Some of you visiting the hostel will have seen the amazing paintings adourning the walls, you may have even bought one - 2 of them have gone as far as France!
Anyway, I've finally put together a website for them, www.invergarrygallery.co.uk it still needs a little work but the basics are up and running. Check it out - I'd be grateful for any feedback if you have any!
In other news, Dylan's been dragging us off up some of the smaller local hills, Jen's been spring cleaning the garden and sheds ready for a new gardening year and we nearly went skiing (too windy!).
--Matt
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Saturday, 24 January 2009
To Beinn, or not to Beinn (East ridge of Beinn a Chaorainn)
Unfortunately it was not to be! I was going to have a day out before Jen gets back and starts cracking the whip again. The plan was to head up the east ridge of Beinn a Chaorainn, an easy winter ridge, but it didn't really work out. It took me about an hour and half to reach where I should have been in about 1/2 hour and then the weather came in so I headed home with my tail between my legs.
It wasn't a wasted day though, I learnt a few things:
1. If you think you are parked in the wrong layby, you probably are.
2. If you are battling through snowy, dense undergrowth and trees, you're probably not on a track, nevermind the right track.
3. If you don't think you are on the right track and 25 minutes later still don't think you are on the right track, you're probably not.
4. Borrowed boots cause blisters.
5. Never be afraid to turn back, especially if your feet hurt and the weather looks grim.
--Matt
It wasn't a wasted day though, I learnt a few things:
1. If you think you are parked in the wrong layby, you probably are.
2. If you are battling through snowy, dense undergrowth and trees, you're probably not on a track, nevermind the right track.
3. If you don't think you are on the right track and 25 minutes later still don't think you are on the right track, you're probably not.
4. Borrowed boots cause blisters.
5. Never be afraid to turn back, especially if your feet hurt and the weather looks grim.
--Matt
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Howling good fun at Laggan Wolftrax
Jenny has left me in charge of the hostel for a week, so first things first, I did what any self respecting hostel manager would do and gave myself a day off. My friend Rick was up and was hoping to get out and play in the snow but the weather was supposed to come in pretty severely towards the end of the afternoon so we kept well away from the hills and headed over to Wolftrax for a spot of biking.
We didn't actually do the black run (maybe next time), a red run splits off from the black after about a km but I think Rick was pretty scared by the signs, I was and I knew we weren't even doing it. He said he felt sick, I think it was the fear!
The red is split in to two sections, upper and lower, we did both but both enjoyed the upper section more. It's got some great swooping zig zags down the side of a hill with lots of little jumps for interest where as the lower seems a bit more technical, and I managed to fall off on the slippy wooden boardwalk towards to end of the lower section.
Rick has asked me to point out that this rock slab is a lot steeper than it appears in this photo. I managed to fall off on this too - in my defence it was quite damp and slippy! Great fun though, I don't know why I don't go biking more often.
--Matt
We didn't actually do the black run (maybe next time), a red run splits off from the black after about a km but I think Rick was pretty scared by the signs, I was and I knew we weren't even doing it. He said he felt sick, I think it was the fear!
The red is split in to two sections, upper and lower, we did both but both enjoyed the upper section more. It's got some great swooping zig zags down the side of a hill with lots of little jumps for interest where as the lower seems a bit more technical, and I managed to fall off on the slippy wooden boardwalk towards to end of the lower section.
Rick has asked me to point out that this rock slab is a lot steeper than it appears in this photo. I managed to fall off on this too - in my defence it was quite damp and slippy! Great fun though, I don't know why I don't go biking more often.
--Matt
Thursday, 15 January 2009
A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire
I thought the forecast was against me as I pulled up along Loch Cluanie in a snow shower. Even as I trudged up the steep side of the hill every summit I could see was in cloud, everything looked ominously grey, it wasn't supposed to be like this, not today. I could just see under the cloud towards The Ben, it looked clear over there, perhaps I'd just chosen the wrong hill.
And then I pulled over to the ridge and it was a glorious day, still grey and miserable to the south and west but brilliant blue skies covered the route ahead.
I soon covered the broad ridge up to the first Munro, A'Chralaig, and on to the second where things got a bit more interesting. After a short rocky descent the ridge continues for 1 1/2 km where it narrows sweeps to the north.
I'd read that it was an interesting scramble in summer but could be a different story in winter. It must have looked a bit more interesting as I actually took the camera from round my neck and put it away. The ridge continued past some rocky pinnacles that could be by-passed, at least I thought they could until I ended up on top of one, and then the next. Apparently there is a path around them, but I couldn't make it out under the snow, both sides looked pretty steep to me.
I eventually managed to scramble over the pinnacles but did have to do abit of it à cheval because I dare not stand up on the top of the largest pinnacle. The final summit is not far passed the difficulties, a few deep breaths and I soon regained my composure.
I read two route descriptions before I set off, both said retrace your steps, not a chance, maybe in summer when you can see the path! I headed north east to the next minor top and then headed down to the west.
--Matt
And then I pulled over to the ridge and it was a glorious day, still grey and miserable to the south and west but brilliant blue skies covered the route ahead.
I soon covered the broad ridge up to the first Munro, A'Chralaig, and on to the second where things got a bit more interesting. After a short rocky descent the ridge continues for 1 1/2 km where it narrows sweeps to the north.
I'd read that it was an interesting scramble in summer but could be a different story in winter. It must have looked a bit more interesting as I actually took the camera from round my neck and put it away. The ridge continued past some rocky pinnacles that could be by-passed, at least I thought they could until I ended up on top of one, and then the next. Apparently there is a path around them, but I couldn't make it out under the snow, both sides looked pretty steep to me.
I eventually managed to scramble over the pinnacles but did have to do abit of it à cheval because I dare not stand up on the top of the largest pinnacle. The final summit is not far passed the difficulties, a few deep breaths and I soon regained my composure.
I read two route descriptions before I set off, both said retrace your steps, not a chance, maybe in summer when you can see the path! I headed north east to the next minor top and then headed down to the west.
--Matt
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Happy new year!
What with guests, hangovers, DIY projects, perilous van hanging off bridge episodes, visits to the vets for limping dogs, freezing temperatures, friends giving birth (and the related dog sitting) and now gales and rain we've had precious little time for fun in the hills.
We did however manage to find time for a late night chicken hunt yesterday. Our lovely fellow villager Marigold donated a couple of bantam chickens to Team Invergarry Lodge, but unfortunately they decided they didn't fancy sleeping with the rest of the chickens in the "house that Matt built", preferring instead a night out under the stars. We didn't want to leave them out all night in the gales and torrential rain, we managed to catch one fairly easily, the other proved a little more elusive. We eventually tracked her down deep in the boggy undergrowth over the fence, Jenny finally closed in on her but her patented "laundry basket gaffer taped to a broom handle" wasn't quite up to the job and fell apart at the crucial moment, and her welly boot got stuck in the swamp. We retreated inside.
20 minutes later we headed back out armed with a new top-of-the-range-all-mod-cons-state-of-the-art-technology-poultry-apprehender (wire coat hanger, net curtain and the aforementioned broom handle all gaffer taped and stitched together).
The chicken had taken refuge even deeper in the undergrowth, as I was battling though the rhododendrons, crossing a stream and hoping that none of our neighbours would come down the lane, one of them did, just in time to see Jen slip down a flooded mud bank and get soaked to her neck.
We eventually drove the chicken back to the hostel grounds and caught her with the "poultry apprehender" and return her to the safety of the coop where her friends where waiting for her.
Anyway, Jen has just been to check on them, guess who's missing again!
--Matt
We did however manage to find time for a late night chicken hunt yesterday. Our lovely fellow villager Marigold donated a couple of bantam chickens to Team Invergarry Lodge, but unfortunately they decided they didn't fancy sleeping with the rest of the chickens in the "house that Matt built", preferring instead a night out under the stars. We didn't want to leave them out all night in the gales and torrential rain, we managed to catch one fairly easily, the other proved a little more elusive. We eventually tracked her down deep in the boggy undergrowth over the fence, Jenny finally closed in on her but her patented "laundry basket gaffer taped to a broom handle" wasn't quite up to the job and fell apart at the crucial moment, and her welly boot got stuck in the swamp. We retreated inside.
20 minutes later we headed back out armed with a new top-of-the-range-all-mod-cons-state-of-the-art-technology-poultry-apprehender (wire coat hanger, net curtain and the aforementioned broom handle all gaffer taped and stitched together).
