Spectre on Vorlich

Graham Ingram typed:

Good to get a mountain in and be back home just after 11 am !

What a shame ... does that mean you had to take the wife Christmas shopping
on Princes Street in the afternoon :-)?
--
Andy Crawford
www.chiadfhear.co.uk

Remove "my boots" to e-mail me

Sounds good. What's the path like now? I heard there was a lot of damage
after the flooding earlier in the year. I had been planning to lead some
friends up Ben Vorlich and maybe onto Stuc a' Chroin but I've heard tale of
bridges swept away and paths turned into ravines so I've steered clear.
How's things now?

Cheers, Jiffy

"Jiffy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sounds good. What's the path like now? I heard there was a lot of

damage

Quoted message said:

after the flooding earlier in the year. I had been planning to lead

some

Quoted message said:

friends up Ben Vorlich and maybe onto Stuc a' Chroin but I've heard

tale of

Quoted message said:

bridges swept away and paths turned into ravines so I've steered

clear.

Quoted message said:

How's things now?

The road is still closed at Edinample but if you come in from St
Fillans the south road is clear all the way to Ardvorlich house. The
land rover track is sound as always and after that there is a new (
since I was last up ) fully repaired track that effectively goes all
the way to the summit. The lower stretches are raised gravel over what
used to be the bofggiest bit and even further up the hill the path is
fully restored. There are about 2 sections on the steeper pulls which
are now stone staircases, treacherous yesterday with a film of ice on
them so I walked up the hill next to the stones as many others have
done judging by the erosion stating to widen the path. This path goes
all the way to the last pull to the summit. So no route finding
difficulties and easy walking. 1 hour 45 to the summit and 1hr 15
down. I have to say I am not keen on manufactured paths like this
and have been on 3 new ones this year which in my opinion have taken
something from the original character of the hill. Schiehallion,
Braeriach and Vorlich.

Cheers
Graham

"Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I have to say I am not keen on manufactured paths like this
and have been on 3 new ones this year which in my opinion have taken
something from the original character of the hill. Schiehallion,
Braeriach and Vorlich.

Which one on Braeriach has been done?

"Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Jiffy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sounds good. What's the path like now? I heard there was a lot of

damage

Quoted message said:

after the flooding earlier in the year. I had been planning to lead

some

Quoted message said:

friends up Ben Vorlich and maybe onto Stuc a' Chroin but I've heard

tale of

Quoted message said:

bridges swept away and paths turned into ravines so I've steered

clear.

Quoted message said:

How's things now?

The road is still closed at Edinample but if you come in from St
Fillans the south road is clear all the way to Ardvorlich house. The
land rover track is sound as always and after that there is a new (
since I was last up ) fully repaired track that effectively goes all
the way to the summit. The lower stretches are raised gravel over what
used to be the bofggiest bit and even further up the hill the path is
fully restored. There are about 2 sections on the steeper pulls which
are now stone staircases, treacherous yesterday with a film of ice on
them so I walked up the hill next to the stones as many others have
done judging by the erosion stating to widen the path. This path goes
all the way to the last pull to the summit. So no route finding
difficulties and easy walking. 1 hour 45 to the summit and 1hr 15
down. I have to say I am not keen on manufactured paths like this
and have been on 3 new ones this year which in my opinion have taken
something from the original character of the hill. Schiehallion,
Braeriach and Vorlich.

Cheers
Graham

I noticed that they seem to be constructing one of these paths through the
Chalaman Gap, this will completely ruin the whole character of this unique
and interesting feature! and why? I didn't see any significant signs of
erosion or indeed how it could be significantly eroded! Of course building a
motorway of a path to it and through it should attract the hoards, could
become a picnic site, and in a few years will look like a disused land fill
site!

"AndyP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I have to say I am not keen on manufactured paths like this
and have been on 3 new ones this year which in my opinion have

taken

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

something from the original character of the hill. Schiehallion,
Braeriach and Vorlich.

Which one on Braeriach has been done?

