Laggan and the Monadh Liath: Geal charn (260)

Walk date: 04/05/08
My Munro #'s: 143

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Gyal kaarn - white hill - 926m

Statistics:
Duration - 11:00 - 15:00
Distance - 12.8 km
Total ascent - 868m
Weather - Cloudy but warm. A southern wind meant that even with the buffeting we experienced at altitude this was a warm day's hike. Some light rain came and went a couple of times and the summit was in cloud, but for long stretches of the descent we had some beautiful light on the hills.
Team - with Sonia.
Other hikers: about 10.

After seeing many a good weekend pass by without any hiking content, it was great to get some extra work I'd been doing finished and free up my free time again for some hill action. The target was a simple single hill with 'only' 2.5 hours driving each way, which would see me have visited all of the Munros in the Laggan and Monadh Liath region.

After passing Laggan, the road gets thinner and thinner until eventually you have to open and close a gate at Garva Bridge to allow your progress to the best 'car park'. From there a farm lane is followed over another bridge with a raging torrent under it and the left fork taken at the trees. Here though it is tempting to carry on along the nice farm track but a look at the map reveals this veers off route quickly, and the path such as it is wetly follows the river up until the Allt Coire nan Dearcag tributory is met.

Rather than meet it and follow it up, we cut off the corner and then took one of the many opportunities to cross over later on. However, higher up we found a path that follows the south western back of Geal charn and it could be that this also exists lower down and offers good progress. In any case, the ascent offers no real challenges and is easily achieved whether you're following the path or free-styling it. The only trouble with the hill is the distance to the summit once the incline levels off; it is much further than you would imagine if, like for us, the cloud drops down. In such conditions careful navigation is required especially as the actual summit is barely higher than the surrounding terrain. Thankfully, the cairn is huge and you definitely know when you've reached it!

Our return differed slightly in that we followed the path down the south western back as far as the rocky outcrops visible on the map and then, in order to avoid the wet lower ground, kept to a steady contour until the forest under Meall an Domhnaich. This was a very pleasant descent but a word of warning should accompany it as we later discovered a tick on Sonia and I reckon it was picked up while crossing the rough heather here. See the new tick links for important information with respect to removing them and looking out for symptoms of the serious conditions you can develop as a result. Ticks are most common April-October but can occur outside these dates so please be careful.

Despite the biting, it was a great day out. It felt so great to be on the hills again. Our day wasn't over however, as we had a date with the Cadenhead's Whisky Shop tasting event as part of the Speyside Festival in Dufftown on the return. Turning up exactly on time, the kindly Sonia had to sit through 30 whisky obsessives including me being taken expertly through five tastings from the Cadenhead's independent bottling range. These were Allt-A-Bhainne (Speyside, 14yrs, 56.2%, £43, my score 8/10), Imperial (Speyside, 29yrs, 54.7%, £106.5, my score 7/10), Auchentoshan (Lowland, 17yrs, 59.2%, £47.7, my score 6/10), Ben Nevis (Highland, 16yrs, 46%, £37.3, my score 5/10) and Ardbeg (Islay, 14yrs, 46%, £36.3, my score 11/10). It was fantastic and I have a feeling that this won't be my last festival attendance!

The rest of the Laggan range keeping its snow:

Making a start, target in the centre:

Great views back down the valley:

A lot of heather to cross as we start to climb:

Great views to the north-west:

Sonia and I pull away from the pack:

The cloud coming in:

Lunch over, let's get to the whisky!

That south-western back complete with path!

Coire Gorm (NW) looking wild:

Looking back up Geal charn:

That wild tick-land:

Whisky-tasting!

Is this my demographic? Will this be my gut in 10 years?

Yes, it's definitely whisky!

The Drumochter Hills: Meall Chuaich (214)

Walk date: 06/10/07
My Munro #'s: 132

Pronunciations - translations - heights:
Myowl chooeech - hill of the quaich - 951m

Statistics:
Duration - 13:30-18:30
Distance - 15.5km
Weather - Muggy. Cloud at 750m on ascent, down to 500m on descent. Cold wind on top. Light to moderate rain on return along flat.
Team - with Sonia
Other hikers: 5


A simple route; head east, then some west...





This was the first Munro for quite a while, so it was nice to get into it again with a simple one. Especially seeing as this was the day after my birthday dinner out (at the recommended Creel Inn)! Indeed, we only set off from Aberdeen at 10:00, and even had a brunch of coffee and cake at the very reasonable and tasty Boogie-Woogie in Keith. Really, it was more a day-out that happened to include a Munro.


