Hillwalking Thread

[Swello]

1 minute ago, Snobot said:

I watched a couple of YouTube vids of people on Sgùrr Dubh Mòr last night as a result of your post and I was genuinely getting clammy hands and mild fear. I’m not very good with heights and exposure though. Think I would definitely require professional assistance to go up there. Are they the trickiest Munroes? I heard the inaccessible pinnacle is actually quite straightforward despite the exposure when you are roped up.

I've said on this thread a couple of times that I think SDM is the hardest Munro - others find other peaks on the Cuillin worse (Am Bastier is often mentioned, but I can't remember any difficulties there). In terms of route finding and exposure, it is difficult although the way that @Day of the Lordsand I have both done Sgurr Alasdair is far worse - but is an optional route.  

The InnPin is a (very!) exposed scramble up the long side and a Moderate rock climb up the short side - the scramble is fine if you have a head for heights - I found the climb technically difficult (owing to the fact that I can't climb and I had mountain boots on) - but at no point on either route did I feel it was as bad as SDM.

The only other hill that I found anywhere near SDM was Stac Pollaidh - which has an exposed move that most non-climbers will find a bit tricky...

T

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I've said on this thread a couple of times that I think SDM is the hardest Munro - others find other peaks on the Cuillin worse (Am Bastier is often mentioned, but I can't remember any difficulties there). In terms of route finding and exposure, it is difficult although the way that [mention=15829]Day of the Lords[/mention]and I have both done Sgurr Alasdair is far worse - but is an optional route.  
The InnPin is a (very!) exposed scramble up the long side and a Moderate rock climb up the short side - the scramble is fine if you have a head for heights - I found the climb technically difficult (owing to the fact that I can't climb and I had mountain boots on) - but at no point on either route did I feel it was as bad as SDM.
The only other hill that I found anywhere near SDM was Stac Pollaidh - which has an exposed move that most non-climbers will find a bit tricky...
T

SDM was a lot tougher than I expected, partly because there seem to be traces of paths that go absolutely nowhere, and one particular move on a slab that would be a nightmare if you were less than 5'6". More than once we looked up and thought "how the f**k...." [emoji23]

[Robin.Hood]

Done Ben lawers and Beinn Ghlais. 

Eh was good fun. Windy as f**k near top but eh weather was class again. Was quite a trek up to the second ane. Twa weeks twa glorious days n three munros done.

Pictures canna get up because they seem to be too teckle for here.

Onto the next ane.

[Chinatoon Bairn]

Tarmachan Ridge early this morning, good wee walk dusted in about 4 hours. Lawers car park an absolute circus when I got back about 11 o’clock. 

Not quite as clear as last weekend but another cracker, hopefully not the last. 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Picked my remaining Fannichs of Sgurr nan Each and Sgurr nan Clach Geala today, plus a repeat (and atrocious descent) of Meall a'Chrasgaidh. Quite pleased with my hill fitness now as I was car to car in 6.5 hours including about 2 hours of stops and chatting to a boy who used to work along the road from me [emoji23]

[invergowrie arab]

3 minutes ago, Day of the Lords said:

Picked my remaining Fannichs of Sgurr nan Each and Sgurr nan Clach Geala today, plus a repeat (and atrocious descent) of Meall a'Chrasgaidh. Quite pleased with my hill fitness now as I was car to car in 6.5 hours including about 2 hours of stops and chatting to a boy who used to work along the road from me

I was blown off (behave) Meall a' Chrasgaidh so will need to go back. I'm less than keen to do the turf grabbing ascent again so was going to go anti clockwise.

I take it the steep grassy slopes are no better going the other way?

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I was blown off (behave) Meall a' Chrasgaidh so will need to go back. I'm less than keen to do the turf grabbing ascent again so was going to go anti clockwise.
I take it the steep grassy slopes are no better going the other way?

I don't think there's a decent way to do it First time I did it was from Loch Fannich which was a frankly ludicrous idea and ruined me. That time we came up the Coire between Geala and MaC but that was also pathless, boggy and generally shite. We were so knackered we bailed on the others and headed back. Something like 20 miles on the bike and 10 miles on foot for a solitary, average at best munro.

