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2010

Neale's last Munro - Creise on Sat 18th September.

Invitation to all, but please let Neale and/or Nick know so that catering can be confirmed.

Meet in the Car Park Kingshouse Hotel, to leave from there at 10:00am.  Meet afterwards at Ben More Lodge Hotel, Crianlarich for a celebration.  Transport will be sorted out before the date.  There is an amount of rock scrambling involved.

Wild Camping 3 - 25/26 May.

This was a short trip, rearranged because of people's other commitments and meant being back in Blairgowrie for 09:00.  We visited Pitcarmick Burn on the Cateran Trail, a particularly scenic location.  While the sun was out it was warm but once clouded over the temperature dropped.  Despite the forecast overnight frost it actually rained, though had as before dried up by dawn.  After pitching camp and having an evening meal a short dusky walk found a quizzical roe deer wondering why humans would be around at that time, but it soon ran off to meet its friends.  The noisy cuckoo had also decided to bed down so we followed suit.  Dawn heralded an early wakening.  One unnamed member decided to start his breakfast at 05:30.  Even the slowest of people didn't need 3 hours for breakfast and packing kit away!  But by 07:50 we started to walk out, and got back to Blairgowrie by 08:45.  Mission accomplished.

New milestone (or should it be kilometre-stone?)

Collectively we have now climbed more than a Megametre.  As of 18 May 2010 we climbed 1,002,763m (or 623 miles).

BaDNS reaches new heights.  Ben Nevis    13-15 May

or 'The Moon is Round, with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth'

The 'Hill in the clouds'

The eagerly anticipated trip to Ben Nevis (look what Granny can do!) went ahead in what turned out to be reasonable weather, and for a change affording us views to the north between the clouds and snow showers.  This was our first multi-day trip and involving staying away in a hostel for two nights.  Come what may we were going to get at least some of us up there and in that we succeeded.  The round trip was completed in 8hrs 45mins.  Pretty good for a group of an admitted combined age of 750, averaging 63yrs old.  With a relatively slow ascent, 3 meal stops and several drink breaks this was very respectable.  In fact everyone achieved a number of different goals, and even Jim and Lily did the equivalent of 3 Glen Shee Munros, eventually getting well above halfway lochan, some achievement all things considered.  What started off at the bottom as a very hot and windless day got progressively cooler, windier and cloudier as we got higher, and higher.  At around 1000m we went into the cloud and shortly afterwards hit the snow.  On the summit there was at least a metre of deep packed snow so that the door jambs on the remains of the hotel were less than a metre high!  A biting wind and showers of snow meant we didn't hang around but long enough to get some fine views between the clouds of the hills to north and the shape of the summit plateau.  We did have time for a bite to eat and also feed the local wildlife (a snow bunting).  The descent was as usual the hard part, a continual slog down which meant that everyone (yes!) used walking poles.  A mad dash to the hostel to get showered and changed, and then back for a pint and a very welcome meal in the Ben Nevis Inn.  The drive back on Saturday morning was very muted and I'm sure some had gone back to sleep, though a cup of tea and bacon roll at Dalwhinnie woke them all up again. 

Silver Navigation    24/25 April

This session was run in much different weather conditions, no snow, sun and a little rain on Sunday.  The venues again were Alyth Hill and Cochrage Muir.  Both places provided lots of interesting ground and challenging targets.  At a bronze level the navigation is relatively simple going from one identified point on the map to another, following some linear feature.  At a silver level accurate use of the compass is needed, along with good distance judging skills and also taking account of terrain shape and catching features.  This is much more demanding, in terms of accuracy and because of the nature of the ground physically as well.  Silver standard navigation probably covers around 96-97% of all hill navigation, so most likely situations are covered.  However, passing the course is the start of gaining experience at that level and to be truly proficient extensive additional experience is required.  Charlie, Anne, Nichola, and Lily have now joined the ranks of those starting to operate at this level.  Well done!

