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Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Is a sunset worth this much cold?


Postby Jaxter » Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:56 pm

Route description: Beinn a' Chrùlaiste, from Altnafeidh

Corbetts included on this walk: Beinn a' Chrùlaiste

Date walked: 06/11/2016

Time taken: 5.5 hours

Distance: 11 km

Ascent: 652m

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Saturday night was spent at Gorton Bothy with good company, music and fireworks. If was an (apparently) uncharacteristically splendid evening and we had to keep stopping all the way in to photograph the sights :D

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The following morning we roused ourselves (some feeling worse than others... :lol: ) and headed back along the 5 miles towards the cars.

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As the weather looked to be holding up, and I was feeling fresh as a daisy after my hot chocolate the night before, I decided to stick to my original plan to head up a hill, doctors orders you see... :wink:

Bidding my companions farewell, they headed south and home and I headed up the road towards Glencoe :D

Arriving at Altnafeadh I sorted my belongings and thankfully ended up with a much lighter pack without camping equipment! I checked the map and was off.

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Although the WH route description suggests turning right along the WHW before heading for the ridge, I'd had it recommended by several people to go the other way towards the Devils staircase, which is what I did. I crossed the burn at the bridge and followed what looked like a feint path towards a gate in the fence.

It was pretty boggy and difficult underfoot and any thoughts that this would be an easy stroll were put out of my mind. But that was ok, I like a challenge :D

Before reaching the gate I'd managed to cross the same stream 3 times, not quite sure how this happened.... :roll: once through the gate I followed what looked to be a sort of path and it was heading in the right direction which was a bonus :thumbup:

Eventually this 'path' disappeared, or perhaps I just lost it, and I made my own way towards the ridge. Meeting another fence I couldn't find a way through so ended up climbing....not sure if this was the right route and as I climbed higher I could see a path heading down the other way and decided I would return that as directed in the description.

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It suddenly became quite steep but there was now a path to follow which made the going easier. I wound my way up steep grassy slopes, between rocky outcrops and eventually came out on top of what turned out to be the intermediate top of Stob Beinn a'Chrulaiste with a wee cairn on the top. Thinking ahead to later, I thought that this would be a good point to return to for sunset :D

Ahead I could see the summit disappearing into cloud, but as it was windy I expected it to blow through fairly quickly, which it did.

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I made my way round the edge of a mass of boggy peat hags and continued upwards. There was something resembling a path but soon enough I found myself just meandering uphill and enjoying the feeling of being out on the hills and away from the troubles of life.

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Soon enough I reached the summit; a trig point and a cairn just beyond it. The views across Rannoch had been visible already, as had the view back down Glencoe but I was blown away by the sudden appearance of the Blackwater reservoir and the Mamores (or absence of) looming behind it.

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However the clag soon appeared and along with the wind and probably sub zero temperature, I quickly added more layers, did a bit of posing and ate a cereal bar as I'd neglected to bring any sandwiches :shock:

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A quick retreat seemed in order and I headed off, sauntering my way downwards. Fortunately the views soon returned even if it was still absolutely Baltic and I was able to take my time, whilst trying to warm my fingers as I'd stupidly left my good gloves at home :shock: Primark's 50p fingerless efforts coupled with my merino inners were not quite doing the trick.... :crazy: :?

Reaching the wee cairn I decided that if I was going to wait out the sunset I would need to find shelter. I found a wee spot just below the cairn looking across to the Bookle and hunkered down to wait 2 and a half hours.... this may seem a mad plan but during my summer of injury I'd developed a love of chasing sunsets. I haven't always succeeded but the thrill is in the chase, apparently :lol:

Thinking I should have brought a book, I broke my 'phone off on the hills' rule and caught up with my folks who thought I was insane but also updated me on Andy Murray's progress in the Paris Masters final. Fortunately the new world number 1 went on to win :D

The weather was mixed. At times I had some stunning views, then the weather would roll in and I'd be sitting in a blizzard for a while, then the good would return. I took over a hundred photos but here are some of the better ones.

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At some point as I started to get cold, I huddled inside my bivvy bag which I'd carried up. It didn't add much warmth but did give a bit of shelter from the wind and really makes you realise how important it is to have extra layers in the cold in case of injury - if I hadn't been able to jump around I'd have been freezing :shock: :shock:

I must have looked ridiculous sat on a rock in a bright red bag in a blizzard, but I was feeling more content than I had all week. Being out in the wild really is a wonderful way of getting away from it all and I had missed it SO much while I'd been grounded by injury :D

Concerning the knee....it felt fine at this point, having withstood the Bothy walk and the hill so far... fingers crossed :crazy: :thumbup:

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The sun was setting in between the big and little shepherds and it was lovely 8) :D

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Unfortunately at around 4 the blizzard returned and even when it cleared the cloud was so low and thick that the sunset wasn't the best, but nevermind!

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Packing up my stuff I decided it was time to get down as the dark was fast approaching. Due to the fairly squishy grass and my compete loss of the path until I met the fence, it was a fairly painless descent akin to sinking into snow :D

Meeting the fence, I turned left and headed down to the road on a path, met the WHW and walked the short distance back to my now very lonely looking car, the last one there!

