You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Stunning views.
Crackin' walk up Illgill Head and Whin Rigg yesterday with the world covered in candyfloss! 26 Wainwrights down, a million to go!
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
some great inversion photos on the BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-59727407
From the above:
Wow.
That satellite image is amazing, it reminds me of the snow in 2009 (or10?) where the whole country was covered except a little bit of Anglesey and a thin sliver on the south coast
I love how it shows the big and snowy lump that is the Cairngorms too.
👍
While I Zoom'd, Team'd and emailed the day away, two of mine decided to skive school and university.
A. Good. Decision.
Magic 💙
Some cracking shots there!
Everyone loves a brokenspectre....
From Whitewell.
The shadow of Carn Elrig from Carn Elrig
Braeriach and Lurchers Crag from Carn Elrig.
Braw Spin.
Chickenman, this allows you to post Google images mate.
https://www.labnol.org/embed/google/photos/
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Oz6rIiTTQRla6LXviIyAR2UioJl9lwiOQf02fGRMVzNB2DJFVoYNO4nK7o5V6zyfXmOtOQL5T4Yt5VO7qos4Sd4dUmLTOhooe2YOj8y1qn-E1IYJqzkRtP9IutrY5gO_tqOZQhdOsic=w2400
I'll try imbedding it this time instead of providing a link (yes I am that bloody clueless!)
Ochils summit
Go into the pic, click share and copy link.
Paste into that site, then take the direct link, and paste it into the IMG utility up there ^
Bit of a pain, but better than using 3rd parties IMHO.
Try with the img tag thingmy
Thanks for the hand holding NBITF, I did know but forgot since the last time I tried.
Cracking. 👏🏻
Anyone any plans over the period?.
Planning a couple of local hills to ease the squeeze back into it, she lost her mountain mojo during a brutal 6 months of being on a ridiculously understaffed ward, but she's back on clinic duties now.
Also hoping for a summit overnighter with a youtubing mate of mine 🙏
Probably a variety as he's a compleatist, and I'm quite happy to hit a corbett too.
We're supposed to be heading 'up over the border in the Motorhome on the 27th.....it's not looking likely is it! It would be a fitting end to the worst 6 months of my life tbf.
Hoping that 2022 will eventually bring some more time in the mountains.
Hoping to use my new 4 season boots I got in summer last year, didn't get too much chance to use them earlier this year, too much snow so I was on the splitboard 😉
There's a couple of the Cairngorms I need to do, including Sgòr an Lochain Uaine as it wasn't a Munro when I did the Devils Point and Cairn Toul with my dad many years ago.
I'm patiently waiting on an ill mrs_oab. The rate things are, I'm not sure she's going to striding out this winter.
We're keen to get a couple of days in, I'm hoping a last couple up at Blair Atholl and Driesh & Mayar.
Fingers crossed.
@Tom-B where you going buddy?. No more restrictions at xmas, so you'll be fine, and tbh I can't see any more travel restrictions, it'll be all about the indoor setting now. You may have to get takeaways instead of sit in though!.
No firm plans really.....the dream is good snow so that we can ski, just gonna play it by ear with the weather. Will have ice ace and crampons with us for some very easy winter walking if it's a possibility.....
Hoping someone on this thread can advise please - I'm going to be staying near Cockermouth over Christmas and will want to go on decent hillwalk or two. Can anyone recommend anything please?
Don't want to drive too far and probably looking at 5-8 miles ish per walk. A bit of elevation/exposure fine but looking at the weather I'd probably rather not traipse up Skiddaw.
Thanks in advance.
Grizedale Pike area south of Winlatter, Buttermere area, Ennerdale.
I'm by no means a Lakes expert, but can offer a few suggestions.
Longside edge (Ullock Pike) often sits below the Skiddaw murk and offers lovely views.
Coledale Hause another option, pretty sheltered, decide on the day how high you want to continue.
Despite the business, Cat Bells is a lovely wee hill, can park in Little Town for a slightly different (quieter) way up
Up the spoony and round Lonscale fell toward Skiddaw house is nice too, could park at top car park and cut out spoony.