The chicken had taken refuge even deeper in the undergrowth, as I was battling though the rhododendrons, crossing a stream and hoping that none of our neighbours would come down the lane, one of them did, just in time to see Jen slip down a flooded mud bank and get soaked to her neck.
We eventually drove the chicken back to the hostel grounds and caught her with the "poultry apprehender" and return her to the safety of the coop where her friends where waiting for her.
Anyway, Jen has just been to check on them, guess who's missing again!
--Matt
Monday, 29 December 2008
Dylans first Munro (Beinn a' Chaorainn)
We've been so busy with Christmas we've not really had much of a chance to do anything other than walk the dog and watch Christmas films so it came as a bit of a relief to get the chance to get out.
We thought it would be a busy on the hills so we tried to choose a quiet one, but also a fairly short one so we could take Dylan, he really needed to burn off that Christmas excess! We settled on Beinn a' Chaorainn, an accessible Munro just east of Roy Bridge. It had another smaller Munro just beside it which we could add on if Dylan (and we!) were still feeling sprightly after the first. It was a wonderfully crisp and frosty morning down in the glens and the forecast said we had a 70% chance of a cloud-free summit so we were hopeful for some great views from the top. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, the summit was in cloud, freezing cloud. It cleared slightly to tease us with some views but Dylan was more bothered about his frozen eyebrows and playing near the cornices.
We didn't stick around at the summit to celebrate Dylans first Munro and carried along the ridge and descended down in to the glen and followed an icey path down the Allt a' Chaorainn back to the van and home for tea (we're still on leftovers - sprout lasagne tonight, delicious!).
--Matt
We thought it would be a busy on the hills so we tried to choose a quiet one, but also a fairly short one so we could take Dylan, he really needed to burn off that Christmas excess! We settled on Beinn a' Chaorainn, an accessible Munro just east of Roy Bridge. It had another smaller Munro just beside it which we could add on if Dylan (and we!) were still feeling sprightly after the first. It was a wonderfully crisp and frosty morning down in the glens and the forecast said we had a 70% chance of a cloud-free summit so we were hopeful for some great views from the top. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, the summit was in cloud, freezing cloud. It cleared slightly to tease us with some views but Dylan was more bothered about his frozen eyebrows and playing near the cornices.
We didn't stick around at the summit to celebrate Dylans first Munro and carried along the ridge and descended down in to the glen and followed an icey path down the Allt a' Chaorainn back to the van and home for tea (we're still on leftovers - sprout lasagne tonight, delicious!).
--Matt
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Creag Meagaidh - Raeburns Gully
For our first foray into winter climbing Rick and I decided we'd start on something easy but quite long so we chose Raeburns Gully on Creag Meagaidh, a 360 metre 3 star grade 1. A long walk in eventually got us the the bottom of the gully and we made it 30 metres up before we decided we wanted our crampons on, a lesson learnt for next time.
After that it was straight forward enjoyable ascent on good snow, tiring but good fun and it felt quite serious with the dramatic cliffs on one side. Rick's wife Anna was slightly worried that we'd be appearing on the next episode of channel 5's "Highland Emergency" but we made it to the top in one piece.
Visibility was poor on the summit plateau and we (I) had a few navigational issues but Rick had it all sussed out, I think I'd probably still be wandering around up there if it was up to me. A great day was finished with a long walk back out again with sore feet (my boots are from ebay), and then topped off by the staff in the Spean Bridge Spar shop not selling us beer because we didn't have any ID! Proves I've still got my youthful good looks I guess.
--Matt
After that it was straight forward enjoyable ascent on good snow, tiring but good fun and it felt quite serious with the dramatic cliffs on one side. Rick's wife Anna was slightly worried that we'd be appearing on the next episode of channel 5's "Highland Emergency" but we made it to the top in one piece.
Visibility was poor on the summit plateau and we (I) had a few navigational issues but Rick had it all sussed out, I think I'd probably still be wandering around up there if it was up to me. A great day was finished with a long walk back out again with sore feet (my boots are from ebay), and then topped off by the staff in the Spean Bridge Spar shop not selling us beer because we didn't have any ID! Proves I've still got my youthful good looks I guess.--Matt
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