A Ryolite Romp

Starting the Monster Kilometre Traverse


Yesterday was a sad day, I did my last remaining Munro in the dramatic Glencoe scenery now I have to make an excuse to go back there.

Its one of my fave areas and I have done a lot of summer and winter climbing here.  As you approach the road drops down into the Glen the mountains seem to soar higher each side. With all those buttresses, ridges, faces and corries in close proximity to the road its a unique area for scramblers and mountaineers, theres even stuff here for walkers.

The most famous scramble in the area, the Aonach Eagach attracts the masses BUT there are dozens of other great days out just as good that avoids the crowds.

Today we plan to go onto one of these on the mountains opposite, Aonach Dubh,  the Ryolite Romp. 


Never heard of it I hear you say...................


It starts on the West Face, steep territory here,  home to some of the best rock climbing and mountaineerimg routes in Scotland.

So our route really is a sheep in wolfs clothing, sneaking up an easy scramble called Dinner Time Buttress amidst steeper ground . This leads onto a monster kilometer long traverse time with steep crags above and below. A break in the upper crag allows you to escape and ascend a gully leading you onto a second traverse leading back past the point you started.

My mate is keen to do summits so we quit the upper traverse and visit the top of Aonach Dubh. 
We decide to drop down into another major mountaineering area, Stob Coire nan Lochan where we pick up the main path down into the valley,

We call in at the Clachaig for a pint where I bump into one of the youngsters I helped as a beginner, now working as a MIC. 


Great day out with a bonus catch up. 

 Yes the route goes up there

 Ascending the gully

 Looking across at the Aonach Eagach

Stob Corrie nan Lochan

Imagine

Eek Just looked at my last few entries on here and they are all all landscapes so here is something a bit different.

I was struggling with ideas for my first ever 'Altered Reality' photo competition.

I have always said that one of the very best things about using Mountaineering Club huts is that you meet fantastic interesting people, so this guy turns up, he's got plenty off like most scousers. He's a fellow climber, an artist and a builder who has been a millionaire and lost it all, we hit it off straight away.

He lets it slip that he used to be a John Lennon lookalike when he was a lad, he was 64 at the time, I looked closely and see a vague likeness BUT hey non of us have ever seen a photo of a middle aged Lennon. The wheels in my mind start whirling round and I ask him if I take take a portrait of him for an altered reality project and he agrees.

I processed the photo, the number 64 stuck in my mind so called it 'Imagine'

I rarely put any comp photos on here, this one got nowhere but it was my first attempt and its got a good story..................

Scar House

Angram Dam from Scar House Reservoir

Sunseeking again and you can often find the most interesting of places on yur doorstep, well not very far away.

The intention today was to walk up Great Whernside and/or Little whernside BUT the stunning features in the flooded valley drew us in and we spent the day just doing a circuit of the Reservoir.
From experience the paths up Great Whernside/Little Whernside are boggy peat hags one of the walks I normally wait for a cold snap when they freeze over.

Bottom of Scar House

One of the amazing features formed by the Reservoir

Scar House Dam

Confessions of a compulsive weather watcher (Part One)

Thorpe Pellew Canal


As a self confessed compulsive weather watcher, I just love it when a plan comes together, We were planning a trip last week, I was monitoring the weather as usual for several days it all seems to be following a very predictable like its gonna be best in the West. The plan was for an early start, drive over and do something on the East Lakes, I get up early turn the TV on and find its now tipping it down in the Lakes.

Change of plan over breakfast.

Unlike B&B's and Youth Hostels you don't have to book our huts in advance so we had no commitments, we knew it was raining today BUT it should be fine for the rest of the week.

We pack up the gear and decide to stay on the east opting to go for a walk round the Arboretum at Thorpe Pellew an absolute stunning venue, I hope you enjoy the photos.

Later in the day travelled across to the Lake District and caught the last of the rain, on arrival at the hut we found a team from Scotland organising the drying room they looked like drowned rats after being out on the hills all day.

I lit the fire and we got the roast and baked tatties in the oven, I just love it when a plan comes together.

One of the Autumn Glades

Sakar Falcon enjoying its hard earned snack

The Acer Avenue

Fern Gully

 Saker Falcon

My final Munro in Glencoe

Our route takes the zigzags up the front of the central peak Gearr Aonach and descends down the nearest hill Beinn. Fhada.


On the other hand if you like a bit of excitement doing a top mountain route that will stick in your memory for the rest of your years read on.