Up Gasgale Gill will offer a bit of shelter too, again go as high as you want to.
Sooooo many options, such a lovely area, we've booked a 'last mortgage payment' weekend away in the Lakes in January, really hope we'll be okay to go.
Fleet with Pike and Haystacks would probably make a good 2 peak walk from Butteremere (I'd did they huge Buttermere circuit 20plus miles in about 14 hours either side of a wild camp)
Catbells is a good suggestion, always fairly busy though.
Sale Fell and Ling Fell (walk 51 from Graham Uneys amazing new wainwrights book) would be spot on actually. Right by Cockermouth and 11.5km apparently.
Graham Uneys amazing new wainwrights book
Considering him for my ML training, as he comes up to Arran a couple of times a year, need to check that book out.
Another option is to do a bit of the bash (the best bit!) up past castlerigg, walla crag (awesome views from Lady's rake), falcon crag, ashness bridge, footpath to watendlath, awesome cake and a pint of tea in the brilliant Flock Inn at Rosthwaite, bus back to Keswick.
That would be a lovely walk.
It's brilliant mate, I dont know him personally but followed him on Facebook when I was still on social media. He seems like a really pleasant guy, and extremely knowledgeable!
Tim Mosedale was another Lakes based guy that comes highly recommended, he does all sorts including Everest guiding. We were booked to do some multi pitch climbing with him a few years back and ended up being his first cancellation due to weather in 5 years apparently! (he cancelled not us, but we were very glad that he did 😂)
Thanks very much all, loads of options. I'll be in Cockermouth on Christmas Eve so I'll try and pick up a copy of that Graham Uney book 🙂 .
Not sure Ill get to do much over the Christmas break, hoping parents visit for a few days and I can drag my mum out here and there seeing as the OH is saving all his holidays for our house move.
Has anybody walked Liathach? Considering planning to do it next year having done Ben Allign and Suilven this year. I think any grade 2 stuff is avoidable?
A few from Beinn Eighe yesterday.
Fantastic sir. 👏🏻
Sitting in Perth waiting for tiso to open so I can get some gas, wee overnighter tonight, weather a bit of an unknown though.
weather a bit of an unknown though.
Tomorrow looks grim up here.
Has anybody walked Liathach?
Last summer.
You're correct, the toughest scrambles are avoidable via some ledge/narrow skirting paths. Very straightforward if airy...
This pic shows path going up and over the more challenging route, but look in centre and you can see the skirting path going to the left.
Has anybody walked Liathach? Considering planning to do it next year having done Ben Allign and Suilven this year. I think any grade 2 stuff is avoidable?
The bypass path goes on the south side of the ridge. It is straightforward but still exposed and not to be taken lightly. If you've done the Horns of Alligin though you should be fine with anything on the Liathach bypass.
About to head up Gowbarrow near Patterdale. We've stopped in the Lakes en route to Scotland. Weather does indeed look grim everywhere tomorrow, hence using it as a travel day.
Weather here looks a bit drizzly, seems to be getting slightly better but I'm not holding out much hope for many views.
I did Liatach in August. Climb up at eastern end steep but on a great path. The descent to the glen after the 2nd munro is bloody brutal and very erroded in the upper section. Pinnacle wise I went over everything but you can always pick a line to suit yourself. The bypass path looks straightforward but a stumble could be fatal.
Have any of you guys done Baosbheinn?
It looks great from Alliginn
Have any of you guys done Baosbheinn?
No, but spied it across Sheildaig Forest on a road out and back to Lower Diabeag. It went on The List, looks rather nice.
Just been looking at buying the Graeme Uney book when I noticed Amazon have the Wainwright Guides box set reduced to £29.99 from £99.99. I guess lots will have them already but seems a bargain price.
The bypass path looks straightforward but a stumble could be fatal.
And has been in the past. Not trying to put anyone off with that, just a fact!
Gowbarrow ticked, was mega to be back out in the hills. Fairly busy, zero viz at the top, but the main shit point was the pack of hounds that had lost whatever hunt it was with ffs. I thought that NT had banned all hunts on their land now?!
