Well after a long winter it was time to get back to the hills.
The forecast was to be glorious on Saturday, but certainly ok for Sunday also. However Rona was working nightshift Sat night, so in an effort to allow her maximum rest time agreed with Jon to plan something for the Sunday, and hope we'd get a break with the weather.
Agreed to head to the Lawers area as there were lots of decent paths and we wanted to ease ourself into 2011, neither of us having been out on the hills since about October. Decided on a single Munro, that of Meall Nan Tarmachan - a 1044 Meter Munro with a well defined path all the way up.
To our delight the forecast had improved over the weekend and Sunday was set fair with a high chance of good visibility. Woke up 2 mins before my alarm at 0638 and Left Anniesland about 0730 to get Jon in Greenock, then after a quick Tesco stop it was up the A82 to Crainlarich then along to Killin.
The beauty of the Lawers area is that there is a tarmac car road that rises from the main road through a forest and climbs significantly before there is space to park up. This means you begin the ascent from about 600m altitude and several kilometres away from what you might term civilisation. They are also part of the Ben Lawers National Park so there are a number of well maintained paths and routes that have been developed.
We arrived just before 1000 and there were a lot of cars around, clearly many people taking advantage of the good weather. We got set up and headed off just after 10 and there were a stream of people heading up before and after us.
There is a landrover path, then a footpath breaks off to the right from there. The path climbs at a steady rate and has clearly been well built and maintained over the years. No prospect of getting wet feet or getting lost at all.
The path heads over a ridge and we hopefully thought the top of the ridge may be the peak, but after getting to the top there was a drop down then a final steep incline. The final part has been built up with a lot of stones to form a rocky staircase and really it was no problem to get to the peak, even with our limited fitness.
We got decent views, although it was a little hazy and it was very comfortable on top with the sun shining and a light breeze. We ate a hearty lunch then headed back via the same route. It was now past 1pm, but still there were a stream of people heading up - perhaps having made a late decision to come out, or even attempting their 2nd or 3rd Munro of the day.
It really is great that a public interest body exists to create these paths and make these areas more accessible. Hopefully more routes will be taken care of and a lot of the Munro's will become more accessible.
I've now done 14 Munros and while some had no path other than the natural features and a beaten track, I'm well aware that most of what I've done would be classified as 'easy'.
As time goes on, if I am committed to doing more and more Munros I will a - have to start driving a lot further and b - take on more and more challenging routes that require more navigation and a lot more shoe leather.
I'm sure there are more than a few that will be very difficult to access and will require anything from 15-25km of walking. Perhaps as the years go on, more of these routes will be built up to the less accessible peaks. Although perhaps that would make it a lot easier to 'compleat' and this would then not be quite as selective a club of those who have done it.
No doubt there will always be some that remain difficult, and I will just have to get to them when the time comes.
Pic to follow later.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Monday, 14 February 2011
Scottish Rugby Rattled... again.
Well after a promising start to the 6 Nations with 3 tries, ultimately in vain, in the Stade de France - it was business as usual as we surrendered dreadfully to a Welsh side without a win in 9 internationals.
No tries scored and only two Dan Parks penalties meant there was precious little to cheer about for any Scots who had made their way to Murrayfield on Saturday evening.
From Andy Robinson naming an unchanged side following an exciting performance in Paris (albeit Richie Gray was withdrawn on Saturday due to illness) there will now be calls for wholesale changes as we return to Murrayfield in two weeks hence for the visit of always competitive Ireland.
We can all bemoan the lack of vision, funding, coaches, pro-teams etc that plague the Scottish game in comparison to other Nations of similar size but the short term problem is to pick a team in two weeks and get a group of players who can go to the World Cup and get out of a tricky group containing England and Argentina.
So what will Robinson do on the 27th? I don't imagine he will make massive, sweeping changes with new caps and 10 alterations to the current line-up.
In the pack, Richie Gray will come back into the 2nd row, with Hines dropping to the bench. Johnnie Beattie has surely now proven his fitness and will hopefully replace Richie Vernon at No. 8. This will reunite the 3 Killer Bees who were such a success in Scotland's recent run of good results. Beattie is the most genuine try threat of the Killer Bee's and can have a big impact on the game, along with the return of Gray.
Moray Low will replace Euan Murray at prop for this game on the Sabbath, although I think it is fair to say Murray's place would otherwise have been in doubt and Low is surely worthy of his place on merit. Expect Ross Ford and Alan Jacobson will retain their places.
