Monday, 30 July 2012
1 day to go
Unfortunately, due to the nature of modern life, sadly sometimes it's necessary to make sacrifices. In this case, due to an absolutely unavoidable work commitment, I have had to revise my plan from the original Aberfoyle to Cape Wrath route to a (slightly) more modest Cape Wrath Trail variation (still over 200 miles through some of the wildest and remotest land in Britain- contrary to the name it's not a marked trail), with an annoying split in the middle to spend a week with an extremely well reputed Scottish orchestra (though that will deduct from the annoyance). I still fully intend to climb as many peaks as possible, and hope to reach Ullapool before joining the orchestra, finishing the route after my time with them.
And, having just got back from a week of work in London and Europe, that means I've got only today for my final preparations for the Stravaig. Today's checklist is as follows:
- Prepare individual maps for the whole route, complete with escape routes and alternatives
- Organise transport to Glenfinnan and back from Ullapool (with alternatives from further South if I don't make Ullapool (Cluanie, Glen Carron, Kinlochewe)
- Give my route details to my wife so that she knows where I should be and knows when to get worried if she doesn't hear from me
- Explore possible rendezvous en route, and send some supplies ahead
- Buy batteries and a new headtorch (mine died), and the rest of my supplies that I haven't got already
- Sleep well!
When I'm away there will be a couple of other people keeping the blog up to date on my behalf, so you'll hopefully be able to keep updated on my progress.
And it'll all be worthwhile thanks to your continuing donations to this brilliant cause!
And, having just got back from a week of work in London and Europe, that means I've got only today for my final preparations for the Stravaig. Today's checklist is as follows:
- Prepare individual maps for the whole route, complete with escape routes and alternatives
- Organise transport to Glenfinnan and back from Ullapool (with alternatives from further South if I don't make Ullapool (Cluanie, Glen Carron, Kinlochewe)
- Give my route details to my wife so that she knows where I should be and knows when to get worried if she doesn't hear from me
- Explore possible rendezvous en route, and send some supplies ahead
- Buy batteries and a new headtorch (mine died), and the rest of my supplies that I haven't got already
- Sleep well!
When I'm away there will be a couple of other people keeping the blog up to date on my behalf, so you'll hopefully be able to keep updated on my progress.
And it'll all be worthwhile thanks to your continuing donations to this brilliant cause!
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Ben Ledi
Went up Ben Ledi from Callander today. It was lovely until the weather got foul! Now we're sitting waiting for the bus in the rain getting midged, yum.
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Grey Corries Plus
On Thursday, Joe and I headed up to Spean Bridge to take on the Grey Corries munros and a couple of neighbouring corbetts, a massive walk of 25km and some 2700m of ascent.
The weather forecast has been so dire the last few weeks that we decided to make the most of the best forecast of a bad bunch - admittedly we were pretty sceptical of our chances of having any views or dry rocks to clamber over, and whether either of us was fit enough to complete the challenge we had set, but neither of us told each other about these doubts until much later. In contrast to our expectations, we were never in the cloud, never got rained on, and my hands have what could be described as mild sunburn! We also completed the route, as outlined in this walk report on the walkhighlands website.
Yes a biggy, especially considering neither of us has been able to get out in a long time - my last munro was in October 2011!
Setting off at 8.30 we followed the old tramway, very boggy in places, with views of Aonach Mor gradually opening up as we continued.
When the tramway joined another track, we turned uphill towards the dam, crossing the river just above the dam and heading up the hillside to join the ridge.
Arriving on the ridge, the views towards the Aonachs opened up even more, with Ben Nevis eventually coming into view as we ascended to Stob Coire Easain to join the main Grey Corries ridge.
Our first summit:
Arriving at the first summit we had panoramic views, couldn't see a single summit in cloud - a vast improvement on the 30% chance of cloud-free munros given by MWIS!
We retraced our steps to Stob Coire Easian and followed the ridge round to the second munro, Stob Coire an Laoigh, before following the ridge along and up the massive Stob Choire Claurigh. It was at this point we got our first view of what I might call the 'coolest' hill of the day, Sgurr Innse.
We descended steeply before ascending up unstable scree slopes to Stob Ban, our fourth and final munro of the day.
After a quick descent to the bothy, we headed up towards the crags of Sgurr Innse, legs beginning to feel a wee bit tired. We traversed around the foot of the crags to meet the main ridge, and clambered up over the rocks onto the summit of Sgurr Innse.
