Hillwalking Thread

[Middleton Mouse]

A wee bit harsh there I think. If I was in Glen Nevis on a morning and ready to climb something, going up the tourist route of Ben Nevis would probably be about my 15th choice. A long boring track with loads of other folk around wouldn't make for a good day's walking for me - does that really make me a 'hill snob' or a fud? Maybe the folk you were there with last time who didn't fancy it were the same?

Sorry my above rant wasn't really a rant at people who won't go a certain path because they won't find it testing enough it was more a rant at the individuals we had in the party last time. I'm glad they weren't there with us for this trip as they put a lot of others off from attending later walks.

I'd have expected the people we were involved with last time to come up the tourist path as we were all supposed to be friends at the time (though that incident changed that slightly). Especially given it was the experienced ones that organised the last trip and specifically said that everyone (no matter how fit) was welcome to come along I think it was a bit out of order them leaving a few people to do the tourist route while going off and doing something more challanging themselves. I don't mind if people see particular paths or mountains to be too easy but I think it was a bit stupid to invite others that wouldn't manage anything but the tourist path along if that wasn't the way they were going to tackle it.

Edited June 25, 2008 by Middleton Mouse

[Socks]

It's weird that. The midges are fond of me but my dad wasn't bothered by them and neither are my daughters. It's not all bad, because I just get the elder one to put up the tent while I wait in the car. I do use Skin so Soft, which works for me, but I still get her to put up the tent, saying she needs the practice. She's twelve, my other daughter's five, she's the trainee. B) They're not bad with a map and compass either.

Aye, I heard a while ago that there's loads of different sweat types, and they only go for one or two of them. It's really annoying getting out of the car and putting the boots on with my Dad saying 'the midges aren't too bad here', while I'm being eaten by the wee buggers!

Sorry my above rant wasn't really a rant at people who won't go a certain path because they won't find it testing enough it was more a rant at the individuals we had in the party last time. I'm glad they weren't there with us for this trip as they put a lot of others off from attending later walks.

I'd have expected the people we were involved with last time to come up the tourist path as we were all supposed to be friends at the time (though that incident changed that slightly). Especially given it was the experienced ones that organised the last trip and specifically said that everyone (no matter how fit) was welcome to come along I think it was a bit out of order them leaving a few people to do the tourist route while going off and doing something more challanging themselves. I don't mind if people see particular paths or mountains to be too easy but I think it was a bit stupid to invite others that wouldn't manage anything but the tourist path along if that wasn't the way they were going to tackle it.

Aye fair enough then, I can see what you mean now and I agree that that was a bit out of order. I think the problem when that kind of thing happens is often that some folk who are superfit don't even consider that the average walker might struggle a bit with something they'd find easy. My sister used to go walking with a few folk from her work that were like that, and although she usually managed, some of the stories of having them up things that are a bit beyond what most people would be comfortable with were a bit worrying.

It's for that reason that I've never had any interest in joining a walking group, where inevitably you'll get a range of fitness and competence. I'm quite happy going with my Dad or a pal and doing things at our own pace rather than peching to keep up with the fit ones or having to stop all the time to let less fit folk catch up, although I'm sure such groups are good if you don't have any pals to head up the hills with.

[chingford]

Anyone tried the alternate route (North Face) up Ben Nevis? Contemplating doing it, but it's apparently fairly tough and very exposed at parts. Want to avoid the tourist route, but slightly concerned about going the other way if it's a bit risky. Any thoughts?

I already did a post about a way up from that side - on the other thread, asking about going up The Ben.

One route that I enjoy - which requires a good head for heights, solid route-finding and some scrambling experience (or as Oddjob suggests - a rope, in case...) is Ledge Route.

Here's a wee write-up I did some years ago. With some foties.

Edited June 25, 2008 by chingford

[fraser_smfc]

I just got back from my Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition on Monday. Four days, three nights and 91km in total. It was very tough but I'm glad I done it.