Went to Keswick afterwards....busiest that I've ever seen it ffs! Picked up a good deal on crampons and ice axe for my girlfriend from Needle Sports.
Heading up over the border tomorrow, so will get another one maybe two days in the mountains before heading back home.
Did you survive the night @nobeer? 😳
Needle Sports
I luuuurve Needle Sports, proper old fashioned gear shop run by climbers for climbers. Not like bloody George Fishers (aka 'the electric penknife shop'). That used to be a fabulous multi floored eclectic gear emporium but is now just a souless lifestyle store... :-\
I luuuurve Needle Sports, proper old fashioned gear shop run by climbers for climbers.
Stephen Reid (owner for those who don't know) is a real enthusiast. I was in touch with him about some new routes he'd done in the Fannaichs and he was super helpful.
Needlesports is one of the few outlets I buy from even if they are more expensive. Within reason of course. 🙂
Just been looking at buying the Graeme Uney book when I noticed Amazon have the Wainwright Guides box set reduced to £29.99 from £99.99. I guess lots will have them already but seems a bargain price.
Thanks for that.
A mate of mine lost his Grandad last year, he had lots of Wainright books, some very old and well used. I mentioned to my friend that I would like to take them and use them (saves me buying them and I know his mum would love it). Unfortunately his uncle was in a rush to get his flat on the market and binned the lot.
I recent got some Miendl Bhutan which fit great, but when I walk downhill the inner sole slides forward and crumples at the toes.
Is this common? Do you have any tips on how to avoid?
I asked Miendl but got no response.
inner sole slides forward and crumples at the toes.
Get a decent pair of aftermarket insoles. Anything slightly firmer than the current ones will work.
I have a pair of La Sportiva winter climbing boots that came with the most shockingly shit insoles. Initially I thought I'd made a mistake and the boots just didn't fit me but new insoles sorted them out a treat.
Get a decent pair of aftermarket insoles.
Deep down I knew that was always going to be the answer, but not the one I wanted after dropping £200 on a pair of boots.
Did you survive the night @nobeer? 😳
Lol, aye, just about! Was stunning, amazing light on the big 4000'ers at sunset, more stars than I've ever seen, then at 2am some bugger switched on the wind! 😬🤣
My mate Robin has a YouTube channel, I'll post up a link to his vid when he drops it, should be a good yin.
So many good pics, too tired to post them, so...
Needlesports is one of the few outlets I buy from even if they are more expensive.
@spin Agreed. If you speak to him again, pls let him know the shop is appreciated. We had one in the local town run by Mal Duff's climbing partner and a bloke off the Antarctic Survey. It was like Needle Sports but in the Fens 🙂 I'd rather spend money there than any Cotswold type formulaic lifestyle shop - even at a premium. Having written that, I get most kit off t'Internerd now so it's a bit of a moot point.
The stuff that I got from Needlesports was all cheaper than anywhere I could see online. I bought some climbing shoes from there years ago and they just knocked 10% off at the till (after I'd tried on nearly every pair of shoes in the shop!)
Definitely post up the video link @nobeer. Think we're going to.do some low level stuff in the Cairngorms tomorrow.....hoping the forecast for the weekend is slightly better!!
The road out Glen Tromie was sheet ice pretty much the whole way (5 miles), it was actually worse at the lower lying sections Tom, I'd imagine much of the tracks about could be similar.
Sounds like the perfect place for the better half to try out her new crampons 😂😂
Because it was just a couple of rounded hills we were doing, I left mine, but thank god I lifted my wee microspikes, they were a godsend!.
Ooh will pop that on in a minute.....currently on the ski car park at Aviemore, we did Ord Ban and a loop of Loch an Eilein and Loch Gamhna today....lovely little walk! Might take advantage of the 'free' altitude you get up here and go for a play higher up tomorrow, forecast looks reasonable.
Fantastic, defo take that 600m when you can get it!.
Up to pt 1141 and along the top of both the big coires and back down the other side of coire an lochan is a cracking way to spend a few hours.
Have you a bike with you?
