The Hills and Outdoors thread

[tom_widdows]

It's one of the most lethal mountains in Scotland. 
In the many occasions my Dad was called out with the local Mountain Rescue Team the only occasions I can recall hearing about people being killed was on An Teallach. Think it might even have claimed the life of someone I played Rugby with.

[scotfree]

I watched a few clips on YouTube of climbers walking An Teallach and thought that Aonach Eagach looked more technical. But that was me sitting on a computer in the air con thinking that. A bit different being up there. 

[Elgindon]

Havent done An Teallach,or Liathach but did Aonach Eagach just over a year ago.It was a fantastic day out,but if the weather hadnt been perfect and I was on my own I doubt I would have had the balls to complete.There were a couple of down climbs that I needed my fellow walker to guide my feet.

   what Ive gathered about AT and Liathach is you can make it as difficult as you want by going over all the tops,but that there are bypass routes if you dont fancy them,though some of the bypasses are said to be almost as dodgy as going over the tops.

   Only 60 left to do,but nae sure I'll actually complete.

Pic is of the Chancellor on Aonach Eagach

IMG_8018 (1) by , on Flickr

[scotfree]

6 hours ago, Elgindon said:

Havent done An Teallach,or Liathach but did Aonach Eagach just over a year ago.It was a fantastic day out,but if the weather hadnt been perfect and I was on my own I doubt I would have had the balls to complete.There were a couple of down climbs that I needed my fellow walker to guide my feet.

   what Ive gathered about AT and Liathach is you can make it as difficult as you want by going over all the tops,but that there are bypass routes if you dont fancy them,though some of the bypasses are said to be almost as dodgy as going over the tops.

   Only 60 left to do,but nae sure I'll actually complete.

Pic is of the Chancellor on Aonach Eagach

IMG_8018 (1) by , on Flickr

Have you done any of the Munros on Skye, ED? I think if any of the munros were going to beat me it would be Sgurr Dearg.

Shits me off when I see Danny Macaskill doing it on a bike...

 

 

 

Having only 60 or so Munros to do is amazing. I'm very jealous. I'm no sure what age you are, but fingers crossed that you get the rest of them done! 

 

 

[Elgindon]

Only got Sgurrs Dearg,Alasdair,Mhic Chonnich and Dubh Mor to do,not sure i'll ever manage the In Pinn though,even with a guide.

 Did you get many Munros done before you left?

[scotfree]

2 hours ago, Elgindon said:

Only got Sgurrs Dearg,Alasdair,Mhic Chonnich and Dubh Mor to do,not sure i'll ever manage the In Pinn though,even with a guide.

 Did you get many Munros done before you left?

I moved to Oz when I was 22 so I never got that many done. I think I did about 17. Getting up the mountains is something I really miss. It always felt like I had a clearer head after being on the hills.

[Elgindon]

Discovered Glen Dye only recently,nae sure why we havent wandered about here before.From the Clattering Brig alone theres a myriad of tracks and paths of different terrain to walk and/or cycle.Same as you head along to Bridge of Dye

 Back on the Munros recently.A sweaty clamber up rocky Sgurr na h-Ulaid,via the RHS in photo

DSC04115 (2) by , on Flickr

Sgurr A Mhaoraich,Loch Quoich - Easy walking,one of the best summit views anywhere

DSC03923 by , on Flickr

And first camp for over a year 

20210501_064836 by , on Flickr

Edited May 20, 2021 by Elgindon

[scotfree]

Is the peaked mountain in the tent photo Gleouraich?

[Elgindon]

3 hours ago, scotfree said:

Is the peaked mountain in the tent photo Gleouraich?

No,the base of Gleouriach(fantastic viewpoint) is practically 20m right of the photo.The hill in the photo is looking West to Sgurr na Ciche and Knoydart

[scotfree]

1 hour ago, Elgindon said:

No,the base of Gleouriach(fantastic viewpoint) is practically 20m right of the photo.The hill in the photo is looking West to Sgurr na Ciche and Knoydart

Ooooft! I was well off!

[Elgindon]

If you havent done Gleuoriach and Spidean Mialach, definitely worth it if over again. Fairly easy Munro wise.Great views out to Knoydart/Skye

[manc_don]

Had a works trip down to the South Island on the weekend. A rare weekend with the kids for me (my wife assured me it’s on the ever growing list). Managed a couple of mountain bike rides and had a stunner weather wise. Was staying out near hanmer springs (for some reason it’s spelt that way rather than hamner but hey Ho) and rewarded myself with the hot springs afterwards

 

 

[scotfree]

Least you don't have any snakes over there, Manc. There are some lovely trails over here, but snakes give me the fear and I've had a few run in's in the past...

