Top Bomby!

I've been going for walks at Inchree for as long as I can remember. Located halfway between Glencoe and Fort William, and being just off the A82 it's a great place to go and get a breath of fresh air, take in the views and stretch the legs.

Looking back down the gorge at Inchree on a perfect October day.

There's a couple of paths set out by the Forestry Commission, the most popular one taking you along and above the canyon. There's a couple of viewing platforms from where you can get a bird's eye view of the river cascading down the tiers of waterfalls beneath. It's a magical spot, with the views to the sea loch and the distant mountains behind. How many times have I stood there looking down into that river!

'Slot and drop'. Getting to grips with the canyon.

Curiosity eventually gets the better of me, and this river gorge is no exception. It's taken a number of years, but eventually I took the plunge. Literally. And signed up with local activity company Vertical Descents for a closer look, and some 'canyoning'.

The zip wire. Quite a buzz.

The descent down the canyon starts off fairly gently. With a qualified guide on hand, a wet suit and bouyancy aid proivided and fixed ropes in place it's a nice start to the new activity that's finding growing popularity with every year. A little bit of sliding down watery shutes, a jump into a pool and for the faint hearted or the more challenging obstacle, a bit of downclimbing into trhe depths of the gorge.

 

The Big Drop. Intimidating from the top, but the greatest feeling afterwards. 

However, there is the odd act of madness thrown in for good measure. The zip wire descent off a particularly big waterfall is just the best fun as you hurtle down into the pool below. And then there's the 'big one'. I have to admit that I had to take a deep breath and a short moment to find the courage to leep off the peaty ledge. But what a rush when it's done!

All in all, it was a blast. Highly recommended for anyone looking to try something a little more adventurous and a little different. For the brave, there's plenty of jumps to tackle. For the more timid, there's a guide on hand to keep you right, and should it feel like a step too far then there's always a chicken run to get you round a particular obstacle. Book your trip now!

Try this short video clip for some more of the action from Inchree falls with Vertical Descents. 

And next week I'm off with Vertical Descents again, this time to try some Coasteering. Can't wait!

 

For more suggestions of  activities in the Glencoe area visit our web site. 

Pulpit Rock - A82 overnight closures

Transport Scotland
4 June  2013

Overnight closures on  A82 as Pulpit Rock  progresses

Preparatory works on the £9.2m A82 Pulpit Rock Improvement scheme gets underway on Monday 10 June for two weeks.

Contractor McLaughlin & Harvey will carry out this early work, including the creation of a temporary platform for siting plant, as part of their preparations for building the new structure.

For the safety of road users and road workers, the A82 will be closed at Pulpit Rock, south of Ardlui, between 10pm and 6am each night with the exception of Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd when the road will remain open.

The A82 will remain open on either side of the closure. Diversion routes for through traffic are:

•           northbound via the A83 at Tarbet, A819 and A85

•           southbound via the A85 at Tyndrum, A819 and A83.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:

“This early work will represents a welcome milestone in our efforts to finally remove the traffic lights and congestion from this part of the A82.

“The revised closures, welcomed by stakeholders, have been scheduled to minimise impact on local communities, businesses and visitors to this part of the country.”

Drivers are advised to check www.trafficscotland.org for further information about these works and for real-time journey planning advice.

For more information - http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/A82-Improvements/A82-Pulpit-Rock

1. Transport Scotland is the Scottish Government’s national transport agency responsible for; aviation, bus, freight and taxi policy;  coordinating the National Transport Strategy for Scotland; ferries, ports and harbours; impartial travel services; liaising with regional transport partnerships, including monitoring of funding; local roads policy; major public transport projects; national concessionary travel schemes; rail and trunk road networks; sustainable transport, road safety and accessibility; the Blue Badge Scheme. Transport Scotland is an Executive agency accountable to Scottish Ministers. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/
   
2. Information including dates for future overnight closures and the full closure will begin to be publicised in advance as far as possible, using the Transport Scotland website, Traffic Scotland, variable message signs and newspaper adverts.
   
