Had to check the date then to make sure it wasn't April!Hmm
Exoskeleton trousers
Reminds me of death stranding game
Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...
- Thread starter Col_M
- Start date
Soldato
Almost had a Dr Michael Mosely situation on Saturday.
I've been eyeing up a mountain ridge walk since we arrived. We're in a Valley and so one side is a fairly long mountain range. View from Google Maps below.
Cycled my MTB to the right side of the hill and then around the back of it to some land where we're building a house. It brought me up somewhere in the dip towards the right (number 1). As i wanted to do the full length, i walked to the end on the right first, then turned around to continue on the full length.
Was a weird mixture as some was relatively walkable trail and then other sections gave no indication as to the best route. I generally just tried to follow the highest points as best i could. However progress was fairly slow. Some of the descents were loose scree, and then other bits were just balancing on the side of 45degree slopes covered in loose stones and thorney bushes ripping me to shreds.
Was making fairly decent progress but as i was walking along i kept underestimating the highest point. I got to the point marked with a 2 which involved fairly tough scrambling, thinking it was my last big climb. I'd taken around 3l of water with me with a mixture of electrolyte drink and also some carb mix. Halfway up the scramble i finished the second litre and thinking i wasn't too far from the village at the end, drank around half my second to last bottle.
Got to the top, only to look down the ridge and see it continued to drop down and then pick back up again for the final climb with a few spikes in between, zoomed in image here
Got over the small spike before the final climb, but then took a bad route and ended up heading down off the ridge line on some fairly sketchy terrain. At this point i couldn't see an easy route back onto the top and didn't fancy backtracking to see if i could pick up a better route high up so decided to just bail and cut down the side of the hill towards a road where i could meet the wife. It obviously isn't a section intended to be walked any involved some very loose rock with no decent footholes, i slipped a couple times and slid a couple meters. Luckily nothing was steep enough where i fall would be dangerous, just lots of cuts.
I could see the road i wanted to get to, but just never seemed to get any closer. I think in an attempt to find the easiest route to the road i ended up zig zagging quite a bit. At one point i had to sit down and rest and could feel myself shaking a little and once or twice i think i was quite light headed and dizzy. Looking at Strava it took me just over an hour to cut down from the mountain to the road which is only around 2km and half of that was walkable track!
Full length of the walk ended up being just over 5 hours and i didn't make the full length which whilst disappointing was sensible. Although given how much of a hard time i had cutting down the side, i do wonder if i'd have been better trying to make it back up and trying to pick up an actual trail as that end of the range has the main peak which i think is walked a little more. I had definitely underestimated the walk, in total it was around 14km and around 1000m of ascent. I think the complete route would've been a similar distance and then maybe an extra 200m of elevation.
I've been feeling a bit weak recently during bike rides so that combined with the heat and also not being used to being out for that duration of time anymore. I keep thinking i'm still capable of spending >10hrs running in hills, but i've not done that for almost 2 years now and was definitely a bit cocky and under prepared/fueled.
From a few times i looked behind me, it was easier to see better route options for sections where i'd struggled on sections, so i think starting at the left side of the range in future would definitely make it easier. The one main section i truly hated had clear path on the other side of the ridge which would've saved a lot of time and effort.
Probably one for October/November time though when it's not 30C.
Whilst annoying to have not completed the full length, it was a good reminded that i do enjoy getting out and it's a long time since i've spent that much time in the hills walking. I've been eyeing up a few weekend hikes or potentially even longer up in the Pyrenees so this was good to show i need to prepare better.
I definitely prefer routes which have proper trails though. Just makes it easier to enjoy the views rather than constantly looking down which gave me horrific neck pain!
Couple photos below showing the general terrain.
I've been eyeing up a mountain ridge walk since we arrived. We're in a Valley and so one side is a fairly long mountain range. View from Google Maps below.
Cycled my MTB to the right side of the hill and then around the back of it to some land where we're building a house. It brought me up somewhere in the dip towards the right (number 1). As i wanted to do the full length, i walked to the end on the right first, then turned around to continue on the full length.
Was a weird mixture as some was relatively walkable trail and then other sections gave no indication as to the best route. I generally just tried to follow the highest points as best i could. However progress was fairly slow. Some of the descents were loose scree, and then other bits were just balancing on the side of 45degree slopes covered in loose stones and thorney bushes ripping me to shreds.
