Akto, an II

At the beginning of July, 2006, my Hilleberg Akto arrived. Last year I marked this with a post called: A Year With An Akto. So, what has happened in Year II? The only maintenance on the tent was the repair of a hole that appeared.

Kit

I pack the night before an early start, and find that laying my kit on the bed is a great aide memoir. I make piles of clothing to wear, carry and so-forth. Unlike what follows, which doesn't go into each nook and cranny of every pocket.

Footwear

My preference is still for the Scarpa ZG65 boots. I had swapped out the footbeds with the moulded superfeet. I use Nikwax cleaning products after brushing or washing off excess mud.

Recently I have tried the TNF Hedgehog XCR trail shoes, swapping out the laces with those from my old Inov8 Terrocs. I picked up some blisters in Dartmoor and tightened up the lace fittings on return, no problem walking in last week, but picked up 1 1/2 blisters on the return as I had forgot to change out of the Sealskinz socks I was using as camp shoes.

My favourite pair of socks are a black & grey pair labelled "Ultimax", and have a spare pair of socks in my kit. I find that the Air Force X-socks make my feet smell.

Pack

I am still using the Osprey Atmos as pack of choice. In fact, for overnights to longer, it is a comfortable pack that handles what I throw at it. I could shave some weight off by using a smaller pack for short trips, but I can't afford it and just tighten the straps on the pack.

I bought a new Camelbak hydration sack during the year, and now use the insulated one. I might be imagining that it keeps the cold water colder.

Poles are still the PacerPoles. They are good at doing the job, and I break them down after hikes, and sometimes at night too, to stop the mechanism seizing.

Kitchen

On my last two trips, I took the MiniBullDesign Blackfly 3 meths stove. I never liked the open fire meths stoves as they seemed too uncontrollable to me. This small stove uses two ends of a wick to boil enough cold water for a brew in about 10 minutes. Slower than my Primus Micron, but I can merely refill the fuel bottle at the end of a trip. I cannot do that with gas. After about 4 days, the size of a gas canister starts making it viable again.

The mug/bowl combo from GSI is great, and I've been using the folding spoon instead of the folding spork (photos). I still have food to sort, and haven't had a serious attempt at freezer bag cooking. I have a cupboard of supplies, and just grab what I need.

Bob kindly sent me an AquaGear water filter to test (and I've still got the write-up to complete). This lives in the side pocket of a pack, and I use it to drink at a packs-off stop. I also fill the hydration bag from it.

Sleep Kit

My bag is still the Cumulus Ultralight 350. It does the job. I can unzip it and use it as a duvet. I slide the Insul Mat Max Thermo Lite down the inside of the pack. It is full length and I didn't find it cold when out in the low temperature. Having failed to replace it with an Exped, I might try next year's Thermarest release.

After seeing an Ajungilak Air Pillow in use, I upgraded from rolling up clothing into and around a stuff sack. Mine now lives in a small waterproof Exped stuffsack.

From the washing line I have rigged from ties in my tent, I can hang a small torch, as well as the more Alpkit powerful headtorch (I've not used the e+lite since the meet at Brecon last year). My pack stays at the foot end of the tent, kitchen outside in the porch, and fragile things safely up at the head end.

Clothing

With Sunday's purchase, my base layer is all merino wool. Shreddies, long-johns and longsleeve t-shirt.

Beyond that, my trousers are Paramo, meaning I can leave the waterproof overtrousers at home. Above that is a TNF fleece, and Montane primoloft lined windshirt. Buff and maybe a bonnet live in the pockets, along with liner gloves and Garmin Geko 201. In the top of my pack is a Montane Quickfire waterproof jacket.

I replaced my 'Ultimate' hat with a cammo one from Mackays, and sprayed it a couple of times with Nikwax waterproofing. The brim keeps the sun and rain off, and it folds into my pocket.

Housekeeping

The first aid kit, toilet bag and lotion & potions make up most of the rest of the kit. The small containers that I got this year allowed me to take various items like germolene and soap in smaller bottles.

Hiking

Last year finished with illness outside Killin, the pain returned and I got little hiking done as I was concerned that whatever it was would return. A trip to the physiotherapist ruled out a hernia. I got some short walks in, and bagged no further Munros until late Spring. In early summer, I was signed off with cellulitis. As it was still itchy and swollen, I wanted to keep pressure off it, so used that as an excuse not to get much done before a trip to Dartmoor in the summer.

