's not as straightforward as people assume as it's a dog leg round a very dangerous gully. Regardless of huge cairns scattered around everywhere, if you're not confident in navigation, it's not a good idea to head up if there is a chance of a cloudy summit area IMO The "n" numbers are the navigation cairns: That's useful to know. I'm going give it a miss this time and wait until next summer. Thanks 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotfree Posted October 3, 2022 Share Posted October 3, 2022 On 12/09/2022 at 21:38, arab_joe said: This thread makes me very, very homesick. Same here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted November 20, 2022 Share Posted November 20, 2022 I don't post every walk I do on here as a lot of stuff you do when you're trying to do a round of hills (Corbetts in my case), you end up doing some pretty dull hills and/or walking in atrocious weather. Yesterday was both of those - in Glen Roy, there are three hills next to each other all called Carn Dearg and I was doing 2 of those. November is the worst month of the year for walking IMO (limited daylight, autumn colours finished, everything is a bog) - so I tend to do hills that I wouldn't do at other times of the year. Yesterday's walk started with the clouds literally down to the car, so it was 20m visibility on the hill and nothing more than navigation practice, until on the 2nd summit, the sun suddenly appeared hazily behind me and things cleared in a nice way. The only reason I mention all this is because I then saw 1 thing which I see very occasionally but it's still rare - a (really good) Brockenspectre - and one thing that I've never seen - a (hazy) Fog Bow. Dull walk was suddenly worthwhile (wouldn't recommend anyone do these though) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted November 20, 2022 Share Posted November 20, 2022 I haven't been out on a hill for ages (well Conachcraig a couple of weeks back but we mountain biked to the bealach within about 10 minutes of the summit). I had loose plans for a long, long weekend next weekend however another absolutely gubbins forecast looks like wrecking that. However should it miraculously improve I'll be getting the first ferry from Oban to Craignure to drive round to Ben More then try to catch the early afternoon ferry from Tobermory to Kilchoan, and hopefully camp on Ben Hiant. I'll basically need to run down Ben More to make it in time but it'll be worth it to avoid pitching a tent in the dark which is always absolutely shite. After that, Garbh Bheinn on the way to Ardgour and across to Corran for an annual hillwalking group piss up/weekend. Plan B is drive across to Corran on Friday afternoon then spend all weekend eating and drinking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted November 20, 2022 Share Posted November 20, 2022 6 hours ago, Benjamin_Nevis said: I haven't been out on a hill for ages (well Conachcraig a couple of weeks back but we mountain biked to the bealach within about 10 minutes of the summit). I had loose plans for a long, long weekend next weekend however another absolutely gubbins forecast looks like wrecking that. However should it miraculously improve I'll be getting the first ferry from Oban to Craignure to drive round to Ben More then try to catch the early afternoon ferry from Tobermory to Kilchoan, and hopefully camp on Ben Hiant. I'll basically need to run down Ben More to make it in time but it'll be worth it to avoid pitching a tent in the dark which is always absolutely shite. After that, Garbh Bheinn on the way to Ardgour and across to Corran for an annual hillwalking group piss up/weekend. Plan B is drive across to Corran on Friday afternoon then spend all weekend eating and drinking. Don't underestimate how long it takes to get to Tob from Ben More - doesn't look long on the map, but based on long experience (my Mrs is from Mull), it takes forever. Garbh Bheinn is on my Nice Day list. Also - Benjamin Nevis? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted November 20, 2022 Share Posted November 20, 2022 2 minutes ago, Swello said: Don't underestimate how long it takes to get to Tob from Ben More - doesn't look long on the map, but based on long experience (my Mrs is from Mull), it takes forever. Garbh Bheinn is on my Nice Day list. Also - Benjamin Nevis? Fancied a name change. It's been a while I expect the single track road to Tobermory will be hell so I've given myself 3.5 hours to get up and down Ben More The forecast looks utter shite though, so plan B beckons 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted November 22, 2022 Share Posted November 22, 2022 I see there is the hillwalking equivalent of culture wars happening - albeit in a very small way. The guy who jointly defined the list of Grahams (hills between 2000 and 2500 feet that includes stuff like Stac Pollaidh, Suilven and Tinto) has unilaterally decided to turn "his" list Metric - so it's now 600m instead of 2000ft(610m) which means that 12 new hills are on the list as of yesterday. Amusingly, Walkhighlands still uses the imperial list and now calls them "Fionas" after the other person who defined the original list in the 90's (because the guy is asserting copyright on his list). I'm sure people will get massively bent out of shape about this but outside of a few very popular ones like I just mentioned, these are the least popular category of "big" mountain - most are only climbed by hill bagging fanatics* (I think only a couple of hundred people have done them all as opposed to 7000+ who have done the Munros) and so this will affect a tiny number of people. *I'll admit that I