Was making fairly decent progress but as i was walking along i kept underestimating the highest point. I got to the point marked with a 2 which involved fairly tough scrambling, thinking it was my last big climb. I'd taken around 3l of water with me with a mixture of electrolyte drink and also some carb mix. Halfway up the scramble i finished the second litre and thinking i wasn't too far from the village at the end, drank around half my second to last bottle.
Got to the top, only to look down the ridge and see it continued to drop down and then pick back up again for the final climb with a few spikes in between, zoomed in image here
Got over the small spike before the final climb, but then took a bad route and ended up heading down off the ridge line on some fairly sketchy terrain. At this point i couldn't see an easy route back onto the top and didn't fancy backtracking to see if i could pick up a better route high up so decided to just bail and cut down the side of the hill towards a road where i could meet the wife. It obviously isn't a section intended to be walked any involved some very loose rock with no decent footholes, i slipped a couple times and slid a couple meters. Luckily nothing was steep enough where i fall would be dangerous, just lots of cuts.
I could see the road i wanted to get to, but just never seemed to get any closer. I think in an attempt to find the easiest route to the road i ended up zig zagging quite a bit. At one point i had to sit down and rest and could feel myself shaking a little and once or twice i think i was quite light headed and dizzy. Looking at Strava it took me just over an hour to cut down from the mountain to the road which is only around 2km and half of that was walkable track!
Full length of the walk ended up being just over 5 hours and i didn't make the full length which whilst disappointing was sensible. Although given how much of a hard time i had cutting down the side, i do wonder if i'd have been better trying to make it back up and trying to pick up an actual trail as that end of the range has the main peak which i think is walked a little more. I had definitely underestimated the walk, in total it was around 14km and around 1000m of ascent. I think the complete route would've been a similar distance and then maybe an extra 200m of elevation.
I've been feeling a bit weak recently during bike rides so that combined with the heat and also not being used to being out for that duration of time anymore. I keep thinking i'm still capable of spending >10hrs running in hills, but i've not done that for almost 2 years now and was definitely a bit cocky and under prepared/fueled.
From a few times i looked behind me, it was easier to see better route options for sections where i'd struggled on sections, so i think starting at the left side of the range in future would definitely make it easier. The one main section i truly hated had clear path on the other side of the ridge which would've saved a lot of time and effort.
Probably one for October/November time though when it's not 30C.
Whilst annoying to have not completed the full length, it was a good reminded that i do enjoy getting out and it's a long time since i've spent that much time in the hills walking. I've been eyeing up a few weekend hikes or potentially even longer up in the Pyrenees so this was good to show i need to prepare better.
I definitely prefer routes which have proper trails though. Just makes it easier to enjoy the views rather than constantly looking down which gave me horrific neck pain!
Couple photos below showing the general terrain.
Last edited:
Underboss
just ordered this
found it half price
wanted a 300gsm fleece, currently got 200gsm and a micro
www.outdoorclothing.co.uk
found it half price
wanted a 300gsm fleece, currently got 200gsm and a micro
Mens Touchstone Jacket
The pinnacle of our mid-weight fleece collection. Low in weight and quick to dry the Touchstone is tailored towards the needs of colder weather mountain sports. Encompassing many of our now standard features including a grown-on hood. This jacket has established itself as a classic amongst the...
www.outdoorclothing.co.uk
just ordered this
found it half price
wanted a 300gsm fleece, currently got 200gsm and a micro
Mens Touchstone Jacket
The pinnacle of our mid-weight fleece collection. Low in weight and quick to dry the Touchstone is tailored towards the needs of colder weather mountain sports. Encompassing many of our now standard features including a grown-on hood. This jacket has established itself as a classic amongst the...
Nice deal. Am tempted!
Looks nice. Shame the colours are drab.just ordered this
found it half price
wanted a 300gsm fleece, currently got 200gsm and a micro
Mens Touchstone Jacket
The pinnacle of our mid-weight fleece collection. Low in weight and quick to dry the Touchstone is tailored towards the needs of colder weather mountain sports. Encompassing many of our now standard features including a grown-on hood. This jacket has established itself as a classic amongst the...
Underboss
So polartec thermal pro is the new name for polartec 300 ?
colour yes - last one I got was a burned orange rab nucleus, usually try to get stuff so motorist won't hit me or rescue services can see me.
I've never bought anything in Mountain warehouse but saw last week they have opened 1 store a week/UK and getting into North America, so, someone does.
look as though there could be some climbing routes on that pillar, but maybe it's very friable, or some bouldering/traversing low down.
