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We managed a couple of random high points.
Eilean Garbh on Gigha - all 100 lofty metres in height. But stunning views.
And another oddity in the form of the twin 'peaks' of Davaar Island, another oxygen depleted 110m and 115m...complete with caves and crucifixes.
We were hoping for the Tump on Colonsay and the blip on Oronsay, and a Munro this weekend. But the weather has kyboshed all those plans.
Please be careful out there. I don't want to derail this thread but I just lost my best friend.
BBC News - Body found in search for missing Edinburgh hillwalker
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-68732739
He was the most careful and logical individual. I won't ever know exactly what happened but it's very easy for a tricky bit to become a Bad Step in poor conditions. Don't be afraid to turn back.
Mull today. It was OK I suppose... 😉
Sorry to hear about your friend gecko, a slip or trip can happen to absolutely anyone. One of the most careful, experienced and meticulous climbers I ever knew went that way.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczOMAsFIGb4HoQvSIkV8QxCEF1RHr1YyPRFolrm1uWSi7ONjyyv4-bjCdUOxkBRFT277BToWYkFmW4fmoph77ABLanV9zALa3bUn2Mu4xmfJflPbKsnz=w2400
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Snap Spin from last Friday, great weather in Mull over Easter, managed to brush up my offwidth climbing skills at Fionnphort.
We are wondering about Mull in October for some hills and meanders... Those pics are helping encourage me!
A free day and dry weather coincided for me yesterday. Dropping family in Penrith, so headed for Martindale. Parked Howtown church and starting with Hallin Fell, I did an extended round - Beda, Angletarn, Brock, Knott, Kidsty round to Wether Hill and Steel Knotts. Took in The Nab too. Lots of hills I'd passed through/near on the bike, but never been up. Skylarks were in fine song. 27km as a first hill walk this spring will have consequences though.....
managed to brush up my offwidth climbing skills at Fionnphort.
On the split boulder? I had a good couple of hours bouldering on that hillside, it's really good. Also had an afternoon at Loch Buie which I thought was excellent. Even managed to solo a couple of easy routes on Iona. I'll definitely head back to Mull with a rope at some point, lots to do there.
On the split boulder?
Lol, I had a moment on that boulder, got my arm properly wedged, left some abrasion marks on the elbow of my nice Arcteryx jacket trying to free myself 😂
Our wee boy loved the hillside above it, he just disappeared scrambling up it whilst we still unpacked, a little 6 year old dot heading for the summit 😎
I'll leave this here. Enjoy.
Our bomb proof expedition tent never had a normal tent shape again after a night in a Beinn Eighe Coire and we lost some kit. My main recollection is lying in my sleeping bag spending the whole night being slapped in the face by a wet inner as my side of the tent was constantly flattened by the raging wind. The tent survived and continued to be used for many years, despite it's unusual re-shape. A 1980s wild country or terra nova, not my tent so I can't quite remember. The actual owner of the tent didn't make the trip, I don't think he was very impressed the next time he used it with it's new interesting profile.
Anyone got weekend walking plans?
I've been out of action for a few weeks but hoping to get out in the Peak or the Dales on Sunday
We were planning, but the wind is putting us off... We make make use of a tailwind and pedal to Edinburgh...
Considering heading into the Lakes again on Sunday as it looks the better of the two, it's looking like it'll just be me n the dog.
Running a bit behind, but back at the beginning of March me and a couple of mates had a great week up in the Highlands.
First a day on the flanks of the Cairngorms in typical winter conditions! Spindrift and zero visibility so just kept to the flanks of the plateau.
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Next it was 3 days in magnificent Assynt, staying in the wonderful Suileag bothy and climbing Canisp by the lesser-trod NW ridge.
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And there's more...
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...and more...
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It is probably the most beautiful part of the world, for me, up there with anywhere I've been abroad, even though the scale may be smaller.
We were left with a last look at Suilven. We'd decided not to climb Suilven this trip, as we'd be back in early April...by canoe. Happy to say mission successful on that, but that'll have to wait until I've actually edited the piccies.
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Excellent photos, I'm very jealous.
Suilven is my favourite mountain by a distance. When the weather is good I think the NW Highlands are the finest hills/mountains in Europe.
The final walk of our trip was on the wild lower hills between Gairloch and northern Loch Maree, with the wind a constant wearying factor on summits for the entire week. These are astonishing little hills, rocky and with surprisingly difficult navigation, given they top out at under 400m. An Groban and Sithean Mor were the two summits, a surprisingly tough day. The views were magnificent.
