Finally a weekend free to do some of the fine hills in Assynt. Saturday took 4.5 hours to drive from home to the parking for Arkle, but at least the hot sun was shining when we started walking. Rather than follow the route in the SMC guide, we stayed left nearer to the ridge. In retro-spec the route in the guide is much better. Only rain all day was a "locally torrential" shower (to quote the Radio 4 forecast) as we left the east top and followed the ridge to the summit. Great ridge! In the clag no top, but started to clear as soon as we walked away. Another hill where I got up before the guidebook time and it cleared at about guidebook time 8 -( Then descended to the lochan below Meall Horn. Quick thrash up steep grass and had second Corbett of the day after 35 minutes as ascent. Additional time to do this hill was 1hr 15min 8-) view of ridge on Foinaven were superb! Sunday, up Canisp first thing with cloud coming on and off the summit. Straightforward ascent, but the top clagged in just before we got there ( ahead of guide book time). Hung around for partial clearing, then back to the car. Drove back round to Arkle area and parked for Mellan Liath Corie Mhic Dhughail. Another locally torrential shower just as we parked, but 15 minutes waiting in the car and the sun was back out. We followed the stalker's path up to about 375m and then traversed back left towards the summit rather than follow the long ridge. This is much more direct, but a peat hag hell for a mile! Great game of extreme long jumping at least! Finally blasted up the summit slopes to check fitness. (All this was to get fit for Russia next week). On the summit in just under 2 hours. Rained 10 minutes after we arrived. ha! Rather than traverse the peat hags, we went south around the ridge and then SW down the stream. Found a good place to skip over the ridge, then a traversing descent to the other stalker's path. Steep grass at the end, but a good loop. I can provide some GPS hints if anyone else wants to try this route. (3hr 50min rt) Then the 4.5 hour drive home, tired legs but happy.
The message <[email hidden]> from [email hidden] (Rob Milne) contains these words:
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Saturday took 4.5 hours to drive from home to the parking for Arkle, but at least the hot sun was shining when we started walking.
Saw you on the hill! (Well, would have done if we had telescopic-vision) - we were on Carn Ban in the PM and noticed that your hills were constantly going into and out of the mist. We were more lucky with the weather, some rain on the walk in but fine dry and sunny on the plateau.
The message <[email hidden]> from [email hidden] (Rob Milne) contains these words:
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s back out. We followed the stalker's path up to about 375m and then traversed back left towards the summit rather than follow the long ridge. This is much more direct, but a peat hag hell for a mile!
You missed a good walk along the ridge going that way.
Saw you on the hill! (Well, would have done if we had telescopic-vision) - we were on Carn Ban in the PM and noticed that your hills were constantly going into and out of the mist.
I thought that was you in the distance. Could you see us waving? we were the two guys in yellow jackets ... Rob
Rather than follow the route in the SMC guide, we stayed left nearer to the ridge. In retro-spec the route in the guide is much better.
I disagree. I think the ridge line is the better route.
We went more up a faint ridge in the middle, lots of small rocks. the pure left ridge did look better. Oh well, I like exploring, so often go somewhere at random to see what it will be like. Doesn't matter if the line chosen isn't ideal, its the fun of finding out what it will be like .... Rob
The message <[email hidden]> from [email hidden] (Rob Milne) contains these words:
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Saw you on the hill! (Well, would have done if we had telescopic-vision) - we were on Carn Ban in the PM and noticed that your hills were constantly going into and out of the mist.
I thought that was you in the distance. Could you see us waving? we were the two guys in yellow jackets ... Rob
The colours didn't travel well but we almost certainly saw two persons waving like mad at someone - was it really us?! 🙂
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 19:47:43 +0100, compo <[email hidden]>
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The message <[email hidden]> from [email hidden] (Rob Milne) contains these words:
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Doesn't matter if the line chosen isn't ideal, its the fun of finding out what it will be like .... Rob
Well said that man! Guide books are fine but there's nowt like the exploration of a virgin (well.... could be virgin) route 🙂
The steep ridge from the west straight up MLCMD (a number?) is very good. Decended via Carn Dearg to visit the point where the watershed diverges to CApe Wrath or Dunnet Head.
Lovly hill.
Meal Horn was fun, camped in the corrie to the north and drooled at the dripping crags. Would love to climb them frozen. New guide to the north has some very interesting pictures of the face in winter condition - amazing thing .
Exxcuse me if I seem a bit dim but *what* was addressed to the head honcho? Have I made a bit of a blooper?
Rob does the SMC books. You could argue that it's in his intererests to seek out new routes rather than repeat the ones he's already written up/edited.
Doesn't matter if the line chosen isn't ideal, its the fun of finding out what it will be like ....
It struck me how beautifully representative Arkle is of the Corbett genre. When we tried to locate the recommended route we could find absolutely no sign whatsoever of a track or any evidence of passage of foot where it was supposed to be. This is so often the case of Corbetts. They are often very much a case of make your own way :-)
"compo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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The message <[email hidden]> from "Duncan Gray" <[email hidden]> contains these words:
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from [email hidden] (Rob Milne) contains these words:
> Doesn't matter if the line chosen isn't ideal, its the fun of
finding
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out
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> what it will be like .... > Rob
Well said that man! Guide books are fine but there's nowt like the exploration of a virgin (well.... could be virgin) route 🙂
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And well said Compo, since it was addressed to the head honcho at
Scottish
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Mountaineering Club Publications... -- Duncan Gray
Exxcuse me if I seem a bit dim but *what* was addressed to the head honcho? Have I made a bit of a blooper?
No, Rob's a good guy, he'll agree.
Besides, if he's gone to Russia he won't notice. Actually, that might explain why he was prepared to take a swig from a vodka bottle at Glenmore Lodge last month which I declined. Obviously in training.
Hi Rob, when you get back. -- Duncan Gray
homepage - www.duncolm.co.uk also www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
Doesn't matter if the line chosen isn't ideal, its the fun of finding out what it will be like ....
It struck me how beautifully representative Arkle is of the Corbett genre. When we tried to locate the recommended route we could find absolutely no sign whatsoever of a track or any evidence of passage of foot where it was supposed to be. This is so often the case of Corbetts. They are often very much a case of make your own way :-)
That was true of the munros when I did most of my round. Still is if you shun the red line of doom. Enjoy it while you can.
Exxcuse me if I seem a bit dim but *what* was addressed to the head honcho? Have I made a bit of a blooper?
Rob does the SMC books. You could argue that it's in his intererests to seek out new routes rather than repeat the ones he's already written up/edited.
Its in thehill's interest that they publish more than one route - spread the sheep out a bit
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Duncan
Gray) said:
Besides, if he's gone to Russia he won't notice.
you are right. I was and I didn't 8-)
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Actually, that might explain why he was prepared to take a swig from a vodka bottle at Glenmore Lodge last month which I declined. Obviously in training.
worked a treat. But I didn't like the pepper flavoured Vodka
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Hi Rob, when you get back.
thanks, just back, had a great trip. TR to follow.
