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Out testing my latest bit of kit

Out testing my latest bit of kit


Postby Yorjick » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:00 pm

Fionas included on this walk: Beinn nan Eun, Càrn Loch nan Amhaichean

Date walked: 04/08/2022

Time taken: 8 hours

Distance: 37 km

Ascent: 1040m

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When I first started climbing hills. I never saw anyone carrying walking poles. None of my mentors and none of my peers carried them. I seemed to do just fine without them. As I started running the hills rather than walking them, they seemed like an even sillier idea. I also had reservations about their use on more mountainous terrain in winter, with people holding poles where they should be holding an axe and felt that they would get in the way while scrambling.

However, in recent years they have become increasingly popular and the general consensus is that they make a difference. With a combination of age, mass and a lack of days spent on the hills, I have become very slow. I am almost as slow going down steep descents as I am going up. Having badly sprained an ankle on several occasions and the ligaments around my knees feeling the strain, I descend very carefully and I felt that poles may take a bit of the strain off my joints and give me a bit more confidence about descending rough terrain without incurring an injury.

I have seen baskets and other pole parts out on the hills and the umbrella rack at the Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse was full of bent poles. I could have gone for some budget poles and some have good reviews, but I did not want to be put off walking poles just because I bought a pair that was not up to the task, so I started to do some research. The things to consider was the way in which they locked off, twist-lock or quick-lock, and aluminium or carbon fibre. I am in the habit of ascending very steep, pathless terrain so I fancied an extended lower grip rather than having to shorten the poles. As these were my first poles, I felt it safer to buy adjustable poles to determine my optimum/preferred length.

The things to consider were:
aluminium or carbon fibre - I am led to believe that carbon is stronger for its mass but more likely to show a "catastrophic failure" rather than just bending;
cork or eva grips;
length when not extended - shorter is better for packing in or on a backpack, especially when passing through dense forest;
mass;
​cost.

After several weeks, I thought that I had made up my mind. While the 'ultimate' poles seemed to be the Leki's Black Series FX Carbon Trekking Poles, they seemed extremely expensive so I was leaning towards Helinox's Ridgeline LB135 poles. One shop was offering 20% off all Helinox equipment, so I even went as far as adding it to my shopping basket, but I then saw the Leki poles with a third off the r.r.p. so I changed my mind.

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These?


leki_black_series_fx_carbon_65229001.jpg
...or these?


I paid a bit extra for the Leki poles. They arrived fast and this was to be my first time out with them. Would they make a difference?


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Well for the first 12-13km, no, as they were strapped to my backpack. I did appreciate them not extending beyond the length of my pack though.

The gate at Eileanach Lodge has been replaced since my last visit in March 2016 and clearly more recently than BlackPanther's visit in April 2019, but I am glad to say that there is a pedestrian gate left open for access.

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New gateway


I have approached hills from Glen Glass twice before. The first time was in August 2000 where I was rounding up the northern tops of Ben Wyvis - Fiaclach, Glas Leathad Beag and Tom a' Choinnich. I had hired a bike from the bike shop in Strathpeffer and on my return trip down the side of Loch Glass, some bolts kept on coming loose resulting in the handle bars sliding from left to right. This made it much harder to control the bike along the stony track. I tried tightening the bolts with a small stone with angular edges but it was no substitute for an Allen key and things soon came loose again.

I was hoping for a much better ride on my own bike.

My second visit was to climb the Graham Meall Mór seen in the photograph below across Loch Glass.
Perhaps my memory was overshadowed by the mechanical problems with the bike, but I had forgot about how beautiful a glen this is and really enjoyed my ride up past the pink lodge and later below some crags on the left where I saw two Golden Eagles.

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The Pink Lodge [partly boarded up] and Meall Mór


Wyvis Lodge is fenced off so a slight detour to the left is required followed by more pleasant cycling up to a small dam (presumably where water is piped down to the lodge). This is just below a waterfall. Just before this there is a well engineered bridge crossing the river, which is worth knowing if the river is in spate conditions and it was used on this occasion as it was relatively easy to ascend the south ridge of Beinn nanEun from this point.

Time to get the poles out!

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One assembled...one to go ... Glad I did not go for some twist-lock ones.


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Looking ahead to Beinn nan Eun


The weather had brightened up at this point and looking back, most of Ben Wyvis was clear of cloud.

