Up them mountains!!!

[VNA]

Rikki  your old boy 79 and still hill walking!  Way to go. 

adeejaysdelight, it's so much more accessible than it used to be though.  Some of our main routes may still be lacking in a modern sense, but then much of it used to be single track roads when I was a kid.  Took ages to get anywhere.

The hills are busy too.  In the 70's very few people has done all the Munros.  I've lost count of how many folks I've met who have done the lot!    If I get back to it, (fingers crossed etc) I'd like do more Corbetts and Grahams.  In some ways more of a challange, much less likely to find a path and much much increased chance of not seeing a single sole all day.

I'm not a camper.  But a few times when I've been out walking, and not left a route with anybody, I've left a note on the car seat stating where I was going and when I would be back, just in case. 

[adeejaysdelight]

I used to leave a note, but now I have a fiancee who expects me home and a GPs giving off a signal all the time, with SOS on standby. I hope I never need it mind.

God, us bikers sure like to risk everything for a day out. I think I'll just take up extreme couponing! Mind you, them sissors  :lol

[pilgo]

ive done some fell walking in the lakes,my favorite was the high street ( stupid name for a mountain in my opinion ),you park at the car park at haweswater and follow the map,great walk,you can come back down the parallel peak and back to the car. also did the walk in the opposie valley from the same car park,the name escapes me now.
climed scarfell pike  but took a longer,off the beaten track route as recomended by a girl in a hiking shop,was much better than the 'motorway' route that all the bloody tourists use !!  :lol

attempted to do the cobbler when in scotland,but the mist beat us, enjoyed the 2 hours we managed though. sadly split with the mrs just after that and ive never got back up to the lakes/scotland since. one day though......

[nick crisp]

climed scarfell pike  but took a longer,off the beaten track route as recomended by a girl in a hiking shop,was much better than the 'motorway' route that all the bloody tourists use !!  :lol

All the well known peaks have that problem, don't they? Long, boring slogs to the top. Snowdon is the same. All up by the pony track, or whatever it's called. All down again by the Miner's Track.
I took the Rhyd Ddu path up, and saw maybe 3 people on the way up. Got to the summit, and it was crowded! They were all heading down the Miner's Track in a big long queue - if that's the way it had to be in the hills, I wouldn't bother. I took the Pyg Track down, all on my lonesome. It stays high for longer than the Miner's Track, with fantastic views down the Llanberis Pass. Got down to the crowds again at Pen y Pass  :rolleyes but the best bits had been quiet, so could forgive that.

The Corridor Route on Scafell was another one that was quiet when I did it. And again, lots of folks on the summit when I got there. A good reason to camp in the hills and get an early start to beat the crowds.

[adeejaysdelight]

attempted to do the cobbler when in scotland,but the mist beat us, enjoyed the 2 hours we managed though. sadly split with the mrs just after that and ive never got back up to the lakes/scotland since. one day though......

2 hours and you never reached the top!!! You must have been stopping to paint the landscape or something (we'll blame the woman, shall we)  :lol . The weather is an acquired taste, I have to admit. Living here though, you have no choice. If you waited for the rain to pass before doing anything, you would never do anything at all. I just go out in it and dress appropriately.

[Rikki]

I was half expecting to see a football match at the top of Scafell Pike! Not sure if I'll be going back there now it's been ticked off the list, as there are too many others to see first. I've hardly done any of the ones on Nick's list.

Won't be rushing back to the Highlands any time soon either. I went on a camping trip there in the late 90's. I say camping but it was more like SAS survival training. Imagine trying to bash tent pegs into solid rock, while someone blasts you in the face with a pressure washer. I much prefer to get a tan in the hills!

By the way next time anyone passes through Buttermere, be sure to stop for a beer at the Fish Inn. Best pint in the land IMO. Goes down nicely after a days climbing!

[VNA]

Was up Scafell Pike some time in the mid 90's
Hardly saw anybody on the way up, but yup it was busy on the summit.

Been far too warm for my liking in Scotland this summer Rikki.

Walked Beinn a'Chroin and An Caisteal last year near Crianlarich, didn't see a single person, just a Raven that followed me for several hours.  They can get quiet curious when you are by yourself.  I was worried it was waiting for me to slip and fall on the wee scramble between the two hills. 

A wee selfie on An Caisteal,




There's loads of walking where you won't see a sole all day in Scotland.
Lots of good wee hills too.
This is Eabhal on North Uist, only just over 1100 feet I think, but what a view.

[adeejaysdelight]

Ha, I don't tan anyway! I lived in Australia in my early 20's. Came back as white as the screen in front of you now  :lol . Although, that was still a few shades up the dulux chart from when I arrived.


That is an impressive view VNA. I like being out there on my own. I was up Ben Lomond once and an Eagle flew by no more than 50 feet away, in the valley to the East of the mountain. It was spectacular. Just me, him and my mate.

[Kosmic Kartman]

Adee and others. Some cracking pics there.

Did a but of this myself pre my daughter. Mostly on holiday but I've done the three highest in the UK. A few volcanos  :eek Soufrière in Monserrat (before that went bang), Mt Liamuigi St.Kitts, Vesuvius, Mt. Enta. Ibiza, Gran Caneria... That was a hot climb in the sun and got blistered to buggery. A few other small peaks. Col d'Aspin in the Pyranees.

