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Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby jmarkb » Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:02 pm

geraty wrote:I hope I don't jinx us us by saying this, but my partner & I are moderately experienced off trail. We certainly are respectful of the challenges and try to be aware of our limitations.


With that experience and attitude you should be fine! Usually by May snow is not a problem on most routes, especially ridges, but some higher north-facing gullies and corrie headwalls may well be worth avoiding if you don't have the appropriate gear. Feel free to ask on here about current conditions when you arrive. Poor visibility is a potential hazard all year round on the Scottish hills, though!
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby geraty » Sun Oct 09, 2022 11:58 pm

First Munros at age 72 - thanks to walkhighlanders.

Last October my buddy & I were planning our first hiking (or to be more location appropriate, hill walking) trip to Scotland in May of 2022. I had stumbled across the walkhighlands site and was impressed with the breadth of information and the positive and empathetic ambiance of the site. So, I took a chance and posted an inquiry soliciting the best locations and other suggestions. I was overwhelmed by the informative responses by Mal Grey, davekeiller, Border Reiver, Tringa, ScotFinn65, simon-b, AyrshireAlps, DrMagpie, and Sunset tripper. Thanks so much to those folks. After reviewing the info provided, we decided to stay at Ballachulish and Killin, and were delighted with these locations.

In Ballachulish, although the weather was marginal to bad, even according to the very friendly local folks we met, we had a fabulous stay at Neil & Katya’s Strathassynt Bed and Breakfast. I can’t speak highly enough about their great food and accommodation, but especially about their warm welcome and sage hill walking advice. Fortuitously, the Laroch Restaurant and Bar, which became our neighborhood pub away from home, is directly across the street.

After viewing Paul Agnew’s video, and particularly the sensuous ridgeline between Sgòrr Bhan and Sgòrr Dhearg, we put the Beinn a' Bheithir via Schoolhouse Ridge walk as our first priority. Although we didn’t know it at the time, we were lucky to make the walk our first day because the marginal weather that day deteriorated thereafter. (For example, we had to beat a sheepish retreat down Buachaille Etive Beag when a very brief break in the clouds and horizontal rain disclosed that we had mistaken the unnamed 902m top for Stob Dubh.) As the Beinn a’ Bheithir walk is well documented on the site, I won’t go into many details about that absolutely fabulous walk, except to mention two items. First, the walk in May through the village to the trailhead is achingly lovely. Second, as this was our first Scotland walk, we’d decided to be as conservative as possible. Therefore, we decided to take the easier route to the left around the second wall on Sgòrr Bhan. Unfortunately, I did not heed my buddy’s suggestion and continued too far to the left, resulting in an unpleasant, long slog up a steep, mostly scree slope with some minimal grass. So, my advice is: if you're going to take the easier route to the left, the “rocky groove” appears quickly, don’t miss it. In retrospect, we certainly should have just scrambled the wall. Despite my foolishness, Schoolhouse was one of my favorite walking days ever.

In Killin, we stayed in an AirBNB with a great view of Tarmachan Ridge, and enjoyed much better weather, though with a breezy 40 MPH on the summits of Ben Vorlich and Schiehallion. The pub room of Falls of Dochart Inn became our second neighborhood pub away from home. The highlight, however, of the Killin portion of our trip was Tarmachan Ridge. This walk offers a wonderful combination and variety of experiences and viewpoints. It was a treat to look out our apartment windows and see it every day of our stay in Killin,

In a prior life, we had fairly extensive winter cross country skiing and summer hiking and kayaking in Alaska, and in more recent years, hiking in Utah. If I can provide any similar information concerning hiking in Southern Utah, especially, please let me know. It has been our general experience that the people one meets in those circumstances are almost always great, friendly and positive folks. In Scotland we took every opportunity to engage with people we met on the trails and in the pubs. Without exception, they were friendly and so helpful - it was really one of the highlights of our trip.

So, in closing this perhaps too long post, first, I again want to thank the people who make walkhighlands possible. I have read a lot of trip reports and a fair number of random other posts, and I am greatly impressed with the camaraderie and positive nature expressed on the site. I have made a financial contribution to the site in the hope I can in some small way support that unique relationship you share, and I urge you to value and nurture it. Second, I only regret the facts that my first hill walking and first five Munros came at age 72. While we hope to add to our Munros and other hillwalking experiences this coming May on Harris and Skye, I rue that I do not have the years left nor the skills necessary to get to 282.
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby jmarkb » Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:31 am

Thanks so much for coming back on here and telling us about your trip - it is always good to hear back from visitors who have sought advice on the forums. And thank you for contributing to the site as well! Really glad you had a good time, despite the challenging weather. If we can be of any assistance in planning your trip next year, please just ask.
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon Oct 10, 2022 8:41 am

geraty wrote:While we hope to add to our Munros and other hillwalking experiences this coming May on Harris and Skye, I rue that I do not have the years left nor the skills necessary to get to 282.


At least you are alive to enjoy it for now. :D Harris and Skye are excellent, May often has good weather and the wild flowers and wildlife are out for summer. There are lots of walks on this walkhighlands site, also info on this one: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usmapindexes/westernisles.html

And anecdotes on these: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=108322&p=455339&hilit=+luskentyre#p455339 , https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=104638&p=445872&hilit=+luskentyre#p445872 , https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=73306&p=352137&hilit=+luskentyre#p352137 , https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=69699&p=340919&hilit=+luskentyre#p340919 .

Luskentyre.JPG
Luskentyre shore


Clach MacLeod Horgabost.jpg
Clach MacLeod, Horgabost, Harris


Traigh Uig#1.jpg
Curragh, Uig, Lewis


Badgers-livid.jpg
Look out for the wildlife...
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby Tringa » Mon Oct 10, 2022 1:33 pm

Glad you enjoyed your trip and good luck for future Scottish hills.

Dave
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby Mal Grey » Mon Oct 10, 2022 1:49 pm

Glad you had a great trip and thanks for coming back and updating us. Always nice to know how folk got on.
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby hutch57 » Mon Oct 10, 2022 6:03 pm

Only 4 at 73

I am the buddy mentioned in geraty's posts. I would like to echo his expressions of appreciation. We had, I think, a trip of a lifetime; and this was in no small part due to the information that we found on the walkhighlands web site. So thank you all so very much for your information and inspiration, both those who responded to geraty directly and those whose stories we continue to read avidly.

I am no photographer, but I attach (if I did it correctly) two shots that speak to me of the magnificent beauty and joy that we experienced on our "walks". (Is that Scots for "butt kickings"?) The first looks back from the top of Sgorr Dhearg toward Sgorr Bhan and beyond. The second is of geraty on his way to visit Sgorr Dhonuill. (I didn't have enough gas in the tank to get up the second Munro.)

We greatly look forward to the privilege of returning to the mountains of Scotland.
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Re: Best towns for first hiking trip to highlands

Postby NickyRannoch » Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:06 pm

Didn't see this was an update. Ignore
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