Hillwalking Thread

[Adam]

I'm planning on doing the Cape Wrath Trail later this year. Is Glenfiinnan to A'Chuil and then onto Inverie fairly doable in two days with full kit? Also what are the river crossings like?

Absolutely, that was how we done it last year, stopping at A'Chuil after the first day then on to Inverie on the second day.

I would recommend pushing on to Sourlies on the first day if possible. The second day was fairly tough with full kit (each of our bags were over 3 stone in weight).

There are loads of river crossings, but none too challenging really. You will need poles though, as some are fairly wide.

It's a fantastic part of the country, it really is the last outpost of total wilderness.

[davidkennedyshand]

Planning Ben Lomond in 3 weeks with my mates. is it wise to go up the Ptarmigan route and come down the tourist path. Done Ben Ledi twice as a warm up .

That was the first mountain i climbed and i don't think i'd ever go up the tourist route after going up the Ptarmigan route.It is fairly tiring but well worth it.The higher you go the more stunning the view gets.

[DAFC]

Did Ben Vorlich (loch earn) for the second time then onto Stuc A Croin on Sat.

Beasted up Vorlich in about an hour twenty then found the route between the two was worse than it looks from above and took a while.

Decided to go up the scree path to the right rather than the main rocky bit and found it pretty hard going as it's so eroded.

Returned over the side of Vorlich and lost the path for a bit then picked it up over the other side.

Good day out and a nice contrast between the busy motorway like path of Vorlich to the quiet route back from Stuc A Croin.

[Count Mongo del Fantastico]

Did Ben Vorlich (loch earn) for the second time then onto Stuc A Croin on Sat.

Beasted up Vorlich in about an hour twenty then found the route between the two was worse than it looks from above and took a while.

Decided to go up the scree path to the right rather than the main rocky bit and found it pretty hard going as it's so eroded.

Returned over the side of Vorlich and lost the path for a bit then picked it up over the other side.

Good day out and a nice contrast between the busy motorway like path of Vorlich to the quiet route back from Stuc A Croin.

Did that a couple of months ago and absolutely shat it crossing from Vorlich to Stuc A Croin when I went through the snow

Wasn't that bad really, and the hole wasn't that big, but suddenly feeling the ground going out from under you is shitifying

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Did that a couple of months ago and absolutely shat it crossing from Vorlich to Stuc A Croin when I went through the snow

Wasn't that bad really, and the hole wasn't that big, but suddenly feeling the ground going out from under you is shitifying

Not fun. I spoke to a guy at a hostel in Tyndrum who'd been taken down a couple of hundred feet by a cornice off Creise, near Glencoe in January. He broke a ridiculous number of bones, and lay in full on winter conditions for 7 hours before he was found. Lucky, lucky guy.

I've had a couple of cracking walks in the last month or so. Did the ten highest peaks in a weekend for charity 13-15th June. Made a stab at a video using my photos from the weekend. It was both brilliant and brutal at the same time with the added bonus of a toilet with an amazing view just before Sgurr a'Bhuic on the last day. Apologies in advance to anyone stumbling across that in the near future

and then the aforementioned weekend in Tyndrum, taking in the Ben Lui 4, and Ben Cruachan. Awesome views, especially off Cruachan.

Scotland is fucking brilliant.

[Adam]

So Fudge and I attempted to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie once again at the weekend. Started out fairly well, reaching the pass looking down to Glendessary Forest for 9.30.

After that it all went a bit wrong. The rivers were in a terrible state given the constant downpour. I managed to make my way across one, nearly drowning in the process. Walked for a further two hours trying to find a suitable point for Fudge to cross, but there wasn't one. Given this was one of the easiest rivers we crossed last year, we sensibly called it a day and returned to Glenfinnan. Still had to get the bottle to cross back over, but it went much easier than the first go that morning!

Got back to Glenfinnan, train to Fort William for the night, then onto Mallaig/Inverie on the Saturday. Was a great weekend. Sort of.

[Collins Out!]

So Fudge and I attempted to walk from Glenfinnan to Inverie once again at the weekend. Started out fairly well, reaching the pass looking down to Glendessary Forest for 9.30.

After that it all went a bit wrong. The rivers were in a terrible state given the constant downpour. I managed to make my way across one, nearly drowning in the process. Walked for a further two hours trying to find a suitable point for Fudge to cross, but there wasn't one. Given this was one of the easiest rivers we crossed last year, we sensibly called it a day and returned to Glenfinnan. Still had to get the bottle to cross back over, but it went much easier than the first go that morning!

Got back to Glenfinnan, train to Fort William for the night, then onto Mallaig/Inverie on the Saturday. Was a great weekend. Sort of.

Is there still a diversion that takes you through a bog somewhere near the Pean? From looking at Scottish Hills it seems to have still been there in April.

[jester]

I am a member of Glasgow HF Outdoor Club, and we have moved our website onto a new platform. Our old one was a bit dated, but this one is new and shiny! It's at our usual address- www.glasgowhf.co.uk

New members always welcome.

[Fife Saint]

Up Ben Lui today, atrocious weather at base of the hill both ways but breaking mist at summit. Not the most difficult climb in terms of effort but a few hairy ridges had this novice shiting it.

Glorious mountain.

[AyrshireTon]

Only been out twice lately - took a friend out in the rain up Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn). She wasn't up to doing both, and neither was the weather.

Went out myself the following day to the pair next to the Cruachan range - Beinn a' Chochuill & Beinn Eunaich. Came down too soon off the second one, giving me a rather hairy descent to the track.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Up Ben Lui today, atrocious weather at base of the hill both ways but breaking mist at summit. Not the most difficult climb in terms of effort but a few hairy ridges had this novice shiting it.

