The Highlands, March 22nd - 24th

[Goatboy]

Maybe everyones becoming polarised in opinions as it's so easy to do in forums. Your list seemed long (including to me) for folk who drive and wander the highlands and woods a lot - Ballaculish to Cairngorms is a minimum 2 hour drive even at 7am. You've taken that advice and changed your list but some may not have realised. Folk tend to read quickly and post. When I read your post I also read your website, and thought that as you talked about experiencing woodlands as our ancestors did you'd wan't to take longer and immerse yourself. For me that takes a long time, but I lived and worked in the woods for a long time and as I said we all experience things in different ways. It's your holiday and you've a lifetime to enjoy the outdoors. You asked, you got advice, you'll go and you'll learn what works for you. It's what we all do here. That's why a thread on the best biscuit to take walking can ramble on for weeks in a light hearted matter. And personally I'm glad, it's the difference of ideas that allowed us to evolve as a species and from the way we've turned out we maybe shouldn't have listened to some of them, but we're getting there.
Have a good time and why not write up a wee trip report for everyone on your return, first time experiences are so good.
Cheers
GB.

 

[Toddy]

Well said

M

 

[Nomad]

Does it actually take a long time to travel in the Highlands?

It can. Motorway ends at Stirling. After that, it's twisty A road nearly all the way, and a lot of it isn't exactly, nice, wide, cruisin' A road. Slower traffic and long periods of twisty sections with little opportunity to overtake can mean that journeys take longer than might be expected.

 

[THOaken]

Maybe everyones becoming polarised in opinions as it's so easy to do in forums. Your list seemed long (including to me) for folk who drive and wander the highlands and woods a lot - Ballaculish to Cairngorms is a minimum 2 hour drive even at 7am. You've taken that advice and changed your list but some may not have realised. Folk tend to read quickly and post. When I read your post I also read your website, and thought that as you talked about experiencing woodlands as our ancestors did you'd wan't to take longer and immerse yourself. For me that takes a long time, but I lived and worked in the woods for a long time and as I said we all experience things in different ways. It's your holiday and you've a lifetime to enjoy the outdoors. You asked, you got advice, you'll go and you'll learn what works for you. It's what we all do here. That's why a thread on the best biscuit to take walking can ramble on for weeks in a light hearted matter. And personally I'm glad, it's the difference of ideas that allowed us to evolve as a species and from the way we've turned out we maybe shouldn't have listened to some of them, but we're getting there.
Have a good time and why not write up a wee trip report for everyone on your return, first time experiences are so good.
Cheers
GB.

I agree. Well said, Goatboy.

I'm going to document the trip quite extensively.

 

[THOaken]

I've been looking at quite a lot of videos and photos of Glencoe, but most of them are taken in autumn or winter, I presume, as Glencoe's terrain sometimes appears green in others. When does the grass on the mountains and hills turn from rustic brown to lush green? I'm guessing late spring.

 

[THOaken]

Here's the updated plan and I hope you'll agree that this is a lot better. Now it's just one place, one main attraction, each day. Of course I'm still going to be heading to the nearby towns to collect maps and information leaflets from visitor centres, but I do that for every trip. Compare the first version to the final and you'll see that I really did listen to your advice. I'm glad I made such drastic changes because I realise now that I'll get to spend more time in these wonderful places and the trip itself will be entirely focused on them instead of rushing around trying to see much more than I could in one day.

Day 1
Glencoe

Day 2
Abernethy Forest (Caledonian Pine Forest)


Day 3
Argyll Forest Park (Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park)

 

[Toddy]

Sounds good and if those areas are the stated 'intent' of the day, then you not only have time to breathe when you're there, but if the opportunity arises to see or do something that catches your interest while you 'are' there, then you can probably fit it in Means that the travelling between doesn't become a race against the clock too.

There's Caledonian forest still nearby Aviemore, at Glenmore, as well.

Argyll Forest Park is huge; I'm presuming you'll be going on the A83 ? Lot of history along that road, a lot of the way is an old Drove Road. For instance:-
http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/item/item_maps.jsp?item_id=92165

There's an on line map on the Argyll Forest Park site, if I recall correctly, and a bit about the different woodlands and walks too.

I hope the weather's good for you and you have a great weekend

cheers,
Toddy

 

[THOaken]

I was going to go to the Highlands for three days to visit Glencoe, Abernethy forest and Argyll Forest Park, but scrapped the idea due to the weather being really bad, almost dangerous with gale force winds and freezing temperatures, deciding not to go any further. We made it as far as Glencoe, travelling the A82. After deciding not to proceed, we did a quick recce trip through parts of Glencoe and, although covered in snow and blanketed by mist, it was still impressive. Instead of going on the three day trip, it turned out to be a quick outing to familiarize ourselves with the terrain and evaluate how long it would take to get to Glencoe for the next time. It was my decision to turn back; I didn't want to ruin the trip. We're going to go back as soon as it's warmer. Late spring, perhaps.

 

[Toddy]

Very wise In those weather conditions best only drive if really necessary.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Goatboy]

Hi Thoaken,

Sorry your holiday got spoiled, but as Toddy and yourself both said - better to turn back. The hills are are always there for another day - the trick is making sure you are too.
Still you got to see Glencoe in its winter garb which is my favourite. Best of all Buachaille Etive Mor/The shepard. I've been up there more times than I know in both summer and winter climbs. Had a few epics and even though I've started in sunshine I've never seen the full view from the top. Hope you enjoyed it and have managed to find something else to do with your holiday time, and as stated, you did right to turn back until you have the skills to safely be there in those conditions.
Speak soon,
GB.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Good call, no point putting your self at risk.

 

[THOaken]

Thanks, everyone, you're all right.

Garb, Goatboy? More like cloak.

 

[Goatboy]

Thanks, everyone, you're all right.

Garb, Goatboy? More like cloak.

Yup an invisibility cloak as you can't see anything. It's impresive though all the same.

 

[Toddy]

Thon's just dreich

It can be incredibly peaceful though, if you're well prepared for the weather and not going far.

M