Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...

Agreed on Scarfell. Do it once to say you have, then never again because it's so boring and there are much better places to walk up in that area :p Crampons might be a bit overkill, it's so rocky you can get up most of it regardless of weather.
 
Decided to wait till latter in the year anyway.

Anyone know any decent freeze dried ration packs.

I really like Orifio ready to eat stuff, but it's ready to eat so has the water weight in it.
 
Which way do you all go up Scafell because it's one of my favourite walks always go via Stonethwaite myself a big loop returning along a different route.
 
Never been up but just looking at paths.

Looking at a 23km circular route, scarfell, scarfell pike, great end, grate gable, Kirk fell.

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And martytoon, thanks great links.
 
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the circular route of the whole ridge is much better than just doing scarfell pike imo.

You can do a good little scramble down the waterfall in between the two as well if you feel like it.
 
Anyone dine west highland way?
Wondering how it is fir wild camping? I known Scotland is far more relaxed.

What's the best time if year, and anything else to do in it. I'm sure one of the places you go through has a distillery.
 
Generally, you can camp anywhere in scotland providing you are responsible (not close to houses or in gardens/fields/other enclosed land, not staying for long periods, not setting fires, etc)

There are some restricted areas on the east side of loch lomond though. Info here. I think it's intended to stop the type of people who would drive there and make a big fire pit and leave a lot of mess, so you'd probably be fine if you were quiet and kept hidden but you can be fined if they catch you.
 
Cool, pretty much as I thought.
Trains stupidly expensive but flight is £93 return and train from fort William back to Glasgow is only £30. Means I can climb ben Nevis as well, which I wanted to do this year anyway.
Seems April/may/June are the best. But start of July suits me better. Will hopefully get the flights booked in 4 weeks time at next pay packet.

Distillery I was thinking of is on day 1.
Think I'll take the full 8 days and do de tours.
 
Didn't know we had this thread, done Ben Nevis last year and did Scafell Pike last weekend. To be fair found it quite boring all in all but suppose can say I've done it now, Ben Nevis was far more interesting and had a lot of snow left still which made last third lot more challenging.

I suppose I have Snowden to do now just to say I've done all Three Peaks but having my ACL reconstructed next month so will be at least another year until I'm fit enough to do it.
 
Anyone know any websites that sale almost out of date ration packs.
I got a big box last year with several brands Orifio being the nicest.
Now all over the box it says http://www.beyondthebeatentrack.com but they don't seem to sell anything themselfs, no other clues in box, even tried looking at bank statement but it doesn't go back that far unless I pay. Weblink I have saved is BTBT, unless it was them and they've changed.
I just can't find the website I used. It was like 70% off with 2-6months before, best before date and had several different brands.

So any ideas, or anywhere else that does similar.
 
They dont do other stuff now.


Well this weekend was the hardest thing I've ever done and was a bit close to being a disaster.
Was a lovely warm calm night, was making excellent time on the miners route, so decided to do the Horseshoe, half way along, snow came in wind came up. Visibility with a head torch was non existent and it covered the "path" up not that it's very clear at the best of time. There was some rock climbing up pretty darn steep stuff and sliding down on arse to get back on track, followed the route as best I could with no features to guide.
But made it to the top after 7hrs of hell, water pipe froze solid, thankfully had some normal bottles in bag as well. Coming down took another three hours, I gave everything I had to get to the top(why didn't I turn back, didn't have the choice by the time it got bad I would have got so lost going down, heading up I could use well marked route back down) and the first part of Pyg was ice snow and slippery as hell. Just dead man walking way down.

I forgot my proper camera battery and I just couldn't be bothered with phone especially when it was hard enough just navigating.
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Was so happy when I got to the top and could see proper route, slightly less happy about how slippery it was. Went down several times.
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Was that Saturday?

I went over Saturday morning to try and do some climbing but had to bail on the idea when the rain started lashing down as we got near Wales. It was full winter conditions from from pretty low down so ended leaving the ropes in the car and doing some scrambling on the Glyders instead.

The missus less than amused after I'd promised her a dry day of rock climbing..
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Did first decent hike in some time yesterday and feel it now. 18 miles, 5000 ft in 6 hours + 20 minutes of breaks.

About a 1/3rd of a way in a small some had some how lodged itself inside my boot trapped under some textile on the edge of my foot. Miracle how it got there but I could;t budge it so went to my pack for a knife to try and cut it free and to dismay I had taken my knife out when I flew with the pack last.
After another 6 miles I ended up making a pouch out of a resealable sandwich bag filled with dried leaves and toilette paper to protect my foot.
 
Sounds a bit hairy Glaucus. If you're walking alone a bad situation can quickly get worse. I always have a Plan B worked out before I set off. Usually this is safe routes of the fells if the weather deteriorates. I leave a copy of my route at home and also in my parked car. Sorry, hope this doesn't come across as "teaching granny to suck eggs" but just a couple of things that I do.

Anyway I was across in the Lake District today. Took in 4 of the Wainwright Fells, route was about 10 miles with 3,200ft height gain. A couple of photos, taken from my phone - so the usual excuses about quality.



Head towards Angletarn Pike



Angletarn



Northern end of Ulswater



Helvellyn Range in the far distance.



It was about 10C warmer off the fells - and no wind chill!
 
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