Grim Jim Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 Feck, I'm stalking you tonight! I've hardly walked my own length these past couple of years, but Ben More was one of my favourites. Much depends on weather and circumstances of course, but enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 In my ongoing quest to get fit for the Inca Trail in a few weeks I climbed Schiehallion at the weekend (my first Munro!!0. Not sure if anyone has done it before but that boulder field over the last third of the climb is an absolute bugger going up and down!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 Congratulations! I did Schiehallion in '95 and 2018. That's the last time I've been up a Munro I do remember being very unsteady on the summit boulders as the wind battered us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 49 minutes ago, Grim Jim said: Congratulations! I did Schiehallion in '95 and 2018. That's the last time I've been up a Munro I do remember being very unsteady on the summit boulders as the wind battered us. Yeah the weather most of the way up was fine but as we got to the boulder field and then at the summit it was very windy and bloody freezing so we didn't hang about too long. To be honest I'm glad I did it and I "enjoyed" it overall but I'm not sure I'd rush to Schiehallion again as the boulder section was just a slog. I climbed Ben Vrackie up that way a few weeks ago and it was a much more enjoyable climb and actually a bit tougher overall even though it's a good but smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 2 hours ago, Fairbairn said: In my ongoing quest to get fit for the Inca Trail in a few weeks I climbed Schiehallion at the weekend (my first Munro!!0. Not sure if anyone has done it before but that boulder field over the last third of the climb is an absolute bugger going up and down!! That wasn't the best one to pick for your first one. It's enough to put some folk off for life. 🤣 It's a long time since I did it, but I seem to remember it being fairly boring and tedious apart from the "excitement" of scrambling about in all those boulders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted July 25, 2023 Share Posted July 25, 2023 14 minutes ago, Orraloon said: That wasn't the best one to pick for your first one. It's enough to put some folk off for life. 🤣 It's a long time since I did it, but I seem to remember it being fairly boring and tedious apart from the "excitement" of scrambling about in all those boulders. A couple of things I'd read said it was one of the easier ones so that's why we chose it (that and being in Pitlochry for the weekend!). It wasn't overly difficult, just the boulders required a lot of concentration and seemed a bit never ending at one point. I'd imagine that section must be responsible for quite a few strains and broken ankles over the years! I'm hoping to get another Munro in before I head off with Ben Lomond looking the most likely in a couple of weeks time (with Arthur's Seat in as a stop gap next weekend!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ramy 1314 Posted August 1, 2023 Author Share Posted August 1, 2023 Scotland is the most beautiful country in the the world.... Fuck sake, enjoy what you have. I'm only back 7 weeks and I'm homesick.. 🏴❤️🏴❤️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDYER63 Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 On 7/25/2023 at 11:18 AM, Fairbairn said: Yeah the weather most of the way up was fine but as we got to the boulder field and then at the summit it was very windy and bloody freezing so we didn't hang about too long. To be honest I'm glad I did it and I "enjoyed" it overall but I'm not sure I'd rush to Schiehallion again as the boulder section was just a slog. I climbed Ben Vrackie up that way a few weeks ago and it was a much more enjoyable climb and actually a bit tougher overall even though it's a good but smaller. We climbed Ben Vrackie during covid at a time when we were able to move out our areas. We went to Pitlochry for 3 days and decided to climb it. I had no idea how challenging it would be for someone with no hill walking experience whatsoever. The information on it suggested it would be not too tough. I went up it in a pair of old boots with little grip and which were in no way walking boots. It was October and miserable, we couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of us in some places it was so misty and damp . Plus the normal path was closed and an alternative route was the only way up and a lot of scrambling. My husband kept walking way ahead, i was totally shiteing myself. It was like being in an eerie movie . Got to the top by some miracle and was so happy . I went to take a pic as there was some wee monument thing and my phone had totally run out of battery 😩 So we have absolutely no record of the achievement at all. Coming down was worse in parts than going up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 1 hour ago, TDYER63 said: We climbed Ben Vrackie during covid at a time when we were able to move out our areas. We went to Pitlochry for 3 days and decided to climb it. I had no idea how challenging it would be for someone with no hill walking experience whatsoever. The information on it suggested it would be not too tough. I went up it in a pair of old boots with little grip and which were in no way walking boots. It was October and miserable, we couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of us in some places it was so misty and damp . Plus the normal path was closed and an alternative route was the only way up and a lot of scrambling. My husband kept walking way ahead, i was totally shiteing myself. It was like being in an eerie movie . Got to the top by some miracle and was so happy . I went to take a pic as there was some wee monument thing and my phone had totally run out of battery 😩 So we have absolutely no record of the achievement at all. Coming down was worse in parts than going up. If you ain't got the photo, it didn't happen. 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDYER63 Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 47 minutes ago, Orraloon said: If you ain't got the photo, it didn't happen. 🤣 😂 I may not have a photo but the image will forever be ingrained in my head. Apart from the Blackpool Wild Mouse and accessing The Devils Pulpit through a totally unconventional method its the 3rd most scary thing I have ever done 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 18 hours ago, TDYER63 said: We climbed Ben Vrackie during covid at a time when we were able to move out our areas. We went to Pitlochry for 3 days and decided to climb it. I had no idea how challenging it would be for someone with no hill walking experience whatsoever. The information on it suggested it would be not too tough. I went up it in a pair of old boots with little grip and which were in no way walking boots. It was October and miserable, we couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of us in some places it was so misty and damp . Plus the normal path was closed and an alternative route was the only way up and a lot of scrambling. My husband kept walking way ahead, i was totally shiteing myself. It was like being in an eerie movie . Got to the top by some miracle and was so happy . I went to take a pic as there was some wee monument thing and my phone had totally run out of battery 😩 So we have absolutely no record of the achievement at all. Coming down was worse in parts than going up. With all those steps I can't imagine the second half of Ben Vrackie would have been much fun in that kind of weather. We were lucky in that it was a cracking day. I said to my other half when we were on Schiehallion when we got to the boulder field that if the weather had been poor we'd probably have turned back. I'm going through to Edinburgh for the weekend tomorrow so the plan is to hit Arthur's Seat early on Friday morning. Not quite in the same league as some that I've been tackling recently but keeps the legs going! I'm hoping to fit in Ben Lomond in the next few weeks too and then that should hopefully be me ready for the Andes! 