walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Just as well we did it again!

Just as well we did it again!


Postby BlackPanther » Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:52 pm

Route description: Ben Wyvis, near Garve

Munros included on this walk: Ben Wyvis

Date walked: 24/11/2012

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 15 km

Ascent: 935m

4 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

After a bit of a struggle with my health I was almost out of the woods - and a reasonable forecast for Saturday made me meow all over the house, demanding my monthly dose of hillwalking... Hell, I'm seriously addicted!
We couldn't risk anything too long and tackling, no AnTeallach or South Glen Shiel ridge :lol: :lol: but I always wanted to re-visit Ben Wyvis in snowy conditions. Originally I climbed it in a "scorchio", +30*C, sweating and swearing, views were nice but all I could think of was water, water water pleeeease! :lol: :lol:
Kevin calls Wyvis "Just-as-well a mountain", he used it as a training ground: up in two hours, down in one, overtaking people on the ascent, running on the descent. Of course in winter weather we couldn't go nowhere near that sort of time (honestly, I wouldn't fancy a run down the slopes of An Cabar even in summer conditions), but a climb at much slower pace was definitely a welcome idea.
In 2010 we visited the smaller of the two Wyvis brothers, when it was covered in snow, truly a winter wonderland experience (TR here: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10082), since then I hoped for a similar day on the bigger brother and eventually we were given a chance!

Track_24-NOV-12 WYVIS.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


We used the traditional approach, from "Ben Wyvis car park" and along the lovely glen of Allt a Bhealaich Mhoir. Not much point getting into the details of the route - it's bluntly obvious, a good path all the way to the bottom of the hill, and the shape of Wyvis dominates the eastern sky. Even if you wanted to get lost, you would struggle :lol: :lol:
Image
It was a nice, crispy morning. According to the forecast, some cloud could possibly arrive some time later, but at the moment it all looked perfect!
Image
First glimpse of the views:
Image
The path took us to the bottom of Ben Wyvis - if you're climbing the smaller brother, here is the best place to cross the stream. We stayed on the main path up An Cabar:
Image
The first stage of the climb was easy enough. The approach is steep, all right, but the "yellow-brick-road" path avoids all the difficulties. I remembered, the first time I tackled Ben Wyvis, the mountain looked so huuuuge, so enoooormous from below. A true monster! Now, I had a good look at it and well... it seemed... normal. Just a hill. Nothing very special. Just-as-well a mountain. Did Ben Wyvis shrink or did my confidence grow? :lol: :lol: :lol:
It may be just-as-well a climb, but as soon as we reached the first zig-zag on the path, we simply HAD to stop to record the views!!! The Fannichs drew my attention:
Image
Close up:
Image
Fionn Bheinn also white...
Image
...but the most spectacular shape was definitely the one of An Teallach:
Image
Having enjoyed the panoramas (only a small taste of what was still to come), we moved up the well constructed path:
Image
Higher up, when we reached the freezing level, the path, especially the rocky parts of it, became very icy-slippery. We had to slow down - we had crampons in our rucksacks but on the rocky verglass-covered path they would be of no use anyway. All right, it wasn't so bad... And the atmosphere was really wintry :D
Little Wyvis:
Image
Panorama to the west:
Image
From about 700m the snow was more dense and walking became easy again - I looked back and noticed cloud arriving slowly from the south, but it was still far away and we had no reason to worry:
Image
One more glimpse towards the smaller bro:
Image
The snowy path:
Image
I pushed quickly up the steepest part of the ascent and eventually ground to a halt about 50m below the top of An Cabar, where the angle eases up. I looked behind me - Kevin was nowhere to be seen. Where did he get lost? :lol: :lol: There was nowhere to hide...
Image
I busied myself with filming...
Image
...and soon my second half emerged on the slope - he was wearing a red top and he made me think about Santa Claus carrying a big rucksack full of gifts... Christmas is coming! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Kevin decided to have his cookie break without me, he had stopped earlier on and dug up a pack of ginger biscuits... By the time he caught up with me, the pack was almost empty. I got one cookie and an apologetic smile :lol:
OK, no cookies but I was ready to strike a pose!
Image
The final ascent to the top was now a formality:
Image
The summit of An Cabar, now all the hard work done:
Image
Looking north, I recognized a familiar shape. Carn Chuinneag, which we climbed 3 weeks ago:
Image
We didn't mess about on the top of An Cabar and marched on towards the true summit of Ben Wyvis. It's basically a flat walk across the plateau, and given the winter wonderland around us, it felt great!
Image
The Fannichs now attracting more cloud:
Image
The wide road to the summit:
Image
The snow was quite deep in places:
Image
I was surprised to see so much haze in the air, usually in winter time it's clear and visibility is much better. On the other hand, the haze created some fascinating, false-sunset colours (photos below were taken at half past twelve!):
Image