Wild Camping-2 22/23 April

For this session the intrepid group visited Glen Derby.  A relaxed walk in of around 2½ miles from the Log Cabin Hotel in Kirkmichael.  Arriving in time to set up, have an evening meal, and little wander before it got dark.  This is the site of a substantial abandoned fermtoun, with many house walls, storage pits, field and pen dykes still visible.  This was a substantial hill settlement in its time.  The main house, presumably for the tenant or tacksman, still has its four walls standing.  Evidence of an upstairs fireplace and rone pipe is there so it must have been quite something compared to the workers' rather ruder cottages.  The weather forecast had predicted a bit of wind early on, which didn't materialise and neither did the sleet and snow.  Though it did rain overnight, stopping before dawn.

Silver Navigation 13/14 March

Compared to the bronze level this was far more demanding in terms of accuracy and skills with a compass.  The first training was done on Alyth Hill, demonstrating that many tracks were not as marked on the map, though the skills being taught gave people the confidence to accommodate these 'minor' difficulties.  The second day was on Cochrage Muir.  Open ground and a lot of off-track work.  We had some rain as well, precipitation not having been experienced for many weeks!  Well done to Jean, Marjory and Mike on passing the course.

        I can't see it, -- don't panic!

Bronze Navigation 6/7 March

Another 4 people successfully undertook their bronze navigation award.  Compared to April last year (below) it was undertaken under very trying conditions with the tracks covered in deep wet snow hampering progress.  Well done to Pat, Hanne, Irene and Charlie.

    Lunch time and then an assessment!

    Nearly finished - phew!

A Wee Limerick

The BaDNS have done it again,

Tramping many a hill and a glen,

They didn't get lost,

Cos' they know how it costs,

To get rescued and back home again.

from Chris Campbell

2009

Annual Xmas Dinner, AGM and Awards

Held this year at the newly opened Dalmore Inn and Refreshment.  Wonderful menu, excellent food and enjoyable company.  We undertook similar activities to last year but this time with the commencement of wild camping sessions.  Though these are dependent on a suitable weather window, we don't want to put people off too early!  Navigation training has taken place, the Walking Festival was run, and new challenges undertaken.  For next year, there will be more, a trip up Ben Nevis, more camping, more navigation, and additional challenges or long days out during late spring and summer, as well as the annual Walking Festival again.

Taken before the drinks started and everyone unusually quiet

(unlike when walking and they all wonder why we don't see wild-life close up!)

Christmas 2009

Here we are, another year over and its Christmas again,

Lots more walks done and all looking forward to 2010.

There’s been First-Aid courses and Map Reading too,

So all of the leaders can take good care of you.

There’s been hills to climb and long valley walks,

Then eat up your sandwiches behind sheltering rocks.

Some were afraid of the injured adder – not Nick,

He went to its rescue with his trusty stick.

Crossing the stream, getting wet – I saw someone frown,

‘Cos look, there’s a bridge, just a hundred yards down’.

But that’s just Nick’s way – his little jest,

As he pushes us on, to all do our best.

He showed how a thistle could be eaten for food,

Rely on that and your chance of survival ain’t good.

Some went wild camping without any bungle,

No eating of bugs like the celebs in the jungle.

The magic of that camping in Glen Shee,

You could see all the stars as you had your tea.

Then a walk in the dark with the hills all around,

And awake in the dawning, where the stillness abounds.

But joking aside, we’re all safe as we go,

Trusting behind him, through wind, sun and snow.

We’ll be back next year with excitement anew,

Eagerly anticipating more walks with Nick and with Sue.