😬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 Maybe if we all post our 1st Munro pics we can cheer Tidy up? I've redacted mine from sheer embarrassment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDYER63 Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 4 hours ago, Fairbairn said: With all those steps I can't imagine the second half of Ben Vrackie would have been much fun in that kind of weather. We were lucky in that it was a cracking day. I said to my other half when we were on Schiehallion when we got to the boulder field that if the weather had been poor we'd probably have turned back. I'm going through to Edinburgh for the weekend tomorrow so the plan is to hit Arthur's Seat early on Friday morning. Not quite in the same league as some that I've been tackling recently but keeps the legs going! I'm hoping to fit in Ben Lomond in the next few weeks too and then that should hopefully be me ready for the Andes! 😬 Honestly FB it was scary as hell. There was a sort of big pond thing about half way up, it was so misty, I was half expecting zombies to emerge from the water. My husband had moved ahead at that point so i was on my own, I am shouting on him and no reply. I was nearly greetin. I finally caught up with him then we encountered the steps. A bit further on a couple were coming the opposite way, they were on their way back down. I was saying how bad it was and they said that it got worse. At that point though I thought ‘fuck it, how much worse can it get ‘. Errm a fair bit unfortunately. I am sure on a nice day it would be less dangerous, but on the other hand at least the mist helped disguise what lay ahead ! Went up Arthurs seat a few years ago. In January, blowing a gale, and once again Mr Tidy decides to take the unconventional path up. I was clinging on for dear life . Under normal circumstances it should be fairly easy walk but not in the middle of winter, strong winds and some random ascent to the top. I am sure he is trying to kill me off. There were folk just wandering up the path and we were hugging boulders trying to not fall off. Between these 2 experiences and the descent he took to the Devils Pulpit , which was easily the worst experience of my life , it is all a bit too convenient. Good luck with Ben Lomond ! 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDYER63 Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 3 minutes ago, Grim Jim said: Maybe if we all post our 1st Munro pics we can cheer Tidy up? I've redacted mine from sheer embarrassment. 😂 nice shorts . How about a ‘then’ and ‘now’ screenshot ? Though i am very impressed with the climb 💪 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 9 minutes ago, Grim Jim said: Maybe if we all post our 1st Munro pics we can cheer Tidy up? I've redacted mine from sheer embarrassment. Of all the things that you could have redacted in that picture you chose the face?! 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phart Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Grim Jim said: Maybe if we all post our 1st Munro pics we can cheer Tidy up? I've redacted mine from sheer embarrassment. Too many TAMBers guilty of cutting about in dasiy dukes back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 57 minutes ago, Fairbairn said: Of all the things that you could have redacted in that picture you chose the face?! 🤣 🙈😄 @TDYER63 30 years on, my last hill (only 743m or something). Pre-COVID though, so probably put more weight on in last 3 years than in previous 30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 1 minute ago, phart said: Too many TAMBers guilty of cutting about in dasiy dukes back in the day. Only where nobody would ever see me 😳 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDYER63 Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Grim Jim said: 🙈😄 @TDYER63 30 years on, my last hill (only 743m or something). Pre-COVID though, so probably put more weight on in last 3 years than in previous 30. Still looks more impressive than my pathetic effort. This was Ben ann a few years ago , it was a bit trickier than this picture makes out , it doesn’t look high at all it looks like I have climbed a wee hill to roll my egg down. The handbag and jewellery probably dont help paint a picture of an exhilarating hill climb either 😁 I have no idea how to put a mask over my face on a photo so just scribbled it out . On the other hand, this is my brother. Have no idea where it was but looks like a proper mountain ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 I just pished myself at the scribling; an even more satisfying new art form than tumshie hieds? Especially your brother's head exploding just as he gains the ridge of feck knows where ... Great phoaties though, and Ben A'an is a great wee mountain. A southern Stac Pollaidh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Jim Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 It took me a couple of hills to realise that thee were paths up most of them (after getting me and the missus into some stupid situations back in the day), but not this one. Beinn a'Chrulaiste anyone? Mushy grass for most of it, unless I missed the path again? Starting opposite the Devil's Staircase ... ...some good views. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 15 hours ago, TDYER63 said: Still looks more impressive than my pathetic effort. This was Ben ann a few years ago , it was a bit trickier than this picture makes out , it doesn’t look high at all it looks like I have climbed a wee hill to roll my egg down. The handbag and jewellery probably dont help paint a picture of an exhilarating hill climb either 😁 I have no idea how to put a mask over my face on a photo so just scribbled it out . On the other hand, this is my brother. Have no idea where it was but looks like a proper mountain ! We did Ben A'an a few weeks ago. Definitely tougher than it looks. Not much bigger (if at all?) than Conic Hill but definitely trickier. Not helped by us taking the wrong path at one point and faced by something that Edmund Hillary would have balked at (I may be exaggerating for comedic effect.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 Goat Fell last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 Ben Vrackie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairbairn Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 Ben A’an Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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