Image
Looking back to An Cabar with the big hills of the south on the horizon - my personal favourite photo from the trip:
Image
We reached the summit cairn - there was nowhere to sit with loads of snow everywhere, but I was happy anyway:
Image
The wind picked up so we only had a quick warming sip of tea from the flask and headed back to An Cabar. On the way back we met a group of other walkers - we were obviously not the only winter rambling enthusiasts :lol: :lol:
Back on the first top:
Image
Little Wyvis and the yellow-orange sky:
Image
Kevin (aka Santa Claus or Ginger Cookie Hoover :wink: ) posing on the top of An Cabar:
Image
Descending from An Cabar was a bit slippery again, and the path more icy than earlier, with compact snow on top of it. We were doing OK and just as we were only a few steps away from the safer, lower part of the path, I lost my balance on the icy rock.... Oooooops! Baaaang! I was sitting on my pretty little bottom :lol: :lol: It wouldn't be much of a problem but for my arm landing on something very hard - for a split second I was scared I had broken a bone or two...
I gathered myself up, with Kevin's help, and examined my forearm. Almost immediately a sore lump started forming in the place where I hit the rock and it hurt like hell. But I could still move my wrist and it didn't seem like the bone was damaged. The pain didn't last too long and by the time we returned to the car I was sure I escaped the worst...
Picture 1.jpg
ouch!

After two days, the bruise is is still nasty but the swelling has gone. Lucky again!
Summing up, a lovely winter adventure. One of the easier Munros and definitely recommended for snowy conditions, even for beginners - just watch your steps on the descent :lol: Meow!
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby SAVAGEALICE » Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:27 pm

this is my local munro too , love it in winter, lovely pics, shame about your fall :shock:
User avatar
SAVAGEALICE
 
Posts: 615
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:79   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:46   Hewitts:22
Wainwrights:33   Islands:21
Joined: Aug 26, 2008
Location: Alness, Ross-shire

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby basscadet » Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:41 pm

Superb pics there, what a bonny day :)

This used to be my local munro - used to exercised on the other side of it when I was in the Cadets.. Never been up when it has been looking as good as that though :D
User avatar
basscadet
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2778
Munros:84   Corbetts:52
Fionas:18   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:34   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:17   Islands:21
Joined: Dec 1, 2011
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby Lenore » Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:21 pm

Gorgeous BP!! Lucky escape that fall, but luckily it was near the end and didn't bother you earlier on.
User avatar
Lenore
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 586
Munros:13   Corbetts:4
Fionas:1   
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Apr 22, 2012
Location: the Netherlands

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby quoman » Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:31 pm

Once again BP your report is a beauty and the photo's are quality as ever.hope the arm isn't to sore.
User avatar
quoman
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 960
Munros:282   Corbetts:10
Fionas:1   Donalds:5
Sub 2000:2   
Joined: Nov 14, 2011
Location: larbert

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby L-Hiking » Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:43 pm

Love the photo of AnTeallach

Cheers BP
User avatar
L-Hiking
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 545
Munros:78   Corbetts:8
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:2   Hewitts:141
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Aug 30, 2010
Location: York, North Yorkshire

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby old danensian » Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:54 pm

After reading about and seeing the consequences of innocuous little incidents recently it was good to see a cast-free wrist - and it's too late in the year for bare arms now anyway.

Enticing pics of a hill I must get over to.

OD
User avatar
old danensian
 
Posts: 453
Munros:282   Corbetts:101
Donalds:9
Hewitts:107
Wainwrights:151   
Joined: Jul 6, 2009
Location: Mearnskirk

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby LeithySuburbs » Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:11 pm

What a lovely looking winter day out 8) .
User avatar
LeithySuburbs
Ambler
 
Posts: 1965
Munros:259   Corbetts:56
Fionas:29   Donalds:33
Sub 2000:41   Hewitts:14
Wainwrights:23   Islands:13
Joined: Feb 19, 2009
Location: Inverness

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby HighlandSC » Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:43 pm

Looks good :)

Brings back nice memories - this was my first Munro (and second/first repeat - did it twice in a row!).

I want to go back in the winter and take in all its tops
User avatar
HighlandSC
 
Posts: 2188
Munros:33   Corbetts:4
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:14   
Islands:8
Joined: Jul 12, 2009
Location: USA (formerly Inverness)

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby BlackPanther » Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:15 pm

Thank you very much, folks, for all comments :D :D The bruise is fading but my memories from this trip will stay bright and sunny for a long time :lol: :lol:
Ben Wyvis is so popular, crowded with people, not exactly a hill to do when one's seeking solitude. But a nice walk nevertheless :D
User avatar
BlackPanther
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 3839
Munros:268   Corbetts:182
Fionas:136   
Sub 2000:75   
Joined: Nov 2, 2010
Location: Beauly, Inverness-shire

Re: Just as well we did it again!

Postby ChrisW » Thu Nov 29, 2012 5:41 pm

Another Wyvis beauty BP, I remember seeing a previous report on this from you many months ago....it actually caused me to buy the OS map for the area and begin plans to go there myself. I never made it before moving to Canada, now I really wish I had!!

Lovely hike and great photos of this beautiful hill, hope the arm is feeling better now :clap:
User avatar
ChrisW
Rambler
 
Posts: 4941
Munros:18   Corbetts:5
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:6   
Joined: Jan 25, 2011
Location: Cochrane- Alberta - Canada

4 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Graeme D, prog99, susanj, Tony Jones and 73 guests