[mathematics]

On 24/09/2020 at 14:28, Swello said:

...which has an exposed move that most non-climbers will find a bit tricky..

That’s a sneaky wee b*****d that bit! Must admit it was only my ego that kept me going.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

That’s a sneaky wee b*****d that bit! Must admit it was only my ego that kept me going.

It's a weird one that. The lack of handholds where you'd want them is what makes it difficult. I don't recall the exposure being too bad. It was actually easier in reverse iirc

[Swello]

2 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

I was blown off (behave) Meall a' Chrasgaidh so will need to go back. I'm less than keen to do the turf grabbing ascent again so was going to go anti clockwise.

I take it the steep grassy slopes are no better going the other way?

I did the descent off Meall a' Chrasgaidh at the end of a loop of the 5 munros from Loch a' Bhraoin - and it was totally fine as far as I can remember - certainly better than going up it. It was also horrendously windy when I did it - my main memory of that day was the campsite at Loch Broom in Ullapool that evening being completely flattened by a gale in the middle of the night - only a few stronger backpacking tents  left standing - all the big family tents down, which actually looked quite impressive

Edited September 27, 2020 by Swello

[mathematics]

1 hour ago, Day of the Lords said:

2 hours ago, mathematics said:

That’s a sneaky wee b*****d that bit! Must admit it was only my ego that kept me going.

It's a weird one that. The lack of handholds where you'd want them is what makes it difficult. I don't recall the exposure being too bad. It was actually easier in reverse iirc

I went back by a different route, not for that reason of course...

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I went back by a different route, not for that reason of course...

The earthy bypass gully? I thought that looked worse from above [emoji23]

[mathematics]

Just now, Day of the Lords said:

The earthy bypass gully? I thought that looked worse from above

Yup! It was.

[Swello]

On Walkhighlands - Stac Pollaidh is the 4th most climbed Graham and I'm massively sceptical about that. I've been up there a few times and my abiding memory is that only about 10% of folk head any further than the end of the tourist path and of those, plenty take a look at the crux and think better of it  

See also: The Cobbler which an improbable number of people have summited. (despite being the first hill I did, I've never been to the actual summit myself- yet). That's on my plans for this year to revisit and I'm still annoyed that I didn't Thread the Needle first time round as it doesn't look difficult at all

 

 

[invergowrie arab]

6 hours ago, Swello said:

On Walkhighlands - Stac Pollaidh is the 4th most climbed Graham and I'm massively sceptical about that. I've been up there a few times and my abiding memory is that only about 10% of folk head any further than the end of the tourist path and of those, plenty take a look at the crux and think better of it 

 

I'll admit to doing exactly that and ticking the box anyway.

[Swello]

22 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

I'll admit to doing exactly that and ticking the box anyway.

Knew it!

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I'm sure I read somewhere that Stac Pollaidh is the most difficult mainland summit to reach. There was a move about halfway along the ridge I thought was worse. The exposure was wild and involved stepping down to a hold I could barely see at first.

[invergowrie arab]

I went half way up and chickened out due to exposure on the right and having to basically lean out over it.

Maybe it's no harder than Beinn Avon but you know you can only fall 15 feet there.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Probably the last walk of my holiday - another glorious day on Sail Mhor. It's an easy walk, although thanks to it pishing down last night was a largely pathless bogfest. Views from the top were fantastic.

[the aggressive beggar]

Managed to get lost in Rothiemurchus Forest today.  Took the dog a walk to the area to the south of Coylumbridge Hotel and followed what I thought was a track going into the woods which I assumed would link up with a track I'd seen earlier. 

Big mistake, as the track gradually disappeared leaving us completely disoriented, only had a compass app on my phone which wouldn't calibrate.  Tried to retrace our steps which didn't go well.

After about an hour we started getting seriously worried and the wife was giving me deserved verbals.  We had about an hour of daylight left and I was just about to phone 999 when I saw a runner in a bright pink jacket in the distance.   Incredible feeling of relief when we reached the path.

Lessons learned from today.  Feel like a total tit and that last 10 minutes felt fkn horrible.