Easiest Munros

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Martin Richardson said:

There are 283 easy ones and the other one just needs a bit of nerve
and a friend with a rope.

Nice one Martin! That's the beauty of the British hills. Almost anyone can
climb almost all of them.

Then all I can say is that you have different standards from me. Or a
different age and infirmity level...

I've had some tough times on many of the Munros (28 to my name). Mainly
coming down.

--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Martin Richardson said:

Quoted message said:

> There are 283 easy ones and the other one just needs a bit of nerve
> and a friend with a rope.

Nice one Martin! That's the beauty of the British hills. Almost
anyone can climb almost all of them.

It's not like we have any real mountains here! ;-)

You are so right - Scotland is a bit like walking in Lincolnshire

Quite. Fractionally harder of course, but only a minimal difference.
Compared to mountains in a world sense we're really fortunate to live in
such a flat country.

In a critical sense, our mountains seem to end where real mountains begin
(at the border between what's possible for the majority and what isn't).

That may be true. On a visit to Chamonix I was unmoved by the mountains.
I think that the attraction of the Scottish mountains - for me at least
- is to think that "I could get up there...". But the Alps. No chance,
and that diminished the view for me.

--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Bernard Hill wrote:

Call me biased, but why not visit Wales instead? Most summits in Wales
probably fit your criteria. Why limit yourself to 10, you could do almost
the whole lot! And the others wouldn't be very hard.

Been there. I was completely shocked by the number of people on Snowdon.

By preference I am a solo walker, and I really love the isolation. On
some Munros I have been dismayed to find as many as 50 people on the
same mountain (eg Ben Lawers, Tarmachan, Ben More (Mull), Cairngorms.
Compared with not a soul on recent visits to the Drumochter and
Monadhliath Munros. Wonderful.

Otherwise I'd probably enjoy the Lakes more.

However I am holidaying in Dolgellau in September. If you were to
recommend lonely wild walks in the area that would be great. No need to
go up, although I do like that, but the valleys have their attractions
too.

--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

Bernard Hill said:

By preference I am a solo walker, and I really love the isolation.

Perhaps dandering around in the NW would suit you better, just enjoying
the general area rather than concentrating on summits?

Another alternative would be something like the hut to hut trip Roos and
I just did in Norway: get your timing right (avoid Easter, very
specifically!) and get away from the trailheads and you may meet very
few folk: days passed between sightings. With sleeping and cooking gear
in the huts taken care of, no need to carry a big pack to spend days
away in the middle of nowhere.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Richard Spencer said:

Oh, do Breariach from Glenfeshie - leave the car at Achlean, and if you
are canny, have the lady in your life pick you up at the Sugar Loaf car
park at the end of the day, but otherwise, just return to Achlean.
Fabulous views, and damn' few people about!

Good place to leave the car, but a round about way and hell of a trek to
Breariach round the head of Loch Einich! If you're going up that way you
might as well leave Breariach and take in Carn ban Mor, Sgurr Goithe and
maybe Mulach clach a Blair (all dubious spellings!)

Jim Ford

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

Quoted message said:

Most remote? A Mhaighdean, Seana Bhraigh, Ben Avon and Beinn
Mheadhoin. This last one also requires a scramble to reach the highest
point.
--

Ben Alder is pretty remote as well.

Bernard Hill said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There are 283 easy ones and the other one just needs a bit of nerve
and a friend with a rope.

Nice one Martin! That's the beauty of the British hills. Almost
anyone can climb almost all of them.

Then all I can say is that you have different standards from me. Or a
different age and infirmity level...

Okay, let's rephrase that. Almost any reasonably fit person can climb almost
all of them. Granted, a lot of people in the UK these days are not what I'd
class "reasonably fit" (including myself at the moment).

Quoted message said:

I've had some tough times on many of the Munros (28 to my name).
Mainly coming down.

Walking poles.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/

Bernard Hill said:

Quoted message said:

In a critical sense, our mountains seem to end where real mountains
begin (at the border between what's possible for the majority and
what isn't).

That may be true. On a visit to Chamonix I was unmoved by the
mountains. I think that the attraction of the Scottish mountains -
for me at least - is to think that "I could get up there...".

I think that was the main point I was making. Most people can "climb a
mountain" in this country, but in some countries the high mountains are a
no-go zone for the majority. Something to be looked at rather than
experienced first hand.

Quoted message said:

But the
Alps. No chance, and that diminished the view for me.

