Drove up last night and slept in a wind-rocked car, things didnt' look too good. Got up at dawn and biked in (occasionally pushing) to Fannich Lodge - good quality road starts from sign saying "Fannich Estate" NH 3124 6256 on the A832. The wind was threatening to be a real pain and continued throughout the day, it was also intermittent rain and sleet, funny how only a week ago I got sunburnt! Left the bike at Fannich Lodge and walked north up an obvious ridge to the west of Coire Riabhach straight to the summit of Meall Gorm, the Fannichs to the west looked quite impressive in the cloud gaps, it was a straightforward bimble to the south east and up from the bealach to An Coileachan (30 minutes from summit to summit), from here the views further SE to An Eigin looked good but no time to visit. GPS track is showing a straight line from summit back to Fannich Lodge to collect the bike. The walking part took 3 hours, with another two hours on the bike to/from Fannich Lodge. Another bike lying near Fannich Lodge suggests someone else was up there today (one person seen on the lower slops of An Coileachan), I hope they had as much fun as I had on the bike back to the main road, there was a *lot* of downhill! Now I can forgive myself for staying in the bar too long last Autumn when I was supposed to do these two in conjuction with Sgurr Mor and Beinn Liath Mhor Fannich :-)
The message <[email hidden]> from "KRO" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
Quoted message said:
The walking part took 3 hours, with another two hours on the bike to/from Fannich Lodge.
It is a long way if you walk the road section as well but then it is probably even longer if you approach from the North but at least that way you pick up a few more Munros.
I originally did the Fannichs from the North but made the mistake of trying to escape NE to the road at the end of the day rather than return along the ridge. The over aged heather and peat hags below combined to make some of the toughest going I have ever experienced.
The trip in from the South was an Easter visit some years later with a friend who wanted to visit the Southern 2 Munros. In retrospect I think I should have let him go alone. :-)
-- Roger Chapman so far this year 27 summits New - 16 (Marilyns 4, Sweats 1, Outlying Fells 11) Repeats - 11( Marilyns 2, Sweats 6, Wainwrights 11) Knackered knee - 3 times
On Wed, 19 May 2004 22:04:03 +0100, Roger <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
The message <[email hidden]> from "KRO" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
Quoted message said:
The walking part took 3 hours, with another two hours on the bike to/from Fannich Lodge.
It is a long way if you walk the road section as well but then it is probably even longer if you approach from the North but at least that way you pick up a few more Munros.
Anything is preferable to the hell that is the Torrain Dubh (Northerly approach from th webcam)
Left the bike at Fannich Lodge and walked north up an obvious ridge to the west of Coire Riabhach straight to the summit of Meall Gorm, the Fannichs to the west looked quite impressive in the cloud gaps, it was a straightforward bimble to the south east and up from the bealach to An Coileachan
Quoted message said:
Now I can forgive myself for staying in the bar too long last Autumn when I was supposed to do these two in conjuction with Sgurr Mor and Beinn Liath Mhor Fannich :-)
I've got Meall Gorm and An Coileachan to do. So I'll have to take my bike up there too.
I was on the Fannichs earlier this month. I walked in from the north to camp by Loch a Mhadaidh. The plan was to do the western ones on day one and then the eastern ones on day two. However day one was [censored] poor weather-wise and I just set up the tent and mooched around all afternoon and evening. I woke once or twice in the night and found the tent covered in snow. The next morning I made my way up onto Meall a Chrasgaidh and then out to Sgurr nan Each via Sgurr nan Clach Geala before coming back to bag Sgurr Mor and Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, then returning to the tent by way of the stalkers path that leads off the ridge between the last two. Six Munros (five actually but one twice) in one day is a personal record. The next day I had thoughts about going out and finishing the Fannichs off, but lethargy set in and I made my way back to the car.
This page is under construction, I need to get round to the TR but the pictures are there. p-t-p-t-Open ↗ cook.freeserve.co.uk/May04/fannich.htm -- Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks" 95/284 5/219 c.100/300 (>900m with drop>100m )
The message <[email hidden]> from [email hidden] (RJ Webb) contains these words:
Quoted message said:
Anything is preferable to the hell that is the Torrain Dubh (Northerly approach from th webcam)
I don't suppose there was a webcam there back in 1990 (or maybe 1991) but that was the approximate line of my way off. I can assure you that it is even worse when you are knackered.
-- Roger Chapman so far this year 27 summits New - 16 (Marilyns 4, Sweats 1, Outlying Fells 11) Repeats - 11( Marilyns 2, Sweats 6, Wainwrights 11) Knackered knee - 3 times
"RJ Webb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Roger said:
The message <[email hidden]> from "KRO" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
Quoted message said:
The walking part took 3 hours, with another two hours on the bike to/from Fannich Lodge.
