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271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 11:52 pm
by Beaner001
My Gran, a Cameron, used to have to traipse me around Scotland as a youngster due to my interest in all things Scottish, war and battle related. Culloden was visited a number of times and the stories were repeated over and over till she must have been bored to tears, but i was interested. I still remember fondly her singing a lovely song about the Cameron men, however have no idea of the words of the song. One place we never visited was Glenfinnan to see where the standard was raised. I was in fact an adult the first time i went to this sacred place and it gave the the old shiver down the body sensation, proud of my identity. My Gran married my Grandpa, a MacBean and both Clans played huge parts in the Jacobite rebellion. The Camerons offered one of the biggest numbers of men from any one clan at Culloden and the MacBean's fought under Clans Chattan & Mackintosh. Legend has it Gillies MacBean filled a hole in a wall and cut down thirteen English Dragoons before succumbing to his injuries, Aeneas MacBean was chased from the field by a group of dragoons and escaped because he kept leaping across a stream and another MacBean ironically helped the wounded chief of Clan Cameron (Lochiel) off the field. I was really looking forward to going to Glenfinnan again. The was a weather window and i went for it after the usual struggle to get out my pit :lol:

I reached Glenfinnan and was off up the Glen by 0950, under the Viaduct and into the wilderness.

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Starting up the Glen towards the Viaduct

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Under the viaduct


I heard a Landrover approaching behind me so called the dogs in and the guy stopped for a chat, it was Alistair Gibson - the Estate Manager. We spoke for a while about the estate and neighboring estates as my Brother in law managers Conaglen estate. Alistair was off up the Glen to the bosses house, The Leith family, they own the Leith Quarries business. A right fine chap and it was nice that he took the time to stop and speak as he was genuinely interested in who was using the Glen and why and he offered advice on which way to tackle the route which i followed.

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Looking back

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Looking up the scenic Glen


I overtook a CWT go'er and made the bothy and the door was open and the dogs raced in ahead and gave a poor Dutch lad a fright. I spoke with him for a while and wished him all the best, the CWT is something i'd love to do but getting time off work means it'll likely never happen. The Leiths house up on the hill is stunning.

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The bothy

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Sgurr Thuilm ahead

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Scenic waterfall, the dogs took a dook


I passed a nice waterfall before coming across 2 sets of 2 bikes, this was the point to branch off for Sgurr nan Coireachan but i had decided to go for Sgurr Thuilm first. I continued along the landrover track and crossed a stream before branching off at another sign up the hill.

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Mist coming in and sign off the path

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Mist clouding the view up the ridge


I struggled as i have been really lazy of late but the dogs drag me on as they are keen to explore ahead. As i reached the ridge i could see around 10 people coming back off the summit to head across the ridge. There goes the solitude :shock:

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The second Munro of the day

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Looking back down the Glen

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the ridge round to the second Munro

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Roy with Ridge behind

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Gulvain, summited the same time last year


I made the summit and the wind was up so i headed down off the summit for a bite to eat.

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Bit windy on the summit

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Second Munro looking great


Once my food had been shared between me and the dogs i set off towards the ridge. It was here i met Davie Southern (Ceaser) so we chatted for a while, him and his mate were doing the route clockwise. The wind was sending a right chill through so we set off on our different ways after about 20 minutes.

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Back towards Thuilm

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Snow and cornicing on summit ridge


The ridge over is quite rough but luckily no snow till the summit ridge which of course the mutts made first. Cracking views again. Ardgour Corbetts, the Rough bounds and Glen Dessarry Munros looked stunning. The Glenfinnan Munros were sporting much less snow than surrounding hills which was lucky for me as i decided to leave the crampons but take the axe which i never even used.

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Lochy and Roy

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Summit trig looking back along the ridge


More noms were taken at the summit before i made my way down to the Glen again.

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back down to the glen


Passed the bothy and Alistair again, he was ferrying youngsters he taught rugby up to the bothy for the night, great to see the younger generation in the outdoors. A few photos of the Barry Trotter railway bridge and then back to the car, none of the monument as the scaffold is up to make repairs i presume.

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Approaching the Viaduct again

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Sgurr Ghuibhsachain in the background??


Cracking pair of hills which cover some rough ground, 271 years, a couple more attempts and were still left with 'what ifs' :?

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 6:54 am
by jamesb63
Really liked reading your report with the historical parts put in :clap: :clap:
Aslo like the reports with dogs in them as it keeps me up to date
with which hills are safe as I always walk with my 2 :D
They certainly look like a great pair of hills with very nice views thanks

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 10:48 am
by kmai1961
Interesting stuff, Matt, thanks for sharing. You've certainly got some fierce clan history / blood coursing through your veins! (Note to self: Don't get on Beaner's bad side. :wink: :lol: ).

