Author: Renegade Scot
1393View
14m 24sLenght

... Decided to spend 24 hours in the ‘Arrochar Alps' , Loch Lomond, wild camping and hillwalking some of the Munros. My hike covered around 21km, 13 miles and 1620m of accent not including all my ups and downs for filming. Apologies, some of my mountain name pronunciation in the film is well off. Need to practice them before filming. Was calling Beinn Ime as it is more or less spelled. However it is pronounced Eme. The ‘Arrochar Alps’ are spread around the head of Loch Long and the west side of Ben Lomond and are a group of very steep and rocky mountains with real character. Setting off at 8am I was planning on trying to get to the summit of three of the Alps that day, Ben Vane, Beinn Narnain and final summit camp on Beinn Ime. The weather was fantastic during the day but as has been happening recently with our topsy-turvy weather an Arctic blast was predicted to start heading down from the north later in the day. Due to route choice, the filming and stopping to look at the wonderful views it took me until about 4pm to reach the summit of my second munro Beinn Narnain. Had planned on coming down the back side of Ben Vane and then across and up to Beinn Ime first but the route was too steep for my liking. So took the long way round the road way and then cut up onto the rear of Beinn Narnain instead. After a little bit of deliberation I decided to press on and try to bag Beinn Ime but as I got down to the bealach between the two mountains as the weather started to change with dark clouds gathering and the wind picking up. At this point as well I was absolutely shattered and the distance covered was taking its toll. All the additional ups and downs of filming were taking its toll on my legs. As I had never been up this mountain before I was not too sure about doing a summit camp as I like to know and have an escape route should I need to get down in a hurry. Another reason was the tent that I had a loan of was an unknown quantity should the weather change for the worse and again didn’t want to end up having difficulties so decided to stop for the day at that point and head back down into the glen for the night instead. Had a fairly flat spot, looking down towards the length of the glen. Once at my chosen camp spot the weather cleared and blue sky came out again so do regret a little not having spent the night on a summit but as I found out later I wouldn’t have been able to share with you all anyway as my battery’ had all run out. Had taken six battery’s with me for my GoPro Hero 4 and with all the footage I had taken from the day I was down to my last seconds of film making just before night started to fall. Had a comfortable night in the ‘Tarptent Scarp 1’ that on first test seems to be a very good tent. Had very little condensation compared to some other tents I have recently tried and very grateful to YouTube film blogger Tim, ‘Savedpurplecat’ for kindly lending it to me to try on this little outing. https://www.youtube.com/user/savedpurplecat/videos Also got to try out my new Marmot Graviton 48 rucksack that I will put through its paces over the coming few months for review. ____________________________________________________ Despite their modest height, walking and climbing in the Scottish mountains may be made treacherous by their latitude and exposure to Atlantic weather systems. Even in summer, conditions can be atrocious; thick fog, strong winds, driving rain and freezing summit temperatures are commonplace. The content shown in my films are just my own opinions, thoughts and as a way to record my trips. Walking and hiking in the Scottish mountains & hills can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Hazards you may encounter include: Open moorland Terrain, few distinct landmarks, difficult navigation. Crags and steep drops near summits. Boggy areas. River/Stream levels can increase markedly in one day. Snow and ice on summits even in early summer. Sudden changes in weather conditions. Temperature decreases by 1 degree C for every 100m of ascent. Note: You are responsible for your own safety. Are you fit enough to complete your chosen walk in the available time? Ensure you have the correct clothing for the changeable Scottish weather. Know where you are going on the walk and follow the route on your map. At the very least carry a map & compass, survival bag, torch, whistle and small first aid kit. Ensure you have enough food plus emergency rations. Cold temperatures will reduce the life of your batteries. In severe winter conditions you must carry an ice axe. You are also recommended to carry crampons. Learn and know how to use your equipment. _________________________________________________________________ Filmed entirely with 'GoPro Hero 4' in 4K - 'Removu M1+A1' Be aware that all film content and information is copyright and cannot be used for commercial purposes.