Early starts and draughty Land Rovers. Blue skies and snow. Fry-ups at ropey cafes. Breathtaking views. Crushed sandwiches and tired legs. Time with friends. A sweaty back and freezing hands. It’s a mixed bag the old hillwalking but I’ve missed it.
So, (shock!) here’s a video without a baby in it.
I gave the camera a good workout as well so there’s a wee bundle of photies.
Right then, eighty minutes to walk up and back down Ben Rinnes. Away and beat that and I’ll buy you a pint.
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Kormylo!
Ben Rinnes in the sun.
New bike light. I’ll need to come up with a way of dipping the beam for road use but it’ll be grand off-road.
I should really take holidays more often! :O)
The last time I walked through Glen Feshie and down to Linn of Dee, on a failed coast to coast walk in 2007, my enjoyment was somewhat moderated by ankles that decided they had walked quite far enough already and wanted a long sit down. I spent the night with my feet up then hobbled on to the doctor’s office in Braemar and then didn’t get out walking for another two months in probably one of the best parts of the year, missing April and May entirely.
So here’s a suggestion: don’t push your luck if you’re injured on a long walk. You can always go back, take your time, take some more photos, wonder why they’ve closed the perfectly good upstairs room in the bothy, say “Christ - I just hopped across this river last time” and quite simply do it all again with a smile on your face.
It’s good to be back.
Had one of those greyish-damp-but-okay-really days on Schiehallion with Paul from which there are a few photos as ever.
Pretty dull hill really - certainly won’t be rushing back to do it by the main path again.
Nice to see your pals and blether even if it’s raining though, eh! :O)
Went to Aviemore at the weekend to play in the snow and clearly everybody else had the same idea because the road up to the ski centre was locked up with bastard skiers on both days.
Still, the Craigellachie Nature Trail and Loch an Eilein were fine alternatives and it was good to meet some new folk and put the world to rights over a few beers. It’s been a while since I found myself in the pub for three nights on the trot!
Finally got around to putting up some photos from the weekend.
What happens to time in bothies?
You sit by the fire, dozily enjoying a dram after dinner then *BANG!* it’s three in the morning and the only subject that hasn’t come up for discussion at some point between now and then is what time it is!
So, an early start and a bit of a drive to do the first hill of 2009.
It was one of those clear but overcast days - lovely when you’re there but the photos don’t come out so well. I forgot the memory card anyway and I can only fit five photos on the camera’s built-in memory.
Starting at Elleric, we walked a fair old way up Glen Ure (to just over half a kilometre from Airigh nan Lochan) before turning south to an obvious wee top at about four hundred metres. At this point a good (if highly inaccurate) debate started about which hill was which in the Glen Coe/Glen Etive direction. I think they were all Ben Starav at one point or another. ;O]
Almost doubling back on ourselves, we headed up an easy slope towards Stob Gaibhre and opted to go straight up the corrie from there instead of going around the shoulder. It’s a bit of a walk up Glen Ure but you gain a bit of height without a lot of work. It’s a nice way to do the hill.
We took a direct route down to Glen Ure on the descent which was pretty steep and slabby in places but nobody died. At one point I did find myself half-way down a stone chute before realising nobody fancied it and they’d all scattered to find another way down, but it was only the once. It was okay but it cannae be the best way off the hill.
Barely managed to stay awake long enough after dinner to watch half a film and drink most of a can of beer.
Had to cancel a wee camping trip yesterday fur being seek but felt fine today so went for Ben More. Now, it turns out doing Ben More from Crianlarich is a bit of a slog - start from Inverlochlarig next time methinks - but it was well worth the effort today!