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Me and Rab's Scheihallion adventure

Me and Rab's Scheihallion adventure


Postby kevmcmahon1976 » Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:33 am

Munros included on this walk: Schiehallion

Date walked: 17/08/2014

Time taken: 4 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 730m

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This was a week where i'd asked my friend rab who had accompanied me the previous week to pick one and he came up with Scheihallion. Somehow i'd heard the name and after a bit of investigation into what lay in store if truth be told i was buzzing to get going after seeing one picture. They say it is one of the most popular but also easier of the munro's to do. Well we set off early on the sunday morning to find out for ourselves. The drive from alloa to get there was spectacular itself going through the small glen and admiring the beautiful scenery that is what i love most about our country. This turned out to be a day with a few unexpected surprises. We got there about 10.30am and set off in sunshine up the hill about 11am. We made our customary video diary at the bottom where my friend let me in on the knowledge that bad weather was forecast although i couldn't see any sign of this right now. Off up the hill we went at a steady but consistent pace and stopped for a few photo's here and there in the early stages and both just agreeing that the surrounding's were amazing. The further we got up the hill some fog begun to set in and we met a man who said it was wild at the top and to be careful as the rocks were slippery. I lost count of the false summit's we came upon as the fog got worse but even though the wind was now picking up as well we were not deterred from achieving our aim. By the time we got to within distance of the emergency radio station the wind speed and rain that was hitting us was crazy. As we both agreed it was like being hit in the face by stones but i put on my waterproofs and my gloves and on we went to soon after reach the top. Here just like we'd been told it was absolutely wild and as the pile of stones didn't look like the highest point i wanted to step up onto a rock that looked like the highest point. When i did this the gust that hit me nearly took me off my feet. I let out a wow this is mad but after getting my balance was soon doing my superman impression as it did actually feel like i was flying. Rab was now really wet and cold and i too realised just how cold it was when i took off my gloves for a minute or so to take a photo and within second's my hands were like ice. We agreed hanging around was not an option and set off back down the hill as quick as we could. It was hard to navigate in no visibilty and biting cold but we managed to stay on or as close to the path as possible and as we passdd quite a few people on the way down we warned them of what to expect at the top. Once we got down so far we came out of the fog and rain into some sunshine which was when i begun to feel my hands going back to normal some 25 minutes since i'd felt the cold. I thought my god that was even colder than i initially thought up there. We kept on down the hill meeting more people who we knew were heading up into this madness and again warned them of what lay ahead. We got back to the car, Rab got his wet clothes off and we high fived our achievement and set off on the road home with great smiles having had a great adventure. On our way home a surprise lay in store which to me epitomises the beauty of going hillwalking. Now although we were away from Scheihallion now i still consider this as part of the trip. One of the thing's i love best about it all is you never know who you'll meet but that everyone is nice. We got to a little bridge just outside Braco and had to stop as there was a film crew there and a green van with the word's Flintoff's Fish Bar on the side. Rab started talking to the crew asking them what they were doing but i was looking at the photo's of where we'd been although a voice inside my head was saying " i only know one person with the name Flintoff ". The green van moved up the road and still not realising what was going on i said to rab, stop round the corner and weel get a photo with the van it's quite cool. We drove round the corner where the van was now sitting and who's head is hanging out the van but Sir Freddie Flintoff himself. We stopped and i jumped out and started to talk to him and shook his hand. He was such a down to earth guy and a real pleasure to meet even asked me who was making my loombands i had on as his daughter made loads for him too. He gave the impression we could have had a lengthy chat with him but out of respect to him we got our photo taken with him said our goodbyes and left him to get back to what he was doing. This was the icing on the cake of a great day and is a day that will live long in the memory for lots of reason's. Scheihallion is an amazing hill and its unpredictable weather and terrain is to me perfect training for many other hill's as it really throws everything at you when it wants. :-)
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kevmcmahon1976
Walker
 
Posts: 19
Munros:13   
Joined: Sep 2, 2014

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