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So how busy was it?

Re: So how busy was it?

Postby mmm_biscuit » Mon Apr 19, 2021 6:29 pm

Saturday 17th April. We headed up to the Glencoe Ski centre to climb Meall a'Bhuiridh and Creise, and get our only snowboard run of the year. We'd wanted an early start to avoid traffic and parking chaos, but somehow didn't manage to leave Glasgow until just before 8am.

Road was pretty quiet, but all the parking areas off the A82 were really busy - lots of verge parking around Inveruglas, Ben Challuim parking area full. We started to worry that our late start would have messed up our day. However - turned in to the Ski Centre just after 9:30 to find lots of space - maybe only a dozen other cars. Quite a few folk lugging skis and boards up the hill (some on bikes!), and a few walkers as well.

Weather was amazing though - what a day to get back up there!

20210417_125418.jpg
Meall a'Bhuiridh and Clach Leathad from Creise
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby Coop » Mon Apr 19, 2021 6:37 pm

Did the pair of Corbett's in Glen Orchy yesterday. Only 2 on the hills
Maybe the mist, rain and because they are Corbett's had something to to do with it
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby JonetCol » Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:33 pm

Its hard to get right. Even starting early I've returned to find I'm blocked in by bad parking. I much prefer to do a different walk each trip, but with the current congestion I'm using the same start point as it seems undiscovered/unpopular. I can still vary the route a little and the walking is good. It's in the borders which may not be so badly hit as Loch Lomond etc but I've seen a few busy car parks en route.
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby BlackPanther » Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:28 pm

Loch Lochy M's on Saturday (17.04). About 10 cars. I guess too far from the central belt for the mad crowd :wink:

We took an alternative route up the eastern ridge and saw nobody until the very summit but for a golden eagle. A few groups of walkers on the way down. I had expected more people, maybe we were just lucky.
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:12 pm

Car park at Strathan above Loch Arkaig was quiet enough today (as you'd hope on a Thursday) . Arrived this morning at half 7 just in case and there were only 3 other cars, all seemed to have camped. Only one other car had arrived by the time I was back. Happy to report the road out to it is as nuts as ever.

:lol:
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby Tinto63 » Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:13 pm

BlackPanther wrote:Loch Lochy M's on Saturday (17.04). About 10 cars. I guess too far from the central belt for the mad crowd :wink:


Like this:
DSCF7776_01.JPG
Tinto carpark 0732, 17/04/21


and 5 minutes later at 0737 it looked like this:

DSCF7779_01.JPG


luckily there are ways of avoiding the main path, and my walk up looked like this:

DSCF7783_01.JPG


quite busy at the top:

DSCF7789_01.JPG


so I disappeared down the west side, which was very quiet:

DSCF7814_01.JPG


and eventually reached Howgate Mouth:

DSCF7884_01.JPG


and walked north to the road leading back to the carpark, which was full and overflowing back towards Thankerton:

DSCF7888_01.JPG
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby WeeHills » Sat Apr 24, 2021 7:51 am

Decided to brave the hordes on Ben Lomond yesterday (Friday 23rd April) before things open up further.

Went early, arriving at Rowardennan about 6.40am to find around 12 or 15 other cars parked up.

Got down pretty much on the dot of midday and not a space to be had. Was asked three times if I was leaving before I even got to the car (um, not before coffee and dooking my poor, aching tootsies in the Loch I'm not!).

Hill was similar, went up the Ptarmigan and passed only two groups headed down and one other bloke going up that way, otherwise had it to myself. Were a few people on the summit, but no more than 5 at a time the 45 minutes I stopped there. Headed back down the main path met a bazzillion folk trudging upwards.

Wouldn't fancy going anywhere near on the weekends, but was fine during the week with an early start.
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:26 am

Was two cars in the upper car park for the Grey Corries/Stob Ban/Innses/Lairig Leacach yesterday at 0800 and five when I came back at 1400. None at the lower one en route up and two en route back.

I parked at Cour Bridge and walked in to avoid the track but it looked better than I remember.

Creag Meagaidh car park had about two cars in it at 0700 or so but maybe 15 later. Then again it's actually a half decent car park (wish more were like that).
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby Dougalyd » Sat Apr 24, 2021 9:57 am

Coop wrote:Did the pair of Corbett's in Glen Orchy yesterday. Only 2 on the hills
Maybe the mist, rain and because they are Corbett's had something to to do with it


I did these two yesterday (Friday 23rd), it was a gorgeous day but there wasn't anyone else on these hills and the only person I saw all day was a forestry worker mending a fence. All the other parking places that you pass on the A85/82 on the way up from Stirling were about 75% full by 8.30/9.00am.
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby KatTai » Sat Apr 24, 2021 12:31 pm

I've been up Aberdeenshire way a few times this week, Clachnaben car park had just a few cars when passing but more on the return with just a space or two left. Fortunately there are now bollards up to prevent the irresponsible parking at the side of the road so that is no longer an issue. The Cambus O May suspension Bridge parking looked rammed and one of the others was very busy, but there were plenty of spaces at the others including the Balmoral Car Park, which did surprise me as I thought that one would be busy, and the car park at Dinnet. There were a LOT of cars heading down the road to the Back o Bennachie car park so I'm guessing that was probably busy. I'm not heading out at the weekend, will wait for during the week even though the weather forecast isn't looking as nice!
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby larry groo » Sat Apr 24, 2021 3:26 pm

Up on Tolmount & Tom Buidhe today from Glen Doll.

I arrived solo at 05:45 from Montrose to approx 5 cars in the car park. Was alone all the way up and mostly down until I got back onto Jock's road for the descent.

Counted 35 people that I spoke to between half way down Jock's road and the car park (which was rammed, including the overspill) with the now familiar 'Oooh you started early' greeting I've been met with recently.

So 5am starts from now on. Even for the local stuff.

:D :? :D
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Sat Apr 24, 2021 6:15 pm

Took a day off from the hills to do a road trip to Achmelvich with the other half (plus was knackered from two days on hills). Ben Wyvis car park looked heaving - would be surprised if folk weren't boxed in. Laybys full and cars on verges.

Eastern Fannaichs also heaving but Inverlael looked like it had a few spaces left. Inchnadamph was dead and none of the laybys in Assynt were really full up. Achmelvich was very busy and looked like police were moving on folk camping there.
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby denfinella » Sat Apr 24, 2021 7:02 pm

Today was a bit of an eye opener - I think the West Highlands was the busiest I've experienced in 10 years of walking in Scotland (and it's only April!).

We left Edinburgh at 6.30am to climb Beinn a' Chreachain and Beinn Achaladair near Bridge of Orchy - fully expecting an 8.30am arrival time to be safe enough for these quietish Munros.

The first warning sign was the Ben Ledi car park being full at 7.30am, followed by the same at Beinn Each. By this time we were in a 25-car tailback along Loch Lubnaig which was more befitting of 10am in July, rather than 7.30am in April :shock:

Almost all the normal walkers laybys between here and Bridge of Orchy were already full, including for some of the relatively obscure hills to the southeast of Beinn Dorain.

Arrived at the Achallader car park at 8.35am and... fortunately there was loads of space. The car park is newish and its massive. Phew! I reckon it got close to being full by the middle of the day though.

Hill was busy but not unpleasantly so - I would estimate about 30-40 cars worth of people, all nicely spread out.

So we were a bit lucky, and I will definitely be very careful about planning weekend Munro walks in the West Highlands this spring / summer. These two Munros are a good bet if you don't want to get up at the crack of dawn though.

Bridge of Orchy also had lots of space, so Beinn Dorain / Dothaidh might be another good choice.
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby Amanda1425 » Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:54 am

Have been trying to get Ben Lomond checked off without battling through the crowds, so I headed up late on Friday (23rd). Got to the Rowardennan car park at 430 pm, and there were still only about 6 spaces free. Set off up the Ptarmigan path at 5pm, met about 15 people on their way down, only two at the summit, and another two fell runners on my decent. Views were spectacular and topped off with a beautiful pink sunset. People who'd been there earlier in the day said it hadn't been that busy on the hill but the car park was full.

Set of for the Ben a Glo three at 7 on Sat morning (24th), arrived at 830, about 20 cars there ahead of us. We got parked and headed off. It was busier than we expected but by-and-large we had space to walk by ourselves. Probably met about 50 people the whole day (a couple of big groups, fell runners and some cycling the munros).
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Re: So how busy was it?

Postby RiverSong » Sun Apr 25, 2021 11:53 am

Saturday 24 April, Clachnaben car park plus all the surrounding lay-bys and parking spots were full by mid morning. By 6pm the car park was empty, so that might be a good time for anyone who wants a quiet walk. The Falls of Dess, which only has parking for about 3 cars, had 15 cars parked along the road, some had even parked in a nearby farmer’s field. People out walking everywhere along a very busy road. I even saw people walking up Cairn O Mount.
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