Home over the holidays...

Alderman Hill

the plan was Scotland - however Claire was too tired after a long stint at work without a break; not to mention we were both worn down by the non-stop rain. Even by autumn in Manchester the weather over the last couple of months has been depressing.

Not going turned out to be a very good idea - as Claire came down with a cold on the 24th and I woke up this morning feeling pretty grotty....that being said; today was too good to miss without some exercise. Clear skies and some snow overnight made Dovestones an alluring place to go.

Defrosting the car took some time; then sliding down the hill to where the road had been gritted. The road up to the reservoir hadn't been gritted either (not being a public road), and even though it was near 10am when we arrived we were one of only a few cars...maybe people were still in holiday lie-in mode.

The light and views were amazing as can (hopefully) be seen from some of the shots. A thought was to walk around the second of the reservoirs, however that was closed for shooting. As it turned out, energy levels were quite low and a gentle circuit was fine - with time to stop to talk to humans/dogs and take some photo's. Car-park was much busier when we got back to the car; but the road was in a lot better nick as well!!

Looking towards Chew Valley from Dovestones

A circuit of Seat Sandal...

Ullscarf and Wythburn Church from Wythburn car -park

which is a lovely little hill above the Ambleside - Keswick road; guarding the approach to Grisedale Tarn from Dunmail Raise.

OK, it wasn't what Gary and I had planned; when we had rendezvoused at the car-park at 9am. The drive up from Manchester was agreeably quick - something to bear in mind for future trips - and the hills looked agreeably white as well; whilst the roads were clear.

The plan was simple  - up to Grisedale Tarn and then up onto the ridge between Dollywaggon Pike and Helvellyn....returning by basically the same route. The first challenge was crossing the stile from the lay-by! Wood with a thin skein of ice/verglas on it - once across it we ambled toward the path up the ravine. Gary and I know from first hand experience that this can be very slippery indeed - it gets very little/if any sun this time of year and the path up can resemble a rink. This is my mitigation for suggesting we cross the stream and take a path up the side of the hill leading up to Grisedale Tarn. Crossing the stream proved more 'entertaining' than first thought (we managed not to see the bridge 200m downstream!) and then we struggled up steep grass slopes to meet the path. Neither of us were particularly fit; I had been busy with work (preparing for a new job in Jan) whilst Gary had had far too much real life and not enough walking/climbing, not to mention injury. So the ascent was a struggle; made more a struggle by the snow which got softer and deeper the higher we walked. The forecast was also out  - the snow storms weren't forecast -and the temperature was clearly higher than we'd been led to believe. Honestly, my short ski's would have been perfect in this kind of terrain. Approaching the tarn the snow got deeper and the plod got more tiring. It had been some time since I'd been out in new, soft snow and it was a salutory reminder of how tiring it can be - especially when one is as unfit as I am.

Gary descends towards Dunmail Raise

View towards Grasmere on the descent

Given conditions, snow etc a change of plan was decided upon. We'd follow the path up to Grisedale Hause (a place, embarrassingly, I'm not sure I've ever been) and thence down the path towards the road. The aim was to contour Seat Sandal, worse case was 1.5km up the road to get to the cars. The path down was actually very nice. Even better, a new path left the original path down Little Tongue Gill and contoured the shoulder of Seat Sandal. We gladly took this, and then the path petered out a gate. The gate had a footpath sign on it so we could clearly go through. We then got emeshed in a series of fields and walls that made getting to the road - about 100m away - a real pain. With hindsight, we should have stayed much higher (above the intake wall) and contoured the hillside to get back to Dunmail Raise. Suffice to say that we didn't and had to climb a fence and scramble down to the road. Gary's hamstrings were really troubling him so I went ahead to the car-park; hopped in the Jazz and drove down the road to collect him.....I got a pint for my troubles so :-)...

Wake me up when November ends....

Memories of happier Novs...Ben Alder forest from Beinn Udlamain

(with a nod to Green Day!!)

Not my favourite month really - gets dark too soon, there is usually no snow...although Claire and I did have some excellent days on the Drumochter Hills once...or ice and everyone is cold, bored and depressed...it also marks the drawing down on the longest of the school terms.

