Walkhighlands

Saw this thread going on a Scottish mountain group on facebook and thought it was really interesting to hear everyone's reasons.

What is your favourite and least favourite hill you have climbed so far and why?

So far (I have a week booked in Torridon in June, so expecting this to change ), my favourite is either:

Beinn A'Bheithir, got an absolutely cracking day between xmas and new year just gone.


Or Caisteal Abhail on Arran, been up a few times but managed this moody early morning cloud inversion last summer, when we had the place to ourselves:


My least favourite in Beinn Chabhair, I climbed serveral years ago, pre "hill-fit", cried all the way up, twisted my knee, hobbled slowly down, very boggy, lost of false summits - nearly put me off hills before I started!



What about yours?

Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh. I see it every day when I leave the house. I have run round it, walked up it, climbed on it and generally had adventures on it since I was a child. It has its own village with country pub, a nature reserve, a fascinating cycle path and wonderful all round history dating back to Neolithic times. The hill I see and love most!

I suspect people's favourite mountains are often actually their favourite day on the mountain. Conditions can make such a difference to memory. So, some of mine:

Stac Pollaidh. Tiny but adventurous, and in the most wonderful landscape in Britain. Wonderful to climb, busy, but many don't reach the true summit, but also a fabulous landmark in the background on many of my favourite outdoor adventures, canoeing and walking.

Suilven. As above!

Liathach. Best of the Torridon Hills. Well, today's thinking says it is, tomorrow that might be Alligin or Eighe.

Beinn Liath Mhor. Approached by Coire Lair, one of my favourite places anywhere.

Clach Glas. Something that pointy shouldn't exist in the UK. OK, maybe it doesn't count as its not on any of the "normal" lists, but could be the most magnificent summit in Britain.

Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan. OK, partly because of the conditions on the day we climbed it, but sitting on top in the sun, with the snow covered hills disappearing off a hundred miles into the distance, after a long bike and then crampon approach, will never be forgotten. The remoteness definitely helps.

Tryfan. Exciting by any route, and an iconic shape.

Kinder Scout. For teaching me to love the hills, and to be able to navigate!

I could go on...


I'm not sure I have a least favourite. Possibly Geal-Charn in the Drumochter hills, simply because it was least memorable.

Favourite is any climb that's in good weather!

Least favourite was probably Ben More/Stob Binnein, just because of the pain, and Ben Venue, for midges and a stupid 'short cut' descent that got us into bother.

I haven't climbed enough hills to feel like I can really comment, but Tryfan stood out as one of the great hills. A good example of grade 1 scrambling that was enough to require a bit of route planning, but not so hard as to be overwhelming or scary.

I can't think of a good example of a least favourite, although I must have had some bad days on a hill. Closest I can think of is Schiehallion on a claggy day. From Brae of Foss, trudge trudge trudge up a long bouldery ridge, with false summit after false summit after false summit omg is this ever going to end?!! I would try a different route if I ever climbed it again.

Here's my personal Top Ten (in Scotland - otherwise in the UK, the Glyders, Tryfan, the Nantlle hills, Cnicht, Moel Siabod, the Rhinogs, Cadair Idris and Blencathra would also be in my list.)

These are a bit "alternative" - I don't think any of them make the WH Top Ten list!

Sgurr a'Mhaoraich - not the most fashionable hill but the ascent is easy and builds in drama with every step - to a summit with mesmerising views of Knoydart, Kintail, Lochaber and the Inner Hebrides.

IMG_7125 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beinn na h-Eaglaise (Torridon) - a beautiful approach via Coire Roill, and then so many humps, bumps and hidden lochans to discover on the ascent, and stunning views over Glen Torridon, the Coulin Forest and the sea. Magical.

IMG_0020 by Tim Pearce, on Flickr

Sgurr a'Mhaim - climbed this with my wife, her last Munro walk before bad knees set in. So very special for me. In this view from Aonach Beag, it's on the right above a cloud-filled Glen Nevis. A very old photo!

PICT0015 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Sron a'Choire Ghairbh - another unfashionable one, but it's such a pleasant easy ascent... we walked up in cloud, and then saw the inversions from the summit...

IMG_8949 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Quinag - a brooding, strange-shaped mass above the wilds of Assynt

IMG_0560 by Tim Pearce, on Flickr

Ben Starav - the whole circuit of the valleys and ridges of this hill was extraordinary for its variety and scenery on an Alpine scale

IMG_1704 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Lochagar - a great walk with superb cliff scenery. Even its unpopular neighbour Carn a' Choire Bhoideach has the wonderful Stuic, poised high above the Dee valley.

IMG_2896 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Beinn a'Chochuill - such an easy walk, leading to such amazing and varied views in all directions - this is south from the summit to the Ben Cruachan peaks

IMG_1315 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Creag Meagaidh - Coire Ardair is wonderful, but so to is the approach walk through the regenerated native forest.

IMG_4728 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

Stob Coire an Laoigh, Grey Corries - reached via a rollercoaster ridge-walk with wonderful views in all directions

IMG_4160 by Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr

For favourite scrambly routes, I would say Curved Ridge, the CMD Arete, Little Gully on the east face of Tryfan, Daear Ddu on Moel Siabod and Grib Lem on Carnedd Dafydd. The hardly-a-scramble to the top of Bruach na Frithe was also wonderful.

Least favourite hill - probably The Cairnwell because of the awful despoiled summit. But that's man's fault, not the hill's! Least favourite used to be An Caisteal, but that was my mindless prejudice, based on falling waist-deep into a pool of slime. A second visit has made me a big fan of this fine hill.

Least Favourite: Muirneag , a Marilyn in the north of Lewis. We didn't see it at its gloopy worst, which was just as well. You have to navigate round countless lochs to reach the summit of something which is really no more than a giant peaty inverted saucer



The other least favourite was the Nantlle ridge, which was only bad because we did it in appalling weather




Have too many favourites

Love - Lochnagar for a multitude of reasons

Hate - Snowden

Best - out of many candidates I say Geal-Charn (Alder range). Hard to reach (I did it from Corrour), unspectacular but unpretentious, just massively present, it is what it is. Lovely ridge walk from Aonach Beag if you go that way. Beautiful alpine flowers by the stream I used for descent, it's one of those hills where you can find yourself many untracked ways.


Worst - An Coileachan. There's nothing wrong with the hill as such, apart from the miles of bog up from Glascarnoch, I've chosen this because the Fannaichs and this one especially seemed to have a vendetta: first attempt I failed to find the summit in clag, second time also in clag I lost my compass and went off wrong side for descent, ended up down by Loch Fannich with horrendous walk-round over rough ground to return to base.

Sgurr na Ciche, Beinn A'Bheithir, and Sgurr nan Gillean are all up there with the faves/ ,best days out/ fantastic views.

Karma will probably bite me if I say Beinn Chabhair is down there, so I won't say it. I'll go back up one day from inverlochlanrig though

Schiehallion (best in winter) and Ben Nevis (crap in summer)

Depends upon which way you reach the top and who you are out on the hill with.
A previous poster said that a hill was crap in summer....however reaching the summit area of the Ben by way of one of the three big ridges can seem like a very rewarding day out.
Wouldn't say any of them are not interesting....maybe a dullish one in the middle of doing several others during a day out can be fine when taken as a entire trip.
I guess that those with a rock ridge are to be remembered..... BEM by way of Curved ridge along with the crowberry tower is a nice way to the summit, Chir Mhor one of the several jewels on Arran by way of the South Ridge, The Great Ridge on Garbh Bheinn where you step directly onto the summit area and the Pinnacle ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean, the way up to Sgurr Dubh Mor via the Dubhs ridge and of course the previously mentioned Clach Glas the delectable wee summit close to Blaven and many others….also not forgetting the many folks with whom these fine days out have been shared.

my point about Ben Nevis being crap in the summer refers to the crowds up there - I prefer the quiet of the hills but its no reflection on those who do the summit

Ben Alligin and Biod an Athair in Scotland and Munkan's walking top in Norway, all hills with good views of their own ridges and of their surroundings.

No real least favourite but I dislike geometric forest plantations and bulldozed tracks.

xtina89 wrote:
My least favourite in Beinn Chabhair, I climbed serveral years ago, pre "hill-fit", cried all the way up, twisted my knee, hobbled slowly down, very boggy, lost of false summits - nearly put me off hills before I started!


What about yours?

Seconded! Absolute pig of a hill.

(My opinion is in no way coloured by my spraining my ankle on the summit ridge and then hobbling to the drovers to get blitzed waiting for the last bus.)