I personally can't envisage any other 8 forwards starting, although Beattie's fitness may be the only question mark over that.
While the forwards pretty much pick themselves, barring injuries, the same cannot be said for our tortured back division.
So what of the much maligned Dan Parks? Reborn last season, he won his place from Godman and didn't really look back for the whole of 2010. However he has been getting mixed reports following his move to Cardiff and hasn't controlled games this year the way he did last term. However, I think he will retain his place. His understudy at Glasgow, Ruaridh Jackson, has finally got plenty game time this year with Glasgow but hasn't yet started for Scotland.
On Saturday, Robinson didn't bring him on despite Parks having one of his least effective games. So why is he in the squad when perhaps Robinson doesn't feel confident to give him game time?
Personally, I don't think Jackson has made the progress that a lot of Scottish Rugby fans had hoped. His career has been besieged with injuries and Glasgow's results this season have not shown us that Jackson has filled Parks boots at Firhill. Arguably his younger Glasgow team mate, Duncan Weir, is making better progress and will overtake him with more matches under his belt.
I think simply Jackson is in the squad because there is no one else available as cover at 10. So that being the case, Parks will retain his place despite two quiet games. However all is not lost, Parks has come back from almost two years without an International start to win countless MoM awards last season for Scotland and Glasgow. He is a confidence player, but a confident Dan Parks is probably the best kicking fly-half in the world, and Scotland can play to his strengths and win field position and games.
So the other backs? Arguably Lawson has had his chance at scrum half and Mike Blair has just edged him when he has come on in the previous two matches. Therefore I think Blair will start vs Ireland.
Wing? Well Nikki Walker has done very little in his two starts and I can't imagine he will retain his place. Perhaps Danielli will be brought in? Max Evans has offered some hope, but his best position is undoubtedly at Centre and I think he should be moved here. If Rory Lamont is fit, he would be an adequate replacement on the wing.
IMO, the centres pick themselves and the pace of Joe Ansbro and Max Evans has potential to be a world class centre pairing.
Sean Lamont has no doubt secured his position at full back with two good showings from the bench. He was the only player on Saturday to beat a man and scored a great try in Paris.
So that's the team...
1. Jacobson
2. Ford
3. Low
4. Gray
5. Kellock
6. Brown
7. Barclay
8. Beattie
9. Blair
10. Parks
11. R. Lamont
12. Evans
13. Ansbro
14. Danielli
15. S. Lamont
And for the World Cup? Well Euan Murray may regain some form and fitness to challenge Low at Prop. 4 to 8 pick themselves if everyone is fit in my view, and Ford and Jacobson will continue in the front row.
I think Parks plays at 10, given our lack of options and we just need to hope he finds some form. Chris Cusiter is weeks away from playing again for Glasgow and I feel will be our 1st choice Scrum Half when fully fit.
I'd like to see Robinson persevering with Ansbro and Evans in the centre and not resist the temptation to play Evans on the wing. However when Graeme Morrison is fit again, Robinson may feel Evans is better used on the wing in order to try and get as many of our best players on the field.
Sean Lamont has looked in good form in the past two weeks, but he has lost his place before and brother Rory has been out of the squad since a bad injury against Wales last year. Southwell too seemed to have nailed down his Full Back place and seemingly finished Chris Paterson's international career, but he now has a bad facial injury and his place is up for grabs.
Likewise, places on the wings are available for anyone who can match scoring threat with sound defence. Thom Evans has been a big loss for us, and it is worrying that coming up to the world cup we really don't have these places nailed down, even in the hypothetical situation of everyone being fit.
Only Andy Robinson knows... I hope.
No tries scored and only two Dan Parks penalties meant there was precious little to cheer about for any Scots who had made their way to Murrayfield on Saturday evening.
From Andy Robinson naming an unchanged side following an exciting performance in Paris (albeit Richie Gray was withdrawn on Saturday due to illness) there will now be calls for wholesale changes as we return to Murrayfield in two weeks hence for the visit of always competitive Ireland.
We can all bemoan the lack of vision, funding, coaches, pro-teams etc that plague the Scottish game in comparison to other Nations of similar size but the short term problem is to pick a team in two weeks and get a group of players who can go to the World Cup and get out of a tricky group containing England and Argentina.