This November has seemed very long, longer even than usual. Claire is busy at work; I was busy with work and job applications/interviews; the weather couldn't make up its mind and we haven't done as much as we would like. We do have 4 days at xmas to look forward to - just the two of us and Suilvan heading up to the North - assuming it ever snows up there as well of course...

Today was another nice circuit at Dovestones, being able to get away from the crowds there is good as it allows us a chance to think and talk without hordes of people jostling on the path round the lakes. Our route took us across the bouldering zone - no boulderers there which was interesting (it has rained a lot during the last week) and up to the road to Chew, which we walk down to get back to the car.

Weather was ok - the light wasn't as good as I would have hoped for photo's - having decided to bring the camera today - a couple of shots came up not too bad....hoping for some snow in the North next week.

Wimberry Rocks.

Carn a'Mhaim and Sron Riach cont'd...Episode II - The Ridge!

where our intrepid hero's have reached the summit and now face ' the RIDGE'!!

The ridge in question is something I'd never done; it was supposedly the only partially rocky arete in the Gorms....Martin Moran tells some interesting tales in winter; we shall see.

Beinn a' Ghlo peeks over the shoulder of Carn a'Mhaim

Claire of course had only recently waltzed over the Horns of Beinn Alligin not turning a hair - and to be blunt this ridge is nowhere near that class (to be fair - not much in Britain is). She is also the daughter of a man who has rice on his curry sauce - she didn't turn a hari at this one either..
As a guide it's probably easier than Striding Edge or the ridge from Lliwedd to the summit of Snowden - although a bit more exposed than the latter. This must be qualified by the fact that we did it in perfect summer weather without a breath of wind at all....it probably is a different kettle of marine life in winter given the weather they get up there. Escape from the ridge would be pretty tricky apart from at either end; and it's longer than Striding Edge and somewhat more out-there (you can't see the pub for instance). At the end of were some little lochans - and a big boulder; which said lunch here - so they did.

The ridge from the climb up MacDui

The way ahead was painfully obvious - quite a big climb up the rockfields that flank MacDui before detouring off to the right to collect Sron Riach....after lunch we began the plod uphill. There is much less of a path than one might think given how popular MacDui is; I guess the %age of people doing the hill from this side is miles less than almost any other way. Much boulder hopping and flogging later we arrived at a path that came down from the summit of MacDui en route to Sron Riach and thence down to the Glen. Although we probably lost 50' of height it was a good path to take; I clambered up to the ridge to find the highest point whilst Claire sensibly didn't - I did grab some rather amazing views of Coire Sputean Dearg however (where we'd hope to climb before heat stopped play).

Once re-united we set off on the descent path - which was a joy. A well constructed path took us down the lovely ridge of Sron Riach and right to the Luiberg burn. We elected to sit in this rather than ford it! very important to cool off in all honesty. We were both out of water as well so the chance to re-fill was taken and the last xmas cake munched. From here - the path led down the glen to join the main path we'd left that morning. Once back at the bikes we cycled (again Claire doing very well indeed) back to Derry Lodge and thence back to the road...the last bit of the descent was a nice fly actually....Once again, the River Dee was beckoning.....

Carn a' Mhaim and Sron Riach...

Some of you will have seen the photos of the floods that hit the Cairngorms last month - with the bridge over at Derry Lodge washed away and the Luibeg ford now impassable....this is from a slightly different time of year!!

For our next excursion of the summer trip Claire and I elected to go onto the main part of the plateau. I had done Carn a' Mhaim one winters day (which really brought home the advantage of bikes on the ride in from Lin o' Dee), but the supposedly narrow ridge to Beinn MacDui was something I'd never done. Also, the 'top' of Sron Riach was one that I needed to add to my collection - Claire of course does NOT tick Munro's (or so she tells all and sundry)-  and the walk made an excellent circuit. It also enabled us to get a close up of Coire Sputean Dearg, an idea we had for this trip was to do some rock-climbing in the big cores - the heat put paid to that.