I love the views, like being on top of the world.

I'm trying to get my daughter in to it now on holiday and have done a few up hill walks in the Brecon Beacons.

This was her first hill but I had to give her a shoulder ride up the last half. Once up there, though not very high, she was very excited at the views. She counts this small climb as a mountain  :lol Bless.

PS Please note the sensible footwear! Her walking boot were in my rucksak 

Llangorse

[adeejaysdelight]

Beautiful picture Kartman. I'm not letting you count Ibiza as a mountain though  . I'm just back from there. The highest peak is 485 meters. Walking to the co-op is more of a climb for me  :lol .


Some of those volcanoes sound great though. The only volcano I have climbed is Mount Ngungun in Queensland, Australia. Its been dormant for a wee while though.

[Kosmic Kartman]

Ibiza  :lol

I'll have look out for some other pics when I get an odd hour.

[bigbluebear]

I've done 22 Munroe's in my time....before I got married....happy days they were....not so foccin happy now

[adeejaysdelight]

I managed Ben Vorlich, the little hills and Stob Na Coinnich Bhacain today. I was (miss)informed that there was no direct path up Ben Vorlich, so I took the direct route. I was absolutely shitting it. About an hour up a very steep climb (apparently 45%) I stopped to catch my breath and have a look at the helicopter flying very close by, and for the first time I got a look at where I was. It was quite terrifying, as I am scared of heights. There were cliff walls I made my way around, but obviously as I had to move along the mountain, so I was sitting just above one. The drop was phenomenal, and the roll after would not have been pleasant. Then some arsehole PPI mob called me  :lol . It eased my nerves a bit and I moved on.


It took me 3 and a half hours to get up the convoluted route I took. I did however find a path just before the summit and made a mental note for my return leg, which took an hour down the mountain and another hour down the road. Just as well I found the path or that helicopter might have had to come back.

[adeejaysdelight]

A few more

[VNA]

Now you did have a map, didn't you?

Also if you are on walkhighlands you can zoom into get 1:25000.  Bing maps is even better, full OS maps at 1:50000 and zoom into 1:25000.  If you huvnae got the OS map just print out what you need. 

There are lots of ways you get up Ben Vorlich.  The most popular way up by the looks of things is just short of where you chose to go up.  It's marked Lag Dubh on the map, and you can see it's not quite as steep and there's nae crags in the way. 

A lot if folks head up from Ardlui as well. 

Fine views from up there though - eh?

[nick crisp]

This Is What It's All About!

Thought you might be interested in a typical 2 night wild camping walk from my 2 month Lake District trip.

Started at "base camp" near Keswick:



The smaller thing was an attempt at a simple bivi shelter, cut from an old tent. It didn't get used beyond this set up  :lol
Great views from this camp site though.



The walk started along the foot of Walla and Falcon Crags:



And on to Ashness Bridge:



And view back to Skiddaw:



From there, it was on to Watendlath, and then the climb up to Greenup Edge, past Blea Tarn:



It got really boggy here, and I shipped a couple of bootfulls. A tiring slog with full kit on my back, plus 2 days worth of food.

Helvellyn from atop Greenup Edge:



So evening was drawing on, and I'm getting really tired. Then I lost the path and wanted to find a place to stop for the night. Wandered over to the right; nope, only steep drops to the valley below. Ok, stop & think. This was where the mountain navigation course I'd done the previous weekend came in handy. Managed to identify where I was on the map, and used contours and features to pinpoint a likely place for camp. It showed some flat-ish areas, and a stream, so I'd have a water source for brews and cooking. Walked on a compass bearing and amazed myself when I hit on almost exactly the point I'd chosen!  :lol

[nick crisp]

Evening camp that night:



Woke up to a beautiful morning; yes indeed, this is what it's all about!:



Set out, continuing along Greenup:



...to the top of High Raise:



Next destination was the Langdale Pikes:



View of Great Langdale from the top of Harrison Stickle, highest point on the Pikes:



Now heading down to Stickle Tarn, that night's camp site:



Did a bit of evening scrambling; once again, spot the tent:



And a last bit of evening sunshine on the crags, before turning in for the night:



This is why I want to move up to Cumbria! 

[adeejaysdelight]

It is very beautiful Nick. Very beautiful indeed. I can certainly see why you may want to move there. Don't go to the Austrian Alps, whatever you do. You'll be in lederhosen before you can say [color=rgb(33, 33, 33)]wunderbar.[/color]
Unfortunately your overnight wild campsite choice would only work in the winter here. Having water nearby is sure handy, the midge's would definitely agree!!! :lol



I am heading out on Saturday with my mate to tackle Ben Ime and Ben Vane. The weather is looking awful, which is nice. It adds to the challenge (although detracts from the photography).

Keep them pictures comming

[nick crisp]

Have a good one Adee, go careful mate.

I'll see if I can put another little trip in pictures together at a later date.

Funny thing is, you do get midgies in the Lake District too. But I never had a problem in the hills, even on a still, warm evening. But I got eaten alive on my last morning at the campsite in Keswick; little buggers were waiting for me outside the tent first thing to say goodbye as I packed up for the last time!  :lol And no bloody open water there either  :\

[adeejaysdelight]

little buggers were waiting for me outside the tent first thing to say goodbye as I packed up for the last time!  :lol 

:rollin :rollin :rollin