Who Needs To Detox?
Who Needs To Detox?
Along with my brother-in-law Billy (1960 Vintage) and my son Ross (1993 Vintage) I have set myself the objective of taking more physical exercise by climbing some of the largest mountains in Scotland. I have always loved the feeling of being on top of a hill but have never climbed higher than 1700 feet. Our targets all exceed 3000 feet and, in Scotland, are known as The Munros. There are 283 of them, the highest being Ben Nevis which, at 4,409 feet, is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom.
We started our adventure last weekend by tackling one of the smallest Munros, Ben Chonzie. At 3054 feet, and number 250 on the list, it only just qualifies as a Munro. But a Munro it is, so we climbed it.
Ben Chonzie is top left in the above picture.
We had the company of a few others who were also out on their first adventure to such heights plus two experienced hillwalkers. 12 km and 5 hours later we returned to the car with broad grins and a great sense of achievement. I spent the next 7 hours driving home and then 24 hours taking painkillers and soaking in hot baths. The next day I was fit and well and planning the next conquest.
Our targets for this year are:
Schiehallion - 3554ft
Schiehallion is a mountain that I have known from ground level for 20+ years but have never ventured to climb. This mountain has a place in history as, in 1774, it was used in an experiment which for the first time calculated the mass of the earth. It was also the first mountain in the world to be mapped using contour lines. Within the next 3 or 4 weeks it will be mine
Ben Lawers - 3984ft
Ben Macdui - 4295ft
Ben Macdui is the second highest peak in Scotland and until a few decades ago was thought to be the highest. Legend goes that The Grey Man of Macdui (think Yeti!) patrols the slopes. I will take him a bottle of Morgan 1991 as he is probably thirsty up there
All of the above are to be attempted by the time winter sets in. ADV may well find himself accompanying me up one of these in October
Derek
We started our adventure last weekend by tackling one of the smallest Munros, Ben Chonzie. At 3054 feet, and number 250 on the list, it only just qualifies as a Munro. But a Munro it is, so we climbed it.
Ben Chonzie is top left in the above picture.
We had the company of a few others who were also out on their first adventure to such heights plus two experienced hillwalkers. 12 km and 5 hours later we returned to the car with broad grins and a great sense of achievement. I spent the next 7 hours driving home and then 24 hours taking painkillers and soaking in hot baths. The next day I was fit and well and planning the next conquest.
Our targets for this year are:
Schiehallion - 3554ft
Schiehallion is a mountain that I have known from ground level for 20+ years but have never ventured to climb. This mountain has a place in history as, in 1774, it was used in an experiment which for the first time calculated the mass of the earth. It was also the first mountain in the world to be mapped using contour lines. Within the next 3 or 4 weeks it will be mine
Ben Lawers - 3984ft
Ben Macdui - 4295ft
Ben Macdui is the second highest peak in Scotland and until a few decades ago was thought to be the highest. Legend goes that The Grey Man of Macdui (think Yeti!) patrols the slopes. I will take him a bottle of Morgan 1991 as he is probably thirsty up there
All of the above are to be attempted by the time winter sets in. ADV may well find himself accompanying me up one of these in October
Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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- RonnieRoots
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- Alex Bridgeman
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RonnieRoots wrote:Looks beautiful. I love hiking, and going to Scotland is still on the wish list. Only those midgets....
bolding quote added by me to highlight the choice of word that amused me
Hopefully, Ronnie is referring to the midges...
I have used my trusty calculator to predict that at the rate of 4 Munros a year, you will be celebrating Ross' 84th or 85th birthday when you reach the summit of the last Munro.
But I have to echo the previous posts. I love the Scottish highlands, islands and mountains and envy your opportunity to reach the top of a handful of these peaks.
Alex
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
- RonnieRoots
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"Opportunity" - I envy your ability to do so! I still have nightmares of a Lake District trip in 1990 or so when I was passed at pace on the way up a mountain by a woman - with her two late-teenaged granddaughters! It was her 80th birthday she tolld us!AHB wrote:... and envy your opportunity to reach the top of a handful of these peaks.