So, in the last year, despite illness, I have hiked 132km (80 miles), spent 7 nights in my Akto, and bagged 1 Munro. Not as good as I could have been, but my motivation has been hit by concerns about another bout of pains. The main lesson this has raised is, whatever you do, don't say you go hiking, as the medicos seem to jump on that as the causes of illness. For the pain in my side, it was caused by my rucksack. I tried to explain to the doc that the pains started in my flat, before I went near my pack. And the infection in my leg was due to a tick (there weren't any) or a midge (ditto).

Some pitches

And now, some pitches with the best all-round solo tent in existence. I store the fabric in its carry bag, and then put that inside an Exped compression bag. This lies across the rucksack, near the top. The peg bag and pole all fit into the supplied bag, and that goes inside the rucksack on the side opposite the hydration tube exit. When I pitch the tent, I make sure that no gust of wind can lift empty bags, so clip the compression bag to my rucksack, and put the empty tent bags into it as I am pitching the tent.

Happy trails.

The Real Monarch of the Glen ep1

Message sent to BBC iPlayer folk:

Cracking job on the iPlayer, but when will you include BBC Scotland and not just BBC England? For example, some mates down south wanted to watch "The Real Monarch of the Glen" (BBC2 Scotland), so I pointed them to your iPlayer. Only then did one of the chaps point out your lack of regional programming.

I'm not interested in when the TV down south will show the prog, but just why your iPlayer is biased against us up here. As you are constantly working hard to improve the iPlayer, I hope that this oversight will be corrected shortly.

The programme - merely reshowing clips from the original, with expanded material. Mr Lister playing to the camera when eating ants in Scandinavia. Terms like "the cycle of life", "enclosed reserve", "fenced reserve" and "let's just do it". Sweeping statements from the programme-makers "make a remote spot ... a little wilderness", and "now the first animals are back".

I'm sure the BBC will bring out inconsistencies, like bringing employment to the area, but the construction workers were Polish (heck, maybe they live in the area, I don't know). 700 brown bears in the whole of Sweden (stated the script), yet Mr Lister wants wants to introduce 12 to his small estate. Estate: 23,000 acres. Sweden: 111,188,530 acres. Obviously pure maths doesn't work here as the scientists know how much room these bears need. The same bears that  "won't be shy as they'll have less woods to hide in".

Anyone up for pony-trekking in amongst un-shy brown bears? I think I'll need to bag that Munro before the whatever-it-is-just-don't-call-it-a-zoo opens.

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Filed under "Celebrity Interviews", there's an interview with Mr Lister in the Daily Record (story-link). Just don't bother doing a search for the word "zoo" in the interview. Nor is there mention of the Local Authority's objection to part of the proposal. In fact, the only mention of opposing views is in the statement that "Ramblers - some of whom have raised opposition to Paul's plans - currently number 300 on the estate each year." Therefore it could be implied that the number of objections are a subset of 300 (here's a link to the MCoS newsletter in case you want to hear objections from non-Ramblers).

But, hey, I wasn't going to start listing faults with the media. Good luck to the project. I've said things elsewhere that you can read if you are interested, so I won't repeat them here.

"Scotland is a nation on the move. We will accept nothing less than success." Oh, that was the First Minister, during his "Free to Prosper" speech and not Mr Lister.

I look forward to the rest of the series, and hope that the later programmes reveal more facts about Scotland being open for business, though perhaps the term "Monarch" in the title says all about the due deference being paid so far.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sky

Spurred on by George's video postings, I wheeched together the few video clips I'd taken last weekend, and hoyed them into a clip on YouTube. As noted from London, you can select to view the videos in "high quality". It obviously takes longer to download, and is still at 320 x 240 pixels, but should be less "blocky". Of course, the GIGO principle still applies.

Updated My Munros map list.

--update--

Higher quality version now available (640x480 pixels, click the link that says "Watch in High Quality", just below the video) . There's no way to select the HQ version without going to the website, or changing your YouTube settings (see link).

Carn a' Mhaim

Carn a' Mhaim. Now, off to the car. This message has been sent from an altitude of 1037m.

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Looking along the Luibeg Burn

Snow

Looking back along the track that I walked along.

Looking west to Bod an Deamhain

Another false summit

Brown trouser time for me as my nerves take a beating.

