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Hills of Innocence, Hills of ExperienceTwo years ago, on the last weekend in August of 2012, Allison and myself set out on our very first hill-top adventure - to climb Goat Fell, a mountain that had eluded her on a number of previous occasions and a first time on Arran for me. Little did either of us suspect, as we sailed over in the ferry that morning that we were about to embark upon ld have a journey that would see us out every weekend in all weathers climbing Munros, compleating them and moving on to Corbetts. That we would have walked over 3700km or ascended over 250km. All that would be in the future that first morning when we set out - me with borrowed walking poles and rather more facial hair than these days. So to mark the passage of the two years and the gaining of a fair bit of experience of the mountain world, we decided to head back to Arran on the last weekend of August and climb the other Corbetts.
The forecast hadn't been great all week. The ferries were disrupted by bad weather on Friday and the 6pm boat was delayed for an hour - just s well as I had to stay at work later than usual on a Friday afternoon. We made it to the terminal at Ardrossan in good time and sat watching the waves crest over the breakwater. Allison's not the keenest on choppy crossings and was a bit subdued as we waited to board the boat. As it happened the seas weren't bad and there was the distraction of a group of women celebrating a 40th birthday as well as a wee drop of Arran Ale to keep the mind off the swaying. Got into Brodick just after 8 and decided to get the bus to the start of Glen Rosa to try and get the tent set up before it became fully dark. This was a new tent that we were trying out for the first time - a super-lightweight Cuben fibre hightech number that weighed in at under 500g - big question for me was would it cope with the predicted thunderstorm. Anyway, we set off on the bus, seated beside a local with a sharp sense of humour. Another man was sitting close by with the biggest bag any of us had seen and headed for Machrie. "That you aff to bury the wife?" quips Mr Local "in fact that bag's so big you've probably got the mother-in-law in there and all". It was apparently a "push bike". There was no blood oozing out the edges, so we believed him. Got dropped off at the Rosa Bridge and set off up the glen towards the campsite - not renowned for its luxuries. It was still dry though the sky was coloured a rather ominous purplish. There were a number of tents at the site including the smallest 1 person tent I've ever seen "looks like a sausage roll" says Ally. I wouldn't have fancied a night in there. Anyway we got pitched on some uneven ground, despite the efforts of the midges and settled down for the night.
Setting off up Glen Rosa
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23weasels, on Flickr
Tent
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23weasels, on Flickr
Not a spot of sleep was had for some reason, though the predicted thunderstorm didn't visit us, just rain. I had wanted to get up and away around 7, but the onset of more rain just as I was going to get up forced another half hour - no-where in this tent to cook, you see. When we did rise the weather was promising although the cloud line was covering the tops - the gloomy prediction from MWIS was for cloud cover down to 300m all day. We packed up the tent and got started along the path along by the Garbh Allt. Overnight rain had left the ground wet and boggy. A multitude of beetles seemed to be on their backs, squirming to get over and I helped the ones I saw. We reached the left turn-off up the beginnings of Beinn Nuis, heading for the impressive Crag of the Eagles. Across the glen, Goat Fell glowered against a clearing sky. Looking back, the sea shone like polished silver, the pointy Holy Isle glimmering. As we walked higher up Beinn Nuis the sharp,craggy nature of these mountains became more evident - hard to imagine that we're only 25miles from my front door ATCF. As we neared the summit I spied what looked like aircraft wreckage - probably the B17 from 1944
http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/boeing_b-17g_nuis.htm - didn't go down to investigate as I knew we were on a tight schedule if we were going to get the last ferry back tonight. Walking towards the first Corbett, Beinn Tarsuinn, the rocks took on an amazing size and shape - "these are like boulders from the Flintstones" quipped Allison, and they were. Some great likenesses to be had - we spotted a rock like a Moomin, and of course the Old Man of Tarsuinn himself. Looking across from the summit of Tarsuinn we spotted the white ribbon of stream coming down from the heart of Goat Fell. An impressive place.
Start of the walk up Glen Rosa
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23weasels, on Flickr
Beinn Nuis
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23weasels, on Flickr
Garbh Allt
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23weasels, on Flickr
View into Fionn Coire
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23weasels, on Flickr
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Plane Wreckage
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23weasels, on Flickr
Looking towards the Holy Isle
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23weasels, on Flickr
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I think this is a fox-soldier, or maybe an upright scottie dog...
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23weasels, on Flickr
Peak after peak
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23weasels, on Flickr
Moomin?