3. The proposed dates for the night time closures are:

·         10th to 24th June 2013 (except 21^st & 22^nd)                   

·         3 weeks in August 2013 & 3 weeks in September 2013

·         2 weeks in October 2013 & 1 week in November 2013

·         Less than 1 week in March 2014

·         1 week in April 2014 & 1 week in May 2014

·         A full closure of less than 1 week in January 2014

·         There may be opportunities for  “wave-throughs”  during the overnight closures in October/November to permit traffic to pass and this will be confirmed nearer the time.

The £9.2m contract for construction was awarded to McLaughlin & Harvey in February 2013.

5 Points of Contact

The world of climbing has moved on over the decades. Boundaries have been pushed and equipment has been improved. The challenges of previous decades have long since been overtaken and surpassed. However, there is still one route that remains elusive, and certainly one style on one route that has yet to be repeated nearly 30 years on.

Anyone visiting Clachaig will be familiar with the west face of Aonach Dubh. The beer terrace outside the lounge bar provides a grandstand view of this precipitous face in Glencoe. In there are a variety of rock climbs on the face, from classic easy mountain routes, to even more classic difficult grades. But in winter, when the face ices up and the gullies progressively fill with avalanched snow, the face really comes into its own. Clachaig can become a bit like Grindelwald beneath the Eiger, as you sit back with a beer and watch distant specs tackle the various gullies and ice falls.

There has to be a long cold spell before one particular route comes into condition. At the bottom of No. 5 gully, progressive dripping and freezing can see the formation of a huge icicle. Named Elliot's Downfall after the shepherd family in the cottage below, it can take several weeks before it 'touches down' and even then it's notorious for being weak and unstable - and steep! But, like bees round a honey pot, the climbers are watching and waiting for their chance at this iconic Glencoe winter route.

Elliot's Downfall preparing for 'touchdown' left of centre.  No 6 gully on the right.

Back pedal to the mid 1980s. Family Daynes had not long arrived to take over tenure at Clachaig (and are still here 30 years later). Mal Duff was running his winter climbing courses based at Clachaig Chalets. Winters were proper winters back then, or so the rumour has it, and the glen was buzzing with climbers. The Boots Bar at Clachaig has probably been guilty of being the starting point for many hair brained schemes over the years, being as it is, the perfect environment for post adventure discussions and daring alcohol fueled bravado when planning the next.

The famous Rick, mid climb. Back in the Boots Bar, where he belongs.

No surprise then that Mal hatched a plan to go and climb Elliot's Downfall, along with Jon Tinker and Rick Nowack, who joined Mal each winter from his usual home in California. However,...

So Elliot's Downfall was climbed naked except for a helmet, harness and some yeti gaiters. Some purists do criticise the ascent however, maintaining that it was akin to aid climbing, as 5 points of contact were used! Peter Daynes got dragged away from the grind at Clachaig to go and record the ascent. Mal's somewhere up there at the end of the rope. Look carefully and you'll see Jon Tinker on a hanging belay, easily identified by his Rasta hat. And yes, that's Rick making history.

Elliot's Downfall is rarely repeated, and we suspect that it'll be a few winters yet before it's climbed  naked once more. Hopefully!

SSDT visit Clachaig Gully

The annual Scottish Six Day Trial, and the accompanying Pre '65 Trial which is based in Kinlochleven is a great event and it's a shame that we always seem too busy to get out to more of the stages and enjoy some of the action.

The organising committee must have taken this on board for 2013, and added in a special stage for us, right on the doorstep! On the way back down the glen, the competitors took on a short stage on the screes at the bottom of Clachaig Gully yesterday. The car parks were full (unless you had a van or a motorbike you'd feel very much out of place!) and the weather behaved - at least for most of the day.

 Really enjoyed the action and hope that we'll see the riders again soon as they continue to battle through the wilds of Lochaber for the remainder of the week.

Here's some photos of the action.

Big Winter Raffle Prize Winners

Saturday night (2nd March 2013) saw not only the end of FebruaryFest, with the usual good craic to close the festival, but also the prize draw for the Big Winter Raffle. There were prizes galore handed out to our lucky prize winners, including our top prize of a Mammut Pulse Barryvox Avalanche Transceiver.  Some big smiley faces were noted at the handing out of the prizes, presumably attributable to the opportunity of a big kiss from keeper-of-the-prizes Stu.

First prize. A Pulse Barryvox Avalanche Transceiver.
Thanks to Mammut.

The Big Winter Raffle has been running throughout FebruaryFest, with all monies raised being handed over to Glencoe Mountain Rescue.

The Winter Mountain Safety Lectures are a key part of the winter programme here at Clachaig, and this year we were delighted to work with outdoor gear and clothing company Mammut as sponsors of the series. Close to 400 people attended the 4 lectures, which provide information, advice and guidance on preparing to venture into the Scottish winter hills.

As part of the sponsorship, Mammut provided a number of prizes which enabled us to run the Big Winter Raffle and raise funds for the voluntary rescue service. 

In addition, a number of our local partners were also quick to come forward with yet more attractive prizes. A huge thank you is due to everyone who embraced this fundraising effort.

And the total raised? A whopping £1821

 

 2nd Prize. A 3 night break at Quarry Cottages.
A prize from Clachaig Holidays.

Here's a selection of photographs from Saturday's finale featuring just some of the prizes and winners. Thanks to Karl at Glencoe Photography for the photos. 

 A bottle of Clachaig Malt. That'll do nicely!

Clachaig Inn

 A bottle of Benromach 10 Year Old.
Thanks to Benromach Distillery for this one.

 A Benromach Henri Lloyd holdall.
Thanks Benromach Distillery.

 A gaggle of Cairngorm Beers.

Thanks Cairngorm Brewery

A rafting / canyoning voucher.
Thanks Vertical Descents.

 Some more Cairngorm Beers. Nice!
Thanks Cairngorm Brewery again.

 A lovely hamper of goodies.
Thanks Glencoe Cafe

Some Loch Lomond Ales.

Thanks Loch Lomond Brewery

 A nice bottle of red. Thanks to Wallaces Express.

 Thank you very much to our main sponsor!

A big thank you to everyone who has provided prizes during the course of the Big Winter Raffle or who has helped out in kind, or simply given £1 to a worthy cause. We salute you!

Mammut
Paddle Lochaber
Vertical Descents
Glencoe Cafe

Crafts & Things

Benromach Distillery
Cairngorm Brewery
Loch Lomond Brewery
Wallaces Express

Glencoe Photography
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
Mike, Andy, Heather and Davy - the lecturers

Clachaig Holidays
The staff at Clachaig

Everyone who bought a ticket!

Hopefully, we'll be back again with the Big Winter Raffle 2014!

Arivonie - Lochside Cottage

Arivonie - Lochside Cottage has always been one of the more popular properties in the portfolio of chalets, lodges and cottages offered by Clachaig Holidays.

Keen fans have been slightly disappointed recently to find that the property has been unavailable through these winter weeks. However, the extensive refurbishment is now nearing completion, and the cottage will be available for booking again from mid March.

New colours for the dining area.

The entire house, garage and gardens have been subjected to some degree of refurbishment. The lounge has a new, more contemporary colour scheme.

A familiar view but something's different?

 The main difference here however, is the old croft stone wall has been exposed completely and a new solid fuel stove has been added. It generates a lovely amount of heat and along with the stone and beams makes for a fantastic cosy atmosphere on cold winter nights.

The TV has also been replaced, with a new 32" flat screen. Freeview comes as standard, but we can't provide FreeSat or Sky until some moves either a mountain or a satellite!

Lounge / dining room.

 Broadband wi-fi is available throughout the cottage. 

The new solid fuel stove. Cosy!

There's a completely new bathroom suite in the main bathroom, along with new shower and floor coverings and a colour scheme.

New bathroom suite, new colours.

The old garage was finally condemned and is now replaced by a lovely shiny new one. At the front end there's secure storage for such as bikes and other larger bits of equipment.

New garage with bike store and laundry.

 A door to the side provides access to the rear of the garage where we've created a large laundry space.  The washing machine has been relocated, and additional storage space provided. A great place for drying off kit - on the off chance that it rains and you get a little damp during your time in the glen!

The laundry - nearing completion.

The garden has had the most extensive works, with new terraces built. There's still a little bit of final finishing to do up here but with a small lawned area and good hard standing we expect that it will be a great place to relax and take in the view across Loch Leven to the Callart Hills when the summer sun returns.

The garden has had a makeover too. New terraces.

 Bookings are now being taken for the remainder of 2013. With the new look and some excellent facilities we expect that Arivonie Lochside Cottage will be more popular than ever. Don't delay with your booking if you're thinking of heading to Glencoe this year.

For more information about the cottage see the Clachaig Holidays web site. Or for booking enquiries send us an email.

Tragic Events In Glencoe

Glencoe in the headlines again. News of this weekend's avalanche in Glencoe and the tragic loss of life spread far and wide, and in these days of social media, very quickly too. Thanks to everyone who has been in touch over the last couple of days offering their thoughts and condolences. We need to add our own offers of condolence to these and pass them all on to families and friends, and everyone affected by the tragedy.

I have to confess to finding this the hardest blog to write. But with so many taking an interest, and Clachaig being almost within view of Bidean, I feel there should be something to acknowledge the weekend's events.

I wrote this on my own Facebook profile last night, and I think it strikes the right tone. Apologies if it's a little personal. 

Saturday's rescue was as professional and as slick as you could ever hope for. Some great sustained flying from the navy, plenty of support from Lochaber and the well greased machine that is Glencoe MRT, all brought together with some excellent leadership. Proud to be still part of it after all these years but still gutted that it couldn't change the outcomes on the day. But it all comes at a cost. Keeping the team on the hill and me in this year's colours requires donations to fund it. Anyone riding the Strathpuffer deserves a medal regardless, but it would be great if you could give these guys some added incentive for this weekend with a little donation to the cause. Chris wooped me and the rest of the field at Barcaldine last Sunday and joined us for our Wednesday night tree dodging at Inchree. Being a true gent, he even helped with Gregor's puncture while the rest of us looked on. A tragic loss. 

And here's the link that went with it. 

http://www.justgiving.com/Luke-Bradley

Chris Bell.
Victorious at the WHW/NACC Winter League last Sunday in Sutherland's Grove.
Photo credit & copyright Fiona Gunn

I know we regularly ask for your contributions in our raffles at Clachaig, but at risk of sounding like a second rate Hollywood script, it's personal.

Now is probably a good time to remind you of the Winter Mountain Safety Lectures which are due to start in a couple of weeks time. Education has to be the key to trying to minimise the number of accidents in the hills, and these lectures are just part of that processs of acquiring and refreshing the type of knowledge that might just one day help to save another life.

We're passionate about them. They've been a feature of winters in Glencoe for over 20 years. They're FREE to attend. They're informative. And, usually, they're quite entertaining too.

As with just about everything these days, funding constraints at the Mountaineering Council of Scotland put the full series under threat. However, we're very pleased to have Mammut on board as sponsors, supporting the series.  In addition to funding the basic costs, Mammut have also provided a few goodies, not least of which is a Pulse Barryvox Transceiver, which we'll be raffling during the course of FebruaryFest, with funds raised being given to Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team.

The lecture dates are as follows (with links for each one)

Tuesday 5th February
Tuesday 12th February
Tuesday 19th February
Tuesday 26th February

So, I guess we're trying to grab onto something positive out of all of this. We know that people will always continue to head into the hills. If you are heading to Glencoe this winter, try and catch one of the lectures while you're here. Oh, and buy a raffle ticket.

MRT Avalanche Training Weekend at Nevis Range

Glencoe MRT Just Giving

Thanks for reading.

Ed