Heading up north tomorrow...

Finished work, all packed and final assessment of weather. Tomorrow I'll be catching the train to Fort William and heading up north.

The forecast says the first day of walking is not too bad and looking forward to it...bright intervals and scattered showers on Wednesday these merging into a more prolonged spell of sleet or snow on Thursday. Scattered wintry showers on Friday.

The outlook following this is cloudy with rain, sleet or snow with some significant snowfall possible over high ground and hills in Scotland.Temperatures are likely to be rather cold or cold throughout, especially overnight, with frosts and icy conditions in many parts.

Must put another pair of wooly socks in my rucksack!

So long and I'll be back with lots of photos and probably stories of the frozen north.

Getting near and getting cold

Only four days to go now before I start walking almost 250 miles from Fort William to Cape Wrath. The rain has stopped and the sun even came out today in Cumbria. The temperature has plumetted though with a current temp of 4C and it must freeze tonight! I am hoping for many days of calm, clear and cold weather at least for a few days along the way.

Three boxes packed full of food have been sent up to three locations on the way and should be waiting for me as I wind my way north to the Cape. Final decsions of which warm wooly jumper to take and whether I should take my Christmas stocking with me? Does anyone know if Father Christmas stops off at bothies on his travels?

You may be interested in watching Iain Harper's progress on his winter walk north to the Cape at Iain Harper North to the Cape

Kit List II

It has been hard deciding what equipment to take. It all really depends on the weather I will encounter walking in Scotland for 3 weeks. Being prepared for the worst but hoping for the best. It could be very wet and warm, although I am preparing for the very cold, with blizzards, ice and snow on the passes! The list below is really the gear I used during my walk around the Munros with a few items upgraded for more demanding weather.

The heavy duty sleeping bag... I do sleep cold and a Rab Ladakh 800 bag sounds exccessive...and maybe it will be, but it is the warmest one I own. I know from experience my Rab Quantum 400 is not warm enough during cold spells. A cooker with remote tank for colder weather, down jacket, warmer gloves and a few more layers have also been added. I will be trying the Kahtoola alluminium crampons for the first time and using my old Scarpa SL leather boots. My feet get very cold in my Inov8s in the snow and cramp sets in. The Scarpas are the most warm and comfortable boots I have ever owned for winter walking...but heavy.

Golight Pinnacle Rucksack
Exped Rucksack Liner
Neoair Thermarest
Hillerberg Akto Tent
Rab Ladakh 800 Sleeping Bag
Rab Bivi Bag

Cook pot (MSR titanium)
Platypus 2 Litre water bottle
Water filter bottle
Plastic cup
Burner
Folding Spork

Toothbrush and paste
Towel
Loo-role
Antisepic gel
Wash Suds
Toilet Bag
Toilet trowel
First Aid Kit

Tikka Plus Torch
Mobile phone
Camera
GPS
Book
MP3 Player
Silva ADC Wind Weather Station

Montane down jacket
OR Overmitts
Spare woollen socks
Bed socks (wool)
Spare underpants
Wool bed top

Pen knife
Ear plugs
Whistle
2 Pegs
Thermarest repair kit
Can opener
Mobile battery
Camera battery
Lighter

Ibubrofen tablets
Plaster strip
Compeeds
Lip salve
Antiseptic cream
Zinc tape

Maps
Compass
Suunto altimax watch
Pacerpoles
Trakmates amphibian Goretex socks
Boots - Scarpa SLs
Gaiters
Wool hat
Paramo Aspira Jacket
Paramo Trousers
Merino wool base layer
Rab Generator Jacket
Fleece Buff
Gloves 2 thin pairs

Bothy knife-saw
Snow goggles
Grivel Munro Ice Axe
Kahtoola Aluminium Crampons

From my calculations, I will be carrying a base weight of 8.9kg, and with five days food, this will be around 14.5kg. No dog food this time thankfully!!

Ben Alder from a winter 2008 trip ...the first time

I have ever had boots freeze solid in a tent!!

Kit List

It has been difficult to decide what equipment to take with me. The decision for some of the kit was easy...Paramo waterproofs, Hilleberg Akto tent, Pacerpoles...all good sound dependable kit. Wouldn't leave them behind.

The rest to follow...

Short Days....

It is real easy to forget that days are short in Scotland at this time of the year. After considering this, I decided to shorten my daily distance. It will be nice to take the walk at a more leisurely pace and I will be taking a few good books to pass the time with during those long nights.

The final route is shown below. I plan to walk a shortish day on average at 13 miles (22km) with 600m of ascent. It all starts with a train up to Fort William on the 15th December and start walking on the 16th to hopefully finish in Durness on 3rd January in Durness.

Skye has insisted that this time I walk alone and that she hopes to spend the time laying in front of the woodburning stove dreaming of hills. It will be all on for me looking after myself if the weather turns for the worst. Skye therefore stays at home for this trip...she insists!!!