Really? I'm sure I'd enjoy photographing them even if I couldn't climb them.
Which is a different kind of "bagging".

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/

Bernard Hill said:

Quoted message said:

Call me biased, but why not visit Wales instead? Most summits in
Wales probably fit your criteria. Why limit yourself to 10, you
could do almost the whole lot! And the others wouldn't be very hard.

Been there.

Done that? What, the whole of Wales?

Quoted message said:

I was completely shocked by the number of people on
Snowdon.

Yes, Snowdon is extreme. I once camped near the Watkin path and counted 200
people walking by in the space of an hour. And that's just one of five or
so popular paths.

Quoted message said:

By preference I am a solo walker, and I really love the isolation.

Same here. There are plenty of empty mountains in Wales too. Some are
usually empty, even at busy times, particulary in Mid Wales. Others that are
very popular, like Pen y Fan, can be empty at certain times, it's just a
matter of picking your times. Mid-week out of season is best for the more
popular summits. And my favourite tactic is to start really early on summer
days, like 4am or 5am. You can have an entire mountain to yourself for a few
hours and then return to the car just as the first walkers are setting off.

Quoted message said:

However I am holidaying in Dolgellau in September. If you were to
recommend lonely wild walks in the area that would be great.

Well Cadair Idris is the obvious honeypot there, but I daresay some of the
lesser summits in the range could be fairly quiet. The Tarren Hills and Dfyi
Forest area to the south and south east are probably very quiet, although
I've yet to visit those. The obvious choice for me would be the Rhinogs,
although it's not the easiest area to gain access to, and the walking can be
very rough in places. Best to stick to the paths and the ridges in that
area.

Quoted message said:

No need
to go up, although I do like that, but the valleys have their
attractions too.

Due to the shape of the mountains in Snowdonia, most valleys have roads in
them, so I don't consider it a very good area for valley walking. The
Beacons have some nice valleys.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/

Peter Clinch said:

Perhaps dandering around in the NW would suit you better, just enjoying
the general area rather than concentrating on summits?

indeed the Manchester Evening News from what I remember used to run a
walks special once a week producing some very special walks in the NW
such as reach for the cloud (Cloud plantation Macclesfield) is just
one example of what one can find where the area isn't popular you get
wilderness ;-)
--
Gwyn. [email hidden]
Remove rem if replying

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Bernard Hill said:

Quoted message said:

In a critical sense, our mountains seem to end where real mountains
begin (at the border between what's possible for the majority and
what isn't).

That may be true. On a visit to Chamonix I was unmoved by the
mountains. I think that the attraction of the Scottish mountains -
for me at least - is to think that "I could get up there...".

I think that was the main point I was making. Most people can "climb a
mountain" in this country, but in some countries the high mountains are a
no-go zone for the majority. Something to be looked at rather than
experienced first hand.

Quoted message said:

But the
Alps. No chance, and that diminished the view for me.

Really? I'm sure I'd enjoy photographing them even if I couldn't climb them.
Which is a different kind of "bagging".

OK, maybe "View" was the wrong word. "Experience" would be better.
However photographing was not easy, perspective was not good in the
views we had in the narrow valley.

--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Bernard Hill said:

I've had some tough times on many of the Munros (28 to my name).
Mainly coming down.

Walking poles.

Got them. Would not be without them, simply for coming down. But always
tough times when dropping more than about 9" in one step, and on the
unpathed Munros or those with boulder fields the difficult terrain is
painful.

--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Bernard Hill said:

Quoted message said:

Call me biased, but why not visit Wales instead? Most summits in
Wales probably fit your criteria. Why limit yourself to 10, you
could do almost the whole lot! And the others wouldn't be very hard.

Been there.

Done that? What, the whole of Wales?

In the American Tourist sense only. As in "We did Wales yesterday".

Quoted message said:

And my favourite tactic is to start really early on summer
days, like 4am or 5am. You can have an entire mountain to yourself for a few
hours and then return to the car just as the first walkers are setting off.

Ouch! I have great difficulty waking up at any time, never mind 4am.
It's congenital. My dad had it, one of my children has it. Don't laugh,
it's a real problem.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

However I am holidaying in Dolgellau in September. If you were to
recommend lonely wild walks in the area that would be great.

