A wee thread for your outdoor pursuits.routes up local and further afield hills and mountains, low level walks,mountain bike trails,wild camping,ski reports.Anything else outdoorsy that others may want to mention/recommend.

 

  My thing is hill walking mainly,with a bit of skiing now and again.Ill start things off with a few routes of hills of varying difficulty, starting with the toughest,from the South Cairngorms

 

1)      Bheinn A Ghlo,Carn A Chlamain,Beinn Dearg,Carn an Fhidlier,An Sgarsoch

 

The approach route i took for these hills can also be done as a low level walk,or mountain bike route without doing the hills. Starts at the Linn of Dee,5 miles beyond Braemar,and carries on through to Blair Atholl at the far end.Takes you through some of the furthest from civilisation landscape in the UK.

 

My plan was to bike and walk in on an evening, to just beyond the Falls of Tarf (at the side of the river Tilt),set up camp and do the west side Munroes the next day,and then Beinn A Ghlo's 3 munroes on day 2, and then back out

 

Parked at the Linn of Dee,and followed a good low level track to white bridge,where it splits in 2.Took the route South over the bridge,and past Bynack lodge,all the way to the falls of Tarf.

  I should point out that,cycling absolutely kills me. I never normally cycle anywhere, except a couple times a year to get to some hills.Any gradient at all and I need to come off and push.This route was pretty reasonable all the way to around Loch Tilt

 

Track near Bynack to give an idea of terrain.Easy biking /walking,great sense of space around here

 

 

Track near the Falls of Tarf.Pushed the bike at this stage,though a regular M/biker would breeze it.Easy enough walking.

 

 

 

 

I set up camp at the start of a track at,OS - 972,775 (Braemar/Blair Atholl map),took about 2 hrs to reach here,appx 2/3 bike,1/3 hike.

  In the morning,followed the track that heads towards a sheiling/old building on the edge of the Tarf water,and headed up An Sgarsoch first(initially a bit rough),then over to nearby Carn an Fhidlhier.From there over to Beinn Dearg,round by the west side of Loch Mairc,and up Carn A Chlamain,before heading for the track on Braigh choire na Conlaich back to the tent.

  A long summer day needed

 

Day 2 was the Beinn A Ghlo route, starting from the tent,down Glen Tilt to the bridge at Marble Lodge.From there,make way up Carn Liath,the first Munro,along to Braigh Coire Chruinn bhalgain,the second,and then to Carn nan Gabhar.From there head down to Meall A Mhuirich, looking out for a stalkers path to help you down to Glen Tilt and aiming for the bridge across the Tilt river,around 3km above Forest lodge

 

  .An Sgorsach and Carn an Fhidhlier can be done seperately by following the same route initially,but turning up the track at the Geldie burn,past Geldie Lodge,where a path leads you on to Carn an Fhidhlier,over to An Agarsoch,and back to the Geldie Burn/Linn of Dee.

  If not doing An Sgarsoch/Carn an Fhidhlier,the other hills are best planned from the Bridge of Atholl side.

Glen Tilt,a very attractive glen

 

 

2)  Geallaig hill - 743m

 

 

An easier hill,just past Ballater on the road to Braemar.The tourist route for this one is a rather drab track from the north side,but can be done from the South via this route.

  Park at the first car park on the right,just after the Coilecreich Inn.walk west along the road until you come out from the trees.There is a wooden gate on your right hand side.Go over that,and follow the grassy track up hill,which becomes more of a vehicle track further up.About two thirds of the way up the track seems to veer away from the summit,but a path appears,and takes you on to the top.

  Good views of Lochnagar and Upper Deeside. 1 or 2 hrs up and the same down depending on fitness

 

3) Millstone hill - 408m

 

  And a good starter hill on the south side of Bennachie.Parked at the Donview visitor centre near Blairdaff with good paths all the way.Took about an hour up,hour doon with a couple of 7 year olds.Theres also a link path from the summit over to the South top of Bennachie.