Looks like a great walk -- these two have been on my radar for a while. (Along with about a hundred others. :roll: )

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:03 pm
by Graeme D
Brilliant. I like a report with a bit of historical background to it. This fits the bill perfectly. Lovely photos too. I really must pay a visit to the memorial next time I am along that stretch of road. :D

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:18 pm
by ceaser
Good to catch up with you again Matthew , having done these hills from both ends now , I would have to say clockwise was the easiest

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:48 pm
by pollyh33
Smashing stuff Matt and crazy mutts :clap: :clap:


Thanks for the history lesson- have you managed to inherit your ancestor's ability to leap over streams??? :D :D :D


I did these anti-clockwise but after the initial ascent, I found it really easy going. That being said, I was glad to get back to my bike at the bothy. :lol:

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:33 pm
by dogplodder
I love the history bits and remember a wet caravan holiday as a kid when my mother kept me and my brothers enthralled with retelling the stories about Cameron of Lochiel (from the DK Broster trilogy) and pointing out the locations as we came to them!

We met the estate manager as well - a really pleasant man. 8)

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:09 pm
by Gordie12
Great report and loved the photos with the mutts as well.

I think it's time I did these two, I've had them in mind for a couple of years now so high time I got off my bum and went and did them.

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:46 pm
by Silverhill
Interesting to read about your family history!
This is such a lovely walk, one of the highlights of last June's holiday. Happy memories :D .

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 11:10 pm
by Collaciotach
'S math sin :clap: :clap:

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 6:51 pm
by martin.h
Lovely report Matt and thanks for the familiy history, I can see why you're proud of your heritage, history is always written by the opressors, never the opressed, from these glimses of clan history I'm slowly but surely starting to understand why you're ancestors fought so hard.

That first picture of Roy looks like he's chewing a wasp. :lol:

Hope to see you next week if the bloomin' snow would give it a rest.
Cheers.

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 8:45 pm
by Huff_n_Puff
Great report, stunning pictures and great family history :clap: . The walk description really makes me want to get back on the hills, as for the history the best I could manage was to visit Culloden a couple of days after the 271 commemorations.

I really hope the Glenfinnan Monument is safely restored - the firm doing it are working on our house as well - we have a vested interest in their skills :lol: :lol:

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2016 8:56 pm
by Beaner001
jamesb63 wrote:Really liked reading your report with the historical parts put in :clap: :clap:
Aslo like the reports with dogs in them as it keeps me up to date
with which hills are safe as I always walk with my 2 :D
They certainly look like a great pair of hills with very nice views thanks


Cheers James

kmai1961 wrote:Interesting stuff, Matt, thanks for sharing. You've certainly got some fierce clan history / blood coursing through your veins! (Note to self: Don't get on Beaner's bad side. :wink: :lol: ).

Looks like a great walk -- these two have been on my radar for a while. (Along with about a hundred others. :roll: )


Yep, my radar is chock a block too lol :lol:

Graeme D wrote:Brilliant. I like a report with a bit of historical background to it. This fits the bill perfectly. Lovely photos too. I really must pay a visit to the memorial next time I am along that stretch of road. :D


Cheers Graeme, must admit I was a tad disappointed I could not get a pic of the memorial :roll:

ceaser wrote:Good to catch up with you again Matthew , having done these hills from both ends now , I would have to say clockwise was the easiest


Aye great to catch up Davie, coming off the second one did seem to take forever my way :lol:

pollyh33 wrote:Smashing stuff Matt and crazy mutts :clap: :clap:


Thanks for the history lesson- have you managed to inherit your ancestor's ability to leap over streams??? :D :D :D


I did these anti-clockwise but after the initial ascent, I found it really easy going. That being said, I was glad to get back to my bike at the bothy. :lol:


Nah , more chance of me falling into them :lol:

dogplodder wrote:I love the history bits and remember a wet caravan holiday as a kid when my mother kept me and my brothers enthralled with retelling the stories about Cameron of Lochiel (from the DK Broster trilogy) and pointing out the locations as we came to them!

We met the estate manager as well - a really pleasant man. 8)


He was a nice guy, must admit I'm finding most estates people a lot more accommodating and friendly these days :clap:

Gordie12 wrote:Great report and loved the photos with the mutts as well.

I think it's time I did these two, I've had them in mind for a couple of years now so high time I got off my bum and went and did them.


You won't be disappointed Gordie, bit of everything in this walk :D

Silverhill wrote:Interesting to read about your family history!
This is such a lovely walk, one of the highlights of last June's holiday. Happy memories :D .


Soon be time for your trip North?? :D

Collaciotach wrote:'S math sin :clap: :clap:


Mòran taing :D

martin.h wrote:Lovely report Matt and thanks for the familiy history, I can see why you're proud of your heritage, history is always written by the opressors, never the opressed, from these glimses of clan history I'm slowly but surely starting to understand why you're ancestors fought so hard.

That first picture of Roy looks like he's chewing a wasp. :lol:

Hope to see you next week if the bloomin' snow would give it a rest.
Cheers.


Aye he does look like he's chewing a wasp lol :lol:

Huff_n_Puff wrote:Great report, stunning pictures and great family history :clap: . The walk description really makes me want to get back on the hills, as for the history the best I could manage was to visit Culloden a couple of days after the 271 commemorations.

I really hope the Glenfinnan Monument is safely restored - the firm doing it are working on our house as well - we have a vested interest in their skills :lol: :lol:


I'm sure they'll make a great job of your house and the monument :D
You back out in the hills soon?

Re: 271 years too late in Glenfinnan

PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2016 1:45 pm
by rockhopper
Great result - good day for it and always good to get immersed in an area and its history as a bonus to walking the hills - cheers :)