We had travelled up to Glencoe to try and catch up the tail end of a glorious settled spell of weather, staying at the FRCC hut in Kinlochleven. The hut already had two occupants, one of the best things about staying in these places is the characters you meet. Today was no exception, we got talking to 'Derek' and his lady friend, he told us that his greatest claim to fame was that he had done ALL the 4000m peaks in the Alps. I mentioned that one of my mates had also done the 4000m peaks, a guy he also knew once we had mutual friends we got on like a house on fire.

Next morning we were away early, weather was dry, some blue sky with mist swirling around, our objective was to do the Snakes and Ladders zigzag on the Nose of Gearr Aonach then walk the ridge contour round to the Lost Valley path then climb Stob Coire Sgreamhach, my last Munro in Glencoe, then play it by ear.

After a couple of minor dead ends we found the grade one scramble snakes path we then took another excursion out onto the main face to the right and found a superb variation which led us up to the grade three ladder scramble which in turn led to the escape path under the East Face of Gearr Aonach.

All to soon we reached the main ridge leading up to Stob Coire nan Lochan which we avoided by contouring left. This took us into some close proximity to some big bellowing beasts, fortunately they were more interesting in rutting each other so ever so quietly we sneaked past.

Some interesting ground to us across to the main Lost valley path up a badly eroded path to the col and onto Stob Coire Sgreamhach.

The cloud cleared for the briefest moment we caught site of the Beinn Fhada ridge, most impressive, we were sold on the idea, this has got to be one of the best ridges in Glencoe. On the way up Gearr Aonach I had been scoping the nose of Beinn Fhada which looked very steep BUT to the east of the main nose it looked more forgiving. So we skirted the main face down very steep broken ground, exciting stuff.

A quick pint in the Clachaig before going back to see my new bestest mate 'Derek'. 

Gearr Aonach above the Lost Valley Path

The initial scramble up the Zigzags

Back on the grade one section

Todays munro is the top left peak

Lokking down the Beinn Fhada Ridge

Dusk and Dawn over the Langdale Pikes

Dusk over the Langdale Pikes

After a superb day out walking and scrambling in the Langdale Pikes, we descended from Harrison Stickle I noticed Blea Tarn nestling in its hanging comb and took a couple of shots. We returned to our digs Blea Tarn had struck a cord in my mind se we had a quick meal and decided to go up to Blea Tarn to take some sunset shots.

The classic view of Blea Tarn is from close to the lakeside which is where everyone takes the photo, they have even put a car park there cos all the photographers cars clogged the narrow road. I was looking for a different angle so we went for a walk up the slops of Mart Crag.

The view from here is superb it drew my attention to the potential views from neighbouring Side Pike so that was our next stop. By now dusk was falling so after a short walk it was time for us to return to the valley BUT we decided to return for sunrise.

04.00hrs saw us starting the walk up Side Pike the sunrise was dissapointing so we concentrated of the sun striking the summits and crags on the Langdale Pikes. We worked our way up to the summit finding several decent shots then backtracked as the sun climbed into the sky.

Back at the hut for a breakfast at 08.00hrs a days rock climbing was on the agenda for the rest of the day. 

Highlighting the crags

First light hits  

We found a wall as a subject

 Looking down on Blea Tarn from Harrison Stickle

 

First Train Over

First Train Over

Once again we returned to our new fave mountaineering hut in the Dales for a few days, am totally blown over by this place. Traditionally if you use other clubs huts you have to formally book in advance just like a Youth Hostel BUT my climbing club has done a deal so that we just need to ring up to get quick access within minutes, ideal if you are weather dodgers like us.

Anyhow if you want top quality accomodation in the Dales for £5.50 pppn this is the place.

Once again the temps were up, hot sweaty ascents up steep inclines are never my first choice so during the heat of the day we slunk of into the cool shade of Foredale a north facing quarry for an afternoons climbing.

An early finish took us back to the hut for a snack and we are out for an evening walk round the Moughton Scar area finishing in darkness. I just love the stunning, almost plastic light in the hour before sunset. just time for a late tipple back at the hut after a full on action day.

Next day is same again after a later start BUT tonight the plan is to do an evening walk round the Ribblehead and pitch the tent so we can sample the equally gorgeous light conditions in the hour before dawn.

This time we return back to the hut for a late breakfast before packing up and driving home.

 Ingleborough

 Approaching Trow Gill

 Moughton Scar

 Peneghent

Moughton Scar again