It is a long way if you walk the road section as well but then it is probably even longer if you approach from the North but at least that way you pick up a few more Munros.
Anything is preferable to the hell that is the Torrain Dubh (Northerly approach from th webcam)
Richard Webb
I walked in that way last year for Sgurr Mor/Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich and it was certainly no fun, the return was worse with my decision to return from the bealach between Sgurr M and BLMF down to Loch Li and then out via Abhainn a' Ghiuthais Li (BTW in case you didn't realise I'm referring to the map as I type!). There is a steep drop with waterfalls to the NW of Loch Li - the closest to coming a cropper I've been yet. I certainly didn't want to approach from the north again for the easterly summits, though I will be starting from the north for the westerly Fannichs. Sometime.
"RJ Webb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Roger said:
The message <[email hidden]> from "KRO" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
> The walking part took 3 hours, with another two hours > on the bike to/from Fannich Lodge.
It is a long way if you walk the road section as well but then it is probably even longer if you approach from the North but at least that way you pick up a few more Munros.
Anything is preferable to the hell that is the Torrain Dubh (Northerly approach from th webcam)
Richard Webb
I walked in that way last year for Sgurr Mor/Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich and it was certainly no fun, the return was worse with my decision to return from the bealach between Sgurr M and BLMF down to Loch Li and then out via Abhainn a' Ghiuthais Li (BTW in case you didn't realise I'm referring to the map as I type!). There is a steep drop with waterfalls to the NW of Loch Li - the closest to coming a cropper I've been yet. I certainly didn't want to approach from the north again for the easterly summits, though I will be starting from the north for the westerly Fannichs. Sometime.
If you must do the eastern Fannichs from the north then the way to go is via the Allt a' Mhadaidh track to the loch (landrover track as far as NH 215744 then an intermittent stalkers' path) then south-east to pick up the stalkers' path (which is not marked on the OS 50k but it runs from about NH 212721) to the ridge between BLMF and SM. getting from the path end at the lake outflow to the mountains is going to involve a bog-trot whichever way you turn. -- Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks" 95/284 5/219 c.100/300 (>900m with drop>100m )
"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I walked in that way last year for Sgurr Mor/Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich and it was certainly no fun, the return was worse with my decision to return from the bealach between Sgurr M and BLMF down to Loch Li and then out via Abhainn a' Ghiuthais Li (BTW in case you didn't realise I'm referring to the map as I type!). There is a steep drop with waterfalls to the NW of Loch Li - the closest to coming a cropper I've been yet. I certainly didn't want to approach from the north again for the easterly summits, though I will be starting from the north for the westerly Fannichs. Sometime.
KRO
On 14 May 1998 I traversed BLMF to Sgurr Mor and as I reached that top thunder was starting to rumble in the west. By the time I got back to the bealach it was much closer so I too descended SSE to get off the ridge as quickly as possible. By the time I reached Loch Li lightning was rippling along the ridges both north and south of me and for a while I took refuge (wisely or otherwise) under overhanging peat hags having left my walking poles some distance away. The rest of the walk out was a sodden walk over/through various bogs until the going improved at the Allt an Loch Sgeirich. Sadly the next day I found out that someone had made a descent north from the bealach to avoid the lightning and had a fatal fall.
"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
If you must do the eastern Fannichs from the north then the way to go is via the Allt a' Mhadaidh track to the loch (landrover track as far as NH 215744 then an intermittent stalkers' path) then south-east to pick up the stalkers' path (which is not marked on the OS 50k but it runs from about NH 212721) to the ridge between BLMF and SM. getting from the path end at the lake outflow to the mountains is going to involve a bog-trot whichever way you turn.
Lake? Can't find any on my map :-) Your route is interesting because on planning a walk I wouldn't aim for the ridge (unless of course I *knew* there was a path to that point) where you've mentioned. The 50K shows crags etc and rather than me walking there and find they're unpassable I would have aimed for the ridge about 1/2 km to the SW, crag free. I've paid for MM 2004 and despite it's shortcomings (still being discussed on here) I have nearly all the mapping areas required (a bit of the Cairngorms missing) so am using 50k scale all the time now. When I was buying paper maps I invariably went for 25k scale. I still wonder just what extra would be on the 25k map which could help with planning etc.
"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
If you must do the eastern Fannichs from the north then the way to go is via the Allt a' Mhadaidh track to the loch (landrover track as far as NH 215744 then an intermittent stalkers' path) then south-east to pick up the stalkers' path (which is not marked on the OS 50k but it runs from about NH 212721) to the ridge between BLMF and SM. getting from the path end at the lake outflow to the mountains is going to involve a bog-trot whichever way you turn.