As Stuart indicates in another post in this thread there has been a
lot of work done on the approach to the Chalamain Gap, including
levelling huge slabs to form a pavement at least a third of the way
into the gap from the north east, and again as Stuart says, the
character of this area is in danger of being lost. They are also
working in other areas of the approach to the gap with a mini digger
and bags of rubble by the side of the track. The second major path
building on Braeriach itself is from where you cross the Lairig Ghru
and used to climb directly to where the Sinclair hut was and on
upwards, they have now constructed another gravel and slab path that
leads slightly south into the Lairig Ghru for about 100 mtrs then
directly up to the bealach before the steeper bit of the north ridge
leading to Sron na Lairige. Parts of this path are again, like
Vorlich, laid into staircases up the steeper bits.

Although I can see the argument to stem erosion I think some of the
"wildness" of this area in particular is being lost. It also
encourages those not fully equipped for the hill to follow a well made
path in the belief that this is an easy and safe environment IMHO.

cheers
Graham

"Stuart" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Graham Ingram" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Jiffy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I noticed that they seem to be constructing one of these paths

through the

Quoted message said:

Chalaman Gap, this will completely ruin the whole character of this

unique

Quoted message said:

and interesting feature! and why? I didn't see any significant signs

of

Quoted message said:

erosion or indeed how it could be significantly eroded! Of course

building a

Quoted message said:

motorway of a path to it and through it should attract the hoards,

could

Quoted message said:

become a picnic site, and in a few years will look like a disused

land fill

Quoted message said:

site!

Agreed, agreed and agreed !

Cheers
Graham

Chalamain Gap and the surrounding area being pathed? I'm shocked and
horrified -genuinely! If people can't cope with uneasy ground they
shouldn't be there! Chalamain Gap is not easy to walk through, its a
clamber, but it's this that makes the walk so special.

Jhimmy

Why dont they leave a section near the car park in its foul eroded
state.. A granny stopper, and then concemtrate on protecting the hill
further in.

I hate eroded paths... the solution is so easy - go another way.

I wonder if the erosion lovers have similar views on the pony tracks
thatmake life so pleasant when walking in the Highlands?

I would add... that removing /taming boulder fields is NOT hill
protection, simply vandalism. Leave the gap alone....

Richard Webb

Graham Ingram typed:

Had another early morning start and another local Munro ... Took a wander
up Ben Vorlich ( Loch Earn ) <snip>

Apologies for the Christmas shopping post ... Have you tried the Stuc a
Chroin and Vorlich round from Glen Artney Church car park?

Walk in to Arivurichardich then take the 'natural' hill track from behind
the cottage all the way to the top of Stuc a Chroin, descend the 'scramble'
or take the easy way around it then Vorlich is a straight-forward, easy
ascent from the bealach.

From the summit, there's a 'natural' path down the broad, southern shoulder
back to join the main track.

It's a long, but very rewarding day, away from the crowds - until you reach
the tops that is!!

--
Andy Crawford
www.chiadfhear.co.uk

Remove "my boots" to e-mail me

Thanks Graham. It sounds like they've more than repaired the track. The old
one seemed more than adequate to me.

Cheers, Jiffy

In article <[email hidden]>, Andy Crawford
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Have you tried the Stuc a
Chroin and Vorlich round from Glen Artney Church car park?

Walk in to Arivurichardich then take the 'natural' hill track from behind
the cottage all the way to the top of Stuc a Chroin, descend the 'scramble'
or take the easy way around it then Vorlich is a straight-forward, easy
ascent from the bealach.

From the summit, there's a 'natural' path down the broad, southern shoulder
back to join the main track.

Hi Andy and all,

I've had my eye on this route for a while, but starting at Callander
which is nearer for me. It's possible to park at the Keltie bridge
about two km above the Bracklinn Falls where a track north heads for
Arivurichardich.

I'm assuming there are no access problems - I had a recce. on a spare
afternoon a couple of weeks ago, but the road was blocked for repairs to
the summer's flood damage.
--

Russ Clare