TRAVEL TO FORT WILLIAM
Fort Willaim - Glen Dubhe Lighe Bothy
Gleann Dubh Lighe Bothy - Kinbreack Bothy
Kinbreack Bothy - Glen Kingie
Glen Kingie - Cluannie Inn - Camban Bothy
Camban Bothy - Maol Bhuidhe Bothy
Maol Bhuidhe Bothy - Bearnais Bothy
Bearnais Bothy - Coire Fionaraich Bothy
Coire Fionaraich Bothy - Kinlochewe Hotel
Kinlochewe Hotel - Shenavall Bothy
REST DAY CHRISTMAS DAY
Shenavall Bothy - Glen Douchary
Glen Douchary - Duag Bridge Bothy
Duag Bridge Bothy - Loch Ailsh
Loch Ailsh - Glencoul Bothy
Glencoul Bothy - Kylesku Hotel - Kylesku
Kylesku Hotel - An Dubh Loch
An Dubh Loch - Strathan Bothy
Strathan Bothy - Kervaig Bothy
Kervaig Bothy - Durness

Camban Bothy during 2008 Continuous Munro Walk

From Daft Idea...

I find planning a walking trip such as this, a big part of the fun. Starting with a daft idea, I then surround myself with maps and decide on places I would like to visit or re-visit (mountains, bothies, villages, glens, great camp spots) and then on Tracklogs mapping software, I put together a series of day routes. From the mapping sofware I can then get an idea of distance and ascent and know if the days route is feasible.

I have tried to finish at a bothy just to account for bad weather and shelter but I am hoping to wildcamp really. There are two luxury nights in Kinlochewe and Kylesku and these are locations I will be picking up re-supply packages.

For a winter route such as this, I have kept the days much shorter than I would for the summer. I am expecting to cover no more than 15 miles a day. The route is along glens and over passes so not much ascent either. The weather I encounter may well decide the length of my days and just to account for this, I do have a plan B, C and D.

Day 1 TRAVEL TO FORT WILLIAM 15-Dec-09

Day 2 Fort Willaim - Glen Dubhe Lighe Bothy 21km 13miles 351m

Day 3 Gleann Dubh Lighe Bothy - A' Chuil Bothy 16km 9.5 miles 562m

Day 4 A' Chuil Bothy - Kingie (Glen Garry) 27km 17miles 741m

Day 5 Kingie (Glen Garry) - Camban Bothy 26km 16miles 1044m

Day 6 Camban Bothy - Maol Bhuidhe Bothy 25km 15.5miles 685m

Day 7 Maol Bhuidhe Bothy - Coire Fionnaraich Bothy 27km 17miles 747m

Day 8 Coire Fionnaraich Bothy - Kinlochewe Hotel 22km 13miles 854m

Day 9 Kinlochewe Hotel - Shenavall Bothy 27km 16 miles

Day 10 REST DAY AT SHENAVALL BOTHY CHRISTMAS EVE

Day 11 Shenavall Bothy - Knockdamph Bothy 34km 21miles 1434m

Day 12 Knockdamph Bothy - Loch Ailsh 28km 17 miles 548m

Day 13 Loch Ailsh - Glencoul Bothy 27km 17miles 799m

Day 14 Glencoul Bothy - Kylesku Hotel 16km 10 miles 557m

Day 15 Kylesku Hotel - An Dubh Loch 26km 15miles 1110m

Day 16 An Dubh Loch - Strathan Bothy 23km 14miles 290m

Day 17 Strathan Bothy - Kervaig Bothy 26km 16 miles 707m

Day 18 Kervaig Bothy - Durness 28km 17miles 497m

TRAVEL BACK TO CUMBRIA

Average distance/day - 25km 15 miles
Average ascent/day - 733m

Any comments or advice regarding the route would be most appreciated as there are many areas I have not been into. Particularly concerning river crossings and non-MBA bothies.

Fort William to Cape Wrath in Winter !?!

My last post asked the question 'where next?'. Well...after a fairly quite time, not really visiting the hills as regularly as I would like, I am now busy planning a 200+ mile walk fom Fort William to the very tip of Scotland at Cape Wrath. The walk is described as 'a tough walk, one of Britain’s toughest. Wild, remote, far from civilisation. Rain, midges, river crossings all to be surmounted'. It is referred to as the Cape Wrath Trail and described in the book by D Brook & P Hinchcliff 'North to the Cape'.

Usually walked during the spring and summer, the Trail can be long and tough. I am attempting it during the winter!! Starting on 16th December at Fort William, I hope to end up at Cape Wrath by 2nd or 3rd of January 2010.

The inspiration for such a trip came from two sources. Firstly, I was thoroughy inspired by Mike Cawthorne's account of his epic winter trip through Scotland in 'Hell of a Journey' . Also Iain Harper played a big part. I discovered Iain by an entry he made in Sourlies Botthy book when I sayed their briefly last December. Iain was starting out on his Cape Wrath Trail in Winter trip. Unfortunately Iain took a fall and had to cut the walk short, but is thankfully setting out to complete it this December. I would like to thank Iain Harper for crystalising the idea for me. Iain's web site is an excellent review and musings of his winter trip. I wish Iain every success and please, if you have time, visit his site and support him.

Not being over familiar with the Scottish Highlands in full-on winter conditions over extended periods, this is going to be a real challenge for me. Walking in the winter can be tough but incredibly rewarding though ! I am incedibly excited about getting out into the hills again and am hoping to keep these posts regularly updated.