So what will Robinson do on the 27th? I don't imagine he will make massive, sweeping changes with new caps and 10 alterations to the current line-up.
In the pack, Richie Gray will come back into the 2nd row, with Hines dropping to the bench. Johnnie Beattie has surely now proven his fitness and will hopefully replace Richie Vernon at No. 8. This will reunite the 3 Killer Bees who were such a success in Scotland's recent run of good results. Beattie is the most genuine try threat of the Killer Bee's and can have a big impact on the game, along with the return of Gray.
Moray Low will replace Euan Murray at prop for this game on the Sabbath, although I think it is fair to say Murray's place would otherwise have been in doubt and Low is surely worthy of his place on merit. Expect Ross Ford and Alan Jacobson will retain their places.
I personally can't envisage any other 8 forwards starting, although Beattie's fitness may be the only question mark over that.
While the forwards pretty much pick themselves, barring injuries, the same cannot be said for our tortured back division.
So what of the much maligned Dan Parks? Reborn last season, he won his place from Godman and didn't really look back for the whole of 2010. However he has been getting mixed reports following his move to Cardiff and hasn't controlled games this year the way he did last term. However, I think he will retain his place. His understudy at Glasgow, Ruaridh Jackson, has finally got plenty game time this year with Glasgow but hasn't yet started for Scotland.
On Saturday, Robinson didn't bring him on despite Parks having one of his least effective games. So why is he in the squad when perhaps Robinson doesn't feel confident to give him game time?
Personally, I don't think Jackson has made the progress that a lot of Scottish Rugby fans had hoped. His career has been besieged with injuries and Glasgow's results this season have not shown us that Jackson has filled Parks boots at Firhill. Arguably his younger Glasgow team mate, Duncan Weir, is making better progress and will overtake him with more matches under his belt.
I think simply Jackson is in the squad because there is no one else available as cover at 10. So that being the case, Parks will retain his place despite two quiet games. However all is not lost, Parks has come back from almost two years without an International start to win countless MoM awards last season for Scotland and Glasgow. He is a confidence player, but a confident Dan Parks is probably the best kicking fly-half in the world, and Scotland can play to his strengths and win field position and games.
So the other backs? Arguably Lawson has had his chance at scrum half and Mike Blair has just edged him when he has come on in the previous two matches. Therefore I think Blair will start vs Ireland.
Wing? Well Nikki Walker has done very little in his two starts and I can't imagine he will retain his place. Perhaps Danielli will be brought in? Max Evans has offered some hope, but his best position is undoubtedly at Centre and I think he should be moved here. If Rory Lamont is fit, he would be an adequate replacement on the wing.
IMO, the centres pick themselves and the pace of Joe Ansbro and Max Evans has potential to be a world class centre pairing.
Sean Lamont has no doubt secured his position at full back with two good showings from the bench. He was the only player on Saturday to beat a man and scored a great try in Paris.
So that's the team...
1. Jacobson
2. Ford
3. Low
4. Gray
5. Kellock
6. Brown
7. Barclay
8. Beattie
9. Blair
10. Parks
11. R. Lamont
12. Evans
13. Ansbro
14. Danielli
15. S. Lamont
And for the World Cup? Well Euan Murray may regain some form and fitness to challenge Low at Prop. 4 to 8 pick themselves if everyone is fit in my view, and Ford and Jacobson will continue in the front row.
I think Parks plays at 10, given our lack of options and we just need to hope he finds some form. Chris Cusiter is weeks away from playing again for Glasgow and I feel will be our 1st choice Scrum Half when fully fit.
I'd like to see Robinson persevering with Ansbro and Evans in the centre and not resist the temptation to play Evans on the wing. However when Graeme Morrison is fit again, Robinson may feel Evans is better used on the wing in order to try and get as many of our best players on the field.
Sean Lamont has looked in good form in the past two weeks, but he has lost his place before and brother Rory has been out of the squad since a bad injury against Wales last year. Southwell too seemed to have nailed down his Full Back place and seemingly finished Chris Paterson's international career, but he now has a bad facial injury and his place is up for grabs.
Likewise, places on the wings are available for anyone who can match scoring threat with sound defence. Thom Evans has been a big loss for us, and it is worrying that coming up to the world cup we really don't have these places nailed down, even in the hypothetical situation of everyone being fit.
Only Andy Robinson knows... I hope.
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