All these diversions meant we only set off from our little exposed layby on the A9 at 13:30, but progress was quickly made alone a private road heading for a Scottish Hydro Electric dam and then Loch Cuaich. Past a bothy the path rises gently but firmly north-east up heather-clad slopes first taking on Stac Meall Chuaich before heading due east for the summit. The soft start of the path and its progression to rock reminded me a little of Schiehallion, except that this path was quite boggy in places which was something Schiehallion's constructed path avoided.


Sonia leads the way towards (R) lonely Meall Chuaich:



A' Mharconaich and Creag Liath to the south:



And from the dam area:


Now that's a pipeline, plus A' Mharconaich:




Our target coming into focus, Meall Chuaich:



Sonia keeping an eye on the route as we start to rise:




A great landscape, complete with Sonia:



As soon as we take my picture, the weather turns...



Unlike Schiehallion, however, the rock returns to grass again as it flattens out on top. So much so that within cloud like today it wasn't straightforward to find the cairn. It lies on what was once a fence so if you see some metal posts stay on that line (one way or the other!).


Upon return, I just tried to take us along our previous steps by following them exactly on the GPS. Unfortunately, this did allow us to veer very slight off-route. Once I noticed this I corrected us but failed to tell Sonia, and so noticing that we were no longer heading our normal heading Sonia challenged me, to which I had a firm manly strop. Ach well, we got over it. Thank goodness there were no other hikers around to stop and ask!


Pea-soup anyone? Wonderful views on top:



Thank goodness for a cairn, the unpointy summit:



Is that it? Sonia inspects the cairn:



At least our deviation from route took in nice plantlife:



Our descent stayed in cloud right down to 500m, and leaving it only lead to a good burst of rain. However, once on the flat again we soon stomped over the remaining 4km. With our drive home including a stop at The Highlander Inn, Craigellachie for dinner and a taste of the wonderful juniper-influced Mackmyra Swedish whisky, this was a grand day out.


Interesting struts on the aqueduct:

Orkney 2007 - Day 2

Tuesday 26th June - Highland Park, Kirkwall, Scapa Flow, walk and wreck

The morning brought fine weather to our little cottage:

And fine views down to Grimness, more of that later:

Our first full day on Orkney saw us getting the priorities sorted. Namely, whisky.  After the first lie-in for far too long, a hearty breakfast saw us venture back to Kirkwall where we promptly booked ourselves in for an afternoon tour at Highland Park.  A good lunch at, I believe, The Strynd Tearoom beside the cathedral saw us return to the distillery for some serious tour action.

Unfortunately, for all the effort involved in getting to Scotland's most northerly distillery, I have to say that the tour fell a little flat.  It could be that we are getting to the stage where only Glen Moray style super-tours can hit the mark, but there are a few pitfalls for us that a tour can fall into... 

Number 1 mistake here and the highest on my personal hate list is the dreaded 'audio-visual presentation filler'; a cheap impersonal time-filler that's just going to tread old-ground over a faded out shot of someone pouring whisky into a glass, probably with a fire blazing in the background. 

Number 2 here was giving the pre-tour shot'; what's the point then of continuing? For me a shot at the beginning should always suggest a follow-up afterwards.  Related to number 2 then is...

Number 3, 'the single-shot tour'; Highland Park has three standard expressions, the 12, the 15 and the 18 year old, as well as a number of special editions, but you only get the 12.  Why on Earth would I pay the premium price for the premium bottle without getting a taste and proving to myself that a) you can taste a difference and b) that the difference is worth it? 

Number 4 is the 'inexpert expert'; generally this means a summer student after some spending money.  This in itself is not too bad as some of these people are enthusiastic and know their stuff (see the Glenmorangie tour write-up coming up on Day 7), but it doesn't compare to when the manager is taking you around!  However, the weight of number 4 is doubled when it is accompanied by...

Number 5, the 'whisky-hating guide', as our guide announced herself to be upon introduction.  Add to this the...

Number 6 of mentioning the 'Angel's share', the name given to the whisky that evaporates from the storage casks (stops being funny on your second tour), and...

Number 7 of a rubbish ticket/voucher offer and Highland Park left us feeling a little underwhelmed.  

I did nonetheless enjoy walking through the buildings which included seeing an active malting floor and kiln (Highland Park being one of only five distilleries still doing this early part of the process themselves).  There were also some interesting information, such as the fact that Highland Park uses only sherry-fill casks; no finishes here, it's all it gets!  Basically, the tour is worth doing if you're on Orkney , but don't travel especially for it unless you're a whisky obsessive just like us, and then you can rant about it on your very own blog!!

The attractive streets of Sonia, sorry, Kirkwall:

Girls and a distillery, heaven!

