The Best View in Britain

I'm competing for it tonight!

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Monday 17 May 2010 - TGO Challenge Day 4 – Plan – Lochan near Beinn na h-Uamha to Edge of Forest at NN 075 645

Martin’s planned route and statistics for today are shown below:

1 Lochan at 690 metres
2 Beinn na h-Uamha (Corbett)
1 Lochan at 690 metres
3 End of track
4 Beinn Bheag (Graham)
5 Lochan at col 
6 Garbh Bheinn (Corbett)
7 A861 road
8 Sallachan
9 Corran
10 Corran Ferry Jetty
11 Glean Seileach
12 Edge of Forest at NN 075 645 – 150 metres

Statistics 
31 km
1533 metres ascent 
14.0 hours
(2 Corbetts, 1 Graham)

Day 3 Camp - Another Fine Spot

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TGO Challenge 2010 - Day 3 - Lochan at col below Sgurr Ghiubhsachain to Sron a' 9horra Bhuilg (NM 988 694) - The Longest Ridge

Distance walked: 19 km (according to map)
Metres ascent: 1517
Time taken: 12.1 hours including 3.25 hours stops
No of People seen: 0
Distance walked on rough, pathless terrain: 22 km (according to GPS)

The day started slowly and messily, with spillage and delay.

It had rained heavily overnight. The slabby rocks were slippery. Care required. Slow going. Showers meant more tedious faffing with waterproofs.

I can't say anything about the people I met. If it wasn't for text messages I could be alone on the planet.

After copping out of my planned route at about one third of its switchback distance, I had a choice of two long valleys down which to descend. But I chose the ridge. For its views. Not for the 700 metres of undulations. Not for the slippery rocks. Not for the peat hags. Nor the bogs. Not even for the lochan where I washed myself and my clothes (brrr) during a rare spell of sunshine. Though that was convenient.

I wonder whether this clean person will meet anyone before he gets dirty again.

Camp was delayed due to a paucity of running water on the ridge, but the tent is now positioned at 450 metres, next to a gently burbling stream, with a fine view down to Inverscaddle Bay. But as on previous nights - no phone signal.

This camp reminds me of the one below Gulvain on day 3 last year, also after a long day and with a fine view of The Ben, which was clear last year, but not today.

Tomorrow I'll rejoin my planned route at Corran, after a shorter spell than planned along a road.

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The Weather

Raining hard.

Here it comes...

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Reality Check - Bottling Out of Today's Marathon

I'm at Meall Mor. It's 11.50. I'm finding it hard to keep up with the pace dictated by my formula (planned times based on 3.5 kph + an hour for each 500 metres of ascent and 1000 metres of descent), let alone stop for sufficient rests. Long brew stops are a key feature of walks like this, and I'm not going to sacrifice them just to keep up with a masochistic route. Continuing over the next 4 Corbetts, which have scrambly sections over wet rocks, may be unwise. The weather is showery, visibility mainly good - ok but by no means perfect. There is nobody else to be seen on these knarly hills. Just cuckoos and ptarmigan for company. Those 4 hills can wait. It's a fabulous area to revisit.

So I'm bottling it and heading down over an 11 km ridge with quite a few undulations including an unplanned Graham, Stob Mhic Bheathain, which should be a good walk in itself.

I have more long days ahead. Expect further route adjustments like this one, though I don't think any of the hills ahead have risky scrambles like the ones I'm giving a miss today.

Poor signal so no photo, and bad weather looks imminent, so my decision is justified.

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Sunday 16 May 2010 - TGO Challenge Day 3 - Plan – High Lochan at NM 885 750 to Lochan near Beinn na h-Uamha

Martin’s planned route and statistics for today are shown below:

1 Lochan at Col (NM 885 750)
2 Sgurr Ghiughsachain (Corbett)
3 Meall nan Creag Leac
4 Bealach
5 Stob a’ Bhealach an Sgriodain (Corbett)
6 Meall Mor
7 By Lochan Dubh
8 Carn na Nathrach (Corbett)
9 Bealach
10 Point 803
11 Bealach
12 Sgurr Dhomhnuill (Corbett)
13 Sgurr na h-Ighinn
14 Bealach
15 Sgurr a’ Chaorainn (Graham)
16 Lochan at 690 metres near Beinn na h-Uamha (NM 911 664)

