Where Have I Been?
Richards Mountain Pages


This page shows the last few places visited on my travels. It goes back six months to a year into the past.
With a last flurry of activity before the bad weather sets in, I did a quick hostel to hostel tour of Snowdonia.

Snowdonia - October 2006
Great Orme (207m) Marilyn
Accommodation - Conwy hostel
Transport - train to Llandudno, walk back to Conwy
Route - Followed tram route up and down
Conditions - mild with hazy sun

Manod Mawr (661m)
Moelwyn Mawr (770m)
Marilyn
Marilyn
Accommodation - Bryn Gwynant hostel
Transport - train to Blaenau Ffestiniog
Route - Followed old slate quarry inclines to ridge, returned same way to start, then followed road to reservoir, climbed South slope and down North-West-South ridge of second peak. Walked around Cnicht, and followed road to hostel
Conditions - hot and humid with hazy sun

Yr Aran (747m)
Snowdon (1085m)
Moel Cynghorion (674m)
Marilyn
Marilyn Re-ascent
Marilyn Re-ascent
Accommodation - Snowdon Ranger hostel
Transport - none used
Route - Followed Watkin path before branching off to East ridge of yr Aran. Descended North and up South ridge of Snowdon to join Rhyd Ddu path. Descended by Snowdon Ranger path, diverting to take in Moel Cynghorion.
Conditions - hot with hazy sun, cloud brushing Snowdon summit to give a Brockenspectre.

Mynydd Mawr (698m)
Mynydd Tal Y Mignedd (653m)
Marilyn
Unclassified
Accommodation - Snowdon Ranger hostel
Transport - steam train back to hostel
Route - Tourist path up first peak, then North ridge of second. Returned to Rhyd Ddu for pint and steam train to hostel
Conditions - mild with hazy sun, gusty wind on second summit

Holyhead Mountain (220m) Marilyn
Accommodation - Bangor hostel
Transport - train to Holyhead
Route - Followed road to edge of peak, then myriad tracks across it
Conditions - mild with hazy sun


Isle Of Man - September 2006
Mull Hill (169m)
Brada Hill (232m)
Marilyn
Marilyn
Accommodation - Laxey
Transport - bus to Douglas, and steam train to Port Erin
Route - road to the first peak, then coast path to the second, road down to Port St Mary.
Conditions - clouding over, with damp breeze

South Barrule (483m) Marilyn
Accommodation - Laxey
Transport - bus to Douglas and on to Ballasalla, bus back from Peel
Route - Followed LDP, branching off for summit
Conditions - in breezy cloud on summit, hot sun on coast path

Slieau Freoaghane (488m)
Snaefell (621m)
Marilyn
Marilyn
Accommodation - Laxey
Transport - bus to Ramsey and on to Kirk Michael
Route - Climbed path to first peak, followed road round to bungalow, and tourist path to summit. Descended across fields having lost path wrongly shown on map
Conditions - in cloud after first summit, rain too, but cleared on Snaefell to be above clouds (whoopee!)


Lakes - August 2006
Muncaster Fell (231m) Marilyn
Accommodation - Arnside & Eskdale hostels
Transport - train to Ravenglass, steam train along route
Route - Path over summit ridge from West to East, steam train and road to hostel
Conditions - cloud lifting, lots of blueberries

Harter Fell (778m)
Hard Knott (549m)
Marilyn
Marilyn
Accommodation - Eskdale hostel & Keswick
Transport - open top bus from Borrowdale to Keswick
Route - Harter Fell from bridge over river Esk, but lost path in high bracken, return to road at Hard Knott pass, but very rough walking. Hard Knott from pass, following path beside electric fence. Continued to valley beyond, and then over Bow Fell and Esk Pike to Borrowdale.
Conditions - high cloud on Harter Fell. Clag from Hard Knott to Borrowdale. Electric fence spun compass. Fell race over Great End.

Billinge Hill (179m) Marilyn
Accommodation - none
Transport - stop off at Wigan on return from Lakes
Route - Taxi to Billinge, walk to summit, and bus back to Wigan
Conditions - mainly sunny, stiff breeze.


Durness - May 2006
Beinn Spionnaidh (772m)
Cranstackie (800m)
Corbett
Corbett
Accommodation - Durness hostel
Transport - infrequent bus/postbus to/from Durness
Route - Followed obvious track from West, and picked a route across the two peaks
Conditions - very stony on top, blizzard on Cranstackie

Ben Hope (927m) Munro
Accommodation - Durness hostel
Transport - none
Route - tourist route
Conditions - in clag


Bala - April 2006
Foel Goch (611m)
Carnedd Y Filiast (669m)
Marilyn
Marilyn
Accommodation - wildcamp (upper reaches of Afon Hesgyn)
Transport - bus from Wrexham to Llanderfel (on to Bala)
Route - Road to Souhern foot of Foel Goch, boggy ground to summit, ridge West, rough ground over Craig Ddu and across to path, track and road back to Bala
Conditions - cool and sunny day one, mild and grey day two, very rough going off track


