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Hillwalking Thread


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8 minutes ago, Archie McSquackle said:

That looks fantastic (and way beyond what I'm capable of)!

Winter camping is a bit of a faff- but is really satisfying when you get decent conditions and it is something that I'd recommend to folk that have done a decent amount of wild camping and have some winter hillwalking experience.

The main problem is that stuff that is simple in summer wild camping needs a bit more thought in winter (eg, will my stove light? How do I keep warm for 12+ hours in a tent? Where can I get water? Do I really want to go out for a pish at 3am in a blizzard?). Everything is solvable but you need to know where the problems are likely to be. 

You also need to carry a lot of gear - basically a full set of winter walking gear (which is heavy enough) and winter camping gear (being reasonably lightweight in winter can get expensive very quickly).

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Local walk yesterday up to Loch Brandy. I'd initially planned on Mayar for sunrise but would have had to get up ridiculously early to make it on time. Brandy is only 1.5 miles from the car park so much easier. Flat calm, glorious conditions for a fine wee circuit. 20201228_084020.jpg20201228_085237.jpg20201228_093630.jpg20201228_092318.jpg20201228_105843.jpg20201228_115600.jpg

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5 hours ago, MixuFruit said:

Funnily enough I was just looking to see who still makes their stuff in the UK. A lot of weasel words in the blurb of so called British brands, 'UK designed', 'GB-led manufacture'.

I'm a big fan of Alpkit's stuff. Worth a look imo. 

Alpkit

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2 minutes ago, Andrew Driver said:

That's very expensive.  I'm hoping to do all the munros this winter during Tier 4.   Would the gear out of Tiso or Decathlon get me up the hill?  

More likely to be your legs tbh. 

Tiso stuff would indeed get you up a hill, but you wouldn't have a house to return to as you'd have had to sell it to pay for their gear. 

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1 minute ago, Andrew Driver said:

My Munros to date are:  

Ben Nevis
Ben Lawers
Ben Lomond 
Ben Vorlich
 stuc a c'hroin
Ben More 
Ben Chonzie.  

I'm down to 19 stone so fancy doing many in 2021.

Recommend me one and I'll do it. 

I can't recommend Beinn Heasgarnich highly enough. 

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6 hours ago, Swello said:

I always feel like Arcteryx is designed with someone else's weather in mind (somewhere drier than Scotland basically).

It's oddly been jumped onto by Scousers going to football. Really popular amongst Liverpool fans.

You find a lot of their stuff with a decent price tag on a lot of menswear sites now (Mr Porter / Priory Menswear / Urban Industry) as their usual audience don't really understand why a lot of hiking jackets has become "fashionable".

I use the Squamish for chillier bike rides, and it is excellent. Very lightweight, and keeps any chill at bay. Find most of the jackets have a really high neckline which is something I like, but I know it can irritate some folk. 

 

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28 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

Which one do you have? Quite like the look of the Morphosis, looks like it would let me layer up easily.

I had the "Balance" waterproof last year, I've also got a couple of their baselayers and a couple of other things like sleeping bag, camping kit etc. All very good, well made kit and not ridiculously expensive. 

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13 hours ago, Swello said:

I use both both Mountain Equipment and an Arcteryx soft shells. The Mountain Equipment one is *perfect* for Scottish conditions as it is very windproof and also surprisingly waterproof as long as it's topped up with Nikwax Softshell Proof regularly - I use it as my main jacket most of the time.  I would give it a big recommendation, except I checked and they no longer make it which is a pisser (as I would buy another one).

Arcteryx make really good quality stuff in my experience and I like it - but it really is silly money (I always buy end of year stuff on Sports Pursuit, I've never paid full price). The one I use is a Gamma MX Hoody and it works well and is windproof enough but I only use it in the summer as the material is quite thin with no insulation at all. Unlike the Mountain Equipment one - I always feel like Arcteryx is designed with someone else's weather in mind (somewhere drier than Scotland basically).

I looked at the Arcteryx insulated jackets and it seemed to suggest on the website description that they are basically only for dry weather.

I get that you shouldn’t get down soaking wet but I’d expect any winter jacket to be able to cope with a bit of rain and I find it hard to believe there are many places you can be confident of knowing you’ll have dry weather on a winters day. 

Obviously, living in Scotland, I’ve given their jackets a miss. One thing I can guarantee here is wet weather. 

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9 hours ago, Day of the Lords said:

Local walk yesterday up to Loch Brandy. I'd initially planned on Mayar for sunrise but would have had to get up ridiculously early to make it on time. Brandy is only 1.5 miles from the car park so much easier. Flat calm, glorious conditions for a fine wee circuit. 20201228_084020.jpg20201228_085237.jpg20201228_093630.jpg20201228_092318.jpg20201228_105843.jpg20201228_115600.jpg

Great photos, we were supposed to be staying in Glen Clova this week but had to postpone. 

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36 minutes ago, stevieKTID said:

Great photos, we were supposed to be staying in Glen Clova this week but had to postpone. 

The Hotel? It's nice in there, decent food and good rooms. Hopefully you can still get up post-restrictions. Plenty of good walks in the immediate area. 

19 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

Went for the Resolute as they didn't have the Morphosis in my size. If it's shite I'm going to set fire to your house.

Harsh, but fair. 

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16 minutes ago, Day of the Lords said:

The Hotel? It's nice in there, decent food and good rooms. Hopefully you can still get up post-restrictions. Plenty of good walks in the immediate area. 

 

We had rented out Rottal farmhouse, we've been regular visitors over the last few years, its a lovely part of the country, our trip is postponed until the first available opportunity, really missing seeing the Scottish landscape, living in the Netherlands has its advantages but its too flat, the Clova Hotel is great can't beat a pint and a bit of food after a wander. 

This was taken on the way up to Loch Brandy a few years ago 

Screenshot_20201230_105200.jpg

Edited by stevieKTID
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On 29/12/2020 at 11:52, Archie McSquackle said:

With the lockdown and me being unable to leave Glasgow (or 5 miles from the boundary for exercise), I'm obviously a bit stuck for hills to go walking in. Does anyone have any suggestions for good family walks in Glasgow in parks or similar? I live in the north-west of the city so have probably done most of the options near me but am keen to get out and try somewhere new. Not looking for anything overly strenuous to be honest as I won't be able to talk the rest of the family into it.

I presume you've done Mugdock Park and the reservoirs? In the opposite direction to the north east, could try Drumpellier Country Park, it's only a mile walk around the loch, but you can make it far longer and more varied by taking the trails into the woodlands, and even going down for a walk along the Monkland Canal. Tollcross Park is a nice if hilly park to try for a wee change too.

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