What a coincidence, exact same story here. The hike was an absolute baasterrrd but very happy I did it. Mind you, too many Dunfermline fans for my liking like eh

[Middleton Mouse]

It's for that reason that I've never had any interest in joining a walking group, where inevitably you'll get a range of fitness and competence. I'm quite happy going with my Dad or a pal and doing things at our own pace rather than peching to keep up with the fit ones or having to stop all the time to let less fit folk catch up, although I'm sure such groups are good if you don't have any pals to head up the hills with.

I don't think I'd be much good in a walking group either, I HATE walking down scree and I take ages to do it and I imagine I'd lag behind every time.

I have a very understanding walking buddy who allows me to hang onto his rucksack/hold his hand.

Me and said walking bud are hoping to do the Cobbler and Ben Narnain at the weekend. Anyone done the two together?

Edited June 25, 2008 by Middleton Mouse

[Guest oddjob]

I'm off west fishing next week. Pissed off with the 'hills'.

But I will be wild camping for ten days.

[chingford]

Me and said walking bud are hoping to do the Cobbler and Ben Narnain at the weekend. Anyone done the two together?

Aye. Is it all the Narnia movie hype that's getting you interested in adding it on?

Not a bad ridge up ontae Narnain via Cruach nam Miseag.

And there are howffs and holes all around the hillside to investigate. (Like on The Brack/Ben Donich to the south).

But if you are already committed to going up onto that bit of high ground, you could make a nice day of it by doing a wee 'easy' circuit of FOUR hills.

Park at the foot of the burn in Glen Croe (GR 243061).

Do Beinn Luibhean (a Corbett), Ben Ime (a Munro...) , Beinn Narnain then finish on the diminutive Cobbler as your highlight before a satisfied, smug descent in the glorious gloaming by the same burn you came up beside.

[Middleton Mouse]

That will be right, I struggle to haul my arse up one hill never mind four! My friend had suggested we do Ben ime along with the Cobbler but I asked him to reconsider and let me do the small munro.

[Middleton Mouse]

Oh well we never got onto Ben narnain in the end, I got soaked through just getting up the Cobbler. Never made it onto the true summit either as it was very windy and visibility was bad. I did take some good pics which haven't been shrunk with photoshop but by photobucket therefore look gash...

We stopped for ages under the Narnain boulders hoping the rain would go off and we got lost trying to come back down. I think we retraced our steps to the summit three times before we found the right path.

Anyway the path is very easy at first and zig-zags up the first part of the walk, views of Loch Long and Arrochar opened up on our left but there was still a lot of cloud cover on Ben Lomond which we could see clearly from the path.

The path spit further on with our path to the Cobbler veering off to the left and the path up Ben Narnain going off to the right. Our path (much to my horror) turned into a stream as it came down the Cobbler. Oddly enough the stream didn’t prove too difficult to climb up but my boots gained a lot of water and I had to wring my socks out at the end of the walk.

The stream walk didn’t last too long and we soon encountered some flat boggy ground before the last push to the centre summit. All the while we were walking up the stream we had the left fang looming through the mist above us. Thankfully after we’d navigated the boggy bit’s the path was steep but not difficult so we reached the centre summit soon after.

Unfortunately though before we got there the wind started to pick up and it was still raining. My friend walked over to the eye of the needle, stuck his head through and declared he was going no further. I came over for a look and asked him to go back for me camera and in the time it took him to find it I’d crawled through the eye and onto the ledge on the other side. That was definitely as far as I was going to go after I put my head up to the eye and received a blast of icy wind in the face. There was the thought of coming all this way to bottle it at the last but the cloud cleared for a second and I was able to see what was over the side of the ledge.

This is where you go if you fall off the ledge

The ledge leading to the summit

My friend made a leap from the eye back to the rocks

It was a bit of a struggle getting back across but I managed it and Ozz had to do the same to prevent me having bragging rights. Another pair of walkers arrived once we were back onto the other side and they came to the same conclusion which made me feel a little better.