Ullapool - April 2006
Beinn Eilideach (558m) Marilyn
Accommodation - SYHA Ullapool
Transport - bus from Inverness to Ullapool
Route - Followed paths above Ullapool then cross rough ground to summit
Conditions - rain hail and snow showers, some sun, cold

Cnoc Damh (591m) Marilyn
Accommodation - Knockdamph bothy
Transport - bus from Inverness to Ullapool
Route - Followed good track from Ullapool to bothy, stayed overnight, and returned via peak
Conditions - showers, stiff wind, five blisters (due to firmness of track)


Glencoe - March 2006
Meall Mor (676m)
Sgorr A Choise (663m)
Meall Ligiche (772m)
Graham
Graham
Corbett
Accommodation - SYHA Glencoe
Transport - bus from Glasgow to Glencoe
Route - Followed the track to the East of the first peak, then climbed from one peak to the next.
Conditions - warm / cool, some snow patches

Sgorr Na Ciche (Pap Of Glencoe)(742m)
Sgorr Nam Fiannaidh (967m)
Graham
Munro
Accommodation - SYHA Glencoe
Transport - bus from Glasgow to Glencoe
Route - Followed the main path from just outside the village. From the Pap, crossed col and climbed Munro.
Conditions - cool, sunny intervals, steep unstable snow on Munro

Garbh Bheinn (867m) Corbett
Accommodation - SYHA Glencoe
Transport - bus from Glencoe to Kinlochleven
Route - Followed West Highland Way South 1 mile, then climbed ridge beside burn and continued to summit
Conditions - very cold, windy, superb view of Aonach Eagach and the Pap


Inverness - February 2006
cnoc Mor (269m) Marilyn
Accommodation - hostel, Inverness
Transport - bus to Strathpeffer
Route - Followed the many paths up and around the hill
Conditions - hillfog broke to reveal a sunlit and glistening wonderland of frost on a cushion of cloud

Fionn Bheinn (933m) Munro
Accommodation - hostel, Inverness
Transport - train to Achnasheen
Route - Rough ground roughly NNW to summit and back
Conditions - hillfog, frozen ground

The Fara (911m) Corbett
Accommodation - hostel, Inverness
Transport - train to Dalwhinnie
Route - Track through forest, then climbed along wall to summit, descended spur, and walked out through glen
Conditions - hillfog broke to give a warm sunny day

Carn An Fhreiceadain (878m)
Creag Bheag (487m)
Corbett
Marilyn
Accommodation - hostel, Inverness
Transport - train to Kingussie
Route - Followed track all the way to the summit, returned the same way, and used paths over second peak
Conditions - cold wind on summits, lots of Juniper along route

Creag Dubh (756m) Graham
Accommodation - hostel, Inverness
Transport - train to Newtonmore
Route - Track through woods from riding centre, then rough ground and patchy path to summit
Conditions - hillfog on summit, cool wind, light showers

Torr Achilty (256m) Marilyn
Accommodation - hostel, Inverness
Transport - bus to Contin
Route - Rough ground through wet woods and on to summit
Conditions - rain, deep undergrowth made it hard work


Pennines - December 2005
Boulsworth hill (517m) Marilyn
Accommodation - hostel, Manchester
Transport - train to Colne
Route - Followed the road to the reservoirs, and climbed via the permissive path
Conditions - damp, hillfog on summit

Winter Hill (456m) Marilyn
Accommodation - hostel, Manchester
Transport - train to Blackrod
Route - Road to Horwich, and vehice track to summit
Conditions - misty low down, clear and cool on top


Loch Lochy - September 2005
Carn Dearg (815m) Corbett
Accommodation - hostel
Transport - bus from Fort William to Skye, stops at Loch Lochy
Route - left road on zig zag forest track, then broke through top of forest at fence. (forest extended 100m higher then OS map shows). Crossed moorland to summit.
Conditions - breezy with hillfog and frequent heavy showers

Meall Na Teanga (917m)
Sron A Choire Ghairbh (935m)
Ben Tee (901m)
Munro
Munro
Corbett
Accommodation - hostel
Transport - bus from Fort William to Skye, stops at Loch Lochy
Route - Followed forest track and good path between the two Munros, then followed worn tracks to both summits. From Sron A Choire Ghairbh, I then continued around the broad ridge to the deep col with Ben Tee. A direct ascent was followed by a booggy walk out.
Conditions - bright, but slowly clouding over.

Ciste Dhubh (982m) Munro
Accommodation - hostel
Transport - bus from Fort William to Skye, stops at Cluanie
Route - From Cluanie, went up the glen to the foot of Ciste dhubh, climbed up the ridge, and returned the same tediously boggy way.
Conditions - heavy showers


Just for the record, here's the latest count of summits visited.

Munros
203
Corbetts
45
Grahams
23
Marilyns
553


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