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East Fisherfield: old ground and new

East Fisherfield: old ground and new


Postby Mrs Scoob » Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:11 pm

Munros included on this walk: Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair, Sgùrr Bàn

Date walked: 15/08/2020

Time taken: 11.5 hours

Distance: 30.4 km

Ascent: 1450m

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A wonderful day for going back in to the Fisherfields on our third round, this time from the Fannaichs car park, and including a couple of Munro Tops. We thought about adding in Beinn Tarsuinn too but left that for another day.

Highlights: weather, views, scramble over Sgurr Dubh again, a new Top for us (Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair East Top) and walking back down the slabs. Scoob captured some amazing drone footage too. :D

Not so good: lots of beasties out today! Midges, keds, clegs and then some flying ants on the summit. :shock: Also, I slipped coming down over the rocks on Sgurr Ban, giving myself a huge, black bruise on top of my thigh. :roll: At least there were no broken bones this time. :lol:

Low point: this was the first time my friendly greeting has been met with anger! :o On our final summit Scoob was still filming with his drone, standing off to the side of the summit cairn, when a pair of walkers caught up with us. I waited until they were closer, and gave a little wave with a cheery 'Hi there!'. In response, the first of the 2 women took a step up on to the summit cairn, spitting out "Well, you sure know how to ruin someone's whole day with THAT f*king thing!" as she angrily pointed at the drone in the distance up ahead of her. Taken aback, I just responded with a calm "Oh, wow!" and turned my back on the pair to face Scoob, telling him he should bring the drone back down now as this woman clearly wasn't happy. He hadn't heard her outburst, or there might have been a more heated exchange. :lol: By the time I turned back around, the pair were already off at a jog, heading back the way they had come.

Now, here's my issue: we had been aware there was another pair of walkers out there when we were back on the East Top - I could hear voices before I could see them, spotting them coming onto the path under Meall Garbh from Beinn Tarsuinn. Then, as were climbing up Sgurr Ban I could hear them again, chatting incessantly as they came down the previous Munro... so I reckon that woman had a damn cheek if her objection was about spoiling the peace! This new drone is actually very quiet and it was never really close to them. On the other hand, if her objection was in relation to a perception of invasion of privacy, then all she had to do was to share her concern with us and we could have reassured her that filming was of the landscape only. Scoob is usually very careful to only film when no one else is around (just got a bit carried away today, flying long enough for them to catch up with us) and will be even more so in future. Such a shame though... to realise that some folks are so intolerant of others' actions and resort to abuse as a first line of response. :wtf: As a reflector myself, I had so many alternative responses (on both sides) going through my head on the walk out :think: but reckon my instinctive reaction was probably the best one for de-escalating. ["If ye canny say anything nice, then dinnae say anything at all" - thanks dad, you did a good job! :angel: ] It's also sad to think that such a brief encounter could genuinely spoil the drone-hater's entire day in such a fantastic area, on a stunning day like this! 8) I suspect she was being a little over-dramatic :roll:

Anyway, here's Scoob's video of our day and below is my account in pictures. As I said at the start, a truly awesome day overall :D


15Aug20 East Fisherfield.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


IMG_20200815_081550.jpg
Setting off, there were wisps of low-lying cloud over the loch
IMG_20200815_084454.jpg
The track wasn't too bad for cycling; it was calm and clear before we were at the end of the loch, so nothing to keep the beasties away
IMG_20200815_091526.jpg
We left the bikes at the bothy, then started the walk in - our summits starting to come in to view
IMG_20200815_095605.jpg
Our whole route in view now - around the crags straight ahead to make a clockwise loop over the summits then back down over the slabs
IMG_20200815_100759.jpg
View out to An Teallach
IMG_20200815_105754.jpg
Checking out the gradient on those slabs as we made our ascent
IMG_20200815_115940.jpg
Now on the shoulder of Sgurr Dubh, looking back to our route in
IMG_20200815_122601.jpg
View from Sgurr Dubh over to our first Munro, with another Top in between
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Loving the rock features here; this was worth the return visit, and with no snow this time
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Narrow section of ridge (still coming off Sgurr Dubh)
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Looking back to Sgurr Dubh, the black peak
IMG_20200815_132804.jpg
Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair East Top
IMG_20200815_133128.jpg
View to Lochan Fada. It was around here we became aware of the pair of walkers coming over from Beinn Tarsuinn
IMG_20200815_140009.jpg
Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair summit view out to the Deargs and An Teallach
IMG_20200815_140831.jpg
A' Mhaighdean, our round 2 compleation summit :)
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Looking back as we climbed Sgurr Ban; aware of the pair starting to come down there, but thinking there was still plenty of time between us
IMG_20200815_151511.jpg
Approaching the summit of Sgurr Ban, the white peak
IMG_20200815_154331.jpg
A bouldery start to the descent; this is where I had a a wee slip (didn't go far; just sat down with a thud!)
IMG_20200815_162753.jpg
The ridge lit up behind us
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The slabs were pretty polished, but no problem to walk on
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Interesting rock features at the end of the slabs, almost like they're sliding beneath the rest of the hillside
IMG_20200815_184112.jpg
Back on the bikes for the 6km back out
IMG_20200815_193700.jpg
Our stats were fairly close today; I'm recording the average for ascent
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Mrs Scoob
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby Sunset tripper » Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:11 pm

Top quality report and video. Brought back some good memories of when we camped at the south end of Loch an nid below the slabs. A fantastic spot & great hills.
A shame about the rude shouty person - you did well by not engaging with them.
All the best :D
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby gammy leg walker » Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:42 pm

Awesome pic's Fiona,but then it's an awesome place. As for the encounter,I wouldn't lose any sleep over one person having a rant. Did you come across the stone bivy shelter on the way down Shirt Ban.
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby Alteknacker » Thu Aug 20, 2020 11:45 pm

Isn't Sgurr Dubh a wonderful wee gem??? I just loved crawling over it! And what at day you had for your trip!!! Can't wait to be up there next week...!!!