A long way down to the Corrour Bothy.

Knobbly bit

Looking across to the stream I forded yesterday

Track to the summit

Cairn a' Mhaim (1037m/3402ft) [Munro 46]

looking back to the summit.

The way ahead.

The panorama to the south.

Looking back to the north

The path drops away

The way home.

My car's awaaaay down there at the end of the green valley.

My left knee starts giving me jip as I slowly, reassuringly, stomp my way down the path

 

Been there. Done that. Cracking pathwork has been done.

Sunday. The long way back

At 825m north west of Carn a'Mhaim (1037m). I didn't want to tempt fate by planning it in, but checked through the guidebooks on Friday night to remind myself of what to watch for. George n Keith know i'm taking this way back to the car. Glorious weather but windy.

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George and Keith breaking camp

George and Keith heading away from Corrour Bothy, walking up the Lairig, and eventually to Aviemore.

There has been a lot of pathwork done to the bothy.

North up the Lairig Ghru with Braeriach on the far left.

Track up Allt Clach nan Taillear

Track is good at stages

Local wildlife

View of the Lairig and Braeriach from 750m

PodZine 19.11.07

Colin Prior is interviewed by Bob Cartwright in this week's TOS Podzine. Bob catches Colin before he leads a photographic tutorial group to Bhutan.

The Podzine 19/11/07

Download MP3 File

An earlier interview still exists in Bob's old page (link).

I have his work on a screensaver on my works laptop. His work is inspirational for me. For instance, sitting on top of Ben Hope in 2005, I noticed the clouds below me, creeping around the eastern side of the hill. So, I'm freezing at 3,041 feet, after sleeping on the lower slopes, and I do what I can with my point-and-click. All because of the articles in TGO magazine, which got me thinking about what I was seeing.

PodZine released a day early. Bob uses the unforgivable term "Crimble", shudder. He also has some new sfx for his competition winner machine, I was just waiting for it to go "quack, quack, oops". And the winner of the Alpkit down sleeping was ... not me.

Unleash the Hounds

Opinionated rubbish posted in response to Chris Townsend's article "Alladale Again: Bothy Closed, PR Machine Ramped Up"

Well, the landlords are doing it again. Bring it on, and we'll see if Scotland really is a democracy. My great-grandfather was a Pairc raider, spent time in jail for standing up to the landlords. Is this a land fit for heroes, or a place where the law is pochled when money is on the table.

A few jobs (some for locals, or just open to all?) and ignore the tourists that come worldwide to hike in Scotland, bringing money to local communities and not just the estate. Hey ho, the money can go elsewhere, I'll certainly not be visiting after I've bagged the Munro.

I'll second Chris' comments - I'd love to see some more re-introduced species. Unlike some people, for me I like new experiences rather than speed and running. Slow and steady, taking in all I can, enjoying life and enjoying the experience, trying not to pi55 off too many people - okay, no-one that doesn't deserve it anyway. And a quick knee in the nuts of any wolf that gets too close, crying the old Gaelic warcry of "gwan yah bass!"

Loch Glas' station

Oft seen from, but not pictured herself. Webcam link. Map link.

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After that it was simply a matter of driving across to the east coast. Luckily my CF card was almost full by this time else I'd never have got home.

Ben Wyvis as the moon rises.

First shot at taking photo of Moon, and this is what I got. Two images side by side. Tripod with remote control, 4.5 seconds at f/5.6 and 200mm zoom. ISO-100. I used the only filter that I had packed, the polarising one. I'll need to read up on settings before making a proper attempt.

My Munros

Mosh up of Google Maps and My Maps

Bailed Out

I waited for Malcolm and party to arrive, for his compleation trek up Sgiath Chuil. Sadly i can't make it, so gave him the cake and malt that i was going to break out on the summit. Cancelled the campsite and heading home. Bleah.

Meall Ghaordaidh

Munro 45. Why? 1039m and i've been asking myself that for over half the trek. It proves nothing to me, it only burns off the rubbish i've been eating, so why bother going out. Oh, i can see more of remote and beautiful Scotland. So what? I could do that in front of the telly or via the Web. What have i achieved that taking up jogging wouldn't do? And it'd be cheaper too. No arguments over tents, tarps, fuel, boots, shoes, magazines, forums or the like. Ah well, best get off this lump of rock and find a pitch for the night. I should have brought some Milton to read, that'd cheer me up.