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Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:58 pm
by Louise
You may think this is out of an Alfred Hithcock movie but it's not.....

There is an increasing number of tales of ravens (yes birds) going through unattended rucsacs on the ridge and leaving people with no food or water. They can unzip pockets, open lunchboxes and tear dry bags to get at the contents aswel as damage water bottles.

They don't seem to be too fussed at what they eat apart from bananas - they tend to peck them and leave them. So beware chocolate, fruit (dried or fresh), energy bars, sandwiches.............the list goes on

I am currently working at the youth hostel in Glenbrittle and have had people staying who this has happened to aswel as hearing it from local guides. Tonight we had a chap stagger in who had to make a detour to the hostel instead of back over to his tent at Loch Coruisk after a day on the ridge, due to all his supplies being eaten.

Have fun but a chocolate bar or energy bar in your jacket pocket may help you out!

Louise

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:21 am
by Milesy
They are smart blighters

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:32 am
by electricfly
Far smarter than those leaving their packs unattended it would seem. ;)

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:26 am
by Caberfeidh
My pack of evil hench-ravens strike again, mwahahahahaha!!!!! :twisted: Soon I'll have them trained to nick watches from peoples' wrists...

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:11 am
by IamAJMiller
That is soooooooo Raven!

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:47 am
by monty
That happened to one of our group last month Louise. We all ditched our packs for an ascent up one of the munros (cant remember which) and when we returned Marks samdwiches had been taken from his closed backpack by the birds. How we laughed :lol: :lol: :lol: But we were ok as the group had plenty food. Not so funny if you are on your own. :(

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:43 pm
by MacCookie
Happened to me up underneath An Stac. Left my pack while I scrambled up Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, came back to find that the ravens had managed to get into my rucksack and had a good feed. Straight through the top of my lunchbox, but my pack was unscathed!

Ewan

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:45 pm
by RicKamila
IamAJMiller wrote:That is soooooooo Raven!


Sigh, is it sad that as a grown man I understand that... :oops:

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:20 pm
by lochfyne
Your warning about the ravens and comparing it to Alfred Hitchcock's film Louise reminded me of my encounter with the man himself many years ago in the very same area.

For many years my father ran one of the boats doing trips to Loch Coruisk. The set up wasn't as grand or regulated as it is today although my father's boat was a very fine wooden boat purpose built in Orkney for the Coruisk trips and the odd lobster creel or two!

Anyway, he was asked if he could take Alfred Hitchcock to Loch Coruisk as he wanted to take photos there with a view to using the setting for a film.

My sister and I decided we wanted to be in on the action so were at the Elgol pier along with Dad and Seumas (who still owns and runs the Misty Isle from Elgol), when AH and his wife arrived in their chaffeur driven car from the Lochalsh Hotel where they were staying. Back then the road stopped at the school so they had to walk the distance from the school to the pier.

By the time they reached the boat it was clear neither of them were in the best of health and were struggling, but they clambered in and we set off for Coruisk.

Once there, he was unable to get out of the boat up the rickety steps, so he asked Dad and Seumas to take his camera and take some photos. Well I doubt if either of them had had much dealings with cameras, let alone something as large and complicated looking as that one. We went up to the loch where they took a selection of photos then back to the boat.

They always said that the reason Alfred Hitchcock never shot a film there was down to their photographic skills!

Re: Skye Cuillin ravens warning

PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:05 pm
by stomper
Probably the birds were too ravernous to ignore the packs :lol: :lol: :lol: