Author Topic: Where to take girlfriend?  (Read 3982 times)

MoelPysgod

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Where to take girlfriend?
« on: 06:32:02, 05/02/16 »
Hello all.

Absolutely ages since I posted here but I find myself in a time of need and would appreciate some ideas from you knowledgeable folk.

My girlfriend has long expressed a desire to join me in the mountains, and finally she's able to come with me for a few days at the end of February. Having recently seen the pictures I took on the Black Cuillin, she has her heart firmly set on Scotland.

Now I've been to Scotland a grand total of three times, and have over five Munro summits to my name, so I'm clearly an expert on the country. However I suppose it's possible that some here are more acquainted even than me (I heard tell of people who've climbed 20, 30, even 40 Munros). So, where should we go? Any thoughts you could share would be much appreciated.

Some criteria:

Must be accessible by public transport as neither of us drive.
Ideally near a pub and a shop.
Mountains and walks have to be accessible either by public transport or, better, from the hostel itself.
I want to blow her away. The ride from Glasgow to Fort William will be a good place to start, so ideally we'll be going north of Rannoch Moor to enable her to see the splendour.
She's not unfit but she's not hillfit. We need low and mid-level walks.

A hundred thank yous in advance.

yorksgal

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #1 on: 17:49:10, 05/02/16 »
Although you said she is fit but not hill fit, I would count any Munro out and stay to the lower hills personally.

MoelPysgod

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #2 on: 18:00:59, 05/02/16 »
Yep, like I said it'll be low and mid-level walks. I want her to come with me again!

Islandplodder

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #3 on: 20:25:50, 05/02/16 »
There could be a fair bit of snow around at the end of February, and where there isn't snow everything is amazingly soggy.
If you are thinking of the train up to Fort William, there are quite a few low level walks in the Great Glen, and there is a regular bus between Fort William and Inverness which you could use to explore different areas.   Or you could carry on up to Mallaig on the train and cross to Skye where there are a surprising number of low level walks, and still a few local buses to get around on.
It might be worth looking at some of the walks on the Walk Highlands website, they are grouped by area and give you a good idea of the difficulty and terrain. That might also help you choose the area you would like to base yourself in.

altirando

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #4 on: 23:17:27, 05/02/16 »
Yeah I remember Glencoe as the place to go at Easter for some alpine style mountaineering.  Would not personally be the choice for a firsttimer.  But there is the hidden valley short walk.  Also been to the Cairngorm at Easter, again for snow.  If you want to meet the Spring, try the Welsh borders, Llangollen is a good centre, interesting walk over/under the Eglwyseg cliffs.  Llangollen Round signposted walk, or get the tourist train to the terminus and walk back.

altirando

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #5 on: 23:20:34, 05/02/16 »
And there is a private hostel in Llangollen and lots of hotels too.  Easily accessed via bus from Chester.

Oldtramp

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #6 on: 23:29:00, 05/02/16 »
Hmmm, an iffy time of year for Scotland.  Best to be as flexible as possible and to run in front of the weather, so much as you can.


Parts of the W Highland Way should be walkable, and it's parallel to the road  from Crainlarich to the Kingshouse, allowing easy escape.  If it looks better further north, consider going up to Skye and climbing the Storr, which is only about 2000 ft and has remarkable scenery There's a bus all the way from Glasgow to Portree, and a local one that'll bring you to the foot of the mountain.   


Possible to continue north on Skye to Uig, cross to Tarbert on Harris, where there a bus service all the way up to the stone circle at Callanish, an interesting place even in continuous rain.   If you get this far north, you can escape via the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry, with a bus to civilisation and the train in Inverness.


Good luck.
« Last Edit: 00:05:03, 06/02/16 by Oldtramp »

Charlieslater

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #7 on: 14:21:53, 07/02/16 »
Never one to disagree with Yorks Girl, but I once took my wife up Ben Lawers. At the time you could park in the visitor centre (don't know if you still can) Was her first and last hill. Picked it on the strength that she was bagging two munroes, and on a clear day was hardly ever out of sight of the car park to ease her "nav " nerves. Good clear paths all the way up.
53 years old=only 4 more world cups/Olympic games.

MoelPysgod

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #8 on: 14:53:45, 07/02/16 »
Some helpful replies here, thanks everyone.

Altrando - I live near Chester and the Berwyns plus other mountains that line the sides of the A494 are my frequent stomping ground. However it wouldn't feel like much of a holiday if it only took us an hour to get there! But the hidden valley walk is one I've looked at, seems to be one of the few low-level walks around Glencoe...

...which is where she's decided she wants to go. Showed her pictures of Arran, Cairngorms, Skye (i.e. the places on my hitlist) and she decided that Glencoe looks lovely. I have explained that the walking options aren't going to be super-extensive, but all she wants is to get up a "proper" mountain. We went up my local hill, Moel Famau, in the summer and she loved that, so I reckon she's up to something more challenging. Obviously though I'm not going to try and get her across the Aonach Eagach and even Buachaille Etive Mor is going to be too much if it's still plastered in snow. So I'll have a look at the Pap and Meall Mor, both of which seem more than feasible, plus Ben Chru-thingy opposite the Buachaille.

As Islandplodder suggested, the buses could be useful too. It would be possible for us to get the bus down to, say, Tyndrum or even Loch Lomond and climb something there if needed.

Oldtramp - I've been considering an island-hopping holiday. She'd like that. Will definitely research it as that might also allow us a trip to one of the Islay distilleries! And the thought of going to Harris appeals immensely.

Charlie - glad Kat was able to say her goodbyes. Will Google Ben Lawers now.

Islandplodder

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #9 on: 16:23:37, 07/02/16 »
If the snow isn't too low down you might be able to do the Lairig Gartain and Lairig Eilde round.  That has really good views of the snowy tops, but doesn't go all that high, and you can more or less see from the road what you are getting yourself into.  Remember it's steeper and slippier down the Glen Etive side!

Highs and Lows

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #10 on: 20:13:23, 08/02/16 »
How about Kinlochleven?
Accessible by bus from Fort William or Glencoe village, has a Co-op shop, pubs, Ice Factory (indoor climbing wall if the weather is really bad). Munros in the Mamores that you can walk out to. Scenic low-level walks. It's on the West Highland Way, so you can follow that either to Fort William or the King's House and take the bus back.
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altirando

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #11 on: 00:26:10, 07/03/16 »
I remember Scotland in February as being cold and miserable, personally I would head for somewhere like Kitzbuhl in Austria if you want a jolly time. Train, well, there is a stop in the middle of Aviemore on the main line to Inverness.  Forest walking, you could try cross country skiing.  Not the time of year to go up on to the tops of the Cairngorm though.  Aviemore would have a bit of cheerful life with skiers.

sparnel

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #12 on: 20:21:12, 07/03/16 »
Well Moelpysgod?  Did you get to Scotland and if so where?  I'm all the suggestioners would like to know what happened.............

MoelPysgod

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #13 on: 20:24:09, 08/05/16 »
Very sorry for the late reply - totally slipped my mind. In the end childcare complications meant we could only manage a few days in Snowdonia. I got her up Moel Siabod's SW ridge and took her currently Ogwen and around Cwm Idwal - she loved it.

As it happens, I'm currently on a week-long jaunt around the Kinlochleven area (on my own sadly). Got off at Corrour station, over Leum Ulleim to Chiarain bothy, then to Mheanach bothy via Loch Eilde Mor, then yesterday an utterly superb walk down Glen Nevis, visited Steall Falls, camped at the Glen Nevis campsite and today a rest/shower/laundry day at Fort William. Tomorrow, heading south down WHW to camp on Mam Na Guilainn, then to Sgurr Eilde Mor, camp beneath it, climb that night, before rejoining the WHW and camping either top of Devil's Staircase or Kingshouse before coming home Thursday. Having an amazing time, Scotland is magnificent.

Thank you again everyone, and again sorry for not replying sooner. Might do a TR when I get back, and last three days' pics are on my Flickr, think my username is NDFisher. (Pics from our Snowdonia trip are on there too).

MoelPysgod

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Re: Where to take girlfriend?
« Reply #14 on: 20:24:40, 08/05/16 »
Took her DOWN Ogwen, actually.

 

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