climbed the two least visited Grahams during this mad expedition a couple of years back 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 (edited) Atmospheric day in the Highlands today - I had a last day of holiday to take, so went for a midweek bonus walk and did a couple of Corbetts in Glen Orchy. I always forget how great an area this is - the views today contained some of my favourite hills - Cruachan Horseshoe, Black Corries, Ben Lui, Ben More/Stob Binnein (looking particularly nice) and a great view down to Bridge of Orchy and beyond. Edited November 30, 2022 by Swello 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 On 22/11/2022 at 10:40, Swello said: I see there is the hillwalking equivalent of culture wars happening - albeit in a very small way. The guy who jointly defined the list of Grahams (hills between 2000 and 2500 feet that includes stuff like Stac Pollaidh, Suilven and Tinto) has unilaterally decided to turn "his" list Metric - so it's now 600m instead of 2000ft(610m) which means that 12 new hills are on the list as of yesterday. Amusingly, Walkhighlands still uses the imperial list and now calls them "Fionas" after the other person who defined the original list in the 90's (because the guy is asserting copyright on his list). I'm sure people will get massively bent out of shape about this but outside of a few very popular ones like I just mentioned, these are the least popular category of "big" mountain - most are only climbed by hill bagging fanatics* (I think only a couple of hundred people have done them all as opposed to 7000+ who have done the Munros) and so this will affect a tiny number of people. *I'll admit that I climbed the two least visited Grahams during this mad expedition a couple of years back It'd even weirder than that. The lower end definition is now metric but he had to leave the upper end imperial to avoid messing with the Corbetts. Thankfully having experienced a couple of Grahams, doing the lot is going to be absolutely irrelevant to me 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Shite weather canned my plans for trips to Mull and the far north over the last two weeks, so I ended up repeating Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin as my mate hadn't done them and I saw f**k all from them last time. Needless to say: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 2 hours ago, Benjamin_Nevis said: Shite weather canned my plans for trips to Mull and the far north over the last two weeks, so I ended up repeating Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin as my mate hadn't done them and I saw f**k all from them last time. Needless to say: At least you got the first snow pics of the year on here 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 1 hour ago, Swello said: At least you got the first snow pics of the year on here Hopefully not the last. I bought crampons 6 years ago and have still only ever needed them for a 50 metre section on one of the dullest lumps in central Highlands. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loonytoons Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 10 hours ago, Benjamin_Nevis said: Hopefully not the last. I bought crampons 6 years ago and have still only ever needed them for a 50 metre section on one of the dullest lumps in central Highlands. Billy Dodds? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Just now, Loonytoons said: Billy Dodds? Worse. Geal Charn in the Monadhliath 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar_Army Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Gorton Bothy up by Bridge of Orchy on Saturday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 17 minutes ago, Sugar_Army said: Gorton Bothy up by Bridge of Orchy on Saturday. We were in there the week before. The floor decor in the spare room is "interesting" 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted December 6, 2022 Share Posted December 6, 2022 11 hours ago, Sugar_Army said: Gorton Bothy up by Bridge of Orchy on Saturday. Looking a bit rougher outside than I remember it - decent basic bothy that one and not an overcrowded nightmare considering how easy it is to get to. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar_Army Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 On 05/12/2022 at 23:54, Benjamin_Nevis said: We were in there the week before. The floor decor in the spare room is "interesting" Never noticed the floor, only popped my head round the door of spare room...maybe not a bad thing.but sound of it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar_Army Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 15 hours ago, Swello said: Looking a bit rougher outside than I remember it - decent basic bothy that one and not an overcrowded nightmare considering how easy it is to get to. Yeah. Only three of us there when we went. Did meet 6 guys all heading there as we made our way back to car, including one on a bike with a guitar strapped to his back. They all asked if anybody there as think they had been hoping for the place to themselves. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 (edited) 20 hours ago, Swello said: Looking a bit rougher outside than I remember it - decent basic bothy that one and not an overcrowded nightmare considering how easy it is to get to. It's not bad. The fire isn't the best mind you. 5 hours ago, Sugar_Army said: Never noticed the floor, only popped my head round the door of spare room...maybe not a bad thing.but sound of it. Edited December 7, 2022 by Benjamin_Nevis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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