Walkhighlands

All these replies are great so far, thank you!

Adding so many to my 'must climb' list - also making me excited about my summer plans (which include the Torridon giants and Tryfan/Glyders - mentioned a few times above)

Goes to show it is a really subjective experience, depending on many factors. For example, I climbed Ben Nevis as part of the national 3 peaks, really busy, really wet and claggy - no views at all, total slog; however, I am desperate to go back and climb via ledge route/ descend via CMD on a clear day. I imagine those two walks would be worlds apart - but same hill.

Beinn Chabhair is on a few people's bad lists (in the other thread I stole this from on Facebook too), I'd be interested in hearing if it is someone's favourite hill. Maybe give me a perspective to return to my nemesis and resolve things

HalfManHalfTitanium wrote:
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!

Sgurr a'Mhaim looks like it will become a special one for me too: my dad has currently bagged 230+ munros and hoping to compleat next year, saving this one for the compleation and I will be joining.

xtina89 wrote:Beinn Chabhair is on a few people's bad lists (in the other thread I stole this from on Facebook too), I'd be interested in hearing if it is someone's favourite hill. Maybe give me a perspective to return to my nemesis and resolve things

Not my favourite, but nowhere near the worst! You might like to try the approach from Derrydarroch - there is a pathless section but it's much less boggy than the normal route.

I don't think I have a whole least favourite hill. I'm never going back to Foxes Tarn, but I'll happily go back to Scafell by some other route. (Although I wouldn't be too bothered if I was never on Scafell Pike again.)

(When I set the Eildon hillfort as my favourite hill when I first signed up here I was climbing it every autumn - I haven't been up there for a while, but I think I'd still choose something friendly and familiar, maybe Allermuir or West Kip.)

nigheandonn wrote:I don't think I have a whole least favourite hill. I'm never going back to Foxes Tarn, but I'll happily go back to Scafell by some other route. (Although I wouldn't be too bothered if I was never on Scafell Pike again.)

(When I set the Eildon hillfort as my favourite hill when I first signed up here I was climbing it every autumn - I haven't been up there for a while, but I think I'd still choose something friendly and familiar, maybe Allermuir or West Kip.)

I did the Wasdale round a few years ago and Foxes Tarn was probably the highlight of my day! Probably helped that, because it was a beautiful August day, Scafell Pike was absolutely heaving - it was nice to break away from the crowds and be alone again!

I did the Kips this Christmas in total clag:


In fact every time I've been on the Pentlands the views have been like this! Really need to wait for a clear day

I can't stand places that shift under my feet - and I fell in the scree somewhere above the tarn and did something to my knee that still plays up at times. I wouldn't rush back to Great Gable either, although it at least didn't attack me.

I can see the Pentlands from my bedroom window, so if they're deep in cloud I don't go I have been soaked to the skin up there, though.

xtina89 wrote:I did the Wasdale round a few years ago and Foxes Tarn was probably the highlight of my day!

The Scafells are great, I think. Lots of hidden corners that feel almost undiscovered. If you go there again and want something a bit more off the beaten track try the route from Borrowdale via Taylorgill Force, Skew Gill and Cust's Gully! https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=63093

Tim

Some of the routes up to scafell pike are amazing, I love the corridor route, although the itself summit is pretty dismal, I forgive it for all that comes before it.

Yesterday's trip down memory lane regarding galdhopigen reminded me that the mountain itself is a long slog through bare rock and glacier, with lots of broken rock everywhere, so it was more of a peak bagging exercise than enjoyment, so I'm going to say it was my least favourite mountain.

Favourite? not sure, I'll have to think about that one.

Sack the Juggler wrote:Some of the routes up to scafell pike are amazing, I love the corridor route, although the itself summit is pretty dismal, I forgive it for all that comes before it.

Yesterday's trip down memory lane regarding galdhopigen reminded me that the mountain itself is a long slog through bare rock and glacier, with lots of broken rock everywhere, so it was more of a peak bagging exercise than enjoyment, so I'm going to say it was my least favourite mountain.

Favourite? not sure, I'll have to think about that one.

I wonder if "highest mountains" are often less rewarding? I've not been to Galdhøpiggen but did a couple of peaks in northern Norway which were amazing (and pathless!). Mont Blanc was my least favourite peak in the Alps.

Similarly, I don't think the most popular paths up Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike or Snowdon are good adverts for hillwalking (except for the views from the Pyg track). But the less popular alternative routes up all three of those hills are great, I think.

Tim

My profile says Slioch for favourite, though perhaps when I climbed it it was one of those winter days with full frozen snow cover, a cloudless sky and I had it to myself. Many years ago but the memory remains. Now I might say Sgurr nan Gillean, enjoyable rocky romp on another perfect day.

Least favourite, quite possibly Moruisg, a boring trudge if there ever was one with no redeeming features.

Lots of favourites especially from camping trips but Slioch tips it for me - accompanied by a herd of goats watching the sunrise having camped just a few metres away from the summit cairn.



But...when I (hopefully) get to it, I think Quinag may be well up there and maybe top equal

Similarly a fair few less favourite hills but all enjoyable in their own way

CharlesT wrote:My profile says Slioch for favourite, though perhaps when I climbed it it was one of those winter days with full frozen snow cover, a cloudless sky and I had it to myself. Many years ago but the memory remains. Now I might say Sgurr nan Gillean, enjoyable rocky romp on another perfect day.

Least favourite, quite possibly Moruisg, a boring trudge if there ever was one with no redeeming features.

Having spent a few days walking from Bhealach Bearnais via the Watershed to Fionn Bheinn,including camping on the shoulder of Moruisg in stunning conditions, I would have to say in my opinion, you are wrong. Previously I had climbed Moruisg when it was covered in snow which goes to prove that it is often more about the conditions and company on the day. On no-ones popularity list would be the Watershed hills on the other side of the A890 due to the rough, peat-hag ridden terrain but the views of the Coulin, Torridon hills then Slioch, Fisherfield and The Fannaichs made them very special to me. For a taster I recommend the very accessible Bidein Clann Ronaild, despoiled itself by a mast and associated buildings but an excellent viewpoint on a fine day.
Elsewhere, I cannot really understand why people are so anti Beinn Chabhair. Try a different approach, do it in very dry (or very cold) conditions, enjoy the views, enjoy the company, the wild flowers (in season) and/ or the birdlife. Try Fionn Bheinn or Am Fhaochagach in wet conditions and Bheinn Chabhair will seem very tame.

rohan wrote:Elsewhere, I cannot really understand why people are so anti Beinn Chabhair. Try a different approach, do it in very dry (or very cold) conditions, enjoy the views, enjoy the company, the wild flowers (in season) and/ or the birdlife. Try Fionn Bheinn or Am Fhaochagach in wet conditions and Bheinn Chabhair will seem very tame.

To be fair, I am fully aware my beef with Chabhair is very subjective - much more about me - how (un)fit I was back then, my mental stamina, also twisting my knee near the summit and having to painstakingly limp all the way down didn't help!
I am certain If I returned now my experience would be completely different.
I just think its quite interesting it crops up on a fair few lists as a least favourite. Perhaps because it is positioned not too fair from Glasgow etc, not notoriously difficult - people (like myself) might assume it to be at the easier end - and therefore do it early on in their hill bagging, and get a bit of a nasty surprise with it.

xtina89 wrote:I just think its quite interesting it crops up on a fair few lists as a least favourite. Perhaps because it is positioned not too fair from Glasgow etc, not notoriously difficult - people (like myself) might assume it to be at the easier end - and therefore do it early on in their hill bagging, and get a bit of a nasty surprise with it.

As someone who has not climbed it (but if I ever do, I will go from Derrydarroch, not from Ben Glas Farm) I suspect that these reasons are spot on.

My experience on An Caisteal was similar, first time I walked it. The lower slopes seemed a wet dismal slog, and much harder than I expected (perhaps I was feeling the effects of an epic on the Ben Lui 4 the previous day!)

Returning in good weather made all the difference!

Tim

Bruach na Frithe stands out - my first ever Cuillin, done on a clearJune day. I’ll never forget the view when you get to the ridge and the whole arc of the Cuillins is visible.

Going up Quinag on a crisp, snowy winter day was also wonderful.

But my most climbed hill is wee Sale Fell in the Lake District- a lovely circuit that takes just over an hour and has good views. Just a nice hill.

I’m not wildly keen on the munros just north of Glen Dochart, but am perhaps influenced by going up on hazy days, trudging across moorland with no views.

Ben Loyal or, as I call it in winter, The Meringue. I like it partly for historical reasons (my first Scottish mountain, done in ideal conditions) and partly for the shape. When I'm travelling along the north coast it's the most interesting outline out of an interesting set of mountains.

I don't think I have a least favourite, unless there's a peak somewhere so dull that I've forgotten it. How about my favourite least mountain instead? The Kyle of Tongue is pretty spectacular, and one of the least mountain-like places in its area.