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Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion


Postby Backpacker » Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:00 pm

Route description: Schiehallion

Munros included on this walk: Schiehallion

Date walked: 23/03/2014

Time taken: 5.5 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 731m

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My 1st Munro of the year which turned out to be quite the adventure. My girlfriend and I attempted it last weekend but the weather beat us at about 950M and I was determined to give it another go this weekend as for once the forecast was nice to us that can't get away for midweek jaunt at short notice.

I left Stonehaven around 7 and was at the Braes Of Foss carpark and away about 9, 1st thing I noticed was that there had been quiet a substantial snowfall during the week.

I set off up the track "trying to follow the path, but there was a few times I meandered off course and ended up knee deep in snow, time to put the gaiters on, except I'd left them in the car as I found out on my return :roll:

Nothing for it, onwards and upwards, I spent most the time on the path up to the boulder field debating if it was a good idea, deep drifts, wind howling and bloody cold. By the time I'd huffed and puffed (walking through snow takes a lot out of you) I hit the cairn at the start of the boulder field, too my horror I saw a big, black, manky cloud appearing round the corner, at this point the wind really whipped up, I stood with my back to it, again debating, this time my sanity, as I donned my £5 windstopper balaclava and headed up the boulder field, thankfully there was some serious blue sky heading my direction, unfortunately, it didn't stop the wind.

This where it got really interesting, away from the boulders there was some serious waist deep drifts, which when you're 6'2 is a bit alarming, especially when you put your arms out to stop yourself falling and you just go straight through. I kept to the boulders as much as possible and eventually after a lot of shouting and swearing I was a the final pull up to the summit. The approach was pretty much knee deep snow the entire way up but eventually I was up and got some cracking views as a reward.

The descent was pretty much the same as the ascent.

Some pictures of the day.

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DSCF0297 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0298 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0299 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0300 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0301 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0302 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0303 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0304 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0305 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0306 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0307 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0308 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0309 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0310 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0311 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0312 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0313 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

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DSCF0314 by GaryE1872, on Flickr

All important selfie as seems the norm nowadays

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DSCF0315 by GaryE1872, on Flickr
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Backpacker
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Re: Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Postby Fife Flyer » Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:46 pm

Well done to all concerned, the wind was something else today :wink:
We (Lightfoot & Jepsonscotland) were up past Glenshee struggling up An Socach, some fantastic scenery, even the Glenshee hills look attractive with a nice white coating :lol:
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Re: Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Postby simon-b » Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:47 pm

At least you got some magnificent views, despite the wind and snowdrifts. Perthshire looked beautiful today.
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simon-b
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Re: Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Postby cmarcol » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:02 pm

If it makes you feel better about your sanity - 5 of us pushed on to the top last weekend for some reason unbeknown to me! You might have bumped into us if it was the Sunday! Looks like you had a much better day this time around!
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cmarcol
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Re: Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Postby Backpacker » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:12 pm

cmarcol wrote:If it makes you feel better about your sanity - 5 of us pushed on to the top last weekend for some reason unbeknown to me! You might have bumped into us if it was the Sunday! Looks like you had a much better day this time around!


some going that :lol: :lol:

We did it on the saturday I couldn't stand upright :lol:
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Backpacker
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1402
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Re: Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Postby cmarcol » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:44 pm

Backpacker wrote:
some going that :lol: :lol:

We did it on the saturday I couldn't stand upright :lol:


That's one way to put it! It was pretty much the same on the Sunday! I ended up on my face twice. It's all good fun when you look back though :)
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cmarcol
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Posts: 285
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Sub 2000:6   
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Location: Fife

Re: Questioning My Sanity On Schiehallion

Postby smeggles7 » Wed Jun 04, 2014 8:20 pm

awesome pictures!! :clap: :D
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smeggles7
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