Scotland
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werdigo49
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Update on preparations
Money: Wachovia delivered currency to my door the day after I ordered it. I hadn't checked the exchange rate, and theirs seemed high, but the convenience was attractive. When I got home and turned the TV on I found they had charged what looks like a 5% premium ($1.684 vs CNBC's $1.604), plus a flat $15 fee. I don't object to paying for convenience and this was certainly a no-hassle process. That spot rate is probably just for large purely electronic transactions. But I'm going to do more research before I use their debit or credit card over there.
Maps: The Landranger maps and Memory-Map CD arrived. The coordinate system is now clear (Thanks, Creag!), and I was able to follow Hinchliffe and Brooks's Cape Wrath Trail "definitive route" pretty much all the way, though the maps I ordered (41, 34, 33, 25, 19, 15, and 9) miss most of Stage 2 and an area east of Ullapool. Most of their route seems to follow paths that are marked on the maps with narrow black dashes or roads, though there are a couple of gaps, including the final stretch along the coast to the Cape.
CD: I installed the Memory-Map software and maps on a Windows XP laptop. The cursor shows its own coordinates to 5 digits. With the HB book at hand, it's easy to set Marks anywhere along the "definitive route," or to drag the cursor along the Route to create route marks automatically.
GPS: The Garmin 76CSx offers a British Grid option. I entered a couple manually (Strathan and Sourlies) just as a test, and each was reported as about 3325 miles from my current location (and about 7 miles apart). From the XP laptop maps one can export Routes, Marks, and Waypoints to the GPS; they show up as, e.g., "Mark1" for Marks or "W0001" for Route markers (I think this is what Hillwalker did.)
A couple of questions:
(1) Is it correct that I cannot load and view the Memory-Map CD's maps on the GPS?
(2) Does anyone know, offhand, a typical magnetic declination for northern Scotland?
(Map 33's legend says Magnetic is 2d15m west of Grid North (and about 5d15m west of True North). I tried a protractor on the legend's diagram and it showed 26 deg W of "Grid" and 34 deg W of "True," way off. Their "Diagrammatic only" warning needs to be taken seriously!)
Hillwalker's videos are great! (HW, you're too modest!) Sounded like a rough first night (38F, snow and sleet). What time of the year was your walk? The HB Stage 2 "Variant 2" with the train to Glenfinnan does sound like a nicer start than their (partly trailless) hike from Loch Eil to Strathan.
Money: Wachovia delivered currency to my door the day after I ordered it. I hadn't checked the exchange rate, and theirs seemed high, but the convenience was attractive. When I got home and turned the TV on I found they had charged what looks like a 5% premium ($1.684 vs CNBC's $1.604), plus a flat $15 fee. I don't object to paying for convenience and this was certainly a no-hassle process. That spot rate is probably just for large purely electronic transactions. But I'm going to do more research before I use their debit or credit card over there.
Maps: The Landranger maps and Memory-Map CD arrived. The coordinate system is now clear (Thanks, Creag!), and I was able to follow Hinchliffe and Brooks's Cape Wrath Trail "definitive route" pretty much all the way, though the maps I ordered (41, 34, 33, 25, 19, 15, and 9) miss most of Stage 2 and an area east of Ullapool. Most of their route seems to follow paths that are marked on the maps with narrow black dashes or roads, though there are a couple of gaps, including the final stretch along the coast to the Cape.
CD: I installed the Memory-Map software and maps on a Windows XP laptop. The cursor shows its own coordinates to 5 digits. With the HB book at hand, it's easy to set Marks anywhere along the "definitive route," or to drag the cursor along the Route to create route marks automatically.
GPS: The Garmin 76CSx offers a British Grid option. I entered a couple manually (Strathan and Sourlies) just as a test, and each was reported as about 3325 miles from my current location (and about 7 miles apart). From the XP laptop maps one can export Routes, Marks, and Waypoints to the GPS; they show up as, e.g., "Mark1" for Marks or "W0001" for Route markers (I think this is what Hillwalker did.)
A couple of questions:
(1) Is it correct that I cannot load and view the Memory-Map CD's maps on the GPS?
(2) Does anyone know, offhand, a typical magnetic declination for northern Scotland?
(Map 33's legend says Magnetic is 2d15m west of Grid North (and about 5d15m west of True North). I tried a protractor on the legend's diagram and it showed 26 deg W of "Grid" and 34 deg W of "True," way off. Their "Diagrammatic only" warning needs to be taken seriously!)
Hillwalker's videos are great! (HW, you're too modest!) Sounded like a rough first night (38F, snow and sleet). What time of the year was your walk? The HB Stage 2 "Variant 2" with the train to Glenfinnan does sound like a nicer start than their (partly trailless) hike from Loch Eil to Strathan.
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To: Werdigo49
In answer to your comments and questions sequentially as possible:
The dashed lines in black are old established routes that were old drove paths, or cart tracks going back over centuries. They are not what we would recognize as trails like we have that were established for hiking. There are virtually no trail signs or blazes on the ground except on National Trails or "ways" like the West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, etc. Often and probably usually these dashed lines are still used for access by pony or ORV to access deer hunting "stalking" locations. Deer stalking is big business in Scotland and many large estates derive much of their income from this activity. Also, deer are managed as an industry much as cattle here in the Colonies.
When a dashed line ends on the map, so does the dirt track that it indicates. After that you hope for some signs of human passage. I say human passage, and not what the Scots refer to as "deer or sheep trods". These trods look like they are paths or the trail, but are not. A clue would be that a trod leads in a direction that makes no sense to a human walker.
Occasionally you will see a tiny cairn alongside the trail. They may be placed in locations where another trail splits off, but not always.
Once I was walking along a cliff top in the Highlands when I happened to see a tiny pile of maybe fifteen rocks on the edge of the cliff. I walked over to see what it was, and found a narrow path leading down off the cliffs into the valley below. As I was just out wandering for the day I took the rather sketchy narrow path down into the valley below to make a really fun loop hike. To give you a bit of practice, it was at NN19271 65743 and took me around Binnein Mor back to my trail. One of the things I like best about Scotland is that you can often see an entire days trail from above due to the terrain and lack of trees and brush.
As far as sections of the route missing from the maps you have, I suggest picking up some map quality paper and printing them from your CD. Just don't forget that inkjet inks are water soluble. I have printed on hand cut Tyvek sheets in the past, but not with a laser printer although it is probably possible.
The MemoryMap routes can be exported to your GPS, but not the actual maps. I highly recommend this MicroSD Card for GB Scotland. It's the one I carried. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=255&pID=13764
I know, it's another $140 expense, but I believe its vital. I carried both the maps, and the GPS with the chip. Used both extensively. Since you will be not meeting many people on the route it could be a safety issue.
The Magnetic Declination diagram on the Ordnance Survey maps is only for showing the relationships between Mag, Grid, & True it is not to actual scale and cannot be used to set your instrument. Depending upon your map sheet, it varies from 4 to 5 degrees West of grid north with an annual change indicated on the map. I carry a bearing compass that lets me set the declination with a small screwdriver attached to the cord. So far it has never been out of my pack.
Your last question and thanks for you comment on my Blog. My CWT hike was May 4 through May 17 with another week or so when I hadn't had enough and added the West Highland Way for the second time. This time southbound. Returned home on the 2nd of June.
This year I will be going for basically the same time period.
Oh, one more thing: This may seem a little strange but years ago I was taught how to clean my cooking gear in the Highlands by a really old Scottish long distance hiker. In the wilds, the peat is highly acid. You simple take a little water and a handful of peat moss to scrub out your pan and utensils. Then scoop up some water from the stream to wash out the remains which you then toss away on the ground away from the stream. I do it and it works just fine. Away from civilization however. He was the same gent who told me; "ya dinna need to put those chemicals in yer water laddy. Just tak yer water from the small burrns, not the big uns. The big un will likely have a daid sheep in it up on the hill".
TW
In answer to your comments and questions sequentially as possible:
The dashed lines in black are old established routes that were old drove paths, or cart tracks going back over centuries. They are not what we would recognize as trails like we have that were established for hiking. There are virtually no trail signs or blazes on the ground except on National Trails or "ways" like the West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, etc. Often and probably usually these dashed lines are still used for access by pony or ORV to access deer hunting "stalking" locations. Deer stalking is big business in Scotland and many large estates derive much of their income from this activity. Also, deer are managed as an industry much as cattle here in the Colonies.
When a dashed line ends on the map, so does the dirt track that it indicates. After that you hope for some signs of human passage. I say human passage, and not what the Scots refer to as "deer or sheep trods". These trods look like they are paths or the trail, but are not. A clue would be that a trod leads in a direction that makes no sense to a human walker.
Occasionally you will see a tiny cairn alongside the trail. They may be placed in locations where another trail splits off, but not always.