[Kowalski]

First time up Ben Nevis yesterday. 
Glorious weather, if anything it was too hot as it was hard work. I’ve run 2 marathons, couple of dozen half marathons and 7 other Munro’s but that was easily the toughest thing I’ve ever done. I was expecting it to be a slog but hadn’t realised how difficult under foot it is, it’s almost non-stop stones and boulders all the way - it was very tough, but the views were spectacular. 
 

It was like Piccadilly Circus at the top! A good 200-300 folk up there and easily more than 1000 on the path yesterday. 

[Elgindon]

Nice pics.Aye, I wasn't bothered about doing Ben Nevis but when I got round to it,was surprised how good the views were. 

Was up Glencoe yesterday,as you say,way too warm ,little wind. Pics later

[scotfree]

Way back in the 1988, me and a mate walked along the bottom of the North face of Ben Nevis. We heard a helicopter flying around and out the clouds came a big yellow Sea King helicopter. It landed near us and all of a sudden a mountain rescue guy and two other guys, one with a tv camera and the other with a sound boom ran up to me and my mate. The mountain rescue asked us If we had seen two guys in some problems around the North Tower. We had not. The three guys ran back to the helicopter and flew off. We only found out later that It was for a documentary series called Rescue. It was a bit of a surreal moment...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_(British_TV_series)

 

[Elgindon]

Great weather on the west coast this weekend

Glencoe

https://postimg.cc/1fyPKrp2

https://postimg.cc/rKyspkYD

Gen Lichd and Beinn fhada

https://postimg.cc/bdWkDdkZ

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Elgindon

[scotfree]

The photo with the Ballachulish bridge in it. 

[Elgindon]

12 hours ago, scotfree said:

The photo with the Ballachulish bridge in it. 

That was on the way down from the Pap of Glencoe.Similar height to Bennachie with great views. Worth a trip if you get back over.Paths a bit stony/uncomfortable but easy otherwise

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/grahams/pap-of-glencoe

 

[Elgindon]

Latest trips report.Just finished the last section of the Speyside way from Spey Bay to Aviemore.While the walking was decent enough,we were a wee bit disappointed by the amount of time next to the Spey.Good walking paths,mostly cyclable too. 6/10  https://www.speysideway.org/route-sections-online-guide/

Typical path near Nethy Bridge 

We were at Crathes castle grounds yesterday,parked just as you turn off the main road,under the bridge.Lots of  path routes to take,decent walking,more paths at the top side of the castle.Go Ape adventure playground,and cafe.If youre into your castles(we're not) theres the castle and gardens to look round. 7/10. https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/crathes-castle?gclid=Cj0KCQjwrJOMBhCZARIsAGEd4VEILqLs7078Ny2ufJLSgl3_5TURUxXCa0EqJZZFZycqbPGKVxKobT0aArAaEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

  rickety bridge on the yellow route

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Elgindon

[scotfree]

It was a wee while back now, but me and the wife walked up to Finch Hatton gorge. We had just went for a wee drive and ended up walking the path to the gorge. The wife is born and bred here in Mackay, but it was not a place she had been to yet.

[Elgindon]

Looks lush, equatorial which you almost are

[scotfree]

On 06/11/2021 at 20:05, Elgindon said:

Looks lush, equatorial which you almost are

It was actually during a dry spell. The waterfall is usually got more water coming down it. There are two waterfalls up there. The one I walked to was the smaller one. The big one is called The ring of fire. Every year you get someone killed up there. Mainly tourists.   

The Ring of Fire.

 

This photo was taken on the same day we went to the gorge. Not long after, we had some nasty bush fires come through.

 

 

This was the sky from my place when the fires where going through the Pioneer Valley.  

[RicoS321]

8 hours ago, scotfree said:

The one I walked to was the smaller one. The big one is called The ring of fire. Every year you get someone killed up there. Mainly tourists.

Why is that then? It looks fairly harmless in the photo. Are they drowning, falling? Or is it just your standard Australian tourist-murder like you see in the films?

[scotfree]

On 08/11/2021 at 18:11, RicoS321 said:

Why is that then? It looks fairly harmless in the photo. Are they drowning, falling? Or is it just your standard Australian tourist-murder like you see in the films?

The rocks are slippery as fuck. Also, at the bottom of the waterfall is many a submerged rock that has caused deaths/injuries. Alcohol is a one way trip to the hospital (or worse).  I was a bit over the top when I said someone dies every years there, but there have been deaths every few years and many a time (at least once a year) that they have to get the rescue team up there.