 

  Nice Aberdeenshire landscapes en route,and some nice spots along the river Don nearby,...which is nice

 

 

 

EDIT - A link to a map which you can zoom in for more detail.Sometimes shows paths not seen on an OS map

 

http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/search.php?ct=SEWM

 

 

 

Glorious weekend most places. En route to Skye Chance of a fog inversion in some places.

 

Recommended  -  Barmekin hill, Echt good for sunset, old Fort at summit, under 300m.

Hill of Fare,Echt  good for sunrise at mast, sunset at the summit. 471m.

Tap o Noth near Lumsden, old hill Fort, sunrise and sunset,560m 

Well its outdoors,nae sure where else to stick this  

 

  Alternative solution to climate change?.Goes against what we thought....

 

Well its outdoors,nae sure where else to stick this  

 

  Alternative solution to climate change?.Goes against what we thought....

 

Unfortunately it's a heap of shite. I thought Ted would have taken it down by now. Very little basis in fact and goes against just about every study done.

 

He does sound good though.

 

Sake min,half an hour of hope crushed already      Got any links?  Found this one(among mostly positive comments) in the comments section.Seems to be his lack of data to back his ideas up ?https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2017-2-march-april/feature/allan-savory-says-more-cows-land-will-reverse-climate-change

 

  Another good listen(to me at least)

 

 

 

This article from George Monbiot a few years back pretty much says it all. He's a charlatan.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2014/aug/04/eat-more-meat-and-save-the-world-the-latest-implausible-farming-miracle

 

He could, miraculously, be correct but he provides absolutely no evidence to back it up. I remember looking into it when the video first came out thinking he'd stumbled upon some amazing idea but there was basically no information on it aside from his website. Then I read the article from Monbiot above, and realised that it wasn't just me and that he's probably at best a religious nut-job, at worst a bought and paid for lunatic.

 

There are absolute benefits to managed grazing on farms, but to suggest that whacking some sheep on a desert is suddenly going to turn it into an oasis is just a little fucked up (what were the animals even grazing on?).

 

You'll find plenty of people backing him though, in the same way that you'll find plenty of people who'll tell you that a medium knew exactly the name of their dead auntie Betty (no Betsy... I have a Bethany? Francis?) without prompting. The type that would tell you that it only works when the spirits can see that the scientists have left the room.

I don't think this falls in line with Mr Savory's work:

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/05/beef-eating-must-fall-drastically-as-world-population-grows-report

Glorious weekend most places. En route to Skye Chance of a fog inversion in some places.

 

Recommended  -  Barmekin hill, Echt good for sunset, old Fort at summit, under 300m. Hill of Fare,Echt  good for sunrise at mast, sunset at the summit. 471m.Tap o Noth near Lumsden, old hill Fort, sunrise and sunset,560m 

Hinna been up either since I was a loon. Got a long weekend this coming weekend, you've inspired me 

Elgin, any suggestions for places to walk roundabout our neck of the wids? Somewhere suitable for youngsters so nae too high. Cheers min.

Have you tried any of the coast? If you head into Muchalls,follow the road round to the right,you'll come to a parking area.Park there,and follow the track under the bridge.Some cracking stacks of rock,and inlets to look at,after youve watched the sun rise on the horizon obviously(8.30am).

  Old Findon,park down at the far bottom left.Theres a path along the coast so far.And at the South end of Stoney,park at the start of the path to Dunnottar(ie not the main Dunnottar car park). Take a detour down the edge of the fields to the cliffs.We sat there for ages watching various birds coming and going mid summer.

  Pity theres not a continous path fae Stoney to Cove.Caution -  Keep the bairn on a leash,some sharp drops

 

Inland - The woodlands between Banchory Devenick school and Leggart tce.Theres a car park there.Some nice wee walks,around half an hour.Couple of old small quarrys,decent Deeside viewpoint.

  You can walk up the edge of the Dee from the Dee bridge a fair bit,and also from the Maryculter bridge down,but theres not a continuous path.Same at the Park bridge.

    If any of the above hills are doable,I'll give you more info.Scolty hills also a dawdle with a fine tower viewpoint.Head to Falls of Feugh and turn right til you see the Scolty hill signs

    Crathes castle woodland walks are good,free,...cafe a bit meh,with a fine adventure area,maybe for older kids though(£3)

  EDIT - Sunset at Loch of skene - Theres a car park space on the Loch side of the road(B9126) that runs from Garlogie to Skene.Stopped there on the way home one night.Short walk to the lochside with paths round the edge.It was also the gathering point for hundreds of geese at that time of day(sunset) from all directions.Impressive sight/noise

 

 

 

   

 

....right,away to check out some of these unSavory findings

Has anyone done any long distance walks? I’ve done 3 and here is my tuppenceworth:

 

West Highland Way - Milngavie to Ft William. Fantastic experience, loads of walkers, good craic in the stopovers, lots of facilities on route. Great scenery particularly in the second half - walking into Glencoe is a real highlight. Only real downside was the slog along the top half of Loch Lomond, scrambling over boulders.

 

Great Glen Way - Ft William to Inverness. Nowhere near as busy and the first half (Ft William to Ft Augustus) really struggles for facilities (lunch stops, bars, toilets are very infrequent). Second half along the length of Loch Ness high up in the hills is stunning, a cracking experience with good stops in Invermoriston and Drum.

 

Speyside Way - Buckie to Aviemore. Pish. Only interesting bit was the last leg from Grantown to Aviemore. The rest was dull as fuck IMHO.

 

I really enjoyed WHW and GGW.

 

Anyone recommend any of the other long distance routes.

 

Only done bits of the WHW.Spot on about the other 2.Great glen way started slowly but got better and better.Speyside way we were annoyed at how little of it was beside the Spey,some pleasant enough easy walking at times though

 

  Cape Wrath trail is highly recommended https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cape-wrath-trail.shtml

 

Hebridean way may be something different too

Unfortunately it's a heap of shite. I thought Ted would have taken it down by now. Very little basis in fact and goes against just about every study done.

 

He does sound good though.

 

 

Nae giving up on the boy yet.Maybe he's got the idea but needs to pass the batton on to someone who can manage it

 

Heres someones explanation of how it works,though I think in barren places you need feed initially as per vid below -

 

Summary of the method for those confused by the video, it "mimics nature" like the million animal herds of the Serengeti but with livestock. Because of the amount of manure & trampling in such big herds, the animals keep moving. This system moves the animals daily, but keeps them in as small an area as possible while giving enough food for the day. That means as much manure as possible & as much liquid as possible in the form of livestock urine.

 

After one day's grazing, the fertiliser is allowed to do it's thing & stimulate plant growth. The animals only return to that ground once the plants are fully grown & therefore at maximum nutritional value - imagine eating wheatgrass v fully grown wheat plants, complete with wheat grain. Most farms let the animals graze at will, creating a wheatgrass situation, this system allows the plants to grow beyond baby stage & produce heavy duty food! (and root length matches plant height, which means an end to erosion & water run off too).

 

On ground with NOTHING growing, they lock the animals onto that ground each night, as tightly backed as possible for a week or so, then move them out to better land for food each morning. The nightly urine & manure means a thick slurry of microbial life, breaking of the surface crust & lots of moisture to stimulate any seeds in the ground & manure into germinating. That new grass is allowed to fully mature before the animals return to eat it & refertiliser?

 

Only done bits of the WHW.Spot on about the other 2.Great glen way started slowly but got better and better.Speyside way we were annoyed at how little of it was beside the Spey,some pleasant enough easy walking at times though

 

  Cape Wrath trail is highly recommended https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cape-wrath-trail.shtml

 

Hebridean way may be something different too

 

Cheers will take a look at them.

 

There was a really bizarre bit in the Speyside Way zig zagging through a field. It was nonsense.

 

Nae giving up on the boy yet.Maybe he's got the idea but needs to pass the batton on to someone who can manage it

 

Heres someones explanation of how it works,though I think in barren places you need feed initially as per vid below -

 

Summary of the method for those confused by the video, it "mimics nature" like the million animal herds of the Serengeti but with livestock. Because of the amount of manure & trampling in such big herds, the animals keep moving. This system moves the animals daily, but keeps them in as small an area as possible while giving enough food for the day. That means as much manure as possible & as much liquid as possible in the form of livestock urine.

 

After one day's grazing, the fertiliser is allowed to do it's thing & stimulate plant growth. The animals only return to that ground once the plants are fully grown & therefore at maximum nutritional value - imagine eating wheatgrass v fully grown wheat plants, complete with wheat grain. Most farms let the animals graze at will, creating a wheatgrass situation, this system allows the plants to grow beyond baby stage & produce heavy duty food! (and root length matches plant height, which means an end to erosion & water run off too).

 

On ground with NOTHING growing, they lock the animals onto that ground each night, as tightly backed as possible for a week or so, then move them out to better land for food each morning. The nightly urine & manure means a thick slurry of microbial life, breaking of the surface crust & lots of moisture to stimulate any seeds in the ground & manure into germinating. That new grass is allowed to fully mature before the animals return to eat it & refertiliser?

 

 

I ken fit it is min, but it's a heap of bollocks backed by no evidence (in fact all the obvious evidence points the opposite way). For raising livestock, it's fine, but it doesn't take into account the sheer volume of land that is required and the damage that is done by devoting that much land to livestock. Nor the fact that it couldn't possibly feed the world's population. It's hugely destructive, putting speed of re-growth over usefulness of calories and diversity of nutrition. It's essentially growing grass to feed more cows in a rotational grazing system, which certainly isn't anything remotely new. The obvious problem is that on that land you could grow significant multiples of calories in the form of plants that would carry far more nutrition, health benefits and hugely reduced emissions. If it's reversing desertification, then Geoff Lawton's yer man. If it's regenerational mixed farming, then have a look at Richard Perkins or thon types on youtube who provide a far better balance along similar lines, with significantly less livestock inputs. Or Bill Mollison - deed - for the permaculture approach, which is a far better "mimicking nature" approach.

Have you tried any of the coast? If you head into Muchalls,follow the road round to the right,you'll come to a parking area.Park there,and follow the track under the bridge.Some cracking stacks of rock,and inlets to look at,after youve watched the sun rise on the horizon obviously(8.30am).

  Old Findon,park down at the far bottom left.Theres a path along the coast so far.And at the South end of Stoney,park at the start of the path to Dunnottar(ie not the main Dunnottar car park). Take a detour down the edge of the fields to the cliffs.We sat there for ages watching various birds coming and going mid summer.

  Pity theres not a continous path fae Stoney to Cove.Caution -  Keep the bairn on a leash,some sharp drops

 

Inland - The woodlands between Banchory Devenick school and Leggart tce.Theres a car park there.Some nice wee walks,around half an hour.Couple of old small quarrys,decent Deeside viewpoint.

  You can walk up the edge of the Dee from the Dee bridge a fair bit,and also from the Maryculter bridge down,but theres not a continuous path.Same at the Park bridge.