Do you have a particular app that will give you 3d territory fly-by/view like uk OS stuff eg https ://youtu.be/QjRqSnlZv6g
colour yes - last one I got was a burned orange rab nucleus, usually try to get stuff so motorist won't hit me or rescue services can see me.
I've never bought anything in Mountain warehouse but saw last week they have opened 1 store a week/UK and getting into North America, so, someone does.
look as though there could be some climbing routes on that pillar, but maybe it's very friable, or some bouldering/traversing low down.
Do you have a particular app that will give you 3d territory fly-by/view like uk OS stuff eg https ://youtu.be/QjRqSnlZv6g
Soldato
Just come back from the Azores and we used a particular tour company (small 2 person operation) and loved it - our tour guide was great for the three day tours we did around São Miguel and he was our taxi the other days when we went for hikes - highly recommended! Can PM details of the company if anyone's interested.
Also they're seemingly going to ban drones outright on the islands soon so go fly there sooner than later if you were thinking about it! I got some great pics / footage.
Also they're seemingly going to ban drones outright on the islands soon so go fly there sooner than later if you were thinking about it! I got some great pics / footage.
r4 had an interview with themV, too [ the satellite phone options is describes are interesting £200, also no flares/signalling device ]
Mountaineers Michelle Dvorak and Fay Manners take us inside their harrowing rescue on the side of Chaukhamba III in the Garhwal Himalayas
Mountaineers Michelle Dvorak and Fay Manners take us inside their harrowing rescue on the side of Chaukhamba III in the Garhwal Himalayas
Spent 2 weeks pretty much on skye at the start of the month and caught the last of the good weather.
First week I did the in pinn and got full of confidence so thought I'd have a go on the south ridge and scared myself enough I didn't want to climb again and drove myself to torridon and less exposure.
Met up with someone and we did some sea cliff climbing at neast point then did the full ridge over. 3 days. Took a pretty relaxed approach and got lucky with the weather but such s cool experience and unreal ridge you really have to just trust in your ability to enjoy it
First week I did the in pinn and got full of confidence so thought I'd have a go on the south ridge and scared myself enough I didn't want to climb again and drove myself to torridon and less exposure.
Met up with someone and we did some sea cliff climbing at neast point then did the full ridge over. 3 days. Took a pretty relaxed approach and got lucky with the weather but such s cool experience and unreal ridge you really have to just trust in your ability to enjoy it
Not my local store but I had a pamphlet through the post today saying "at least 30% off everything" at the Basingstoke branch of Go Outdoors due to the store closing down. This is from 28th November until the store closes (no date given).
Hopefully this is useful for someone.
Hopefully this is useful for someone.
Nice, I still need to do the inn pinn. Have family on Skye so should just go solo it next time I'm up if the weather's decent.
I've done most of the ridge in pieces. Nowhere quite like it in the UK, feels like another planet up there. Love it.
We got really good weather it would have been wrong not to give it a go.
I did the in pinn a week prior with a random group and felt okay leading it with a stranger and full of beans I thought I'm ready to try solo as much of the ridge as I could the following day and see how far I got. Got to near TD gap and the grade 3 detour and my head fell over and I retreated. Went back a week later after a few tester climbs and rationalisation that I've never fell of a severe so believing in myself made the exposure feel so much easier.
I posted some more photos on the all things cuillin page below I don't deny we were very lucky with the weather
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15N2JaCjxJ/
It wouldn't be worth it really as most of the grade is from exposure the climbs aren't difficult. One is polished a bit but the hardness was more my huge backpack and downclimbing the following morning for water and repeating bagless I flew up it.
Theres not really many places it isn't good holds and rest spots so approach shoes were ideal and more so being comfortable on your feet for 8-10 hours
Soldato
I am after some walking / hiking trainers low cut ones ( if that's the term , realised I don't like the higher ankle ones ) but every make I look at has some reviews that put me off , my Columbia were not water proof in the slightest so what's a decent make going by experience? ( Longevity, comfort, water proof, grip) For mixed road field and rock
Associate
I have been using On Cloudwander waterproof hiking shoes for over a year now - used them on the North York Moors and in the Lakes and have had no issues with them - have a new pair of On boots and have not felt the need to use them - seem to be fine after a years use, very comfortable waterproof is not bad but as it's a shoe not so good for deeper puddles and have good grip - not fallen over so far ! Not cheap but I would buy another pair when they wear out.
I've had the Scarpa Mojito Trail GTX for a few years and can't recommend them enough.