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Wild, wet and windy up at Wessenden today !!
Excellent photos, I’m very jealous.
As am I, very nice!
Can we have a "I spent a week of my annual leave and a chunk of money, and I didn't see any nice views for it" thread?
Stunning day up on the Langdale Pikes on Saturday. Had this weekend booked in for a few months and was expecting a day of being in clouds and rain given the last few months of crap weather. However, we could not have asked for better weather on the day. Went up via Jack's Rake. Much more difficult (fear wise) than I remember when I last did it as a fear and responsibility free teenager many years ago! There's too much space in my head for the what-ifs these days.
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Went up via Jack’s Rake. Much more difficult (fear wise) than I remember when I last did it as a fear and responsibility free teenager many years ago!
I found exactly the same when I last did Jack's Rake. It struck me as greasy and very exposed. Hard to believe what I used to skip up and down in my youth. I think a lot of it is down to lack of leg and core strength, I just don't have the same confidence in my balance and foot placement these days.
I found exactly the same when I last did Jack’s Rake. It struck me as greasy and very exposed. Hard to believe what I used to skip up and down in my youth. I think a lot of it is down to lack of leg and core strength, I just don’t have the same confidence in my balance and foot placement these days.
I'm the same. A few years ago I really started to lose confidence on scrambly bits, and felt far more exposed than I used to, and I've always had a good head for heights (former climber). Took me a while to get my head round it, but eventually I realised the lack of "spring" in legs (and arms to an extent) and the therefore more laboured climbing, was sucking confidence as was a lack of the fitness of youth. By slowing down quite a bit, I've mostly got reasonable confidence back, though I'm definitely nowhere near as happy as I was 30 years ago skipping happily along the Cuillin ridge and the like, revelling in it.
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Lough ouler from glenmacanass.
Took a day off work on Thursday to go explore some hills on the Gwynedd / Powys border above Llangynog. My word, it's tough country - almost wall to wall heather, and most of it seemed to be angled in the wrong direction to where I was walking. So I spent a lot of 11 miles high-stepping through the bloody stuff. However, that's mid Wales for you. Apart from one bloke who must have been working in the Penllyn Forest above Bala, I saw no one all day, and to be honest I only saw his van, not the actual bloke.
Trig point on Foel Cwm-Sian Llywd, with the Arans ridge in the background:-
Absolutely typical scenery for much of the day:-
There's definitely a potential gravel route to be had here, this track runs across the 'ridge' between Y Groes Fagl and Pen y Cerrig Duon for about 4 miles:-
And lastly, a bit of history. This is one of several mid 19th-century boundary stones, that formerly marked the border between the counties of Meirionydd and Montgomery:-
I think sometimes people think only Scotland has properly rough, wild, country yet I think some of the toughest I've found has been in Wales. Thanks for sharing.
Northern Rhinogs are amongst the worst terrain I've walk in. Evey step is knee to hip deep heather and rocky underfoot, the potential for a leg injury is pretty high especially if you're backpacking with a large heavy bag. It is beautiful though
It's been a long time (several decades, basically) since I was in the northern Rhinogs, but what you say sounds familiar. Must get back there soon.
Did anyone get up in the hills over the Bank Holiday?
Nobody?
An early Meall Corranaich and Meall a'Choire Lèith today to beat the forecast lightning...
Lovely to be out and catching up on 10 months of my son's adventuring. Sometimes it's the company, not the surroundings.
I forget about this thread. Was up the Cobbler week before last, a hill I'd never done or paid much attention to. We took the scrambly route for some mountaineering practise - great day. 
Eldest has had a week of this on the Cullin.
Heading up to north wales early tomorrow for some easy scrambling and then three day intro to mountaineering course, mon/tue/weds. Forecast is looking reasonably friendly…
Heading up to north wales early tomorrow for some easy scrambling and then three day intro to mountaineering course, mon/tue/weds.
Great stuff, we are heading to N Wales at beginning of June to do some easy mountaineering, possibly Idwal slabs ordinary route, Cneifion arete, y gribin ridge enchainment, all in big boots.
For various reasons mrs_oab is unable to bike at present or take to the high hills/big days.
She had been up north with family for a few days, so I hopped on the train and we met in Aviemore and had a nice evening walk, then headed out on a nice 15km Feshie & Uath Lochans walk yesterday.
@B.A.Nana - have a look at Cyfrwy Arète. Cracking day out, feels big and exposed and a proper classic route
Aonach Beag yesterday.