Glorious mountain.

It's magnificent. I did it last month along with the neighbouring three. Lui the best by an absolute mile. The fucking about in the forest after Glen Lochay is pish however.

[invergowrie arab]

Absolute scenes up at Linn of Dee today https://www.facebook.com/braemarmrt?fref=ts

Also hearing that the bridge at Derry lodge has been washed away. That is going to make any access up to the Larirg Ghru from Glen Lui impossible with the rivers as they are just now and with the Glass Allt Mor up Glen Derry likely being in just as bad conditions it looks like all approaches to the Cairngorms from Deeside are out of bounds.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Absolute scenes up at Linn of Dee today https://www.facebook.com/braemarmrt?fref=ts

Also hearing that the bridge at Derry lodge has been washed away. That is going to make any access up to the Larirg Ghru from Glen Lui impossible with the rivers as they are just now and with the Glass Allt Mor up Glen Derry likely being in just as bad conditions it looks like all approaches to the Cairngorms from Deeside are out of bounds.

Shitting christ.

I heard part of the Tomintoul/Braemar road fell into a river as well.

Thank god I'm heading south west this weekend.

[Fife Saint]

It's magnificent. I did it last month along with the neighbouring three. Lui the best by an absolute mile. The fucking about in the forest after Glen Lochay is pish however.

Saw your comments on the walk the highlands forum, well done with the 10 peaks, incredible achievement. I'm doing 3 peaks in a fortnight, any tips?

I had a march up the Campsies today. Wind was unbelievable but what a view over Glasgow to south and trossachs to the north.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Saw your comments on the walk the highlands forum, well done with the 10 peaks, incredible achievement. I'm doing 3 peaks in a fortnight, any tips?

I had a march up the Campsies today. Wind was unbelievable but what a view over Glasgow to south and trossachs to the north.

Thanks mate. I didn't know you were on there. The ten was good, easy first evening, cracking final day and a spirit-crushingly brutal Saturday. Delighted that i'll probably never have to set foot on Macdui again. Been on it twice, now and thoroughly hated it both times

Are you starting or finishing with Nevis? Only tips that might of any use:

- Don't be tempted to use trail shoes on Nevis, the scree on the higher zig zags will be agony on the soles. I couldn't comment on the other two hills as i have no experience of them unfortunately.

- Invest in some High5 Extreme tablets. You're not really supposed to, but when i did the Lairig Ghru circular i think i dropped 5 of them into a 3 litre bladder. My feet were fucked but i was wide awake and still walking reasonably well after 16-17 hours on my feet.

- Finally, if it feels daunting at any point, remember that Scafell Pike, if it was in Scotland, would be the 175th highest munro, and Snowdon the 57th.

Have you got someone to drive for you, or are you taking it in turns?

PS:

http://www.discount-supplements.co.uk/sports-supplements-energy-high-5-zero-xtreme-20-tabs

[Fife Saint]

Cheers, we've got two support drivers who will drive and cook. Starting on Nevis then heading south to finish on Snowdon. I'm fairly confident having done distance training on heather and a few hills that I'd imagine are more technical than these three.

Torn between getting wired up on energy gear or trying to catch a sleep in between hills.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Cheers, we've got two support drivers who will drive and cook. Starting on Nevis then heading south to finish on Snowdon. I'm fairly confident having done distance training on heather and a few hills that I'd imagine are more technical than these three.

Torn between getting wired up on energy gear or trying to catch a sleep in between hills.

Having drivers etc is a huge bonus. I'd be tempted to fire into the energy stuff before Nevis. It'll be the hardest climb of the three as you get about a 9 foot start above sea level Possibly fire into more of the energy stuff before Scafell as you'll be climbing it in relative darkness.

I assume the longest drive section will be from Wasdale Head to Snowdon, probably your best bet to catch some Z's.

Good luck with it anyway. I would have done it this year had I not come up with my hare-brained plan to do the ten. Maybe next year.

[Hedgecutter]

If you were doing the three peaks challenge and found that one person was slowing you down considerably on the way up Scafell, what would you do?

I wonder as a friend of a friend is planning on doing the 3 peaks challenge for charity and seeing as she recently struggled with Mount Battock over a whole afternoon, I seriously doubt she's up to it (and I don't want to face her wrath by saying she's not nearly fit enough).

Would you just abandon them, leave them to walk the distance to the nearest bus route and make them fork out on a train back to Scotland themselves?

[Benjamin_Nevis]

If you were doing the three peaks challenge and found that one person was slowing you down considerably on the way up Scafell, what would you do?

I wonder as a friend of a friend is planning on doing the 3 peaks challenge for charity and seeing as she recently struggled with Mount Battock over a whole afternoon, I seriously doubt she's up to it (and I don't want to face her wrath by saying she's not nearly fit enough).

Would you just abandon them, leave them to walk the distance to the nearest bus route and make them fork out on a train back to Scotland themselves?

Toughie. I certainly wouldn't be keen on leaving someone on Scafell, as it's the middle one and usually climbed in darkness. Your friend of a friend is going to struggle.

I reckon you'd need to be up and down Nevis in under 5 hours. Mount Battock is 600-odd metres of ascent. Nevis is twice that over about the same distance. The only saving grace is that all three hills are out-and-backs so i guess she could sit tight and wait for everyone to come back from the summit then stay in the car for the rest of it.

[invergowrie arab]

you come clean and tell them you dont think they can do it or you keep schtum and everyone fails when she fails. you go in a group then you go at the pace of the slowest member.