RE Glen Lochay

[Phil Cook]

Hello folks. I'm off on my annual munros and ice axe bashing trip.
Today I have been freezing my wotsits off up Sgiath Chuil which I
was forced off by a snowstorm last February. This time I went at it
from the north because 50 mph southerly winds were promised. Glen
Lochay was just as dismal as every other time I have been there, the
clag seemed fixed at 850m. I made it up onto the ridge and wandered
along in a grey-out and managed to find the summit, I think the OS
may have misplaced it, or maybe I did when I put the waypoint in my
GPS. New coat (ME morpheus) passed its first outing. Didn't need the
mitts of last resort on top but thought about getting them out on the
way up. Black Mount tomoz maybe...

--
--
Phil is away from home...

[Phil Cook]

Back home now. 7 Munros and a Corbett ticked. Nearly got blown over on
Chonzie. :-(

72/283 to go... Must try harder I think.
--
Phil Cook

[Chris Gilbert]

Phil Cook wrote

> Nearly got blown over on Chonzie. :-(

More danger from life-threatening boredom ;) A hill that
you might hardly notice :-D

[Phil Cook]

Twas a day for not doing anything with an edge to it. The hill was
fairly rammed with folk for a Wednesday, with five parties having a go
at it (only one of then with a sproggen on mid-term) and a few afternoon
strollers met on the way down. Met a few hares on the way up; there may
have been more but a dug in one of the parties was running about all
over the place. A pair of red kites were wheeling about in the breeze
down by the farm cottages and a buzzard or two as well.
--
Phil Cook

[Chris Gilbert]

> Met a few hares on the way up

Ah, now that we didn't see, despite the hill's reputation for
them. Brown or Mountain variety ??

[Phil Cook]

Blue. ;-)

Mountain sort in winter white. Can't remember off hand which hill I came
across a pair of ptamigan in their winter white, possibly on Meall a
Bhuiridh, but I heard some grousing on Chonzie as come to think of it I
did on /all/ of the hills I ticked.
--
Phil Cook

[Adam Lea]

Is the boredom because the view isn't very good or because it is one of
those long trudges steadily uphill that sometimes seems to go on forever?

[Phil Cook]

Yes and yes. It's like a bit of the Peak District somewhat supersized.
It's a good enough hill, it's just that you are spoilt for choice in
that part of the world and there are real mountains within sight from
the top. I'd say it was the perfect hill for the day; blowing a full
gale and mostly sunshine.
--
Phil Cook

[Chris Gilbert]

On 23/02/2012 23:39, Adam Lea wrote:
>

> Is the boredom because the view isn't very good or because it is one
> of those long trudges steadily uphill that sometimes seems to go on
> forever?

I seem to recall that there's a landrover track all the way
to the summit, which gives you an idea of how severe it
is hill-wise but in it's defence I must add that walking on
any hill in the Scottish highlands is a joy, irrespective of
it's stature and Chonzie is no different. It's not even that
far from the Glenturret distillery, which is no bad
distinction ! :D

Chris

[Phil Cook]

On 24/02/2012 16:52, Chris Gilbert wrote:
> On 23/02/2012 23:39, Adam Lea wrote:
>>
>> Is the boredom because the view isn't very good or because it is one
>> of those long trudges steadily uphill that sometimes seems to go on
>> forever?
>
> I seem to recall that there's a landrover track all the way
> to the summit, which gives you an idea of how severe it
> is hill-wise but in it's defence I must add that walking on

> any hill in the Scottish highlands is a joy...

The LR track runs almost to the subsidiary top from which you can see
the end of the broad ridge leading to the summit.
--
Phil Cook

[Adam Lea]

If there is a landrover track then presumably it is possible to mountain
bike to the summit?

I like the rolling hills as well as the sharp peaky ones. One good thing
about the former is that after the initial climb you can stroll at a
high level for considerable distances without losing a lot of height and
having to regain it.

I remember once walking to the summit of Beinn Dearg (Atholl) which is
right in the middle of a vast area of rolling heather moorland and
feeling a real sense of isolation and vulnerability, due to the fact I
couldn't see any evidence of humanity from the summit, it was just
moorland and mountains from horizon to horizon.

[Peter Clinch]

Summit? Shouldn't that have quote marks around it...

(Must admit to not having done it, but mainly I'm waiting for conditions
and timing to be right to do it on skis, for which it seems ideal.)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.c...@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

[Chris Gilbert]

> (Must admit to not having done it, but mainly I'm waiting for
> conditions and timing to be right to do it on skis, for which it
> seems ideal.)

I remember it being quite heathery all the way up to the
summit, which will no doubt impact on exactly what sort
of snow conditions might lend themselves best.

Chris

[Peter Clinch]

Heather and touring skis aren't actually that problematical. In fact
they're quite handy for gradual braking on the downs!

[Phil Cook]

On 27/02/2012 13:17, Peter Clinch wrote:
> On 27/02/12 12:24, Chris Gilbert wrote:
>> > (Must admit to not having done it, but mainly I'm waiting for
>> > conditions and timing to be right to do it on skis, for which it
>> > seems ideal.)
>>
>> I remember it being quite heathery all the way up to the
>> summit, which will no doubt impact on exactly what sort
>> of snow conditions might lend themselves best.
>
> Heather and touring skis aren't actually that problematical. In fact
> they're quite handy for gradual braking on the downs!

You get a fair amount of snow in the lee of the prevailing westerlies
and the underlying shrubbery isn't too bushy up there on the "tops"
--
Phil Cook