As regards your Ms Angry interlocutor: this seems like a sad manifestation of the way the world is going - none of the tolerance and reasonable dialogue I used to think was characteristic of our country - just social-media-style ranting. I'm absolutely with you about the peace-disrupting impact of high volume yakking in the hills - but if that's an expression of the exuberance such folk feel at being in the earthly equivalent of paradise, I wouldn't want to spoil their experience. However, by the same token, why would they want to intrude on folk using a drone sensitively? (and personally I love drone footage of mountains). Sad, sad, sad. I'm just thankful I haven't experienced anything like this myself. I guess it's like anything: the vast majority in any walk of life are fair, reasonable, sociable; but there are and always will be the outliers who can have an adverse effect on our enjoyment of life way beyond their tiny numbers.
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby rockhopper » Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:16 am

I do like a bike 'n hike esp in the weather you had here - hope the bruise is healing.
Like you I do generally wave or greet other walkers on the hills and stop for a longer chat if they do likewise. Some people do seem to have bees in their bunnets about certain things, drones maybe being one of them. One person's meat is another's poison and I'm sure those who dislike them probably do/say things which others don't like for other reasons. I'd like to think that I'd have reacted like you and just ignored the comment........... :eh: :problem: :silent: :wink: - cheers :)
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby gammy leg walker » Fri Aug 21, 2020 3:24 pm

gammy leg walker wrote:Awesome pic's Fiona,but then it's an awesome place. As for the encounter,I wouldn't lose any sleep over one person having a rant. Did you come across the stone bivy shelter on the way down Shirt Ban.



That should say Sgurr Ban..... predictive text.
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby rockhopper » Fri Aug 21, 2020 5:00 pm

gammy leg walker wrote:
gammy leg walker wrote: Did you come across the stone bivy shelter on the way down Shirt Ban.

That should say Sgurr Ban..... predictive text.

And there was me thinking gammy was referring to "taps aff" in the heat by banning shirts :roll: :wink: :wink:
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby Mrs Scoob » Fri Aug 21, 2020 6:14 pm

Sunset tripper wrote:Top quality report and video. Brought back some good memories of when we camped at the south end of Loch an nid below the slabs. A fantastic spot & great hills.
A shame about the rude shouty person - you did well by not engaging with them.
All the best :D
Thanks ST - it's up there with our favourite areas :D

Alteknacker wrote:Isn't Sgurr Dubh a wonderful wee gem??? I just loved crawling over it! And what at day you had for your trip!!! Can't wait to be up there next week...!!! .
It sure is! Hope you get similar weather too 8) I didn't mind the chatter really; just felt that surely ruled out 'spoiling the peace' as an objection to the drone :lol:

rockhopper wrote:I do like a bike 'n hike esp in the weather you had here - hope the bruise is healing.
Like you I do generally wave or greet other walkers on the hills and stop for a longer chat if they do likewise. Some people do seem to have bees in their bunnets about certain things, drones maybe being one of them. One person's meat is another's poison and I'm sure those who dislike them probably do/say things which others don't like for other reasons. I'd like to think that I'd have reacted like you and just ignored the comment........... :eh: :problem: :silent: :wink: - cheers :)
That's what I figure - each to their own :) Bruise is slowly healing; I can sit down more easily now :lol:

gammy leg walker wrote:
gammy leg walker wrote:Awesome pic's Fiona,but then it's an awesome place. As for the encounter,I wouldn't lose any sleep over one person having a rant. Did you come across the stone bivy shelter on the way down Shirt Ban.

That should say Sgurr Ban..... predictive text.
I knew what you meant but did smile at 'taps aff' too :lol: Didn't come across the shelter; wasn't aware of it so we weren't looking for it :think:
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby litljortindan » Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:12 pm

Great photos and video but depressing that you got that verbal abuse.
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby jupe1407 » Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:45 am

That's a fab trip Fi - cracking photos.

I'm impressed with your restraint at the miserable individual. I tend to be less diplomatic in such scenarios :lol:
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Re: East Fisherfield: old ground and new

Postby Mrs Scoob » Wed Aug 26, 2020 8:20 pm

litljortindan wrote:Great photos and video but depressing that you got that verbal abuse.
Thanks! Hopefully it was just a one-off :)

jupe1407 wrote:That's a fab trip Fi - cracking photos.
I'm impressed with your restraint at the miserable individual. I tend to be less diplomatic in such scenarios :lol:
Thanks JP! My instinct might not be the same if it ever happens again, given all the alternative responses in my head afterwards :think: :lol:
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Posts: 761
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Location: Birnam/Dunkeld

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