invergowrie arab Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I am starting to take up hillwalking, where is good to start? Where do you live? I promise I won't stalk and rape you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) I am starting to take up hillwalking, where is good to start? Find a route that gets you up high quickly and then a fairly lengthy ridge walk. Means you get the hard slog out of the way early and you can take in the views the rest of the day. Not very suitable if there's a high and cold wind though. It's a bit out of the way but Quinag in the Assynts near Lochinver is perfect for this in good weather. P.S. Go equipped for fucking awful weather even on a beautiful summer's day. Edited February 20, 2015 by welshbairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyerTon Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 The Mamores are another good range where you can bag quite a few summits in a day after getting up to the ridge line. Kinlochleven I found was a good starting point for many of them. The midges in Kinlochleven in August are unbelievably bad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Where do you live? I promise I won't stalk and rape you. Bit abrupt that, you could have let him down gently. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I think the best starter hills are the ones with well worn paths where it's obvious where to go. Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers etc but there are plenty good hills to get you started that are below munro height. I would say it's best to go with a club or friend at first and learn your basic navigation but I didn't do any of that and I'm still alive. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabidAl Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I am starting to take up hillwalking, where is good to start? Wouldn't bother with Munros until the summer if you're just starting out. They'll be pretty snow-bound until May (at least) and the wind-chill can be pretty fierce this time of year. Go for the Pentlands, Ochils, Campsies - something a bit smaller where you can do a few summits in an afternoon and put some miles in your legs... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Climbed saline hill and knockhill yesterday. Romans had a fort up their and you can see why. Great views. Not a walker friendly hill though, bogs, barbed wire and a dickhead farmer asking me what I was doing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabidAl Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I'm sure you've got outdoor access rights, so you can tell the farmer to bolt if he has a go - as long as you're acting 'responsibly' that is... Remember having a nightmare on a hill in the Crianlarich area a few years back, think it was Am Casteil (the Castle?), and spending a couple of hours battling through some rank bog and shoulder-high green stuff just to get to the bottom of the hill. Couldn't be arsed climbing it by the time I got there. Definitely not walker-friendly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 (edited) An Caisteal's ascent is not fun. Once you get up on the Ridge it's excellent. The worst hill I've been on is Tom Buidhe in the East. A boring as f**k boggy trudge. I even had to repeat the Fucking thing. Was out on An Socach in Glen Shee yesterday. Wind chill of minus 15 on top but good views. ETA... Was it Beinn a'Chroin you tried for? It's usually paired with Caisteal and is a three mile long boggy cluster f**k. Edited February 22, 2015 by jupe1407 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Cheers guys, I am from Lanarkshire, we went up tinto about 3 weeks ago and there was 3 feet of snow up top. Good laugh though. Think we are gonna do ben lomond in the next few weeks 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Cheers guys, I am from Lanarkshire, we went up tinto about 3 weeks ago and there was 3 feet of snow up top. Good laugh though. Think we are gonna do ben lomond in the next few weeks It's all compacted ice near the top. I was up there at the weekend and wouldn't attempt without crampons /ice axe 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 (edited) Cheers guys, I am from Lanarkshire, we went up tinto about 3 weeks ago and there was 3 feet of snow up top. Good laugh though. Think we are gonna do ben lomond in the next few weeks Good starter hills. The Cobbler - Easy to get to (especially from Lanarkshire). Has a good path most of the way up. The last part of the climb is steep so it might not be suitable if there is still ice and snow. Fine in summer though. Beinn Odhar - The one near Tyndrum. 3/4 of the way is quite steep tuffy grass, not difficult if you have the puff but can be quite hard going. Then it levels off and there is a lovely little lochan looking towards Blackmount. The last pull is large loose rocks/boulders, again not difficult as long as you watch your footing. Beinn na Lap - Get the train to Corrour. It's great out there. You start at over a thousand feet so it's a short climb for a Munro. Superb views. One of the best in Scotland I think, you can see just about everywhere due to it's fairly central location. The Nevis range looks especially good from here especially under snow. Corrour is quite a boggy area though, although I've found that the south side of the hill isn't too bad and is worth the extra walk in, the west side (nearest the railway station) would probably require gators though unless you don't mind water/mud. Beinn a' Chrulaiste - Another smallish hill where you start at altitude but the views are superb, especially Buchaille Etive Mor and the Mamores. Again the standard way up is quite boggy so boots and gators might be required. Personally I think April is the best month to get out there. Usually not too cold, but not too warm either. The air is usually quite clear, so you get good views and there is usually still a fair bit of snow about on the tops or in coires and on the higher mountains but you don't have to slog through knee high snow the whole way up. Also no clegs or midges. Edited February 23, 2015 by Ya Bezzer! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Nomad Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Was up Beinn Bhan above Loch Arkaig on Saturday. Knee deep in places and mental drifts. Got the summit clear, but the high Lochaber tops were in cloud. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Cheers guys, I am from Lanarkshire, we went up tinto about 3 weeks ago and there was 3 feet of snow up top. Good laugh though. Think we are gonna do ben lomond in the next few weeks If you don't have ice axe, crampons, the ability to use them and the knowledge of how to apply the SAIS avalanche forecast to the terrain in front of you I would be giving it a miss for a month or so and then seeing how it looks. Plenty other options for you around your way though Ben A'an might be a shout. Glen Falloch from Beinn a'Chroin is the worst "path" I have ever been on. I was up won my waist at one point. Tom Buidhe can be reached dry shod as part of an easy round of 6 from Glenshee or a slightly easier daunder in via Loch Callater however I don't think you can beat Glen Doll, one of Scotland's gems and yeah it can be a bit wet that way. Tom Buidhe was the first time I ever saw frogs and lizards at 3000ft. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Gorilla Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Apologies if this has been asked and answered before but what would be the best Munro to do with my 8 year old son. I've climbed a few before myself already but some could be a wee bit tricky in places for him. I've not done Ben Lomond yet but been told its relatively easy and straightforward. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Ben Chonzie is straight forward from the other side of Loch Turret. Ben Lawers is really easy if you go up the bypass path. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Gorilla Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Ben Chonzie is straight forward from the other side of Loch Turret. Ben Lawers is really easy if you go up the bypass path. Yes I've done Ben Lawers, might try that. You get a wee head start as you can drive up to the car park. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Nomad Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Yes I've done Ben Lawers, might try that. You get a wee head start as you can drive up to the car park.Once the snow has gone, anything in Glenshee or Glen Clova is pretty straightforward on a nice day. Rolling hills which can seem a bit boring, but as decent an introduction to hillwalking as you can get. I was up Suilven aged eight, my old man is bonkers though. I remember it being the most incredible day, but the feet hurt big time after it! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabidAl Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 An Caisteal's ascent is not fun. Once you get up on the Ridge it's excellent. The worst hill I've been on is Tom Buidhe in the East. A boring as f**k boggy trudge. I even had to repeat the Fucking thing. Was out on An Socach in Glen Shee yesterday. Wind chill of minus 15 on top but good views. ETA... Was it Beinn a'Chroin you tried for? It's usually paired with Caisteal and is a three mile long boggy cluster f**k. If you don't have ice axe, crampons, the ability to use them and the knowledge of how to apply the SAIS avalanche forecast to the terrain in front of you I would be giving it a miss for a month or so and then seeing how it looks. Plenty other options for you around your way though Ben A'an might be a shout. Glen Falloch from Beinn a'Chroin is the worst "path" I have ever been on. I was up won my waist at one point. Tom Buidhe can be reached dry shod as part of an easy round of 6 from Glenshee or a slightly easier daunder in via Loch Callater however I don't think you can beat Glen Doll, one of Scotland's gems and yeah it can be a bit wet that way. Tom Buidhe was the first time I ever saw frogs and lizards at 3000ft. You can avoid the bog at the start of An Caisteal by sticking to the landrover track. If you come down Ben A'Chroin into Glen Falloch it is a bit of a boggy hike until you pick up the track. Just wear gaiters or take a spare pair of socks to change into. For the OP. Starter hills in the east, Pentlands from Flotterstone or Lomonds from Falkland. In the west, Camspies from Campsie Glen or Glen Loin circuit from Arrochar. Stay off munros in winter until you have some experience. Yeah, we tried to pair them up but spent so long in the boggy stuff that we just gave up after Caisteal and went for a pint. Found the landrover track on the way down - typical! I blamed Cameron McNeish and his guidebook-thing with his 'spreading the load' on the hills idea, which sent us off any decent trail and into the bush...it's all right for him who's done them all a few times! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Yeah, we tried to pair them up but spent so long in the boggy stuff that we just gave up after Caisteal and went for a pint. Found the landrover track on the way down - typical! I blamed Cameron McNeish and his guidebook-thing with his 'spreading the load' on the hills idea, which sent us off any decent trail and into the bush...it's all right for him who's done them all a few times! Aye but has he? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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