Day Trip to Arrochar

Saturday 22 September I went hill walking with the Edinburgh University Hill Walking Club. We took a coach to Arrochar, but our group alighted at Ardlui. We then climbed Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond), my 15th munro, and walked down and out to Arrochar for a pint of beer.

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Day Trip to Glen Clova

Sunday 16th I went on the Edinburgh University Mountaineering Club‘s freshers day trip to Glen Clova. I’m surprised that no-one got hypothermia as they permitted people to climb mountains in jeans and t-shirts.

We bused up to Glen Clova and then walk from the Glen Clova Hotel to the ridge , it rained most of the time but we still managed to climb two munros :

• Driesh
• Mayar

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Photos from hill walking trip to Braemar

See the album at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/richardarthurdavis/MunroBaggingNearBraemarSept2007

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Hill Walking in Scotland – Part 1

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=r06c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1741042038&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr&nou=1I’m keen to get out into the hills soon – especially since I have another week before things really get underway at University.

I got myself a Lonely Planet Guide called Walking in Scotland. While I have been critical of those foreign students who turned up in Dunedin with the Lonely Planet guides to Tramping in New Zealand this one is useful for newcomers to Scotland to get some basic information. And by no means do I think that this guide is enough or adequate for everything I wish to do.

Here are some links for future reference:

Online Guides
Walking Scotland
Walkingworld
Walking and Climbing Links

Weather / Conditions
Met Office
Mountain Weather Information Service
sportscotland Avalanche Information Service

Maps
Ordnance Survey
Harvey Maps

Accommodation
Mountain Bothies Association
Scottish Youth Hostels
Scottish Independent Hostels

Access / Deer Stalking
ScotWays
Hillphones
Outdoor Access Scotland

Transport
Traveline Scotland
National Rail Enquiries
First Scot Rail
Scottish Citylink
Royal Mail’s Postbus

Gear
Tiso Edinburgh
Blacks
Nevisport, Edinburgh

TWALK

On the weekend I was part of an OUTC team that competed in TWALK. With a new strategy over last year’s effort, which earned a top ten finish, we improved our rank to fourth overall. I was very pleased that one of our teams won the student-only section.

TWALK is a kind of rogaine or orienteering event, where the team navigates around a course visiting controls. It’s a lot of fun, but very tiring – even when you only do 12 hours and not the full 24.

See photos of TWALK 2007.

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour – Intro Video

See it on the Banff 2007 Tour of New Zealand

Mt Somers

I led an OUTC tramp on the weekend up and around Mt Somers in Canterbury. I don’t know why the Club doesn’t head to Canterbury more often as it’s good driving up there with good takeaway options. It was only one tank of gas to Mt Somers return.

Saturday we climbed Mt Somers and continued around the South Face to Woolshed Hut. It was a long day (just under 11 hours) but with some great sections, especially just before we got ot the hut. At the hut we found hordes of Scouts and other trampers, but we managed to find a camp just downstream of the hut.

Sunday was also a perfect day and once we climbed up to the high point it was much easier going – being downhill to Pinnacle Hut and out to the carpark. Unfortunately Moa had a bad knee and was very slow. This meant the group split up causing delays in leaving. Overall it was great weekend away with some good people.