Alex
My excuse was the hangover from hell!
Ben
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
I have only done the first one so it remains to be seen whether or not my ability stretches to the others. Time will tell.benread wrote: I envy your ability to do so!
My plan is to take a miniature of VP to have a swig at the top of each of these and use my BlackBerry to post a note in this thread from the summit.
Julian, if you are reading this please note that, although it is a very kind thought you are having right now, I don't think I need a Tasting Mat on these trips
Andy, bring boots and good socks - we can kit you out with the other stuff when you get here.
Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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There was an image which flashed across my mind which I really, really do not want repeated.Derek T. wrote:Andy, bring boots and good socks - we can kit you out with the other stuff when you get here.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
What happens on the Munro stays on the Munro - wipe it from your mind and never speak of it againAHB wrote:There was an image which flashed across my mind which I really, really do not want repeated.Derek T. wrote:Andy, bring boots and good socks - we can kit you out with the other stuff when you get here.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Momentarily, I had the same thought.....and was scaredDerek T. wrote:What happens on the Munro stays on the Munro - wipe it from your mind and never speak of it againAHB wrote:There was an image which flashed across my mind which I really, really do not want repeated.Derek T. wrote:Andy, bring boots and good socks - we can kit you out with the other stuff when you get here.
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- Taylor’s LBV
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- Location: Bolton England
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- Taylor’s LBV
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- Location: Bolton England
Some pics from my trip up Schiehallion today...
The boulder fields heading along the ridge up to the summit about 2km in the distance
Ross, Billy, Mac (the red one) and I at the summit
Yours truely at the summit with Loch Rannoch in the background
Ben Lawers, our next target, from the summit of Schiehallion
The boulder fields heading along the ridge up to the summit about 2km in the distance
Ross, Billy, Mac (the red one) and I at the summit
Yours truely at the summit with Loch Rannoch in the background
Ben Lawers, our next target, from the summit of Schiehallion
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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Wonderful pictures. Glad to see you made it to the top and down again in one piece.
Tell you what - you take care of the forumites' spiritual needs and I'll take care of the forumites' cultural needs (the Chamber Concert was very enjoyable).
Alex
Tell you what - you take care of the forumites' spiritual needs and I'll take care of the forumites' cultural needs (the Chamber Concert was very enjoyable).
Alex
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
So we now seem to have:
Can I suggest we add:
- Ambassador for Music and the Arts - AHB
- Ambassador for Sport - BR
- Ambassador for High Altitude Pursuits - DRT
Can I suggest we add:
- Ambassadors to the Middle East - Lord & Lady Roots
- Ambassador to the former western colonies - JDAW
- any more?
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
“western former colonies†
Oh no, all kinds of subtle horrible implications. Please, the “western former colonies†.DRT wrote:
- Ambassador to the former western colonies - JDAW
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
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- Location: Middle Earth
I understand you may be one of our Northern Bretheren? If so, Ambassador for Scotland?DRT wrote:So we now seem to have:Excellent.
- Ambassador for Music and the Arts - AHB
- Ambassador for Sport - BR
- Ambassador for High Altitude Pursuits - DRT
Can I suggest we add:
- Ambassadors to the Middle East - Lord & Lady Roots
- Ambassador to the former western colonies - JDAW
- any more?
Ben
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
Did you mean midgets? Was there a convention of them? Or was it their airbornes cousins the midges?!DRT wrote:I must warn you that there were millions of midgets hanging around in the car park at the foot of the mountainRonnieRoots wrote:Beautiful pictures. I hope to go there sometime soon.
Derek
Ben
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
Ben, go back to the top of the thread and start reading it again and I'm sure you will work it outbenread wrote:Did you mean midgets? Was there a convention of them? Or was it their airbornes cousins the midges?!DRT wrote:I must warn you that there were millions of midgets hanging around in the car park at the foot of the mountainRonnieRoots wrote:Beautiful pictures. I hope to go there sometime soon.
Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn