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Advice for a new hiker

Advice for a new hiker


Postby Caroline47 » Mon May 23, 2022 11:59 am

Hi I am new to hiking and to here and myself and my husband recently completed Ben Lomond as being one of the "easier" ones. I am keen to get going on the next one and still wanting to keep it to the easier ones and build this up as I don't want to fall out with my new found passion and feel a graded approach is safer!!!. I also have a fear of heights which isn't great!!. I have been reading loads on here and other sites and I just can't decide. I am in between Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn) and Ben Chonzie. Any advice would be appreciated!!
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby MRG1 » Mon May 23, 2022 6:31 pm

Welcome to the bonkers world of hiking.
I've done that particular Ben Vorlich and planned for doing Ben Chonzie from Loch Turret but not walked it yet.
I don't think there's going to be much between them in terms of difficulty but one thing that I fell foul of when I started hillwalkiing was that term "easier."
I got into the belief that the lowest munros were going to be the easiest.
It may seem a bit backward but actually some of the easiest munros are actually much higher than your next targets.
The reason for this is that the starting point is that much higher.
The Ben Lawyers range and the Glenshee munros for instance
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby MRG1 » Mon May 23, 2022 6:45 pm

Sorry, that was a bit dismissive of your targets.
It's kind of six of one / half a dozen of the other.
Ben Vorlich from Loch Earn is shorter but more ascent.
Ben Chonzie is longer but less ascent on both of the established routes
I too share a bit of a "respect for heights" and "exposed routes."
There shouldn't be anything of great concern on Ben Vorlich, the final ascent to the summit from the last plateau can look daunting (it looks narrow from a distance) but it's actually really quite wide when on it.
It's also a bit steep in places but nothing that had me overly concerned and believe me, I'm a wimp sometimes on a steep slope :lol:
As I said previously, i haven't walked Ben Chonzie (yet) but I've seen it up fairly close from the east, I don't think that there's anything horrendous, perhaps a fairly steep ascent onto the hill from the end of Loch Turret.
I've haven't seen it from the perspective of the other route from the west.

I know that there are numerous books on the munros but I personally love "The ultimate guide to the munros" series by Ralph Storer.
They've been invaluable to me.
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Mon May 23, 2022 6:49 pm

Good luck with the new found interest in the outdoors! You will always find helpful advice on here.

A personal view - I climbed the Loch Earn Ben Vorlich many years ago, but I found the upper paths of the path eroded and slippery. It was a wet day, but even so I remember the descent being tricky. I've always found tis listing among the "easy Munro" a bit odd, because there are lots of Munros that I have found to be much easier and safer.

Here are some thoughts, with links to my trip reports which you may find useful. Note that some of these are perhaps not listed as an "easy route" on Walkhighlands because the recommended route climbs the Munro in combination with another. Whereas climbed by itself, all these are pretty easy and have decent paths (although not quite the motorway there is on Ben Lomond!)

Stuc a'Chroin from the south - start at Braeleny Farm near Callander https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=110519. Stunning scenes in all directions, easy walking. The path is a bit fainter than on some of the other routes I've listed.

Stuchd an Lochain - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=109051 - a superb walk with some of the best all-round views in the southern Highlands.. The start in glen Lyon is a bit of a drive to get to, but it also means you start walking at 400m altitude making this quite an easy one.

Meall Greigh - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=109196 - an easy plod of an ascent, but stunning views of Loch Tay and Ben Lawers from the top.

Mayar and Driesh https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=106791 - a very easy route considering it visits 2 Munros, and great scenery in Corrie Fee. But check on here if thinking of it, ask if anyone has done it recently. The forestry in the glen was affected by Storm Arwen

Meall Ghaordaidh - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=86765 - very easy, not the most intersting walk but the widening views on the ascent make up for it

Schiehallion - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=84983 - very clear path, but top section is very stony

Sgiath Chiul - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=88324 - good weather only as the upper part is pathless. This is a good example of a Munro that is easy by itself, but much harder if combined with its neighbour.

Beinn a'Chochuill - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=88388. Possilby a fraction harded than the others, but the views are sensational

And here is my trip report for Ben Chonzie which you might find useful - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=84988

Have a great time

Tim
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby KatTai » Mon May 23, 2022 7:44 pm

These are the only two I've done so far this year, Ben Chonzie is the easier of the two but Vorlich has the better views. Not a fan of the loose rock going up Vorlich though :lol: There's a lot of choice though depending on how far you want to travel, none of the ones I've done I'd consider particularly difficult and we have a fair few not too complicated ones to go :)
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby Caroline47 » Tue May 24, 2022 7:04 am

Thank you all for your advice. MRG1 your post definitely wasn't dismissive and your comments have been really helpful. I am soaking everything in and will be taking everything on board and plan to look at the book you suggested!.😁

KatTai thank you as well. Its good to hear others experiences who have climbed them and quite reassuring 😁

Tim I have read every single one of the reports you sent and enjoyed doing so!. This has been really helpful and has given me some walks to definitely consider in the future. Your photos were also amazing! We

I think we have decided on Ben Chonzie and I hope to even put a small post up when completed 😊.

Thank you all once again.
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby mmill » Tue May 24, 2022 7:31 am

I would definitely also recommend the ultimate guides range by Ralph storer as they give alternative routes and are clearer about difficulty exposure etc.
A couple of things to help tackle the fears - watch weather forecasts closely, make the most of days with lightest winds as well as dry days. When you are feeling more confident, maybe on decent of a hill, if there is opportunity to try something that stretches your comfort zone with easy escape, take it. Confidence will build during the season if you build gradually. Understand that what bothers you will vary from other people, fear of heights affects people in lots of different ways.
My wife and myself both find exposure challenging, but confidence does come amd go. We have just 25 munros yet to do, so be encouraged.
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby mmill » Tue May 24, 2022 7:52 am

Not sure if you have spotted yet, but the met office give forecast for each munro, which are generally pretty good, particularly within 24 hours. Used together with mwis to get a more general hill forecast for the area.
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby Caroline47 » Tue May 24, 2022 10:25 am

Thank you mmil and WOW only 25 to go!. That is a fantastic achievement. Well done!. Thank you so much for your advice as well. The hiking/climbing/walking community are so helpful and friendly from everything I have read. I look forward to meeting others face to face 🙂
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby HalfManHalfTitanium » Tue May 24, 2022 11:31 am

Thanks for your kind comments re the photos!

And good luck with Ben Chonzie, I thought it was a great hill with superb views. Note that the car park area is quite small and fills up early at the weekend.

Look out for mountain hares - I did not see any, but other reports on here have spotted lots of them. And if you have time afterwards, the Deil's Cauldron lower down the valley is worth a visit - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/deils-cauldron.shtml

in my list of hills, i forgot to mention Ben Lawers and Meall nan Tarmachan. These are both easy Munros either side of the high minor road from Loch Tay to Glen Lyon. There is a big car park, these are popular hills.

Meall nan Tarmachan, though, might be a Munro to "save" for when you have a bit more experience. It can be done as a straight up and down from the road, but the best route on it continues on from the summit, over its narrow western ridge. Personally I would get a couple more hills under the belt, and then try it (in summer conditions) - it is a great introduction to the narrow ridges that are more common on the western Munros.

Ben Lawers is a fine peak but it has a very wide path and is very popular indeed, so you might find it a bit similar to Ben Lomond.

tim
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Re: Advice for a new hiker

Postby Caroline47 » Wed May 25, 2022 12:46 pm

Thank you Tim. Yes I will definitely save that one after I have a few more under my belt!. I am sure I will overcome my fear eventually!

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