Derry Cairngorm from the shoulder of Carn a'Mhaim

The morning was another scorcher as we tootled the bikes in from Lin of Dee. Claire was on the hired trek (the last time she would use it) and I was on Andruil. The midges were out in the car-park but one big advantage of cycling is that one gets rid of them - as we did. We went beyond Derry Lodge as we'd been told you can cycle quite a way along the Luibeg path. You can, although it's not easy and full-marks to Claire for her determination and no little skill on this section. A couple of short, steep loose climbs and descents were you have to trust the bike. All pretty easy for me as I have years of mtb experience, Claire doesn't and she rode this very well. A lone tree is a convenient marker to leave the bikes, so we did. Once changed we sweated away on the walk. The path to the Luibeg burn is pretty flat, and it was still reasonably early in the morning - but it was still sweltering. This is one of the few days I can remember that even Claire said was hot - coming from her that is quite something indeed. There is a bridge over the Luibeg burn (which has survived the floods), however it's an extra km walk to get to and there is also a ford. Today - you wouldn't have even noticed. The heatwave of the past weeks meant you could simply splash across anywhere you wanted to. Once across the other side the path begins to climb across the shoulder of Cairn a' Mhaim. This peak is part of the MacDui massif, yet is a separate mountain in it's own right - separated by a drop of nearly 1800'.

Braeriach from near the summit

The path divides at this point - as the main path swings around into the Lairig Ghru and onwards to Coluymbridge and Aviemore. A smaller path, which we took, branches up the hill. It was slow but steady going - however the path seemed to be a lot better than I remember it from my winter ascent of several years ago. It was already hot (for me at least) and that necessitated a couple of stops on the way. The summit of the Carn was reached - with lovely views into the steep defile of the Lairig Ghru....awaiting us was the ridge.....

to be continued.......

UKH Gallery...

UKH for those who don't know is UK Hillwalking; a sister site to UK Climbing. Aside from being very informative and all that they also host galleries of pictures....

I'm starting to create mine and the first load of pictures are up; more will be added over the next few days and weeks...

http://www.ukhillwalking.com/photos/author.html?id=112004

Enjoy...

Summer around the Cairgorms...An Sgarsoch and Carn Ealar..

Are 2 of the most remote munros; yet oddly two of the relatively easy ones. This is because you can bike most of the way in from Linn of Dee to the foot of the mountains. I'd done this before - hiring a bike at Braemar Mountain Sports, cycling in; doing the peaks and flying down the descent - the way back is mostly downhill and one can enjoy oneself. I also remember the bike not being especially good - and my bum hurt a lot from the battering...

Fast forward quite a few years and Claire and I have arrived in Braemar for the start of our summer holiday; with bikes. I have brought Andruil the mountain bike and Claire had brought her hybrid. After a quick ride yesterday we elected to switch the hybrid and hire Claire a mountain bike - from the same shop. Here all similarities ended; a lovely Trek was procured and tested and we were ready to go.

Claire has not done a lot of biking recently - however we had a reasonable pace along the 8 miles of the walk in; until we hit the ford. The ford is over the Geldie Burn - I remember it being bloody cold in October; luckily it was a fair bit warmer. I got suckered into trying a bit of a fancy way to cross; which still landed us with wet feet. From there we cycled a little bit further into the hills - one more pure singletrack this time. The path was constructed but much narrower than the path I remembered. From a point where we left the bikes, it was time to go on foot.

Carn Ealar from the walk in

The first part of the walk was nice and pleasant; gaining height gently as we followed the path and then dropping down to the burn that flows from the col between the peaks. Carn Ealar was the first peak we aimed for; a quite stiff climb on what was becoming a warm day. Oddly there is no real path; the peak can be climbed from several directions, so we picked a line up, interspersed with a lunch stop along the way.

An Sgarsoch from Carn Ealar

From the summit there were great views of the empty wastes of the Tarf/Tilt/Fehsie watersheds and through to the western peaks around Blair Atholl (only about 10 miles by foot but 50-60 by road). Our route lay along a nice path which then disappeared to quite a steep drop to the col under An Sgarsoch. The re-ascent was also quite steep and trackless for the most part - although we picked a much better line this time and reached the summit a fair bit quicker. The last food went and then it was time for the descent. Again with no path, the line was fairly obvious and we were able to skirt the last snowfields before dropping down to the path we had walked on in the morning. Having retrieved the bikes, Claire made a mockery of her doubts over riding ability as she negotiated the single-track back to the ford. Going straight over was much more sensible and we were soon embarked on the ride back. It's a fair old slog at the end; the last 1km being basically uphill - so the evening dip in the Lin of Dee was very much needed.