These signs are just made for lounging in front of:

Pretty and sturdy stills at Highland Park:

You are now leaving the most northerly distillery in Scotland:

After the distillery, some shopping in Kirkwall was undertaken, which saw me invest in an 8-year old 'Orkney Single Malt' for only £18.  I believe it to be Scapa due to flavour and colour, but either way it was well worth it - although it is far too drinkable!  A quick pint at one of Kirkwall's disappointingly few hospitable-looking establishments and it was time to head back to the cottage, but not before checking out the gorgeous setting of Orkney's other distillery, Scapa.  Unfortunately there are no tours at this one so we just had to cope with a paddle and a photo or 50...

The gorgeous Scapa Flow with Scapa itself just visible:

A pity to waste such beautiful waters: 

"Well, hello":

Come back, don't do it! It's me not you!

Standing proud, but proudly closed to visitors, hmmph!

Back at the cottage after dinner there was plenty of light left in the sky for Sonia, The Leach and myself to take a pleasant walk down to Grim Ness.  Thereupon we discovered a large wreck along the Lime Banks.  Pieces of this big ship were strewn all across the stony beach giving an indication of what force the sea must have had when it met its end.  Indeed the wreck gave an unnervingly sombre close to the day as it was lapped by the gentle evening waves.  We later found out that the ship ran aground in 1969 and had been a Liberian cargo ship; all hands apparently survived but tragically the Longhorn lifeboat from nearby island Hoy had itself sank with the loss of all 8 men on board, an extremely big deal for such a small community.  This I presume is what is referred to here.

The view from mine and Sonia's room:

Our cottage was just by South Cara:

What a contrast today's weather must have been to that day in 1969:

Orkney 2007 - Day 1

Friday 22nd June 2007 saw the Soniamost hand in her PhD thesis, and what a wonderful day it was;  glorious sunshine accompanied this rite of passage, as did Theakston beer from The St Macher's Bar where I met her after work!  Congratulations to the full to my little bright cookie.

The hand-in was a release of many kinds, for we were now on holiday. Not only were we off to the Orkney Isles on the Monday, but the Saturday saw us tripping over to Corpach (home of Neptune's Staircase), Fort William for the marriage of Sonia's friends Catherine and David, but only after my exhaust fell off just outside Aberdeen forcing us to drive for over 2 hours a la Spitfire.  Some unorthodox notes on marriage by the minister, including stories referring to joint credit card accounts not being misused, lead to the knot being duly tied and the congregation milling about on midge-lawn out front, savouring views of Ben Nevis (when not being bitten).

(L-R) Paula, Catherine and Sonia getting midge-bites:

A great reception followed that even saw me dancing with the bride (after a pint) and, even more proudly, correctly guessing Highland Park from a blind buy!

After an action-packed Saturday, Sunday was mostly taken up with the mission to buy a new exhaust, which we managed to do in Oban, and buying me a new coat, which we did back in Fort William, and all that lead to...

Monday 25 June - Kirkwall and St Magnus Cathedral

The Orkney Islands consist of 70 separate islands, 20 of which are inhabited.  A trail of these islands to the southeast of the group are connected by The Churchill Barriers, built during the second world war, to protect the British Fleet from U-boat attack.  We were due to stay on the southernmost of these, South Ronaldsay.

The Orkney isles at the north-eastern tip of mainland UK:

After chasing Team A (Alison, Andrew R and Andrew L) up the A9 and A99, we arrived at St Gills Bay (our start point to cross The Pentland Firth) before them, due to the nose of The Leach bizarrely seeking out a Costa in John O'Groats.  After introductions, Sonia, a marine biologist, was asked if we were likely to see any dolphins or whales on the crossing.  To which she confidently replied in the negative.  To which, in turn, a group of massive killer whales passed the boat about a half hour in exciting everyone on board!

(L-R) Andrew R, Alison and the Soniamost:

Upon arrival, we were very grateful to find that our accommodation for the week, Lower Cara cottage, was wonderful, and ideally placed with fabulous coastal views all around.  Once the rooms had been assigned and bags dumped within them, the whisky was cracked open as Alison announced she was four months pregnant!! She'll be driving from now on then! Congratulations Alison.

A brief shopping trip and introduction to Kirkwall saw us back and cooking-in before returning to town and the impressive St Magnus Cathedral for a great performance by Viktoria Mullova as she played Bach's Partita in E major and Partita in D minor as part of the St Magnus Festival, which our visit happily happened to coincide with.  An 11pm finish did not mean the sun was even fully down at this time of year as we drove back to fine views and the close of the first day.

St Magnus Cathedral; not your average venue: