About Me

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Hello! My name is Keith Gault and I've been tramping the hills of the UK and further afield for over 40 years now. This blog records some recent hill days undertaken either on my own, with friends, or with clients under my guided hillwalking Company: Hillways (www.hillways.co.uk). I hope you enjoy my diary; please feel free to comment on any of the walks. I will respond to any direct questions.

Sunday 28 December 2014

Ben Ledi



Ben Ledi at Dawn!
Beautiful winter conditions just after Christmas were just crying out for a winter hill close to home.

Loch Lubnaig & Strathyre
The obvious candidate was Ben Ledi, that shapely cone that rises above Callander and which is clearly seen from much of the Forth Valley.  Clear, if icy, conditions helped deliver the perfect winter hill day.  An upgraded path leads up from the Pass of Leny, through the deforested slopes and out on to the open hill at 600m on the S ridge of the hill.

Strathyre
Sharing the hill - and the sunshine - with quite a few others and a couple of microlights, the snow was soft enough not to require crampons or ice axe.  Just!

Across the Forth Valley
As you would expect, the views in all directions were simply stunning and lead as far as the Isle of Arran and the Pentland Hills!  The summit, unsurprisingly, was quite crowded: Ben Ledi (879m; hill of the gentle slope).

Summit Ridge
The spine of the hill leads north to the head of the Stank Glen where an excellent path leads all the way down through the heather and trees before intercepting the track that follows the old railway line directly back to the car park.

West From the Summit
A quality day with which to see out the year!

Check out my plans for this winter at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Sunday 23 November 2014

The Monadhliath and Other Hills



South From Carn Dearg

Matt popped north for a few days in late November to complete some unfinished business either side of the A9.  Three days of pretty reasonable conditions for the time of year saw him successfully complete all the Munros east of the A9 - another significant landmark in his on-going quest for Munro glory!
The Monadhliath Hills

Glen Banchor
There was just enough time on a short winter’s day to canter around the 3 easternmost Munros in the range before night set in.  We took the clockwise option from Glen Banchor following the track beside the Allt Fionndrigh and up into Gleann Ballach to gain our first peak of the day: Carn Dearg (945m; red hill).

Carn Dearg
Then came the long traverse over the broad ridge past assorted bumps and dips as the cloud descended intermittently to hide the view.  Eventually, the line of rusting fence posts led us to the summit cairn of Carn Sgulain (920m; hill of the basket).

Carn Sgulain
In the gathering gloom, we headed SW steeply down to the meltwater channel of the Allt Cuil na Caillich and equally steeply up the other side to the smooth grass and moss slopes that led us to the big unmistakable summit cairn of A’ Chailleach (930m; the old woman).

A' Chailleach From Glen Banchor
It was then a race against time down the wet, heathery slopes of An Leitir, past the Red Bothy and over the neatly concealed dilapidated footbridge over the Allt a’ Chaorainn for the final walk along the track back to the car.
Glen Feshie

A Murky Glen Feshie
Yet another largely cloud-enshrouded day traversing the high plateau of the Moine Mhor proved, nevertheless, to be as enjoyable as ever.  Climbing up the excellent path from Achlean on to the slopes of Carn Ban Mor, we entered cloud at 900m and stayed in it all the way to Sgor Gaoith (1118m; windy peak) and back again before heading south across the featureless plateau.

Sgor Gaoith (On A Better Day)!
Later in the day, the cloud started to lift and we were afforded great views down Coire Garbhlach before intercepting the vehicle track that leads past the flat non-descript summit of Mullach Clach a’ Blair (1019m; summit of the stone of the plain).

Coire Garbhlach
We descended down into Glen Feshie via the vehicle track before intercepting the very welcome recently upgraded track and path that now lead all the way back alongside the River Feshie to Achlean - give or take the odd problematic river crossing!

Glen Feshie
Drumochter East

The Drumochter Hills
Two cars gave us the welcome option of tackling these 2 Munro in an A-to-B traverse for a change.  Leaving one at Lay-By No 87 on the A9, we parked at the summit of the Pass and headed due east up the steep slopes in bright clear and frosty conditions.

Mountain Hare
Once away from the Pass, the going got very easy across the wide-open grassy slopes which we shared with numerous mountain hares in the process of turning white for the winter!  The slope flattens out to a plateau that leads all the way to the trig point marking the flat summit of A’ Bhuidheanach Bheag (936m; little yellow place).

The Drumochter Plateau
Given Matt’s onward drive south later in the day, we wasted little time on the summit before turning north and descending slightly to intercept the vehicle track that leads NE almost the whole way to Carn na Caim (941m; hill of the curve).

Carn na Caim
The sky remained clear as we retraced our steps to the old marble quarry that marks the junction of the tracks, one of which leads down easy slopes back to the A9 and that ever-so cleverly positioned car!

Check out my plans for this winter at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Tuesday 28 October 2014

An Otter on Ben Nevis



Glen Nevis

It’s been a while so it was good to return to Ben Nevis recently for what proved to be an ascent with a difference!

Going Strongly For The Top!
Torrential rain and gale-force winds during the previous 48 hrs did not bode well for the climb but come the day, the bad stuff was all gone by breakfast leaving us with a calm and largely clear day.  That said, there was plenty of groundwater about the place and a million new burns cascading down the mountainside to contend with.

A Very Full Red Burn
We made excellent progress and didn’t enter cloud until well up the zig-zags at about 1000m.  A light, but chilly, breeze on the summit was the only adverse weather we encountered all day and we were on top in exactly 3 hrs.  No view, but spirits were high after such a quick ascent - and the guys had plenty of energy left for the descent.

A Murky Summit!
This was accomplished at a similar pace and we needn’t have worried about the shortening winter days as we were back at the car in 5¼ hrs!  

Glen Nevis
However, my own personal highlight has to be the amazing sight of an otter crossing the main path right in front of us!  He was heading in the general direction of Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe at 600m above sea level and we were so surprised, no-one had time to grab a camera before he had slunk out of view!

Autumn Colours In The Glen
I’ll be ready for him next time mind… 

Check out my plans for this winter at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/