Backpacking Ben Lawers

[theoctagon]

Just got back from a cracking weekend up in the snow in Scotland so I thought I'd share a couple of photo's and a video from my trip:


Camp below Ben Lawers by @OutdoorsMH, on Flickr


Sunrise from camp, Ben Lawers by @OutdoorsMH, on Flickr

[video=youtube_share;rTLrMHjLymQ]http://youtu.be/rTLrMHjLymQ[/video]

Not really a trip report but I wasn't sure which prefix thingy to use.

The video side of things is all new to me so it's a bit rough and ready but hope you enjoy it anyway


Matt

 

[Toddy]

Oh very good and thank you for sharing It looks like an excellent weekend
I know those wee bridges are supposedly safer than wet feet, etc., but they always look so blooming slippery to me and I am so reluctant to trust them.
I bet it was a great feeling to wake up in the morning to all that snow and light
Did your kit perform as well as you hoped ? I suspect with the early heavy snow there'll be a lot of folks taking the chance to get out and try camping in it.

The lands along that lochside supported 12,000 people in the 18th century; now there are more names on the cenotaphs in the villages than there are children in the schools.
Highest dig in the country was on Ben Lawers; the archaeologists had to climb 2,000 feet to get to work every day. It's a SSSi so they couldn't even set up a loo.

Thank you for the report and the photos/video

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Goatboy]

Cheers for posting that Octagon

Missing getting up high in the snow, it's a lovely experience isn't it. Especially waking up there.

Great report.

 

[Clouston98]

Just brilliant! I wish I was there!

 

[kiltedpict]

Fantastic. Would love to know what kit you had and how well it all worked if you have time mate.

Kp

 

[ammo]

Good post. Looks like you had a great time. Thanks for posting this.

 

[theoctagon]

Many thanks for the replies and kind words, it was a great few days

...Did your kit perform as well as you hoped ? I suspect with the early heavy snow there'll be a lot of folks taking the chance to get out and try camping in it...

Fantastic. Would love to know what kit you had and how well it all worked if you have time mate.

Kp

Brief kit list below, everything was spot on apart from the Jetboil. I suspected it might be the case but wanted to test it out, was fine for boiling enough water for a meal/drink/soup etc but for snow melting the cold soon got to it and really reduced the output, I'll be taking a remote feed stove next time similar conditions are forecast.

Shelter
Silnylon MLD Trailstar, Custom Chikara/Cuben/Mesh Oookstar, MYOG Silnylon Trailstar door, Easton gold & Terra Nova Snow pegs, Alloy Pacer Poles to hold it up

Pack
MLD Exodus FS - Pretty new to me but already love this pack

Sleeping
Exped Synmat UL 7 + Roll Reflectix underneath, ME Helium 600 (-9 rating) sleeping bag

Stove
Jetboil Sol Ti

Boots
B2 rated Salewa Blackbirds + Grivel G10 Crampons when necessary

Are there any parts of my kit you're particularly interested in?


Matt


Home for the night by @OutdoorsMH, on Flickr

 

[Dave]

Your videos come out well! Great stuff.
Im kinda interested in how the hound did.
How cold did it get? What was he like sleeping out in it?
At one point it seems very steep? how did he get up that.
Thanks.

 

[Uilleachan]

Nice report & vid there.

 

[tartanferret]

Thanks for sharing your trip matt,

regarding the door for your TS, is it a flat panel or beak type affair?

 

[kiltedpict]

I was mostly interested in your sleep kit- like the idea of reflecatherm under the mat... Might pinch that (I've got a downmat and a synmat 7xl)

Cheers for that.

KP

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Superb pics as always mate and really like the gopro output too.

 

[redandshane]

Yeah great stuff I was very impressed by the quality images you achieved with the Gopro obviously you are skilled enough with it
Some of that was truly stunning hard to believe that's my native country not somewhere more "exotic"
Thanks

 

[Twodogs]

Fantastic ,

The dog looks well into it

 

[Elen Sentier]

Looks amazing and sounds like you had fun,bet the dawn was wonderful.

 

[MartinK9]

Thanks for sharing, great video.

 

[theoctagon]

Your videos come out well! Great stuff.
Im kinda interested in how the hound did.
How cold did it get? What was he like sleeping out in it?
At one point it seems very steep? how did he get up that.
Thanks.

Fantastic ,

The dog looks well into it

The dog loves it He has his own pack and jacket for when the temp drops, also has his own self inflating mat, floor, pile bed, plus sleeps in the porch of the tent so he's out of the elements. He's done a fair few rounds of the Wainwrights and quite a few of the Munros as well. He was straight up the steep sections, only needed to remove his pack once to give him a hand.

Temp wise I think the coldest we measured was -4 which doesn't inc wind chill, think highest gusts we measured were approx 35mph at camp.

Nice report & vid there.

Cheers mate

Thanks for sharing your trip matt,

regarding the door for your TS, is it a flat panel or beak type affair?

Many thanks. My 'door' is a flat panel made from silnylon, pretty similar to the Oookworks Cuben one except with a couple of extra linelocs. Made it ages ago and the one time I might of used it (swirling winds blowing some rain in) I didn't have it with me!

I was mostly interested in your sleep kit- like the idea of reflecatherm under the mat... Might pinch that (I've got a downmat and a synmat 7xl)

Cheers for that.

KP

No worries, not sure you'd need the reflective stuff if you've got a down mat? Think they're rated to about -24 aren't they?

Superb pics as always mate and really like the gopro output too.

Cheers mate, all new to me but hopefully will improve the more I use it

You managed to give your TS much use?

Yeah great stuff I was very impressed by the quality images you achieved with the Gopro obviously you are skilled enough with it
Some of that was truly stunning hard to believe that's my native country not somewhere more "exotic"
Thanks

Many thanks

Looks amazing and sounds like you had fun,bet the dawn was wonderful.

Thanks Elen, was a great few days!

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Still only used the TS once mate. Will get a lot more out of it next spring when i hit the mountains again. Arctic trip is next priority

 

[ozzy1977]

Good vid, thanks.

 

[theoctagon]

Still only used the TS once mate. Will get a lot more out of it next spring when i hit the mountains again. Arctic trip is next priority

You mean you're not taking the TS with you? Is there a thread I've missed re the trip?

Good vid, thanks.

Cheers mate