Statistics
18 km
2453 metres ascent (oh dear!)
12.5 hours
(4 Corbetts, 1 Graham)

TGO Challenge 2010 - Day 2 - Near Lochan Feith Easain to Lochan at col below Sgurr Ghiubhsachain - Sunshine and Showers

Distance walked: 22 km
Metres ascent: 1883
Time taken: 12.1 hours including 2.1 hours stops
No of Challengers seen: 1 (Robert Ridgewell - at Glenfinnan House Hotel - he started at Lochailort this morning and walked along the road to his next hotel bed)
No of Day Walkers seen: 0
No of times waterproofs on and off: 1 million (the sole reason for my tardiness)

About 9 km of today's total was along the main road to Glenfinnan, then up an empty track to Callop and a newly constructed 'motorway' (a hydro scheme) beyond Callop.

The remaining 13 km was over rough ground. It was slow going. The waterproofs situation got beyond a joke. I left them on to dry in the sun, stashed them, and seemingly within seconds it was raining again.

Again and again...

A long lunch at Glenfinnan revived me. A short chat with Robert before he retired to his room (does he eat lunch?) was followed by two old ladies joining my table. Surprisingly, we discussed the Challenge, and the Four Peaks Challenge (yes, they were rather dismissive of the 'much easier' Three Peaks Challenge, though an extra 24 hours is allowed to compensate for the inclusion of the highest peak in Ireland). This was my only skirmish with humanity all day - there was nobody else on the hills, which were mainly clear of cloud today, though the low cloud base, not to mention the showers, did hamper any efforts at photography.

It was a fine route that went more or less exactly to plan, though I did have an interesting time descending from the final summit, Sgorr Craobh a' Chaorainn. I wasn't expecting a rock climb!

Tomorrow's plan is a demanding day only possible in Perfect Weather and with an excess of energy. I don't think the latter will be tested, as the former looks extremely unlikely. The gale outside has eased, but the rain is (at 9.30pm) lashing down as vociferously as ever.

The photo is of tonight's campsite - between showers - with tomorrow's first hill in the background.

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First Sight of Glenfinnan

From Beinn Odhar Mhor.

It's a Long Way Down.

Over Extremely Rough Ground.

With Hidden Bands of Rock (aka Cliffs).

And a Sting in the Tail.

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Saturday 15 May 2010 - TGO Challenge Day 2 - Plan – Lochan Feith Easain to High Lochan at NM 885 750

Martin’s planned route and statistics for today are shown below:

1 Lochan Feith Easain
2 Beinn Mhic Cedidh (Corbett)
3 Bealach a’ Choire Bhuidhe
4 Beinn Odhar Bheag (Corbett)
5 Beinn Odhar Mhor
6 A830 road
7 Glenfinnan Visitor Centre
8 Path junction at A830
9 Leave path to ascend
10 Sgorr Craobh a’ Chaorainn (Corbett)
11 Lochan at Col  - 590 metres (NM 885 750)

Statistics
22 km
1883 metres ascent
11.7 hours
(3 Corbetts)

TGO Challenge 2010 - Day 1 - Lochailort to NM 814 789 - about 1 km from Lochan Feith Easain - The Wilds of Moidart

Distance walked: 14.5 km
Metres ascent: 1640
Time taken: 8.5 hours including 1.25 hours stops
No of Challengers seen: 0
No of Day Walkers seen: 4

Away we go...

After saying goodbye to those at the hotel, and being snapped for the album by JJ, I set off alone.

Out of 44 folk setting off from Lochailort, I seem to be the only one to be bagging the three Corbetts (mountains of 2500 to 3000 feet in height, with at least a 500 ft drop between them) immediately to the south of the hotel. Maybe they have all progressed further in an easterly direction than my paltry 5 km!

Anyway, today went well and has left me with the (I predict rare on this trip) chance for an early night.

The day started cloudy and showery, gradually improving to excellent walking weather - not too hot, very little wind, etc.