Joe and Sgurr Innse from the bothy
We descended to the bealach below Cruach Innse, and now with knackered legs climbed up our final ascent onto the summit of Cruach Innse, before heading down the steep NW slopes to the bothy track and back to the car. Passing Fort William we picked up a well earned Fish Supper: job done!
The weather forecast has been so dire the last few weeks that we decided to make the most of the best forecast of a bad bunch - admittedly we were pretty sceptical of our chances of having any views or dry rocks to clamber over, and whether either of us was fit enough to complete the challenge we had set, but neither of us told each other about these doubts until much later. In contrast to our expectations, we were never in the cloud, never got rained on, and my hands have what could be described as mild sunburn! We also completed the route, as outlined in this walk report on the walkhighlands website.
Yes a biggy, especially considering neither of us has been able to get out in a long time - my last munro was in October 2011!
Setting off at 8.30 we followed the old tramway, very boggy in places, with views of Aonach Mor gradually opening up as we continued.
An old tram bridge
Aonach Mor
When the tramway joined another track, we turned uphill towards the dam, crossing the river just above the dam and heading up the hillside to join the ridge.
River crossing
Looking back to the Dam
Arriving on the ridge, the views towards the Aonachs opened up even more, with Ben Nevis eventually coming into view as we ascended to Stob Coire Easain to join the main Grey Corries ridge.
Aonachs and Ben Nevis
Looking along the Grey Corries Ridge
Our first summit:
Arriving at the first summit we had panoramic views, couldn't see a single summit in cloud - a vast improvement on the 30% chance of cloud-free munros given by MWIS!
We retraced our steps to Stob Coire Easian and followed the ridge round to the second munro, Stob Coire an Laoigh, before following the ridge along and up the massive Stob Choire Claurigh. It was at this point we got our first view of what I might call the 'coolest' hill of the day, Sgurr Innse.
Along the ridge towards Claurigh
Sgurr Innse on the left
Stob Ban looking small and insignificant
We descended steeply before ascending up unstable scree slopes to Stob Ban, our fourth and final munro of the day.
The screes of Stob Ban
Sgurr Innse from Stob Ban
After a quick descent to the bothy, we headed up towards the crags of Sgurr Innse, legs beginning to feel a wee bit tired. We traversed around the foot of the crags to meet the main ridge, and clambered up over the rocks onto the summit of Sgurr Innse.
Joe and Sgurr Innse from the bothy
Stob Ban from Sgurr Innse
Cruach Innse, our next and final objective
We descended to the bealach below Cruach Innse, and now with knackered legs climbed up our final ascent onto the summit of Cruach Innse, before heading down the steep NW slopes to the bothy track and back to the car. Passing Fort William we picked up a well earned Fish Supper: job done!
Descent to the track
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
A gentle start
Yesterday I got out in my local hills for a 'gentle start' to my training.
25km, 600m ascent, 5 hours in total. Here's a map of my route:
Overall a pretty good start - a fair distance, a heavy rucksack, and most importantly plenty of bog, clag and midges!
These are lovely hills with lovely views I'm sure, but aside the odd glimpse through the clag there wasn't much to see up there yesterday. Here are some pictures:
All in all a nice start to the regime. Tomorrow I'm heading up North to take on a few munros and corbetts in Glen Spean, possibly a wee tad more challenging!
Thanks for all the donations so far, keep em coming for this brilliant cause!
25km, 600m ascent, 5 hours in total. Here's a map of my route:
Overall a pretty good start - a fair distance, a heavy rucksack, and most importantly plenty of bog, clag and midges!
These are lovely hills with lovely views I'm sure, but aside the odd glimpse through the clag there wasn't much to see up there yesterday. Here are some pictures:
All in all a nice start to the regime. Tomorrow I'm heading up North to take on a few munros and corbetts in Glen Spean, possibly a wee tad more challenging!
Thanks for all the donations so far, keep em coming for this brilliant cause!
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Apologies for not having posted in a while - from tomorrow I will find myself in Scotland and the fun will start. Weather forecast for the next couple of weeks looks amazing (or not) so I'm sure there will be plenty of moist activity to post about on here!
In the meantime, here's an interesting weather forecast, perhaps this sums up what I might have to endure in August...
In the meantime, here's an interesting weather forecast, perhaps this sums up what I might have to endure in August...
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