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As a keen walker for many years ,I'm well equiped with good walking boots,waterproofs,warm but lightweight clothing,and walking poles etc,although I'm not good with maps,there is 4 of us all going together and when out we all manage to keep to same pace so will obviously stick together when we do the climb,

Quote: Originally posted by tartanthistles on 19/10/2009

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As a keen walker for many years ,I'm well equiped with good walking boots,waterproofs,warm but lightweight clothing,and walking poles etc,although I'm not good with maps,there is 4 of us all going together and when out we all manage to keep to same pace so will obviously stick together when we do the climb,

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Quote: Originally posted by feeblecat on 16/10/2009

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I'm not kidding when I say the first time I went up Ben Lomond I passed a woman with a toddler in a buggy, several women with heeled shoes and a guy limping UP the Ben with what was obviously a brand new pair of ill-fitting walking boots.  Jings!

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Your post reminded me of our(the family's) attempt at Ben Lomond a few years ago...Set off...and had been walking for around an hour and a half...Well above the tree line...I was waxing lyrical to the family about the "views" from the Ben...How well we were doing etc etc etc..........Till we came round a corner to find a big sign on a rock telling us we were now at the foot of the Ben Lomond climb?????Had a wee picnic at that spot...decided enough was enough and headed down again...Remember my eldest son whistling to a wee chafinch...and it keeping pace with him all the way down..Following him from tree to tree...bush to bush till we reached the bottom...

I like a wee wander every now and again...But know my limitations...Think Ben Nevis might be way beyond my capabilities...I'll stick to the Alva Glen!!!

Jelboy.

Quote: Originally posted by tartanthistles on 05/11/2009

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Jelboy do you remember what we saw the last time we were sitting up the Alva Glen  with our lunch

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You didn't!!!!

Really??????

Tell us more you naughty pair!!!!!

You would not beleive it If I told you Lobey!!

15-20 Asian fellas of all ages and sizes All dressed in kaftans..Baggy(lightweight) trousers Open toed sandals etc etc etc Came.. single file...all the way along the wee foot path through the hills till they got to the place we were sitting(nice picnic by a waterfall)...The leader came over to talk to us...and before we knew it the lads all came over for a bleather!!

Turns out they were on a "Boys" day trip out from Edinburgh...Had decided to stop and walk the Alva Glen (a nice wooded walk of  maybe 2 miles...Leading up into the hills) Got out the mini bus and kept walking till they found themselves right up in the hills

A right nice polite bunch of lads...who told us they had never done anything like this before and would come better prepared next time...While us older ones were talking the younger lads were all paddling in the burn..Climbing up to the waterfall etc and from the comments I heard were really enjoyng themselves!!

To be honest we were a bit supprised to see them up there..Dressed as they were...But we had a good time in their company..As they went to go back one of us made the comment "Remember to go "Indian" style along the path(meaning single file) and they had a good laugh at the absurbity of that!!

A nice wee meeting in the middle of nowhere is how I remember it....

Jelboy.

as we sat there enjoying a nice quiet picnic I had just commented how peacefull it was and how you never saw anyone for ages,then I said to the guys ,don't turn round , you will never guess whats heading our way. As Jelboy said ,they were a really friendly bunch ,glad I did'nt need to do their washing,them long shirts and trousers were absolutely filthy lol

The last time I walked Ben Nevis was Early June 2006.

We were both fleeced and gore-tex'd up with all the necessary bits and bobs in our packs but as it was a cloudless day we just had shorts t-shirts. Top was a bit cold so had to put a jacket on but think that was mainlt the snow.

2 chaps up the top with Tesco carrier bags with their bait and pop in but no jumpers or coats didnt hang around long but dread to think what would have happenned if the weather changed.

Agree that the walk down is harder but take care. We passed a load of claret spilled on the rocks and caught up the lady who fell rushing to get down. Nose was a bit of a mess. She had those magic walking poles so she must have been propelled at some rate of knotts!

".......etc,although I'm not good with maps,there is 4 of us all going together and when out we all manage to keep to same pace so will obviously stick together when we do the climb,"

I would practice your map reading skills.  The summit of Ben Nevis is flat and for most of the year is covered in snow. In thick mist there is the possibility of descending the wrong way.  The Nothern cliffs are dramatic and obvious but I know of a party who descended the other side and nearly disappeared down five finger gully.  Luckily there was one member who had taken an ice-axe with him who was able to cut steps for them.  They had found it amusing when they first saw him carrying an ice axe but they were grateful afterwards.

Brian

A stout walking stick might seem a bit of a usless item to be carrying on the way up(though it can be an aide on the steeper parts) but Ive been saved from tipping over a few times by my faithful old Yew stick on the way down the hill...Also makes a good coat hanger should the jacket need to come off to cool down during a rest break..

Jelboy.