    If any of the above hills are doable,I'll give you more info.Scolty hills also a dawdle with a fine tower viewpoint.Head to Falls of Feugh and turn right til you see the Scolty hill signs

    Crathes castle woodland walks are good,free,...cafe a bit meh,with a fine adventure area,maybe for older kids though(£3)

  EDIT - Sunset at Loch of skene - Theres a car park space on the Loch side of the road(B9126) that runs from Garlogie to Skene.Stopped there on the way home one night.Short walk to the lochside with paths round the edge.It was also the gathering point for hundreds of geese at that time of day(sunset) from all directions.Impressive sight/noise

 

 

 

   

 

....right,away to check out some of these unSavory findings

 

Nice min, cheers. I like the sound of Scolty. I was thinking of something slightly more inland depending on the weather as we already get a shite load of wind doon here. I might try the Banchory Devenick ones for a start to see how the wee bugger gets on. Bit of protection fae trees might be a nice change for her.

far div ye bide ED min? You seem to be circling round me a bit there?

far div ye bide ED min? You seem to be circling round me a bit there?

 

I don't like to hand out other folks information online as I think that's a little bit dodgy if there are randoms watching in, but I could give you a clue given yer a loon fa kens the Aberdeen area you should be able to get it. It begins with "P" and ends in "ortlethen".

I don't like to hand out other folks information online as I think that's a little bit dodgy if there are randoms watching in, but I could give you a clue given yer a loon fa kens the Aberdeen area you should be able to get it. It begins with "P" and ends in "ortlethen".

Aye good point, wasn't trying to be nosey    I live in somewhere beginning with "G" and ending in "arlogie", just so we're even. I also work in the "P" place 

Aye good point, wasn't trying to be nosey    I live in somewhere beginning with "G" and ending in "arlogie", just so we're even. I also work in the "P" place 

 

You'll be steaming across to work in ten minutes next week with the bypass opening then?

 

Although, there is no connection with the airse end of Badentoy though, is there? A straight route into Portlethen from the road wid have made sense. Off at Altens and straight into Hillside I suppose? I'm sure there's a thread for this somewhere...

Rico's nailed it.I would say the posh bit of "P",but I dont think there is one.Should really be Grampiandon these days

  You'll maybe recognise the Barmekin summit GG.This little temptress was waiting for me a couple of weeks ago 

 

 

Havnt been round too many of the local woodland walks,but theres more at Maryculter,Durris and Dunnottar woods

 

 

  Kowalski -  Forgot about this beauty,the Kintail way http://www.affrickintailway.com/  Done some sections of it,prime Mountain country in there, with some bothies along the way.

  Its a bit more fun plotting your own route if you know where the bothies are https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/

 

  Others not done - Cowal way,Kintyre way,Dava way,East highland way,East coast to West coast(Aberdeen to Knoydart)

 

Cheers man 

You'll be steaming across to work in ten minutes next week with the bypass opening then?

 

Although, there is no connection with the airse end of Badentoy though, is there? A straight route into Portlethen from the road wid have made sense. Off at Altens and straight into Hillside I suppose? I'm sure there's a thread for this somewhere...

Aye, I'll be testing the various options, go to Westhill then across to Chareleston flyover, or get on at top of Milltimber brae and repeat, or maybe continue taking the Blairs back road whic hshould have less traffic.

 

What really needs to happen is the spur at the top of badentoy north along from DPD warehouse gets opened onto schoolhill road, would save a 2.5mile trip round Portlethen. Pish at min.

  A cracking day on the 2 Easain Munros near Laggan on Xmas eve.

 

 

 

 

A couple of smaller Deeside hills for anyone bored,or to walk off some post Tim frustration.Both with less ascent than Bennachie,good views over to Lochnagar.No snow at that level

 

Auchtavan,Aberarder  -  http://www.auchtavan.com/home/plan-your-visit/

 

Pressendye,Tarland  -  https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshire/pressendye.shtml

Great info ED min.

 

Was up Barmekin Hill at weekend, first time since very early secondary school days I think 

Nae probs min.The fort on Tap o Noth has an information board at the foot of the hill,but nothing at Barmekin.Some good info here https://canmore.org.uk/site/18522/barmekin-of-echt

 

 

  Managed up 11 munros over the festive season in between family visits.Couple of very good days...

 

 

Couple of atmospheric ones

 

 

A fair few drizzle and fog days

 

 

160 done,122 to go  Race against time before the legs buckle up