We persuaded mrs_oab to let us 'pedal' down to the loch. That's about the fastest I've ever been on a bike - iirc we hit 60kmh - on MTB tyres. 😱😱😱
Do we have a recommendation for insoles for walking boots? I have a high arch and got some Lowa Renegades for my birthday today and the insole arch support is none existent.
Go and get fitted would be my suggestion - and not necessarily at outdoor store. Running shops often have better trained staff on these things.
Right then, recommend me some walking boots, as much as you can without having the same feet as me. I haven't had a set for years having used fell running shoes or winter climbing boots. However, I'd like to spend some money to cheer myself up and I'm doing a wee bit of stuff from time to time where they'd be useful.
I'd like something long lasting, with proper waxable leather that doesn't depend solely on a membrane for water resistance. No need to be crampon compatible but I don't mind a stiffer boot. I have pretty narrow feet and have got on well with Scarpa and la sportiva in the past.
I'm a bit of a scarpa fan too, got a pair of Deltas from PSA on here 7 years ago, 55 quid, still going strong!.
Bought a pair of Manta GTX last month, as I've a winter skills course coming up and needed a bit more stiffness for crampons, they're actually not too bad to walk in, 5 miles of gravel road out of Glen Tromie was a decent test.
I have pretty narrow feet and have got on well with Scarpa and la sportiva in the past.
You know the answer already...
My dad has a pair of leather Scarpa's that were already re-soled and given to me. Bear in mind he is now 76 - but they have seen well over a decade of gardening and winter walks around the local parks and woods. He just keeps throwing leather proof on, and they just keep working. He does need a re-sole again!
Scarpa Terra's.....I lost my original pair in a rather long winded story in Kathmandu the day before setting off to trek to Gokyo Ri. Ended up with Salomon's as a replacement, love their trail running style trainers, not as big a fan of their boot style stuff. I was eyeing up a pair of Terras in Tiso yesterday, £160 now. I got mine for £90 on sale in 2015.
@Spin - Altberg Mallerstang, comes in 5 width fittings and can take a C1 crampon. My wife has a pair and she has problem narrow feet. (They're a nightmare, size 7narrow for one foot and a farrier for the other)
I have their 3 season Tethera boot and it's quite stiff, like a Meindl Burma. Again it comes in 5 width fittings.
You have to try them on in a shop. They tend to run about half a size small e.g. mine are 12 wide but my feet are 11.5 on the Braddock (?) device. The extra wide are probably for people with bunions as they're very wide.
They do other boots using different lasts and they might fit you. Have a look on their website
https://www.altberg.co.uk/the-altberg-factory/our-lasts
Also, you're really going to struggle to get a leather boot without a membrane nowadays
☹️
Cheers for the recommendations.
I don't mind if they have a membrane, I just want some decent leather so they're not relying on it.
Best wishes all ye hillgoers, hope 2022 brings plenty adventures!.
Same to you buddy, and everyone else 👍
Mega fun day around Cain Gorm today, started off glorious sunshine and amazing views, ended up a white out and rain (although fairly tame by winter in Scotland standards I'd guess!)
Had a play in the snow with the ice axes, the rain and warmth meant that crampons weren't really necessary.
Stopping at Coire na Ciste car park again tonight....must be nearly 30 other Vans here tonight, hopefully everyone else fancies an early night too 😳
Looks like winter is returning this week! If the winds die down then could be good winter conditions in various parts of the UK. Anyone got any plans?
Conditions dependant we might do a big Helvellyn loop, although guessing it will be heaving!
Last hill of the festive hols today, just a wee local loop of the North end of the Rhinn of Kells, managed 5 days in the mountains over the piece, happy with that really.
Beautiful!
25 years since I've walked there. I still have a real soft spot for Galloway.
On another note - I've just ordered a new tent. I couldn't bring myself to splash daft money on uber light....so used a Wiggle voucher plus sale to get a silly cheap Robens Arch. Bring on DofE season.
You like a tent, eh Matt? 😉
Fuar Tholl area today.
You like a tent, eh Matt?
And a bargain. 😆