Tag archives for Alexander
Carn an Tuirc [Munro #11]
Alexander and I went up Càrn an Tuirc on Wednesday. It was his first Munro since he started university, so we only did half the (optimistic) route. Lots of this was because it was very boggy on the bottom end of the route, and we had quite a lot of stops to work out the steps to avoid sinking into the peat bog. Route for Carn an Tuirc and Cairn of Claise I very optimistically planned a route that could cover both Càrn an Tuirc and Cairn of Claise should we arrive early and find the going good. The route started in a layby on the A93 about a kilometre past the Glenshee Ski Centre. From the map there's a path to the top of Càrn an Tuirc, there's also a path linking the two Munros. It's an out and…
Glas Maol [Munro #8]
The large layby on the A93 just south of Glen Shee ski resort (Photo: James Kemp) Glas Maol sits close to several other Munros in the southern part of the Cairngorms National Park. Alexander and I parked in the layby just south of the Glen Shee ski resort and walked over Meall Odhar to the summit of Glas Maol and then down the back to the associated Munro top of Little Glas Maol. Including stops for lunch and to chat to a couple of students about what we could see from the top of Little Glas Maol (the North Sea amongst other things) it took us just over five hours from setting off to being back at the car. Planning for Glas Maol Planning on this one was straightforward, I'd been looking at all the Munros, tops, Corbetts and Grahams…
Tarmachan Ridge from the North [Munro #7 & two tops]
We got another day out on the hills to walk the Tarmachan Ridge from the North, taking in Beinn nan Eachan, Meall Garbh and Meall nan Tarmachan. Meall nan Tarmachan looking East from the Western part of the horseshoe shaped ridge (Photo: James Kemp) Planning Tarmachan Ridge Route onto the Tarmachan Ridge We approached Meall Garbh from the west along a fairly narrow path with a drop on either side. (Photo: James Kemp) The walk was in 100 Best Walks in Scotland, and instead of starting in the Ben Lawers car park it started on an unnamed patch of tarmac due North of the horseshoe shaped ridge. The route was to walk up the North-western end of the horseshoe, and along the ridge, taking in Beinn nan Eachan (Horses Mountain), Meall Garbh (Rough hill) and then Meall nan Tarmachan (Ptarmigan…
Ben Lomond from Ptarmigan Ridge [Munro #6]
Yesterday Alex, Davie and I walked up the Ptarmigan Ridge and from there onto Ben Lomond. It was an interesting walk with some excellent views and a fierce wind that almost blew us onto the summit of Ben Lomond. Planning Ben Lomond Route up Ben Lomond The original plan was for an easy walk to blow the winter cobwebs away. With Ben Lomond's reputation for being so easy small kids do it that seemed an obvious reading through a few accounts of the route I found that most serious walkers go up the tourist path and back via Ptarmigan Ridge. On looking at the map I thought that maybe doing this the other way round would be good. I also discovered when reading that there's a third route up Ben Lomond, from the north face. Having seen that myself I…
Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers [Munro 4 & 5]
Earlier today I walked up Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers with my brother and son. On the new count Beinn Ghlas was number 4 and Ben Lawers the fifth Munro. Only another 278 to go! It was a two hour drive from our house, but we had an early start and got there just before 10. The car park had a £3 parking fee, although free for members of the National Trust for Scotland. We started off at 10:05. You can see the detail of our route on OS Maps - I plotted this one using the aerial photos of Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers because the footpath was suspiciously straight and it suggested three hours was enough to do two munros! Beinn Ghlas Translated from Gaelic this is Grey Mountain. It's in a nature reserve, although we didn't see…