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Heater on, boots off and tunes on, I set off down the road towards home and reality, stopping to snap this on the way..
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Jaxter
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby PerthAlly » Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:04 pm

Cracking photo's Jaxter :clap:

Sunday was jolly cold but otherwise a perfect walking day. I had planned a walk but got pickled on Saturday night so I went golfing instead :lol:

Wind chill starting to be an issue. I was up Ben Vane last Tuesday and the wind on the summit cut me in two!
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby BobMcBob » Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:35 pm

Some absolute belters there! Every sunset is worth waiting for if it's like that :) :clap: :clap:

I was in the Mamores at the same time and I know what you mean about the cold, I had a flask of tea though - makes waiting for a sunset much more comfy!

Hope you're going to put one of those in next month's photo competition?
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Alteknacker » Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:03 pm

Some lovely photies there! I feel very envious of you folks what live so close to the Highlands :?

Glad to hear your knee is recovering. Having just had an op, I'm hors de combat for at least 3 months, and going stir-crazy already.....
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:22 pm

Wonderful photo's, I completely approve of you getting cold so that I can enjoy them :lol: thank you. I love coming down from the mountains as the sun is setting but it is hard sometimes to get the timing right. A couple of years ago we walked up the last part of Cairngorm backwards trying to kill time and keep warm whilst waiting for the sun to set :lol:
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Gordie12 » Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:35 pm

A Corbett Jaxter, a Corbett :shock: :shock: :shock:

Great views from this hill and you got some pretty atmospheric shots.
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:36 pm

Wonderful photos - some of the best I've seen of Glencoe. Thanks for doing us all a favour - even if you did get cold, suffering for your art :? :D
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Jaxter » Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:10 pm

PerthAlly wrote:Cracking photo's Jaxter :clap:

Sunday was jolly cold but otherwise a perfect walking day. I had planned a walk but got pickled on Saturday night so I went golfing instead :lol:

Wind chill starting to be an issue. I was up Ben Vane last Tuesday and the wind on the summit cut me in two!

Aye reckon I just need to man up....and remember my gloves :lol: :lol:



BobMcBob wrote:Some absolute belters there! Every sunset is worth waiting for if it's like that :) :clap: :clap:

I was in the Mamores at the same time and I know what you mean about the cold, I had a flask of tea though - makes waiting for a sunset much more comfy!

Hope you're going to put one of those in next month's photo competition?

Thank you! I was thinking about taking up the stove but figured I should go light because of the knee.

Hadn't thought about the photo contest, why not! :D



Alteknacker wrote:Some lovely photies there! I feel very envious of you folks what live so close to the Highlands :?

Glad to hear your knee is recovering. Having just had an op, I'm hors de combat for at least 3 months, and going stir-crazy already.....

I am lucky to be that close :D sorry to hear you're out if action, I hope you recover quickly. It's totally rubbish :(



Cairngorm creeper wrote:Wonderful photo's, I completely approve of you getting cold so that I can enjoy them :lol: thank you. I love coming down from the mountains as the sun is setting but it is hard sometimes to get the timing right. A couple of years ago we walked up the last part of Cairngorm backwards trying to kill time and keep warm whilst waiting for the sun to set :lol:

:lol: thanks, I sort of wish I'd took the tent but there'll be another chance :D



Gordie12 wrote:A Corbett Jaxter, a Corbett :shock: :shock: :shock:

Great views from this hill and you got some pretty atmospheric shots.

If it's a great hill I'll climb it :D :D :D



Huff_n_Puff wrote:Wonderful photos - some of the best I've seen of Glencoe. Thanks for doing us all a favour - even if you did get cold, suffering for your art :? :D

:lol: thanks. It was a lovely spot :D
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby AndyATSmith » Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:38 pm

Aye reckon I just need to man up....and remember my gloves :lol: :lol:


........and your book........and your sandwiches! :lol:

Excellent photos by the way!
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Jaxter » Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:56 pm

AndyATSmith wrote:
Aye reckon I just need to man up....and remember my gloves :lol: :lol:


........and your book........and your sandwiches! :lol:

Excellent photos by the way!

:lol: :lol:

Aye I didn't do very well did I? Out of practise :D
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby jupe1407 » Wed Nov 09, 2016 12:30 am

Excellent stuff Jan...Jaxter (I promise to never remind you of that again :lol: )

BaC is a tremendous hill. I did it in winter 2013 and the views were brilliant. Glad you got them also.

Isn't it great when medical professionals actually recommend hillkwalking? :lol: :lol:
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Graeme D » Wed Nov 09, 2016 10:09 am

Nice one. Got to be the finest viewpoint for Stob Dearg. 8)
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby 2manyYorkies » Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:31 am

jupe1407 wrote:
Isn't it great when medical professionals actually recommend hillkwalking? :lol: :lol:


This medical professional ALWAYS recommends hillwalking .... :D :D
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby KeithS » Wed Nov 09, 2016 11:47 am

Oooh. That looks so cold, but good for the photos, the knee and the soul. Well done.
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Re: Is a sunset worth this much cold?

Postby Jaxter » Wed Nov 09, 2016 1:08 pm

jupe1407 wrote:Excellent stuff Jan...Jaxter (I promise to never remind you of that again :lol: )

Aye right :lol: :lol: :lol:


Graeme D wrote:Nice one. Got to be the finest viewpoint for Stob Dearg. 8)

Finest I've seen aye :D Just wonderful :D



2manyYorkies wrote:
jupe1407 wrote:
Isn't it great when medical professionals actually recommend hillkwalking? :lol: :lol:


This medical professional ALWAYS recommends hillwalking .... :D :D

You're my favourite medical professional :D :lol:



KeithS wrote:Oooh. That looks so cold, but good for the photos, the knee and the soul. Well done.

Thanks Big K :D :D
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