Well Cadair Idris is the obvious honeypot there, but I daresay some of the
lesser summits in the range could be fairly quiet. The Tarren Hills and Dfyi
Forest area to the south and south east are probably very quiet, although
I've yet to visit those. The obvious choice for me would be the Rhinogs,
although it's not the easiest area to gain access to, and the walking can be
very rough in places. Best to stick to the paths and the ridges in that
area.

Excellent, thanks. I will look into these.
--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

Phil Cook said:

Paul Saunders said:

Phil Cook said:

A good place to start mountain bagging with a view to quality hills is
Ralph Storer's 100 Best Scottish Mountain Routes
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0751518905

There wouldn't be a simple list of those routes on the net somewhere, would
there?

It should be on the Amazon site but the "Search Inside" feature seems
to be borked for that book.

After reporting the fact to Amazon they have fixed it. You can look at
the contents and index as well as getting the first three routes which
are The Cobler, Ben Lomond and Ben Venue.

The inside information on 50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay gives the
routes for Sgurr nan Gillean, Sgurr Beag with Sgurr na h-Uamha and Am
Basteir.

--
Phil Cook, last hill: Angletarn Pikes via Beda Fell.
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/May07/martin9.htm

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

Quoted message said:

Ouch! I have great difficulty waking up at any time, never mind 4am. It's
congenital. My dad had it, one of my children has it. Don't laugh, it's a
real problem.

Yes I have that problem as well. In fact, when I wake up I feel worse than
when I went to bed, which makes me wonder sometimes whether there was any
point in going to bed in the first place.

Adam

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Ouch! I have great difficulty waking up at any time, never mind 4am. It's
congenital. My dad had it, one of my children has it. Don't laugh, it's a
real problem.

Yes I have that problem as well. In fact, when I wake up I feel worse than
when I went to bed, which makes me wonder sometimes whether there was any
point in going to bed in the first place.

Me2. I dare not "nap" in the daytime because then there are 2 mornings
in one day and I feel dreadful.

It's a real affliction, there should be a name for it.

--
Bernard Hill
Selkirk, Scotland

Bernard Hill said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Ouch! I have great difficulty waking up at any time, never mind 4am. It's
congenital. My dad had it, one of my children has it. Don't laugh, it's a
real problem.

Yes I have that problem as well. In fact, when I wake up I feel worse than
when I went to bed, which makes me wonder sometimes whether there was any
point in going to bed in the first place.

Me2. I dare not "nap" in the daytime because then there are 2 mornings
in one day and I feel dreadful.

It's a real affliction, there should be a name for it.

I always thought it was called "Judith".

I dozed off yesterday evening and, I'm not joking, it took me at least
half an hour to work out what day it was when I woke up. I love
sleeping, but waking up is something I never really learned to do.

Judith

Bernard Hill said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Adam Lea
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Ouch! I have great difficulty waking up at any time, never mind 4am. It's
congenital. My dad had it, one of my children has it. Don't laugh, it's a
real problem.

Yes I have that problem as well. In fact, when I wake up I feel worse than
when I went to bed, which makes me wonder sometimes whether there was any
point in going to bed in the first place.

Quoted message said:

Me2. I dare not "nap" in the daytime because then there are 2 mornings
in one day and I feel dreadful.

Quoted message said:

It's a real affliction, there should be a name for it.

Morning sickness? 🙂

Roos

Judith said:

On Sat, 28 Jul 2007 18:56:07 +0100, Bernard Hill
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Ouch! I have great difficulty waking up at any time, never mind 4am. It's
> congenital. My dad had it, one of my children has it. Don't laugh, it's a
> real problem.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yes I have that problem as well. In fact, when I wake up I feel worse than
when I went to bed, which makes me wonder sometimes whether there was any
point in going to bed in the first place.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Me2. I dare not "nap" in the daytime because then there are 2 mornings
in one day and I feel dreadful.

It's a real affliction, there should be a name for it.

Quoted message said:

I always thought it was called "Judith".

Quoted message said:

I dozed off yesterday evening and, I'm not joking, it took me at least
half an hour to work out what day it was when I woke up.

That's why my bedside clock tells me what day it is :-)

--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

Chris Malcolm said:

Judith <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I dozed off yesterday evening and, I'm not joking, it took me at least
half an hour to work out what day it was when I woke up.

That's why my bedside clock tells me what day it is :-)

What make is it? Does it do twentyfour hour clock?

I sometimes have trouble figuring out which five o'clock it is when I
wake up in the winter :-/
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Angletarn Pikes via Beda Fell.
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/May07/martin9.htm