Sgor Gaoith from An Sgarsoch

The Jewelled Mountain..

Last day of the Whit trip was approaching; the forecast was good and Claire and I were vacillating over what to do....(at least one of these things was not unusual!!). We had done Canisp earlier in the week and had a little trip along Loch a' Bhraoin with the new tent - which was very good. First choice was An Tellach - however it was not 100% sure that our fitness levels would be up to such a mega route...so we went south.

Getting to Torridon took the scenic route - via Loch Maree and Gruinard Bay. After a brief panic at Gruinard where I thought I'd lost my midge hat (essential for me as the little horrors love me) we went for a paddle and then for a bit at the cafe in Gairloch. This is an amazing place for those who haven't been - a very odd place for an alternative cafe and one the best bookshops anywhere. We'd found it a couple of years before - driving round after Claire had hurt her knee on Ben Wyvis; it was a lovely place; very alternative and did a very nice chocolate fudge cake as well!!!

From the cafe the road follows Loch Maree down to Kinlochewe. We stopped for a quick photo or two of Slioch  (harassed by midges) and then headed down Glen Torridon. It was Claire's first visit to Torridon - you would have to be a little odd to not be impressed really. We stopped at the Coire Dubh car-park between the giants of Beinn Eighe and Liathach. A short leg stretch and some supper later it was starting to get a little midgy; so it was off to the Beinn Damph bar for a pint before retiring for the night...

Sgurr Mhor and the 'Horns' of Alligin

The night wasn't the best - there was no breeze whatsoever in the glen and it was hot and midgy - as it was the next morning, trying to put boots etc on was fun....Once out of the van and having run across the road to try and break clear of the little beasts it did soon become worth it however..as can be seen.

The path has been much improved since I last climbed Alligin (over 10 years ago and coming the other way - Horns first). It snakes up into the corrie and then ascends the headwall to the summit. Claire set a really good pace and we were soon able to enjoy the views from the summit of Tom na Gruagaich. Some deer were on one of the shoulders of the hill and the vast empty quarter of the Flowderdale Forest was also visible - as was the onward journey. This was also a Munro for Claire (not that she collects them at all - so I'm told...repeatedly!!).

The Horns with Beinn Dearg beyond

The onward view is spectacular with the drop and rise to Sgurr Mhor the main summit of Alligin and the 'horns' of Alligin beyond. Although they appear incredibly spectacular and exposed they are actually very easy in summer - a gentle scramble. I've never done them in winter (yet), however they are probably a good grade 1 - probably harder than the CMD Arete but a lot easier than Liathach or An Tellach...

Looking across at Beinn an Eoin

Looking across Loch Torridon 

We climbed into mist as we ascended Sgurr Mhor, which fortunately began to lift as we descended the steep ridge til we were under the Horns. Claire scrambled very well in her boots - which were more suited to scrambling than mine  for sure - and the Horns were over all too soon. The descent to the glen was on a path that was better than I remember it as well - we also began to see a few more people; almost all going the opposite way to us. It's a bit of a debate which way to go - I suppose going anti-clockwise (Horns first) gets them out of the way and spares people from being intimidated by them (as I was a child many years ago when Mum and I climbed Tom na Gruagaich); and you get lovely views out to sea...but then go our way around and you get amazing views of the wilderness of Flowderdale and the Torridon giants....six and two three's really.

Arriving back at the car-park in the hot sun was nice - no midges!!-  so we were able to relax and stretch out and reflect on what an amazing day it was - not a bad intro to Torridon and Alligin living up to it's name.

Dovestones Skyline..

Bank holiday weekend here in UK; with a terrible forecast for the Monday....par for the course.

Claire and I debated heading off in Suilvan to Wales; however the fact that everyone and his wife would probably be there as well put us off slightly!! So, today it was a lovely walk at Dovestones.

Looking up the Chew Valley across Dovestones

The car-park was already busy at 10.45 when we arrived. The aim of the day was a walk that we had attempted in the first couple of weeks of arriving; with Mum and Peter. At that time (mid Feb) the icy path was basically impassable as we tried to scramble up the stream - so we escaped by a very steep pull up the slopes to underneath Ravenstones.

First order of business was to walk along the 3 lakes that part of the Dovestones 'complex'; the main lake (Dovestones reservoir); Yeoman Hey and then Greenfield reservoirs. The day was half-way warm for the time of year - a pleasant change from the previous 10 days or so - as well as being nice and sunny. In fact, I actually had to apply sun-cream for the first time since Scotland.

After clearing Greenfield reservoir, the path follows the stream under Ravenstones until the stream divides. A much smaller path is then followed onto the plateau - it was this path which we had failed to ascend last time. A group of rotunder walkers were making a bit of an effort in crossing the stream to get onto the path - a feat which took both of us all of 10 seconds. Luckily they allowed us passed and we made good time up the path. In a couple of spots the path is quite badly eroded - not a problem if you can see it as we could; however it would be less fun in winter. There was also a 10' scramble that was a delight on warm grit - less so when damp/icy I would suspect.

The plaque near the summit

Once on the plateau we revelled in the views and solitude before wandering on. This walk is easily accessible from Chew Valley - however most people don't tend to venture beyond the Ashway Gap - so we were largely alone for this bit of the walk. We headed up to the plaque commemorating the killing of an MP (something you would arguably get a medal for now let alone a plaque). Once beyond the gap the number of people did pick up - and by the time we hit the main path around the lake we were feeling claustrophobic - and the car-park was basically full. There was still time for an egg/bacon sarnie and hot-dog before heading home....

Ravenstones

The crops keep coming...

     I'll be honest - never really thought I'd be massively into gardening... However, Claire and I have been building up the garden with different crops. We managed some spuds last year; but this year we have done SO much better. Peas, Mange Tout and more potatoes.... coupled with the garlic you can see  in the picture....Living simply is actually a lot of fun and very satisfying...

A brief history of Mammoth - with apologies to Stephen Hawking...

So, I finally got a comment about the blog - "you didn't mention much about the history of Canisp" I was told....so.....

It all started with a rope - probably would really. Claire and I were living in Penrith, and we were in Keswick one day after a short walk - being Cumbria it was probably raining, and we wandered into Needle Sports. Needle Sports were having a Mammut promotion day - and we brought a 30m rope which could be used on the grit (being fairly sure we were heading Tameside way in due course) as well as on classic mountain ridges and scrambles. Some of these, especially in winter, might require a rope on parts (especially if abseiling i.e Anoach Eagach) and lugging my big 60m rope up was a lot of energy...

Those who know Mammut will know they have a little mammoth as a logo - and with the rope came a little stuffed mammoth. Very nice he was too...he came home and sat on the sofa and we called him Foinaven.

Then there was Arkle - those who know Arkle know he is a LOT bigger - this is because he likes to eat cake!! He was from the Braemar Mountain Sports shop in Aviemore. I had brought a new winter shell and we saw Arkle..he had some horrid red bootees on but he had a gleam in his eye. We brought him, ditched his bootees and had a second lovely mammoth to come along in Suilvan on our adventures. Given we were about to move to our Sutherland cottage, Arkle was an obvious name.

Canisp - he was rescued by my mother and step-father who saw him, looking very lonely, in a shop in Gateshead (I believe). He spent some time with them in the NE, however he did eventually come down and join the herd...so now we have 3 lovely mammoths - and they all lived happily ever after!!

The end...

Living well...

is very important to both of us - with having a bit of garden in Sutherland (the name of our cottage); we have begun to grow things. 

Some spuds have already appeared this year (and last) and the peas/mange tout and beans are all progressing/have already been munched..Our Spinach has produced lots and lots of food for us as well...

Around the local area are heaps of blackberries - we picked a load last autumn and this year's crop has already begun (amazingly). My mother and step-father have been here for a couple of days doing some work on the left - and Mum took the opportunity to pick some blackberries - these are now stewed and ready to go in the freezer...

     

This is not saving us much money - if at all given the outlay on cold frame etc and seeds - but it does make it feel mighty and good and with blackberries being £2 a pop at Sainsbury you never know....

Canisp...

is one of the mammoths we have acquired by buying lots of Mammut gear (they give you lovely little stuffed mammoths!!) - it is also a lovely mountain in the NW of Scotland...