Elizabeth Brown

December 2009

Children in Need Challenge

The planned Redmyre Loch walk on Wednesday 18th November was changed in favour of Children in Need.  The challenge was to get at least 30 participants to the top of a Munro.  While some had done this before at least 15 people had never in their wildest dreams thought they could do such a thing.  Well, with a fund raising effort of £683, 32 people made it and in a turn around time of just over 2 hours including a picnic lunch in the wind!  Little do they realise there are no excuses now!  With an average age of 64¼ this was no mean achievement and was completed by just plodding along putting one foot in front of the other, and a nerve wracking time for the leaders with so many first timers!  There were smatterings of snow on the surrounding hills and some ice on the puddles, but everyone coped.  The hill climbed was Carn Aosda at 917m (3009ft) above sea level, number 278 out of 283 so certainly not the lowest.  The weather was just about perfect, sunny without being hot, allowing views of Ben Macdui (the second highest hill in Britain), Cairngorm, the tors of Ben Avon and Lochnager all in distant view as well as the others east and west of the ski centre.

Well done!

Camping

The initial wild camping expedition was held overnight 17/18th September.  We went upstream along Baddoch Burn (beneath An Socach and Carn Aosda).  For an introductory session the weather and conditions couldn't have been better.  It was neither too hot nor cold, a slight breeze kept the midges at bay, and it was dry and clear.  Because the moon wasn't out visibility was poor but after a while night vision started to work and things could be seen in the sky and on the ground.  There was some hazy high level cloud which masked a lot stars, but the Milky Way was visible, along with the old-favourite the Plough and of course the Pole Star Polaris.  Mars and the Orion constellation were too low in the sky and behind the hills to the east.  The very bright object to the south was Jupiter.  A few low level satellites were also seen moving across the sky, probably GPS!  Before going for a short and dark walk a small herd of red deer were also seen against the north sky-line wondering what on earth was going on below them - mad humans!

    They took their time packing away - more practice needed!

    Time to get up (app 06:50) (Carn nan Gabhar in the centre)

    Everything put up successfully - time for tea!

Navigation

The first newsworthy event of 2009 has been that we have successfully held two National Navigation Award weekend training courses.  9 people have successfully passed and have more confidence in following where they are being led during their walking adventures.  The courses were held in Blackcraig Forest which proved a suitable venue for the Bronze level.  This standard is sufficient for what is probably 90% of occasions when people go walking by themselves.  Further courses are available by visiting Outdoor Adventures.

A sunny Blackcraig and instructor Nick Cole is asking Ron to take everybody else on a mystery tour.

The next newsworthy event is that on 20th April we completed our 200th walk since starting in May 2005.  Over this time we have collectively walked half way round the globe nearly 12,500 miles, and climbed over 430 miles high.  This is a significant achievement bearing in mind that the group's average age is 65! 

2008

Well another year over, and what have we done?  Refreshed and trained MiDAS drivers, refreshed and trained First Aiders, ran the Stride for Life walks for another year, climbed Schiehallion, ran another successful Walking Festival at the height of the Credit Crunch.  And most importantly ran an additional series of Moderate walks getting more people round the Cateran Trail, and into interesting and out of the way places.  We provided 1,919km of walks involving 68,230m of ascent.  All spread over 178 days on 1652 walk places.  In total we walked 17,685km, and ascended 628km, or over 2,000,000feet!  Elizabeth Brown wrote an ode to the group, just showing that some of us can do more than walk.

Annual Christmas Dinner Moderate and Advanced Walks at Bridge of Cally Hotel

This year's challenge was held on 23 September, just before the Walking Festival!  A group took on Schiehallion.  This is quite a high mountain 1083m, but it was done within the daylight time and a leisurely start (0900) from Blairgowrie.  For some it wasn't the first visit but it was quite a pleasant day, not too hot and not too cold.  What was surprising were the numbers of other people we met, but then this is an iconic mountain.

On 28th April at the third attempt a group managed to complete a climb of Driesh with the circuit of Mayar and Corrie Fee as well.  The first attempt was blizzarded off early last year, and a later attempt took too long with a member not feeling well so we had an early return to the minibus.  This time a smaller group braved the promised deluge and snow (above 700m).  They were all pleasantly surprised as the storm never materialised and despite a lot of soft, wet and slippery lying snow it was actually quite warm.  Clouds were low, around the top of Lochnagar level,  so we couldn't see quite as far as we would have liked.  A long descent into a very scenic Corrie Fee was the bonus for the day, especially on the recently repaired path!

