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Other Walks |
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Spout of Ballagan Date: 21st December 2010 |
Visiting the Spout of Ballagan with Dave.
Originally wished to climb ice, but we ended up gorge
walking/climbing/abseiling. Fun and a little dangerous. The joy was in
dealing with dangers and working out how to get around them. This could
not be done with ropes and rock climbing equipment due to the glen's
severe nature and snow and ice added a special twist. >> Go to Report |
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Dumgoyne (almost) Date: 2nd January 2010 |
This would have been the first hillwalk of
the year. I went with an old friend Josh, his mum and their dog. We
started out from the Blanefield war memorial and headed up towards
Dumgoyne. Plenty of snow around with magnificent views to Slackdhu, it's
crags looking extremely alpine today, with cornicing at the rim and high
winds veiling the mountain in spindrift. Josh and his mum didn't want to
continue once we arrived at the last 100 vertical metres, so we
abandoned the project and headed back to Strathblane. |
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Waterfalls beneath Dumgoyne Date: 15 September 2009 |
Originally planning to climb Dumgoyne, Tom and I abandoned this plan and diverted off the path into the forests where we followed a stream with spectacular sun-dappled waterfalls. Many of the slopes were steep and loose. Got whacked across the face by a falling tree, but was okay after. It's more thrilling than hill walking, and great fun in general since many areas involved picking our way across steep ground. Re-emerged at our approach track from Strathblane by cutting through a pine forest when the slopes became too steep. (Distance: 6km, Time: 4h 15m) | |
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Tops by Loch Maree inc. Torr a' Mhuillir, 86m Aird na Ban-fhaidhe, 87m Date: 13 April 2008 |
I did this walk alone while on holiday in Poolewe. I headed out in the evening, scrambling over tops and crossing rivers by the River Ewe. I emerged out by Loch Maree to the sight of mountains hidden under rain sheets, of rain singing off the water. It was a beautiful moment, one which I won't forget. Almost 'enlightening'... (Distance: 3.4km, Ascent: 130m, Time: 30m - 1h) |
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Bin of Cullen, 320m Date: 12 February 2007 |
I climbed this hill
with Fiona on a beautiful sunny day in February 2007. I didn't bring
a camera along, nor did I remember to keep the date in mind.
February 12th is probably the date, though there is room for
uncertainty. Bin of Cullen stands above the village Cullen on
Scotland's NE coast, with beautiful sea views from the summit. As I
remember, the forests beneath were equally striking, and the route
was on wide tracks all of the way. |
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Easdale and Codale Tarn Max. altitude: 550m Date: September 2006 |
Writing several years
later, this remains my only walk outside of Scotland. Easdale and
Codale Tarn are situated on the slopes of High Raise in the
beautiful Lake District, and the walk was part of a school trip. I
took several photos, although a failed hard drive in Spring '07 left
me with no images as I backed up none of the images. |
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Slopes of Cortma Law Date: 17 March 2006 |
An evening walk in the Campsies with dad |
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Duncryne, 142m Date: 24 December 2005 |
This was my second time up Duncryne. The
first had been several months earlier, although the absence of
photographs leads me to believe that none were taken. (However sure
I was that a camera was present) |
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Conic Hill, 361m Date: 2004 August 14 |
Jamie (an old friend of mine) and I spent the evening at Loch Lomond
with his dad Gregg. With fine weather, we climbed Conic Hill
starting from Balmaha. We walked directly down to Loch Lomond and
had a (cold) swim in the loch. |
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Foía
(Monchique), 902m Took car to the top Date: 15 July 2004 |
Monchique is one of the few mountains in
the Algarve region of Portugal. You can drive to the top where
you'll find a cafe, masts and other development. We visited this
mountain (by car) during a two-week stay to Portugal in the summer
of 2004. Revisiting the Algarve region in April 2009 showed that the
mountain is now flanked by several large wind turbines. |
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Blackwood Hill (Arnton Fell),
447m Date: September 2003 |
I climbed Blackwood Hill during a five
day school trip to the area. At the time I didn't know what the hill
was called, nor did I have any interest as I recall. Though I
enjoyed the walk nonetheless. Being a school trip, there were 20-30
other kids with me as well as a couple of teachers. Years later,
examination of my photographs as well as studying maps brought me to
identify the hill as Blackwood Hill due to the disused railway, the
sea of Sitka on one side of the ridge as well the rough horseshoe
shape and trig point at one end. |
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Conic Hill, 361m Date: 4 September 2002 |
Climbed on a school trip. The weather was cloudy went lower bands
across Loch Lomond. I recall the view being spectacular. At the top
there was some low cloud, probably the first time I'd ever walked in
cloud, even though it was only light. |
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Dun Diamh,165m Date: 2 September 2002 |
Climbed on a school trip. Nice viewpoint
overlooking Garelochhead. It took me six and a half years before I'd
come to realise what exactly it was I'd climbed, for at this age I
wasn't logging any climbs and only had pictures to go by. |
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Windy Hill,
278m Kames Hill (top), 269m Muirton Hill (top), 256m Kilbride Hill, 256m The Lyeing Hill (top), 236m Date: July 2000. Perhaps the 25th but probably the 26th. |
As a family, we used to go to Bute on
holiday, staying in a place to the north-east of the island called
Shalunt. Dad took Steve and I up to the hills behind Shalunt which
included Windy Hill, the highest point on Bute. The day was warm, a
mix of high cloud and sun. Windy Hill was a hard slog for me, as I
remember. We made a small roundtrip of the day by walking over to
Kilbride Hill and back to Shalunt. Dad was using his new GPS which
I'd be using eight years on for my own hillwalking although this was
more to test out walking between the waypoints and other features.
The glen between Windy Hill and Kilbride Hill was strikingly
beautiful and there was the constant buzzing of flies on The Lyeing
Hill. I don't remember much else from the trip, asides the walk to
Shalunt. |
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Ben A'an,
454m Date: June 1999 |
One of my few walks before the Millennium! Climbed with friends over
from New York on a sunny day. |
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Conic Hill, 361m Date: 1997? |
This was my first time up Conic Hill
with dad and Steve. When I returned in 2002, the mountain had become
significantly 'smaller', but it was a huge achievement as the time.
It was mainly overcast as I remember with some wind on top. I got to
phone home with some feeling of achievement! (Come to think of it,
the presence of a mobile phone may surely give some hint as to the
date) |
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Auchineden
Hill, 357m Date: 1997 in particular. Many, many other times however. |
Auchineden Hill (better known for "The
Whangie" which lies close by) is a hill I've been up more times than
I know. I've been up to the top, just to the Whangie on plenty of
occasions, sometimes just the first 150 foot climb to the viewpoint
by the stile. Sometimes we just went up sledging. Goodness knows how
many times I've been up, but I mention 1997 as a date in particular
as slides from this year show me on top. I've been up many times
though, and only since the creation of this site have I kept logs of
more recent climbs. |
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Pico del
Teide, 3718m Date: Summer 1997/1996? |
I didn't climb at 3700m mountain at the age of six... This, like
Monchique in Portugal, can be driven up, at least to 2000m, where a
cable car and track takes you as far as 3550m. A permit is required
nowadays to reach the summit. The rangers claimed we couldn't climb the final section
to the top due to erosion, but I've also heard that this is an excuse they use on
hikers who have bought permits! 3550m remains my personal
'high-point'. |
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