My planned route suffered an immediate amendment when I realised I'd failed to incorporate a visit to the ocean (Loch Ailort). I met two of the Americans in Russ Mannion's team who had also appreciated that particular nicety of the Challenge, but I don't know whether anyone else actually bothered to start at the coast (bar someone who was almost camping in the loch!).

There was a thin, but unexpected, path up the Allt a' Bhuiridh valley, so I took the advice of Colin Crawford (my vetter) and by-passed Seann Chruach by taking the valley path. I just about got a view from An Stac, but had to descend in mist.

Rois-Bheinn was also in mist, so there was no point in visiting its western summit. That contributed nicely to my early finish, as did the terrain, which was not as rough as I had expected. Until, that is, the final knife edge ridge of Druim Fiaclach and the following sharp descent down steep ground with randomly placed small cliffs. The key to success on the ridge was to stay on the blade of the knife - quite entertaining at times. Good views too (see snap).

I'd enjoyed lunch on the summit of my third Corbett, Sgurr Ba Glaise, after a satisfying morning's walk. Here I received a message of encouragement from Geoffrey (who I promise to visit in Macc asap) and the first of two pairs of day walkers passed by. They are the only people I saw all day.

It's a lovely evening as I gaze from the open tent down Glen Aladale to Loch Shiel, as I tuck in to my pasta and tuna dinner.

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TGO Challenge 2010 - Setting off from Lochailort on a showery morning

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Friday 14 May 2010 - TGO Challenge Day 1 - Plan – Lochailort to Lochan Feith Easain

Martin’s planned route and statistics for today are shown below:

1 Lochailort Inn
2 Seann Chruach
3 An Stac (Corbett)
4 Col at 560 metres
5 Bealach an Fhiona
6 Rois-Bheinn (Corbett)
7 Rois-Bheinn – western summit
6 Rois-Bheinn
5 Bealach an Fhiona
8 Sgurr na Ba Glaise (Corbett)
9 Lochan at 810 metres
10 Bealachan Fhalaisg Dhuibh
11 Druim Fiaclach
12 By Lochan Feith Easain – 360 metres (NM 817 792)

Statistics
16 km
1783 metres ascent
9.6 hours
(3 Corbetts)

TGO Challenge 2010 - Day 0 - Timperley to Lochailort

Left home 6.15; arrived in Lochailort at 17.15 after a smooth journey in good company.

Sue was missed - it's "hello Sue, sorry you can't be here" from lots of old friends, and "thanks for the shortbread".

The weather has clouded over as we've travelled north, after a frosty morning in Timperley. Everything seems but greener than it was three weeks ago, but it's quite dull under the heavy cloud.

Mr Sloman is, however, excessively green.

There's no picture today due to a weak/intermittent signal. But rest assured, the dull weather outside won't dampen the jollity of the evening here in the Lochailort Inn as we all stoke up in preparation for our energetic fortnight ahead.

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TGO Challenge 2010

  
The time has come…

I set off in a few hours time to the fleshpots of Lochailort, where around 40 out of a total of 300+ Challengers will be assembling before starting their walk across Scotland on Friday morning.

I’ve not had time to produce the usual web page, so my planned route will be revealed here on a day to day basis.  I’ll be setting off in a southerly direction, unlike the vast majority of those starting at Lochailort, who I suspect will be heading east.

For now, you’ll have to make do with the outline shown below; a route of 360 km (225 miles) with around 18,100 metres of ascent.  It’s highly unlikely that I’ll be able to meet this Challenge despite the encouragement of my vetter (who I thought would ‘rubbish’ my plans).  So it’s just as well that I have an alternative ‘Foul Weather Alternative’ (FWA) which comes out at a mere 320 km with only 8,600 metres of ascent.  The disadvantage is that it omits the 28 summits (2 Munros, 20 Corbetts, 5 Grahams and a Marilyn) that are included in the longer route.

Realistically, I hope to make at least 10 of those summits

Day 1 – Lochailort to Lochan Feith Easain (NM 817 792)
Day 2 – to Lochan at High Col (NM 885 750)
Day 3 – to Lochan below Beinn na h-Uamha (NM 911 664)
Day 4 – to Edge of Forest (NN 075 645)
Day 5 – to Meall na Cruaidhe (NN 249 627)
Day 6 – to Path Junction below Sron Smeur (NN 435 609)
Day 7 – to Duinish (NN 617 669)
Day 8 – to Loch Tummel Inn (NN 818 602)
Day 9 – to Watershed at NN 974 656
Day 10 – to Loch Beanie (NO 156 685)
Day 11 – to Glen Clova Hotel (NO 326 731)
Day 12 – to Tarfside (NO 491 797)
Day 13 – to North Water Bridge (NO 649 662)
Day 14 – to Montrose (NO 732 603)

My best wishes go to all the other Challengers, including the Proud Scotsmen amongst them and the various bloggers – think of them as they stand aloft Scottish peaks trying to transmit their hastily compiled words over the course of the next two weeks…

My previous three Challenges are described here, just in case anyone is interested.

Sunday 9 May 2010 – Lathkill Dale

“Let’s go to Lathkill Dale” suggested the email from Graham.

So it came to pass that a dynamic quartet winged their way, in Polly – her first outing of this nature, to Monyash.

Luckily we arrived early.  That meant we could enjoy a mug of coffee outside The Old Smithy.  It was sunny and warm, or should I say ‘warm in the sun’ (cool elsewhere…).



Six others arrived.  The route march commenced.  I know I should be in training for the TGO Challenge, so I could just about keep up.

Mike The Bus fell back.  “Only my second walk in 18 months” huff “New Camera” puff, etc, etc (I’ll try not to bore you).

Eventually we re-grouped by a field of brightly coloured flowers.

Dandelions.

Very photogenic.

The Boss had obviously fallen behind schedule as some road walking was now required.  The pace picked up again and we were soon striding into Middleton, distracted only by a hungry horse.

 
Richard tried to make a getaway, but the old Rover 100 defeated his locksmith’s skills.

It was very green by the River Bradford.

A dizzy coot watched us fly by…”why so fast?” she squawked.

We were clearly in a race against the brown trout to reach the hostelries of Youlgreave in time for lunch?

We overshot.

Suddenly we found ourselves striding on into Lathkill Dale, full of Sunday afternoon hordes. 

Surely now time for a break?  A splinter group fell briefly behind, refuelling with chocolate caramel shortbread on the hoof.  Our leader usually stops for this, but not today.

On we dashed.

“Can we stop, please?” bleated a weary soldier with a neck problem.

“Only 5 minutes, just around the next corner” was the response.

20 minutes later:

What a relief!

Afternoon – a simple solution, I just fell back and went slowly, occasionally chancing upon the route marchers who had decided to wait.

It took nearly as long to complete the afternoon’s 7 km as it had taken to walk 13 km in the morning.

We stopped to admire some flowers – they are flowering later than usual this year, but we did find one orchid by the path.


  

Tea/beer/hot chocolate/cakes all went down well at The Old Smithy, to which we had returned by 3.30, well exercised after this 20 km dash in 4.5 hours (Naismith would have taken rather longer) with 600 metres of ascent.

Here’s the route, which is not mandatory, ie footpaths to Middleton are permitted as an alternative to our rush along the roads, as is a pub stop in Youlgreave.  Lathkill Dale is highly recommended.

There’s a short slide show here.

Thursday 6 May 2010 – Hale Moss – A Circuit from Altrincham

Thursday evening saw Sue and I setting out from Altrincham station at 7.30pm on another evening walk, without Andrew on this occasion as he has absconded to Lochinver.

Turning right down Stamford New Road, we soon reached the footbridge by Barrington’s Hotel.  Over here, then down Oakfield Street, beyond which a ginnel leads into a large area of municipal parkland, including the sizeable King George V pond.

It’s pleasing to be able to walk straight into open countryside from the centre of a town, but we were soon having to concentrate hard to dodge the golf balls as we crossed an assortment of fairways, heading roughly south east along paths to the south of Timperley Brook.

This is Hale Moss and Heath, now a golf course and cultivated farm land dotted with ponds, spinneys and drainage ditches.  It was much larger until the late C19, when gorse and turf were cut by locals for use as fuels, and part of it was used as a race course.  One of the country’s earliest gasworks was built here in 1847, but only in the early C20 was the Moss and Heath largely drained and reclaimed, as the swampy stagnant pools had become a risk to both humans and grazing animals.

Paths led us past the north end of a garden centre and then on through Cheshire countryside to Davenport Green, where we joined Brooks Drive by an impressive mansion - ‘DGH’ – Davenport Green Hall – the oldest surviving secular building in the area.  It may occupy part of the site of the ‘lost’ village of Arleton, mentioned in the Domesday Book but abandoned at or soon after the time of the Black Death (1348).

Heading south towards Hale Barns, past exclusive residencies that remind me of a street of embassies in a place like Cairo, we reached the main Hale road and crossed it to bimble our way through the ginnels of Hale Barns, slowly wending our way towards the Bollin valley.

Our original plan was to go down to the Bollin before cutting back up to Hale, but given the fading light we enjoyed a more direct route via suburban streets and narrow ginnels, reaching the fleshpots of Hale village, where, on the evening of the election, various parties were in progress.  Judging by the array of vehicles parked in the streets, many costing more than the average house, these were not ‘election’ parties, perhaps more a sign of the end of the football season.  This is premier division footballers’ country.

Such local walks have much to commend them.  It’s good to explore local paths, albeit they sometimes do present an urban aspect.

We’ll be back for more, but here is Thursday’s route – 11km, 70 metres ascent, taking us 2.3 hours.

May in Timperley

It’s all a bit quiet here, just now.  My new role as a decorator leaves little time to get out and about, so readers can take a deep breath and wait for the TGO Challenge to start on Friday 14 May.

Meanwhile, the Winter Garden at Dunham Massey is currently a riot of colour.  Do get down there if you have a chance.

And here’s an early evening snap taken today in Lymm, where everything is greening up nicely, subject to some delicate splashes of orange.

Thursday 29 April 2010 – A Stalwarts’ Stroll around Tintwistle

After the previous night’s excitement of being transported back to the Drakensberg and the Cape with about 25 friendly denizens of Stockport Walking and Outdoor Group, we commenced our ‘summer evening’ walks with this easy stroll from Tintwistle around Valehouse and Rhodeswood Reservoirs.

After the usual battle to get through Mottram in Longdendale, Sue and I parked just beyond our nominated starting point, the Old Oak pub.  A text message arrived from Andrew:

“I’m in a panic – the pub’s gone!” (or similar).

I spotted him hopping around in the vicinity of the closed pub, desperate…

Just up the road, the Bulls Head provided much needed respite from the rain, good beer, and most importantly for Andrew – a loo.  The friendly locals were bemused when we told them our plans….

“What, in this rain?”

Already a quota of ‘would-be regulars’ who had specifically requested some Thursday evening walks, had wimped out.  They are ‘fair weather walkers’.

Meanwhile, the Three Stalwarts set off up to Holybank Quarry and onto open moorland above Valehouse Reservoir.  During our sojourn in the pub the rain had miraculously eased, and the skies brightened sufficiently for a record to be captured on the ‘phone (see above), the camera having been left at home.

As we rounded Rhodeswood Reservoir dusk overtook us, and in light rain there was no sign of last night’s full moon.  A quiet lane (somehow I missed the Trans Pennine Trail) led us through a farm to a bridge high above the planned Trail.  Paths through fields took us easily to Padfield and back to the cars, after a sociable 10km, 315 metres ascent and 2 hours 20 minutes, during which time Sue learnt more about the forthcoming election issues from Andrew than she’d previously known about politics in her entire life.  Gripping stuff!

Here’s the (not entirely as planned) route that we took.

Walking in South Africa, and Tintwistle

Whilst I’ve been away enjoying a Caledonian Trail, Sue has been dusting off a few slides for our talk to Stockport Walking Group on Wednesday evening (28 April).  It’s at 8 pm at Hazel Grove Civic Centre, should anyone else care to come along.

On Thursday we have our first ‘daylight’ evening walk – starting at 7.30 pm from the Old Oak in Tintwistle.  All are welcome, as always.

Attended by nearly 30 people – very enjoyable.