With the valuable help of Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Services we have finally acquired access to our own minibus.  This has allowed the creation of a full programme of walks for the remainder of the year, and also re-scheduling the advanced walks to Tuesday giving our hard working leader and organiser opportunities for long weekends for the first time in 3 years.  With the flexibility that the minibus entails we can improve the Wednesday walks and go out on more interesting challenges at shorter notice.  Also, a major boost is that we do not have to worry about getting back in time for the next bus user.  Along with the flexibility comes additional expense so we have adjusted our subscription policy to include annual memberships to help.  A very big thank-you to PKAVS and the Community Transport Group.

Other recent successes have been a successful traverse of the Creag Leacach to Glas Maol ridge under winter conditions on 3rd March.  Expectation of a second lunch stop in the lee of the wall on Glas Maol was curtailed as when we got there it was already full of people.  The planned descent route had to be abandoned because of the presence of hard icy ground so we needed to return via the ascent route.  This extended the day somewhat.  In the process we covered 3 Munro tops!  Stunning distant views made up for the 50 to 60mph wind gusts, and powder snow.

With effect from 17th October 2007, BaDNS takes full responsibility for maintaining the successful Stride for Life Wednesday Walk programme.  This was set up by Perth and Kinross Leisure in partnership with Strathmore and the Glens.  It has always been dependent on volunteer walk leaders, who all come from BaDNS.  So therefore this has been a natural and logical management move.  Details of the walk programme are found in the index on the left or by following this link.

In addition demand for spaces on the more advanced walks has led to the establishment of a Thursday walk programme.  This fills the gap between the now highly experienced Monday walkers, all of whom came through the Wednesday programme, and the aspiring walkers also from Wednesday.  It will start by completing the Cateran Trail in manageable chunks and then continue with a more moderate programme.  Therefore BaDNS now offers a full range of led or guided walking opportunities with qualified walk leaders ranging from slow and short health walks up to multi-Munro bagging days.  Wednesday walks are time limited and take between 1 and 2 hours overall, Thursday walks will be intended to be back in Blairgowrie by approx 15:00, while the Monday walks will be returning as the day allows! 

2007

The 2007 challenge really was one!  On 25th June a small party took on Ben Lawers, the highest point in Perthshire at 1214m (3983ft).  To go any higher needed an airplane or given the wind a kite!  The weather was mixed but dry.  Out of the cloud it was sunny and warm, but behind this was a ferocious wind, forecast to be 31mph at the summit.  A slight underestimate as once we got there it was very difficult to stand up let alone move, it felt more like 70mph instead (if my memories of driving a motorbike were correct).  It was a struggle to climb and in the conditions it was often a case of a scramble instead of a walk or step climb.

Eight of us took this on, and we all made it, climbing  Beinn Ghlas as well as Ben Lawers itself - so 2 Munros!  We could have gone over Beinn Ghlas on the descent but there was a less windy option of descending to the col to the west instead.

On the way up we passed a party of Germans, totally unprepared for the conditions, huddled in the 10m visibility on Beinn Ghlas, expressing the view that they liked walking and were used to the Alps so Scotland was easy!  After a brief chat (advice) they decided discretion was the better part of valour and returned to the car park.  Their jeans and tennis shoes potentially the worse for wear.

Today was great achievement for all, and a first for several of the group.  It was a good effort and well done.

Oh, and the Exclosure reserve was interesting as well, and to crown the day I was able to get a photograph of Meall nan Tarmachan without any cloud for the first time ever!

2006

Our previous challenge was participating in the Eastern Cairngorm Challenge across Jock's Road.  This was an inaugural event for the newly completed trail and nature reserve in the Glen Doll area.  A team of 11 completed with an average age of 61 completed the route in a time of 7hrs 20mins.  Some half an hour of an earlier and rather younger group!

We also provided a certificated first aid training course for 12 of our members.  They are now qualified to national governing body standards for Emergency Aid in the Outdoors.

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