Sunday 28 March 2010

Urban Trekking



I wasn't planning on doing a big trek today but couldn't be bothered going to the gym so decided to take the camera out and head up the vast peak that is, the Lyle Hill.

I got ready and headed along the street. The main route I use for this one is head up to Brisbane Street and keep going until the school. It is here you get your first view of the Clyde on this route.



From here, head up and turn right on Newton Street. That is pretty much the navigation ended. Just keep going and follow the road.



Keep following the road and you come to a point where you have an option.



For the 25 and a half years I've lived in Greenock and for the numerous times I've went up the hill, I have never took the path on the left. So today was the day.



I don't even remember the path being so noticeable. So, left it was and I was confronted with a little trail which led up until stairs which were made from a rock formation.



Up the rocks, and that was me. I made it to the top. I actually can't believe I have never been up this way before. Previously, I only ever went to the Plateau bit with the Olympic style torch.



So after a few pics, I headed back down the wrong side of the hill into Gourock and back home for a bite to eat.

Check out the album for the other pictures which have been captioned to provide a kind of running commentary for the walk.

2010-03-28 - Lyle Hill



Disclaimer - I am aware the Lyle Hill is not a proper Scottish Hill. I just thought it would be quite amusing to provide a trip report for it.
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Sunday 21 March 2010

Squinty Bridge



Another Sunday, another walk. Today's effort took us to Crianlarich with the intention of bagging two Munros while completing quite a common walkers' route which would take in An Caisteal and Beinn a' Chroin.

It was a different walk to the others we have done so far. For starters, there was no car park. You just stop in a layby on the A82 and hop over the fence into a field full of cows. Walk Highlands gave this one a bog/marsh rating of 4 out of 5. I can see why. You essentially walk through marshy grassland in an upward direction until you eventually catch a path. We made good progress over Sron Gharbh en route to the mountain but the highest regions of the first Munro were not looking the safest. There was no give in the snow and the visibility was getting worse by the second. We decided to turn back and trudge our way back down through the countryside.

Although we didn't reach the summits, the day was not completely wasted. It gave us good experience on a different terrain and I got to try out the walking poles.

2010-03-21 - An CaistelBeinn a'Chroin
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Monday 15 March 2010

Bag It!

So, yesterday was a bit of an exciting day for me. We had it planned that on Sunday 14th March 2010, we would be ascending a Munro - Ben Chonzie. For me, this would be my first. For Grant and Rona, it would be there second (ever and in a 48 hour period).

As per last Sunday, it was a crack of dawn effort. But this time instead of the short scenic trip to Loch Lomond, it was a 2 hour trek to Invergeldie in Perth and Kinross. By the time we got there, parked up, kitted up and traversed back to the car after going the wrong way at first, the time check was 10:10.

With the time checked, and gear on, it was time to commence the long hard slog ahead. Admittedly, Ben Chonzie is considered one of the easiest Munros. At my early level of hillwalking, all hills are an obstacle and getting to the top is an achievement. So this route was not bad. It was a gradual slope for the whole journey. The low lying areas had thawed and dried out. As we got into the journey we could see the steeper snowy ascents ahead of us. We trudged on, using our combined navigational skills and existing footfall in the snow.

Throughout the whole journey I was adamant we were aiming for a fence, but it was never forthcoming. I was beginning to doubt my planning skills when later on, I heard Rona shout, "Jonny, we found your fence". I knew I wasn't making it up. Once we hit that, the summit was near. So that is what we done, followed the fence. It wasn't plain sailing from here though. It was about this exact point where there was nothing to shelter the wind, and we were getting the full force of a gale force wind battering off our coupons.

Come 13:15, I was like the cat that got the cream. That is about the time I would consider to be one of my best achievements in life. We hit the summit - 931m.



I was so chuffed. The feeling at the top was like nothing else. Being at the top of a Munro is something I could never have imagined myself doing.

With the wind howling against us, and a few pictures taken, we decided to head back down the ridge to find the trail. The snow made for a relatively easy but time consuming descent. We finally got back to the car about 15:25 and started to make the long drive home for tea.

So, that is it folks. My first Munro in the bag as they say. I personally would like to thank Grant and Rona for a cracking day out yesterday. However, especially Grant for persuading us that we should take the crazy walking idea we had and actually get out and do it.

Thanks for being there and for sharing a brilliant experience. Hopefully, the first of many.

2010-03-14 - Ben Chonzie
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Sunday 7 March 2010

Snowy Peaks

Today I started a new hobby - Hillwalking.

The alarm was beeping just after 0600 for a 0730 departure. Not long afterwards we found oursleves in the car park at Arrocher with the start of the trail up Ben Arthur aka The Cobbler. A few steep zigs and zags then a few gentle slopes then back onto the zig zags. Come 1125 we reached the actual point where we could not proceed with any further. Throughout the trail, there was very poor visibility and the snow was actually knee - thigh high. However, at this point, we couldn't continue. We got to the top of the flight of steps and were confronted with sheer white. On a good day the path of least resistence would have been visible but not today. It was trecherous from here on in so after a bit of discussion we called it a day and had the adventure of the descent to go. Here's me thinking that going downhill is the easiest part. This is not the case.

Bad weather aside, today was brilliant and hopefully is the start of more to come.

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