Lake? Can't find any on my map :-)
Sassennachs eh? :-)
Quoted message said:
Your route is interesting because on planning a walk I wouldn't aim for the ridge (unless of course I *knew* there was a path to that point) where you've mentioned. The 50K shows crags etc and rather than me walking there and find they're unpassable I would have aimed for the ridge about 1/2 km to the SW, crag free. I've paid for MM 2004 and despite it's shortcomings (still being discussed on here) I have nearly all the mapping areas required (a bit of the Cairngorms missing) so am using 50k scale all the time now. When I was buying paper maps I invariably went for 25k scale. I still wonder just what extra would be on the 25k map which could help with planning etc.
I wouldn't have made for the crags either. I saw a chap heading that way when I walked in and he looked the type who knew where he was going. I assumed he was heading for the steep ground where there aren't any crags. I found one likely route down (a bit like one of Storer's infamous steep grass slopes) but then found the stalkers' path as I went further towards BLMF.
Put NH210720 into ordnancesurvey.co.ukgetamapOpen ↗ and you'll find the 1:25k doesn't show the path either but it does show crags all the way from SM to BLM, which is what I remember now. -- Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks" 95/284 5/219 c.100/300 (>900m with drop>100m )
"KRO" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]... Snip
Quoted message said:
Now I can forgive myself for staying in the bar too long last Autumn when I was supposed to do these two in conjuction with Sgurr Mor and Beinn Liath Mhor Fannich :-)
KRO
Sometimes doing a larger group of hills in two separate outings has the advantage of seeing the hills from two different approaches. We did the group of four in one trip but from the North on a beautiful sunny day so no probs at all, In fact I seem to recall that sunburn was an after effect of the day !
"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
This page is under construction, I need to get round to the TR but the
pictures are there. p-t-p-t-Open ↗ cook.freeserve.co.uk/May04/fannich.htm
Nice photos, is the one looking along the Am Biachdaich ridge taken from pretty close to the top? It's sometimes quite difficult to assess scale and/or distance without any reference, I usually chuck my bag down. It hasn't helped the pile of photos I now have of "cairn in the mist" . I've been waiting in vain for some desperate soul to ask for help identifying a cairn. I like the Vorlich/Stuc a'Chroin pics, thanks for kicking the steps!
"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
This page is under construction, I need to get round to the TR but the
pictures are there. p-t-p-t-Open ↗ cook.freeserve.co.uk/May04/fannich.htm
Nice photos, is the one looking along the Am Biachdaich ridge taken from pretty close to the top? It's sometimes quite difficult to assess scale and/or distance without any reference,
Well that pic was taken on ascent and I thought it was pretty near the top but it wasn't. There is a shot in the rolls of Velvia that I must remember to take in that shows the whole ridge in sunshine taken in descent. But for what it's worth the misty shot was taken at NH187717 (the wonders of digital photography linked to a GPS log) so actually quite low, the summit would be 0.5km away somewhere on the top left, if you could see it. -- Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks" 95/284 5/219 c.100/300 (>900m with drop>100m )
I was on the Fannichs earlier this month. I walked in from the north to camp by Loch a Mhadaidh. The plan was to do the western ones on day one and then the eastern ones on day two. However day one was [censored] poor weather-wise and I just set up the tent and mooched around all afternoon and evening. I woke once or twice in the night and found the tent covered in snow. The next morning I made my way up onto Meall a Chrasgaidh and then out to Sgurr nan Each via Sgurr nan Clach Geala before coming back to bag Sgurr Mor and Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, then returning to the tent by way of the stalkers path that leads off the ridge between the last two. Six Munros (five actually but one twice) in one day is a personal record. The next day I had thoughts about going out and finishing the Fannichs off, but lethargy set in and I made my way back to the car.
I managed a 6 for in the Fanaichs in 1981.. The longest day until I finaly got round to the Ennerdale Horseshoe. Saw an eagle for the first time on Sgurr nan Clach Geala.
Meanwhile England were being thrashed by Australia at Edgbaston.. I did enjoy the following day on Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair!
"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
If you must do the eastern Fannichs from the north then the way to go is via the Allt a' Mhadaidh track to the loch (landrover track as far as NH 215744 then an intermittent stalkers' path) then south-east to pick up the stalkers' path (which is not marked on the OS 50k but it runs from about NH 212721) to the ridge between BLMF and SM. getting from the path end at the lake outflow to the mountains is going to involve a bog-trot whichever way you turn.
Lake? Can't find any on my map :-)
Sassennachs eh? :-)
Whats the prob.. Having taken up hill bashing in Scotland, I have refered to just about every lake anywhere in the world as a "loch" and the world is full of hills, bealachs and burns.. We all have a personal language, and I have just grown up with the Scots usage. (I do try and use mountains, hopes, tumps and other good Herefordshire geographical terms as well)
If you are happy with lake then I assure you that Scotland abounds with them..