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23weasels, on Flickr
Old man of Tarsuinn
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23weasels, on Flickr
Summit Tarsuinn
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23weasels, on Flickr
View to Goat Fell, Consolation Pinnacle
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23weasels, on Flickr
The descent from Tarsuinn was steep in places. We passed Consolation Tor and headed towards the split path at the base of A' Chir. With big packs and a hefty wind blowing, there was no way we were attempting that ridge, so we bypassed through the heather at the base of the slabs and found a sheltered spot to have our lunch.
We passed the craggy back of Cir Mhor, which didn't look especially inspiring from this angle, dropped the sacks and headed up the perfectly rounded coire rim towards Caisteal Abhail, the top of which was just hiding under cloud. From here we could see the scary bits on the A'Chir ridge - glad we had not ventured up there. Met a couple who'd come down from Sannox, then headed up towards the summit. Got a little lost as to where exactly the top was - I started to climb a stack of granite boulders leading up from the east side, which looked a bit of fun, but Allison was apprehensive about getting back down that way, so somewhat reluctantly I came back down and we found the easy route up just round the other side. Back down to collect the burdens and face up to the jaggy features of Cir Mhor which looked very impressive now! The walk up was a disappointment as it's really easy and neither steep or exposed. Got to the top where we met a couple of lads who we chatted to for a bit whilst admiring the views, unfortunately clag had descended at this point.
Towards A'Chir
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23weasels, on Flickr
Bypass under A'Chir
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23weasels, on Flickr
Bits of the A'Chir ridge
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23weasels, on Flickr
Up to Caisteal Abhail
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23weasels, on Flickr
View down Glen Sannox
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23weasels, on Flickr
Cir Mhor
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23weasels, on Flickr
The scramble I started up
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23weasels, on Flickr
The easy route to the summit round the other side
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23weasels, on Flickr
Summit Caisteal Abhail
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23weasels, on Flickr
View back to Cir Mhor
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A tasty top!
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23weasels, on Flickr
Summit Cir Mhor
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
More huge boulders
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23weasels, on Flickr
Scrambled down from the top of Cir Mhor and found the steep path that drops down toward the Saddle. More mad looking slabs and boulders on the way down here and a great view over to The Witch's Step. The route up to North Goat Fell is steep and quite demanding in places, with little scrambles to keep the appetite whetted. When we got to the summit of North Goat Fell, Allison went round to the south, myself to the north. The wind had really picked up and gusts threatened to blow me off my feet at times. I scrambled up to the top then set off to look for her. But no sign. She must be taking off or putting on something...nope - still no sign. I head round the way she'd have come up, back to the top, look in every direction - nothing. The wind is so loud and fierce that a yell is whisked away soundlessly, so no point in calling...has she been blown over the side? Increasingly anxious I check all the obvious places I can think off, then set off towards Goat Fell - fortunately to find her waiting in a cluster of rocks I couldn't see from above, and having banged her knee when she set off to look for me
Panic over, we had a bit of fun on the tors between North Goat Fell & Goat Fell - although I was the only one having fun as Allison had her "disco legs" on and didn't much like the scrambles. We arrived on the summit of Goat Fell to find ourselves the only people there - didn't expect solitude! We find a small Saltire which Allison flies from the trig point then start off on our descent. The ferry's just sailing out of Brodick, so we know we've got a couple of hours to get down if we want to catch it on its last visit of the day.
Descent, Cir Mhor
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23weasels, on Flickr
Steep path down
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23weasels, on Flickr
Witch's Step
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Posing
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Saddle, NGF beyond
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Cir Mhor from the North
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Cir Mhor, Caisteal Abhail
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Up to NGF
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23weasels, on Flickr
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"Fun" on the tors
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23weasels, on Flickr
Summit, Goatfell
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Summit Goat Fell Aug 2012
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23weasels, on Flickr
Guess which way she's voting on the 18th!
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23weasels, on Flickr
Ferry just leaving Brodick
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23weasels, on Flickr
We pass a number of folk on the way down, including some we'd seen on the ferry coming over. Make it down to the Fisherman's Walk and head along the beach, getting into town with plenty of time to spare and getting something to eat from the Co-Op, washed down with a big bottle of Hoegaarden. Mmmm. When the ferry does arrive it is packed out with noisy folk returning from golf outings or other high-jinks and the bar quickly comes to resemble tea-time at the monkey house, where the monkeys are a species of particularly loud baboon and the tea's been spiked with Passover Slivovitz. We take our pints to the pet area which is much quieter, although we do have to endure the stares of a non-plussed dachshund. Looking out of the window as we come into Ardrossan, the sun is setting prettily over the water. A great day out and a good way of marking our two years in the mountains.
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23weasels, on Flickr
Stats
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23weasels, on Flickr
Goat Fell from ferry terminal
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23weasels, on Flickr
Sundown
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23weasels, on Flickr