Walking back down the stream

The cloud clears as soon as we get down to the boulders again

The views going back were rather nicem here is Loch Long

Arrochar and Loch Long

Edited June 29, 2008 by Middleton Mouse

[chingford]

GOOD pixx, MM!

And now you have an excuse for another visit up there on a lovely summer's evening simply to 'do the top'...

[Middleton Mouse]

GOOD pixx, MM!

And now you have an excuse for another visit up there on a lovely summer's evening simply to 'do the top'...

Indeed, I imagine if the weather was better it wouldn't have taken us half as long. That and the fact someone told me there were adders up there and I was looking under every bit of wood I could see in an attempt to find one.

[AyrshireTon]

Climbed the Corbett Stob a' Choin today, starting at Inverlochlarig farm.

It is the steepest bugger ever - here's a photo.

The good news is that's me done with the Balquhidder road and it's hills.

[Fudge]

Can you walk from Arrochar and Tarbet station round the Northern part of Loch Long to get to the start of the walk for The Cobbler?

[Guest oddjob]

Can you walk from Arrochar and Tarbet station round the Northern part of Loch Long to get to the start of the walk for The Cobbler?

Haven't done the Cobbler for years, but I reckon it's about a 3km walk from the station. I assume you'll be starting from NN 294048. I'm sure someone who's done it more recently will let you know.

[Guest oddjob]

The good news is that's me done with the Balquhidder road and it's hills.

If you mean the A82, then yes, if it's the A84, then no. I quite like that road.

[fraser_smfc]

After completing my Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh hikes, I can only gather that anyone who hillwalks for pleasure is crazy. I don't think I'll ever set foot up a mountain again. Can I ask why you guys do do it though, seriously. Is it for the view or the feeling of accomplishment?

[Guest oddjob]

After completing my Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh hikes, I can only gather that anyone who hillwalks for pleasure is crazy. I don't think I'll ever set foot up a mountain again. Can I ask why you guys do do it though, seriously. Is it for the view or the feeling of accomplishment?

Good question fraser. I've never done the Duke of Edinburgh awards, but I can imagine there's not a lot of pleasure there. But now you've done them, use what you've learnt and go back out on your own terms and enjoy it. You're the boss now.

I enjoy the solitude, the maps, the camping, the climbing, the fishing, the freedom.

I'm not a 'bagger' though, no idea about them.

[Fudge]

Haven't done the Cobbler for years, but I reckon it's about a 3km walk from the station. I assume you'll be starting from NN 294048. I'm sure someone who's done it more recently will let you know.

I don't have a proper map for it so am just using ones from the internet. I'll be walking from the station to the parking area at Succoth and taking the new zig zag path.

As you said it looks like it should be approx 2 miles. Mu main concern that the road was extremely tight with walls or a drop on either side like the road round Loch Lomond.

Going top do Beinn Dorain and it's neighbour which I can't remember the name of on the Saturday, then Ben Arthur on the Sunday. I just hope the weather is kind to me!

fraser_smfc - I actually enjoy hillwalking and do it for a few reasons. 1) It gets me out of the house and doing something a bit different during the summer when I'm not working and between uni. 2) I'm 'good' at it in the sense that my calves and thighs are like bricks now and so my legs never hurt during the climb, or the day after though i obviously need to stop for a breather every so often 3) The scenery is great and on a nice day you get a good tan and feel brilliant when you have finished 4) It's a great way to keep fit

[fraser_smfc]

Cheers guys for replying. I suppose it is a great way to keep fit and out of choice I would control where I would go now. If it isn't raining and freezing then I suppose there could be some sort of fun eliment to it, especially if you are hiking with friends who know what they are doing as well.

[IDG]

Was up Tom a' Choinich in Glen Affric the other day. Actually enjoyed the walk despite the awful weather: it rained until we had come off the summit, when it cleared (typically). Imagine it would be an excellent walk in good weather.

Went to Dog Falls afterwards. That was a really beautiful place.

Edited July 4, 2008 by IDG