Claire and I had been driving back down towards Ullapool from a couple of days exploring the far NW - we had hoped to get some climbing in at Sandwood Bay, however the weather wasn't perfect for this. So we were taking in the sights and sounds instead. 

This is the view of the mountain from the car-park at the head of Loch Awe - to the north of Ullapool. Canisp happens to be a Corbett; more to the point it is one of the (many) lovely mountains of Sutherland. Sutherland is a place which actually defies the tradition of doing the Munro's for getting the best hills - the majority of the best hills here aren't Munro's.

Another big advantage of Canisp is that it's a relatively short day. Claire and I had both been working far too much and walking/keeping fit not enough and so a nice shortish day without too much ascent (by Scottish standards) would be good.

The cloud was down as we set off up the hill. It's only a 6km walk to the summit from the road and we actually made reasonable time. The top is a little stony and we had to pick our line ok but the walk was very nice. Like a lot of the Corbetts it doesn't have a massive path up it (unlike most of the Munro's which do); this is good as it makes one think on the hill about things such as choice of line etc.

After lunch on top the obvious decision was for a descent to the road and head off to Ullapool, before this happened...

The picture above is of Suilven from the shoulder of Canisp (Suilven not even being a Corbett but being one of the finest hills in Scotland full stop). It was taken as the cloud lifted for a few minutes on the descent and we got clear views. Given the remoteness of Sutherland the views were magnificent, not the row and row of amazing hills one might get around Ullapool but the lovely wastes of Sutherland.
Braebeg was seen across the road - giving me immediate thoughts of
a long backpacking circuit involving Ben More Assynt and Conival.
As we got further down and could see out West, Cul Mor (pictured) was seen and glimpses of Stac Pollaidh as well.
We took a different path on the way back - which came and went from time to time; and by the time we got back to Suilvan (as opposed to Suilven :-) ) the views were a little hazy - as can be seen from the top picture which was taken just as we were about to leave....

Driving back to Ullapool we drove through a 20 min absolute cloudburst - so lucky to have avoided that and got a lovely walk in.

Back from Scotland...

Claire and I had an amazing week in Scotland - barely a cloud in sight and far too hot to climb or backpack - amazingly for Scotland. Being on the East coast (largely in the Gorms) meant fewer midges - although the little so and so's still managed to bite me enough.

Before that, we had also spent our Whitsun week holiday in Scotland, as we usually do. This is the anniversary of our honeymoon (not our actual wedding) and is a special holiday for us. Much of this was spent in the NW where we had an excellent time...

Typical conditions for the last trip - this is a view up Glen Derry with Beinn Mheadhoin in the distance.

Still around...

Blogger and I have been having some issues - especially around photo's and the changes that they have made to the blog...part of the reason for lack of posts recently. I was debating moving to another blog host and/or setting up my own website; I may get round to doing that in due course...however.

Part of the other reason was lots of work - teaching at a variety of schools has kept me busy. That has now finished and Claire and I are looking forward to 2 weeks away from tomorrow - as the weather seems to get a lot more changeable - grr...Most likely destination will be Scotland; speaking of which.....

As is the norm we spent the Whitsun bank holiday (end of May) in Scotland in Suilvan. We actually had some reasonable weather and I am going to try and do some posts on those days - with some pictures; today....

Keeping my chest down the hill....

Part of my xmas present from Claire was a day of Skiing at Chill Factor just outside Manchester. I would love to develop my prowess on ski's; to do back-country skiing and ski Munroing mainly!! so this was the perfect present.

Having previously only skied 'indoors' at Castleford and Glasgow this is a little different - it seems a little steeper for one; however it is also better organised (at least the shops etc in the rest of the complex) and is less of a rip-off in respect of the lockers as well.

I skied ok yesterday - Noel, the instructor of our group, was great with some excellent pointers indeed..the problem lay in the numbers - being the last day of the winter break the place was heaving; meaning too many queues to get back up the POMA lifts to the top. The other problem was that, after lunch, there was a group of young kids who kid not use the lifts - making the delays even worse. My skiing was ragged after lunch - I need to use my arms less and concentrate on my legs. That being said, it was a vast improvement on when I started the day - and it is an easy place to do a little practice.

Weather is still pretty wild here - hoping to get out for walkies tomorrow on the fells...