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Ben Wyvis


I think my poles gave me more stability and having my hands occupied did not stop me from catching this common lizard. It was not until processing the photograph that I noticed what looks like several ticks behind the left forelimb and possibly another where the head joins its neck.

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Zootoca vivipara - Did you know that they are viviparous?


Up ahead was a very large rock, which gave me a point to aim for. It is psychologically better to have a series of targets when climbing a hill. Someone had referred to this rock in his/her walk report on the Walkhighlands site, so it acted as a bit of a landmark. On reaching it, I found an empty plastic bottle (Highland Spring) pushed into a gap at the bottom of the rock. Needless to say, I removed it and took it home to my bin.

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The photograph below looks back towards Ben Wyvis with the conspicuous rock in the foreground.


Even though I usually walk alone, I like to have a record of being at the summit, so although it involves a certain amount of faff, especially on days like this where I decided not to carry a tripod, I will often spend time doing a summit selfie on a 12 second shutter delay. Sometimes, it will show me at the summit cairn or trig point but on this occasion, I decided to reenact my arrival at the summit. The last time I did that I had removed my rucksack, which just did not quite look right. Everything looks more genuine with this one.

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I thought I should take one facing the sun. It had not been my intention to block out Carn Chinneag, but at least we can just about see the sunny top of Càrn Salachaidh.

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It is hard to say if the poles make me any quicker on the hill. The ascent from the bike was not great and I may have been benefitting from my recent trips to Knoydart and then Applecross. There was 4.7km, 273 metres descent and 241 metres of ascent between the two Grahams. I think they were helpful across the short section of peat hag and grassy tussocks. Throughout, I felt strong and I think I only rested once to catch my breath.

There had been some light showers, but I timed my reaching the summits well. It was great not to be overheating at all during the walk and neither was it really cold during the showers. For both walking and photography, I consider the conditions to be close to perfect.

I could not be bothered doing any selfies on the summit of ​Càrn Loch nan Amhaichean. It seemed like the cairn made a better model than I.

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The descent and westward travers over towards Gob na h-Eibheachd, despite the lack of a path, was generally easy going with only a bit of peat hag, but this was followed by steeper ground down Coire Cruinn. Things were generally easy until I decided to cross the burn to what seemed like easier ground on the other side, stepping on some moss that gave way under my foot, resulting in a wet and dirty bum. Even the best walking poles will not protect one from one's own stupidity. :crazy: Anyway, I was not injured and continued downwards. There is a path shown on the map to to the north side of the burn. I had crossed to the south side and did not see any signs of a path until reaching the Abhainn Beinn nan Eun and even then it was very faint and indistinct. It does eventually become more definite and clear, eventually becoming a track for the last section before the bridge.

It was time to put away the poles and get back on the bike. I had not taken a bike lock as I felt that it was remote enough to leave my bike unlocked. I have a hefty U-lock and cable to thread through the seat and front wheel, but considering the age of the bike and where I was leaving it, I chose to leave it at home.

With a recently replaced front brake pad, I felt confident heading of full belt down the track, but felt compelled to stop for some photography at the head of the loch.

IMGP9653.jpg


Some walkhighlanders have got closer to Wyvis Lodge including photographs of the outdoor swimming pool, but now it is fenced off and you need to go round the property.

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I took my time back to the car. I simply enjoyed being in such a beautiful glen. Some of the eastern glens are every bit as beautiful as the western glens.

So did the poles make a difference? My pace was still slow, but they helped to take a bit of strain of the knees during descent and I arrived back at the car still feeling fairly fresh. I think it will be on longer hikes, especially if carrying camping of bothy gear that I will really feel the benefit.

I am entirely happy with the model as they tick all the right boxes, especially the short length when folded, but maybe I could have spent a little bit less and been just as happy.
User avatar
Yorjick
Mountain Walker
 
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Re: Out testing my latest bit of kit

Postby Graeme D » Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:57 pm

I used to regularly use poles then went through a phase where I didn't use them for ages and now have started again. There are times and places to use them, and times and places to stow them, as you say. Some of my favoured small day packs do not have the ability to stow them which, when also walking with a dog which may have to be put on the lead at times, can be an issue. I remember a good friend of mine saying that he once read or heard somewhere that Reinhold Messner had claimed they had given his knees a renewed lease of life once the creakiness of old age had set in.
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Graeme D
 
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