James Stone (Clach Liath)

Mountaineering and the Volcanic Seven Summits

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Archives for September 2017

A new attempt on the Volcanic Seven Summits

30th September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

Volcanic Seven Summits Mount Sidley

Loading mules at Goosfand Sar, Damavand, Iran

As far as my researches indicate just twelve people have climbed all of the volcanic seven summits – see here.

ALE will be running an expedition to Mount Sidley next January.  One person who will be on it is Ted Fairhurst, a Canadian from Montreal.  Nothing too remarkable in that you might think, especially when you know that he has previously climbed the seven continental summits.  It might be remarkable that he is aiming to ascend all the volcanic seven summits within a 12 month period.  But Ted is 70.  Yes, 70.

He has already climbed Kilimanjaro and Elbrus (again).  He has recently reported:

“I summited Mount Damāvand in Iran yesterday 29 September 2017. It is the highest volcano in Asia at 5610m. It is now no. 3 in my challenge at 70 to climb the Volcanic Seven Summits in one year. Elbrus and Kilimanjaro completed in May/ June. I climbed it in 3 days only, which is quite fast for this size of mountain. Winds were about 75kph. At the summit the mountain emits powerful Sulfuric smoke and gas as seen in the photo. Damavand is very near the Caspian Sea which dramatically impacts its weather and has a special place In Persian Mythology. It is a potentially active volcano. 

Tomorrow I fly to Papua New Guinea to climb Mount Giluwe, the highest in Oceania.”

Good luck to Ted.

I also understand that there are a couple of other people on the Sidley expedition who will also complete the seven in January.  Climbing all of the Volcanic Seven Summits is obviously becoming more popular.

Southern Corbetts – Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

22nd September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

In March I made a quick visit north of the border with Jet. The aim was to climb the two remaining southern Corbetts that I had not done – Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and Corserine. By way of reminder, a Corbett is a hill in Scotland between 2,500ft and 3,000ft with a prominence of at least 500ft. There are 222 of them with seven being south of Glasgow/Edinburgh.

So for me the two I had an eye on did not involve a long drive up to the Highlands. That said, it is still a 4 hour drive into the depths of Galloway. Over the years I have tended to drive by this part of Scotland on my way to the rugged Highlands.

So one Saturday morning I left home early. Leaving the motorway at Gretna I bypassed Dumfries to New Galloway and then turned north. Passing through the intriguingly named settlement of St John’s Town of Dalry, I reached the village of Carsphairn and (just beyond there) the Green Well of Scotland.

Dalry (as it is usually called) sits on an old pilgrimage route. The Green Well looks to be just a small pond. But it is a site associated with legends of hidden gold.

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn was today’s objective. It is 797m (2,615ft) high but has a significant prominence in part because it is located away from any higher ground.

I found parking on the west side of the road just before the bridge that carries the A713 over The Water of Deugh.  It was also conveniently opposite the start of a track that we would be following. It was now 10.30am and I had a bit to eat before starting off.

Jet and I crossed the road, joined the track, passed a cottage and outbuildings and followed The Water of Deugh. The track was of motorable hardcore for a while before it reached a gate and a field passing a large cattle shed. Here the track began to deteriorate as it had been churned up by vehicles and cattle. Indeed there were quite a few cattle ahead and I was concerned that Jet would be spooked. I sent him to the left around the edge of the field near the river away from the cattle. Fortunately the cattle were not really interested so I could concentrate on not getting too muddy.

The track then improved again at another stream. The ground began to rise and there were a few more cattle. Here is a view back the way we had come and towards the Rhinns of Kell, the line of hills we would tackle the following day.

Rhinns of Kell from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

I heard the noise of a motor behind us and soon we were overtaken by three men in an ATV. Mutual hellos were said. We would see them again later.

We climbed a further 100m in elevation at an easy gradient as the track skirted Willieanna and Dunool. Just before the track swung to the left to meet a wall we struck out straight ahead to meet up with the same wall where it crossed a small stream with a convenient bridge. It was a little boggy here. The way ahead comprised uniform grassy slopes with the wall being the only major feature and a few snow patches high up.

On Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

From this point it was just a steady plod up the easy ground. The wind picked up a little but it wasn’t at all bothersome. Soon we were approaching the top, just 90 minutes after setting out.

Here we met our men from the ATV again. There is a small communications mast on the summit and they were working on it. We had heard the ATV puttering along a ridge up to our right as we followed the wall up.

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn summit

It was too early for lunch. So I looked around at the view. Distant views were surprisingly hazy. You are supposed to be able to see the Isle of Man, Ben Nevis and the North Sea from the summit. However, although it was sunny, there was too much atmospheric haze to see them on this occasion. The Lakeland hills to the south were still carrying a surprising amount of snow.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

The Isle of Arran showed to the north-west.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Merrick (the highest hill in the vicinity) and Shalloch on Minnoch stood to the west.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Jet (as is his wont) found a pool to paddle in with, behind, the blots on the landscape – a large windfarm of the sort prevalent in the Southern Uplands.

Swim time on Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

We sat down in the cairn for lunch. It was now nearly 1pm and warm in the sun sheltered from the breeze. The workmen continued with their labours. It felt a little odd me being there eating my food looking at the views and them and their machinery working away.

Well it became time to leave. I varied the descent by following the ridge that the ATV had come up.  Again we followed a wall over Black Shoulder – where I passed a couple of other walkers and the ATV returning to collect the workmen – Dunool and Willieanna before trending to the right to pick up the track.

View from Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

The cows were a lot more spread out so there was a bit of stress managing Jet through them but once through them, we went easily back to the car.

From there I drove a few miles to check out the start point for tomorrow’s walk along the Rhinns of Kell before finding a spot to hole up for the night.  It was a nice easy walk in expansive country.  With an early start it would be possible to climb this hill and tomorrow’s in a single day.

Loch Leven Corbetts – 26th November 2016

10th September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

Sunset over the Ballachulish Munros

At breakfast the day after my and Caroline’s great trip to Leum Uilleam, Caroline told me that she had hurt her back and did not feel able to join me.  So I hurriedly adjusted my plans for the day.  Either side of Loch Leven stand two somewhat neglected Corbetts – Garbh Bheinn and Mam nan Gualainn.  They are dominated by the Glen Coe hills to the south and the Mamores to the north.  I had not done either, they would both provide decent climbs and they were not that far from Fort William.  In fact, there would be 1700m of ascent between the two – useful preparation for Antarctica.

I chose Garbh Bheinn, to the south of Loch Leven, as my first target.  There is some space for car parking by the bridge over the Allt Gleann a’Chaolais.  A path starts, rather unpromisingly at first, almost opposite.  It was a bit wet but improved as height was gained and the long west ridge of Garbh Bheinn followed.

Garbh Bheinn Loch Leven

The path gained height quickly on to Torran nan Crann, levelled out and then rose sharply again up the slopes of Stob Coire Sgoilte.  There were patches of snow here and the path was covered most of the way up.  So I ended up climbing slippery grass peppered with rocks.

It was another beautiful sunny say.  I was out of the wind most of the way up, but at the top the breeze was brisk and I had to put on another layer when I arrived.

There are two cairns on the top.  The eastern (lower) one has views out over the Blackwater Reservoir, Rannoch Moor and distant Schiehallion.

Looking east from Garbh Bheinn

The western (higher) one looks down to the lower reaches of Loch Leven.

Looking east from Garbh Bheinn

To the north ranged the Mamores.

The Mamores from Garbh Bheinn

With Ben Nevis looming over them.

The Ben from Garbh Bheinn

To the south the jaggedy Aonach Eagach ridge loomed nearby with the other Glen Coe hills behind.  It is possible to make a route on to this crinkly crest from Garbh Bheinn.

Aonach Eagach from Garbh Bheinn

But perhaps the best view is just below the summit, looking west to the Ballachulish narrows and the Pap of Glencoe.

Ballachulish Narrows and Pap of Glencoe from Garbh Bheinn

The low light was just wonderful and the air had that clarity that only colder months can bring.  Down below on Loch Leven a small boat was gliding towards Kinlochleven leaving a wake in its trail.  1hr 50minutes up and 1hr 20minutes down.  Towards the bottom I met a couple, the only people I would meet on the hills this day.  Back at the car I ate some food to refuel before driving around the head of the loch at Kinlochleven and along its north side to just short of Callart House.

Again, there is parking by the side of the road.  Time was running short at this time of short daylight hours.  I was in two minds as to whether to continue up Mam nan Gualainn.  This Corbett forms a 6km long ridge with a lower top, Bainn na Cailleach, almost 3km to the east.  A decent traverse can be made from Kinlochleven, first using the West Highland Way, and descending the way that I was to go up.

There is a path which ends up going around the back of the Corbett that I followed, first through some woodland and then soon up into the open hillside.  The path is occasionally wet and coincided with ATV trails.  As I climbed I had a good view of Garbh Bheinn that looked a bit like an appendage to the Aonach Eagach ridge.

Garbh Bheinn

Just before the path crested the col ahead I veered to the right and climbed 200m of steep grassy slopes.  The gradient eased, there was a fence and a bit of a path.  I went through a gate in the fence.  The top was in view and I was soon there.

Again the views, and the light, were outstanding.  The Mamores stood to the north.

The Mamores from Mam nan Gualainn

And the sun was beginning to set over the Ballachulish Munros.

Sunset over the Balluchulish Munros from Mam nan Gualainn

I waited as long as I dared watching the sun go down.  The Mamores glowed.

Glowing Mamores from Mam nan Gualainn

I hurried down.  The sun disappeared but the clouds went red; the hills were silhouetted.

The sky glows in Western Scotland

It was dark by the time I was back at the car but I had not needed my head torch.  There was enough light in the sky to walk by.  And I did not feel too bad after my 1700m of climbing.  Plus an inversion and Brocken Spectres one day and amazing light and atmospheric clarity the other.  What a weekend.

Leaping above the clouds – Leum Uilleum

2nd September 2017 by James Stone Leave a Comment

This walk is from November 2016.  I went north to Spean Bridge to stay with Caroline.  The forecast was looking OK, but not brilliant – cloudy but low wind speeds.  I was wanting to get out again in preparation for my trip to Antarctica.  We agreed that we would go for Leum Uilleum, a Corbett above Corrour station on the West Highland line.

Were it not for the railway, this would be a very inaccessible hill.  From the station, the climb is straightforward.  The main challenge can sometimes be in completing walks in time to catch a train back to “civilisation”.

Leum Uilleum is Gaelic for William’s Leap.  Unfortunately, I do not know who William is nor why or from where he leapt.

We walked from Caroline’s house to Spean Bridge station to catch the first train south and took the 35 minute journey to Corrour.  The last time I had been here had been in May with Ciaran when we had tackled Beinn na Lap.

Early snows had arrived.  The sun was just rising as we reached the station.

Leum Uilleum was just across the way.

Well the forecast seemed to be wrong!

The ground between the slopes is one large bog.  But today they were largely frozen.  There is a path from the station that weaves its way over towards Leum Uilleum’s northern arm.  This is shown on the OS map.  There is also a vehicle track that runs up the northern arm coming in from further north, though we would not see this today because of the snow.

The views back towards the even more remote Ben Alder beyond Loch Ossian were stunning.

We reached the subsidiary top of Beinn a’Bhric from where there was a view along Loch Trieg.

Loch Trieg
Loch Trieg

But a bank of cloud came in.  Perhaps the forecast was going to be right after all.  It made for some atmospheric scenes.

Misty spectre
Misty spectre

And the phenomenon of Brocken Spectres.

Brocken Spectre on Leum Uilleum

Brocken Spectre

It is a little over a kilometre between Beinn a’Bhric and Leum Uilleum.  The cloud was not thick.  Blue patches regularly appeared overhead.  As we approached the summit, we emerged from the cloud.

Leum Uilleum cairn
Leum Uilleum cairn

From then on it was just one of those days that you dream of.  The views were just stunning.  To the west an inversion was forming.  To the east stood iconic mountains such as Schiehallion.

Schiehallion
Schiehallion

And, again, Ben Alder.

Ben Alder
Ben Alder

But it was to the west that the eye was constantly drawn, best seen in this panorama showing the Mamores, Ben Nevis, the Aonachs, the Grey Corries and the Easains.

Inversion Leum Uilleum

Ben Nevis panorama

Here is a closer view of Ben Nevis and the Aonachs.

Ben Nevis and the Aonachs float above the clouds
Ben Nevis and the Aonachs float above the clouds

And Buachaille Etive Mor.

Buachaille Etive Mor
Buachaille Etive Mor

And Bidean nam Bian, one of my favourite mountains.

Bidean nam Bian
Bidean nam Bian

The forecast was correct with its anticipated low wind speeds.  So it was quite comfortable staying on the top as we ate, drank and continued watching the cloudscape and the peaks above it.  On a couple of occasions thicker cloud came by and we were swamped by blue-white but it never lasted long.

Eventually, it was necessary to go.  We were not under any particular time pressure, the train was not due for a while.  But our bodies were becoming chilled.

Looking back at Leum Uilleum summit
Looking back at Leum Uilleum summit

The Spectres were still out!

Brocken Spectre
Brocken Spectre

And then we plunged back down into the cloud along the north east ridge.  There was a path here too, not marked on the map that took us back across the bogs to the station.

During the summer months there is a café/restaurant at the station house.  So unfortunately it was not available to us this day.  But, as we were sitting in the waiting shelter on the platform, the warden of the Loch Ossian youth hostel came by.  She offered us a cup of tea back at the hostel.  We had the time to accept even though it involved a twenty minute each way walk down to the hostel.  I had never been in before and the cup of tea was very welcome!

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