Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh
Cranstackie 801m (c). Beinn Spionnaigh 773m (c)
D: 14.67km. E: 1030m. T: 5hrs 13mins ( 7 hrs 55 mins)
A glorious but day with stunning views, steep hills and good company. Some pretty impressive boulder fields. One that went on for quite a way! Tired legs by the time I got back to the car.
Ben Hee
Benn Hee 873m (c)
D: 12.31km. El: 747m. T: 3hr 50mins ( 5hrs 33mins )
All packed up and on our way to the Ladies meet at Durness. Another place with lots of memories of Roger. On our way we stopped to climb Ben Hee. It was claggy so we didn’t go along the ridge but did make a little extension so we did a little horse shoe. Soft snow patches on the top and a fierce cold wind from the north. We got some views on the way down.
Hampsterly Forrest
Red Trail and a bit of blue
D: 21.23km El: 401m T: 2hrs 4 mins ( 2 hrs 48 mins )
Breaking the journey home from visiting Mary in Hull I found a good little secluded park up on the edge of the Forrest. After the £8 parking charge at Grizedale I decided I would avoid the vehicle registration car parks. Which were no overnight parking anyway. I enjoyed a short but very quiet night in the van as it was nearly 8pm before I parked. The next day I headed to the trails. I thought I would just do the blue but after 7km of Forrest roads I switched to the red which was still a fair way on Forrest roads but eventually did transform into single track. To be honest I wasn’t that impressed. I wouldn’t return there in a hurry. Next time I head up this way I think I will try Kielder Forrest next time.
After the ride I headed up to Haddington to be spoiled by Sue and Chris. We had a nice walk on the beach the following day before I headed home.
Bowderstone Crag
Bowderstone Pinnacle S 4a **
It was joes birthday and the weather was amazing, I had not bought the lakes guide books as we thought we would probably just go to a little limestone crag like Hutton roof. So we went into Kendal to get a guide book, coffee and scone and decide which Crag to go to. We made an excellent choice and climbed the “classic route” of the Crag. It was an interesting route which required a bit of thought and in an excellent exposed position. Joes first multi pitch route. We did forget the nut key and ended up leaving a bit of gear. Oh no! A rock 10.
Return to Grizedale
Red route
D: 18.14 km El: 324m T: 2hrs 5 mins ( 2 hrs 32 mins )
I wasn’t sure at what level the red route would be and as there wasn’t a blue I didn’t have much choice. But it was just spot on for my slightly out of practice body! Nothing to scary! In fact it was just superb. And some lovely views of coniston and the Langdales
A change of plan!
Creag Gharbh 637m (g)
Bike and Hike
20km and 441m elevation bike 2.1km and 132m elevation hike
The day started to not go as planned when I took the wrong route to get to the start of the walk I had planned up two Munros near Ben Lawers. So I was late at the start and also the cloud was so low it was nearly at the level of the start of the walk. I stopped in the Ben Lawers car park made a brew and had a think. I was on my way to Cumbria and had my bike with me as I planned to go to Grizedale to have a go on the red route later in the week. So I spied a walk report on walk highlands for the Fiona Creag Gharbh, someone had walked along the Rob Roy way from Glen Ogle and it looked very cyclable. So it was a plan.
Wow I am not bike fit. But there were some steep sections and you know how I hate pushing my bike! Which I had to 4 times. It was undulating too which meant some up on the way back but it was a good call as the top was clear and I could see the could on my first choice route was getting even lower. Back to the van and away south. I spend the night at my spot outside Moffat and then carried on to Kai’s via joes the next day.
Last Day of the Stontain Meet
https://www.strava.com/activities/8861002499
Carn na Nathrach 786m (c)
D: 19km El: 893m T: 5hrs 42mins ( 7 hrs 24mins)
We were all tired – the four of us that set of up this very very long ridge that undulated after a long forest road walk in. A good end to the weekend, blowy but dry.
A Scramble, A Climb and a Corbett
Garbh Bheinn 885m (c)
Eagles Nest Slabs grade 3 ***
Great Ridge Diff **
https://www.strava.com/activities/8856457949
D: 12.71km El: 1080m T: 11hrs 12mins
It was a totally stupendous day. the scramble was brilliant, followed by an interesting traverse round to the climb. The start of the climb was scrappy but the ridge was excellent. by the time we got to the ridge it was getting blowy and cold – also a little late so we didn’t hang about. A big boots climb! it was a long walk down……but back to the van before we needed our head torches and back to the hut before the ladies had finished their main courses. I then found out from peak hunter that this was the hill that Joe and Sam climbed in the mist when we were staying in Mallaig with the Americans
A good first climb of the season.
Stob Choire a Chearaill
Stob Choire a Chearcaill 771m (c)
https://www.strava.com/activities/8848799359
D: 15.31km El: 800m T: 4hrs 17 mins (6hrs 5mins)
Anne Marie and I were on our way to the Ladies meet at Strontain due to the Corran Ferry being out of action we had a long drive round via Glenfinnian so what better way to break it up but a wee jaunt up this hill. We had a track almost to the ridge and then a long upward walk along the ridge to the top. The top was surprisingly craggy on the other side. We retraced our steps back to the van. A glorious sunny day……I think I caught the sun a little
Beinn a Mhonicag
https://www.strava.com/activities/8830721642
Beinn a Mhonicag 567m (sub 2)
D: 5.69 El 385m T:2hrs 18mins (3hrs 59 mins)
After the long walk yesterday I was glad that Janet suggested something a bit gentler than the two Corbetts we had planned. We set off to go up this hill in glen Roy that I have had my eye on for a while. We made a circular walk of it which included some jungle bashing to follow a parallel road – although from the faint path we could tell we weren’t the first! I even managed to collect a little firewood.
Mountain Days and Photo Nights 