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Postby litljortindan » Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:06 pm

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Fourman Hill

Date walked: 31/10/2021

Time taken: 1.5 hours

Distance: 2.5 km

Ascent: 114m

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In 2013 I decided to commit to climbing at least one small hill per month and with this walk I have managed to keep that going, but only just! My previous walk, six weeks ago, had seen my knees react badly to the last 300m of steepish descent I put them through. I'd had to descend the last part with a straight left leg to stop the pain. Got to the road and thought I'd got away with avoiding injury but have just been plagued with aches and pains in both knees since. So, gentle exercise only for the last six weeks left me looking for an easy hill to climb to satisfy my small hill per month ocd. Fourman is a go-to hill for recovery walking; gentle incline, good path, little ascent plus fine views.
The year had been going so well too, walking-wise, so I should have realised something was going to go wrong. Fatigue, I'd like to think, due to a busier than usual few months.

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Always a pleasant walk up through the woods.

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The not so distant lights of the big city, Turriff.

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Sky warming up.

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At the trig point.

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The sun starts to appear.

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Tillymorgan might be cloud-capped but the cloud cap itself is lit up spectacularly by the early light.

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The morning light show fades and it is time to descend.

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Knock Hill gains a cloud-cap too, making Fourman Hill the only clear hill around, so another reason it was a good choice!

Annoyingly, my left knee was complaining quite a lot today (the day after).
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litljortindan
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Re: chain

Postby rockhopper » Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:13 pm

Not an area I know at all but looks good for a wee early wander - hope your knees are improving - cheers :)
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Re: chain

Postby The English Alpinist » Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:56 pm

It's a great thing to see a sunrise from a hill top, and well done in keeping your discipline to get out there once a month. Knee pain is a miserable thing, I once had runners knee that lingered for months.
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Re: chain

Postby Mal Grey » Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:17 am

Lovely start to the day; yours at the time, and now mine looking at the photos.

I too struggle with knee issues, which have now buggered up 2 holiday week plans over the last few years, coming back just at the wrong moment. Its great to have targets to work to, such as your Hill of the Month. Mine's fine on the flat. We'll find out tomorrow how it is on the hills now (Surrey Hills, that is!). All the best for a steady knee recovery.
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Re: chain

Postby litljortindan » Tue Nov 09, 2021 8:59 am

rockhopper wrote:Not an area I know at all but looks good for a wee early wander - hope your knees are improving - cheers :)


There's not much to it but it is a very pleasant walk. Been up there a lot anyway. Knees are starting to feel like knees again but in no hurry to descend steep ground.
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Re: chain

Postby litljortindan » Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:09 am

The English Alpinist wrote:It's a great thing to see a sunrise from a hill top, and well done in keeping your discipline to get out there once a month. Knee pain is a miserable thing, I once had runners knee that lingered for months.


Yes, sunrise is a great motivator! And small hills or coastal walks for sunrise or sunset are not unappealing if that's what I'm restricted to for a while. I'll try to get some physio advice. No fear of runner's knee for me though, jogger's knee maybe.
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Re: chain

Postby litljortindan » Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:17 am

Mal Grey wrote:Lovely start to the day; yours at the time, and now mine looking at the photos.

I too struggle with knee issues, which have now buggered up 2 holiday week plans over the last few years, coming back just at the wrong moment. Its great to have targets to work to, such as your Hill of the Month. Mine's fine on the flat. We'll find out tomorrow how it is on the hills now (Surrey Hills, that is!). All the best for a steady knee recovery.


Thanks! I hope your Surrey hill test went ok. Hoping to slowly edge back into more testing walks but probably avoiding steep descents for a long while.
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