Once I was walking along a cliff top in the Highlands when I happened to see a tiny pile of maybe fifteen rocks on the edge of the cliff. I walked over to see what it was, and found a narrow path leading down off the cliffs into the valley below. As I was just out wandering for the day I took the rather sketchy narrow path down into the valley below to make a really fun loop hike. To give you a bit of practice, it was at NN19271 65743 and took me around Binnein Mor back to my trail. One of the things I like best about Scotland is that you can often see an entire days trail from above due to the terrain and lack of trees and brush.
As far as sections of the route missing from the maps you have, I suggest picking up some map quality paper and printing them from your CD. Just don't forget that inkjet inks are water soluble. I have printed on hand cut Tyvek sheets in the past, but not with a laser printer although it is probably possible.
The MemoryMap routes can be exported to your GPS, but not the actual maps. I highly recommend this MicroSD Card for GB Scotland. It's the one I carried. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=255&pID=13764
I know, it's another $140 expense, but I believe its vital. I carried both the maps, and the GPS with the chip. Used both extensively. Since you will be not meeting many people on the route it could be a safety issue.
The Magnetic Declination diagram on the Ordnance Survey maps is only for showing the relationships between Mag, Grid, & True it is not to actual scale and cannot be used to set your instrument. Depending upon your map sheet, it varies from 4 to 5 degrees West of grid north with an annual change indicated on the map. I carry a bearing compass that lets me set the declination with a small screwdriver attached to the cord. So far it has never been out of my pack.
Your last question and thanks for you comment on my Blog. My CWT hike was May 4 through May 17 with another week or so when I hadn't had enough and added the West Highland Way for the second time. This time southbound. Returned home on the 2nd of June.
This year I will be going for basically the same time period.
Oh, one more thing: This may seem a little strange but years ago I was taught how to clean my cooking gear in the Highlands by a really old Scottish long distance hiker. In the wilds, the peat is highly acid. You simple take a little water and a handful of peat moss to scrub out your pan and utensils. Then scoop up some water from the stream to wash out the remains which you then toss away on the ground away from the stream. I do it and it works just fine. Away from civilization however. He was the same gent who told me; "ya dinna need to put those chemicals in yer water laddy. Just tak yer water from the small burrns, not the big uns. The big un will likely have a daid sheep in it up on the hill".
TW
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Creag Nan Drochaid
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Deer Trods
Werdigo49,
As you go from east to west in the Highlands you find the dominant groundcover changes from heather to grass, no sharp dividing line mind you, just a tendency, resulting I think from greater rainfall and perhaps from much greater winds in the west.
My message to you is that when walking on grassy hills I never did find much in the way of deer trods because the ground cover offers little resistance and besides the deer graze on it and spread out to feed.
Heather on the other hand is a woody plant that often grows about knee high to a human, I doubt the red or the sika deer there eat it, and the fact it is difficult to push through means they tend to make what we would call game trails through it.
Aside from the fact that we should wear knee high gaiters to get through heather without scratching our legs (and you would be wise to buy a pair or two of over-the-knee hose of wool you can turn down and hold in place with flashes if you wear short pants or the kilt, once you are in Scotland), the deer trods tend to go from water crossings up the gentlest slopes, or alongside the burns and over the bealach (by the brook and over the saddle or col), and they are well compacted and much easier to walk than struggling through heather on rough ground.
I misremember how much heather you'll find on your route, but since Hillwalker mentioned the topic I thought I'd offer what little I know...
Creag nan drochaid
Werdigo49,
As you go from east to west in the Highlands you find the dominant groundcover changes from heather to grass, no sharp dividing line mind you, just a tendency, resulting I think from greater rainfall and perhaps from much greater winds in the west.
My message to you is that when walking on grassy hills I never did find much in the way of deer trods because the ground cover offers little resistance and besides the deer graze on it and spread out to feed.
Heather on the other hand is a woody plant that often grows about knee high to a human, I doubt the red or the sika deer there eat it, and the fact it is difficult to push through means they tend to make what we would call game trails through it.
Aside from the fact that we should wear knee high gaiters to get through heather without scratching our legs (and you would be wise to buy a pair or two of over-the-knee hose of wool you can turn down and hold in place with flashes if you wear short pants or the kilt, once you are in Scotland), the deer trods tend to go from water crossings up the gentlest slopes, or alongside the burns and over the bealach (by the brook and over the saddle or col), and they are well compacted and much easier to walk than struggling through heather on rough ground.
I misremember how much heather you'll find on your route, but since Hillwalker mentioned the topic I thought I'd offer what little I know...
Creag nan drochaid
Creag Nan Drochaid
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Glenfinnan/corryhully
Werdigo49,
I recommend the variant that involves the train from Fort William to Glenfinnan. In fact, it is a fascinating ride, and it may be worth your while to ride it to the end of the line at Mallaig just to see the spectacular seascapes, then back to Glenfinnan to carry on with your walk.
If you pass the Corryhully bothy late enough in the day, it is well built and well maintained, I believe by the estate. Carry coins for the slot in the wall and you can have electric light.
If you want to keep going up Glen Finnan and down the Allt a' Chaorainn to Strahan, and it is getting to suppertime, and no bothy there (my info is ten years old), you can turn west up the River Pean past the forestry plantation on the north bank (there may even be a stalker's path or Land-rover track to use). Where the forestry ends, on the north bank, stands Glen Pean bothy. If you stay there, you may want to return to your route by the track that goes through the forestry to Strahan. I built a wee bridge over the burn by the bothy in 2000, but it is probably gone or replaced by now. Up the lum within a year, like as not...
Creag nan drochaid
Werdigo49,
I recommend the variant that involves the train from Fort William to Glenfinnan. In fact, it is a fascinating ride, and it may be worth your while to ride it to the end of the line at Mallaig just to see the spectacular seascapes, then back to Glenfinnan to carry on with your walk.
If you pass the Corryhully bothy late enough in the day, it is well built and well maintained, I believe by the estate. Carry coins for the slot in the wall and you can have electric light.
If you want to keep going up Glen Finnan and down the Allt a' Chaorainn to Strahan, and it is getting to suppertime, and no bothy there (my info is ten years old), you can turn west up the River Pean past the forestry plantation on the north bank (there may even be a stalker's path or Land-rover track to use). Where the forestry ends, on the north bank, stands Glen Pean bothy. If you stay there, you may want to return to your route by the track that goes through the forestry to Strahan. I built a wee bridge over the burn by the bothy in 2000, but it is probably gone or replaced by now. Up the lum within a year, like as not...
Creag nan drochaid
And....
I'm pretty sure that this thread is boring the daylights out of others on this website, but I'm really having fun participating with the other participants
As we used to say in the NAM. WETSU
TW
If Mary Ellen gets her own site, do we call it a Mebsite
I'm pretty sure that this thread is boring the daylights out of others on this website, but I'm really having fun participating with the other participants
As we used to say in the NAM. WETSU
TW
If Mary Ellen gets her own site, do we call it a Mebsite
Creag Nan Drochaid
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Let 'em fash theirsel's...
Weel, laddie, if thae ithers dinnae like whit we're scrievin here, they'll gang awa tae anither thread. For mah pairt, ah'm awa in mah dwam wi mah een fu open, thinkin aboot Glen Feshie an Corrie Gabhail in Glen Coe, an thae sight o thae Buachaille sorta floatin aboon Rannoch Moor early thae morn as ah crawl frae the tent... Aboot three hours efter ah staggerit frae the public bar at thae Kingshouse... damn' sun rises sae early in May...
I'd better stop my dreaming now. At this rate I'll be wandering in Glen Etchachan at dusk in midge season, and that wouldn't be a pretty sight...
It is a bit of fun to coach Werdigo for his trip. It is his adventure, and I know all we have told him won't make it any less spontaneous, or fun.
Hillwalker, I wish you all the joys and none of the hardships of the trail. Oh, but that might be boring, and it sure wouldn't be Scotland, now would it?
Yours ay, Creag nan drochaid
Weel, laddie, if thae ithers dinnae like whit we're scrievin here, they'll gang awa tae anither thread. For mah pairt, ah'm awa in mah dwam wi mah een fu open, thinkin aboot Glen Feshie an Corrie Gabhail in Glen Coe, an thae sight o thae Buachaille sorta floatin aboon Rannoch Moor early thae morn as ah crawl frae the tent... Aboot three hours efter ah staggerit frae the public bar at thae Kingshouse... damn' sun rises sae early in May...
I'd better stop my dreaming now. At this rate I'll be wandering in Glen Etchachan at dusk in midge season, and that wouldn't be a pretty sight...
It is a bit of fun to coach Werdigo for his trip. It is his adventure, and I know all we have told him won't make it any less spontaneous, or fun.
Hillwalker, I wish you all the joys and none of the hardships of the trail. Oh, but that might be boring, and it sure wouldn't be Scotland, now would it?
Yours ay, Creag nan drochaid
werdigo49
New member
Food, shorts, batteries
Thanks, Hillwalker and Creag. Very interesting and helpful advice! A few assorted questions I forgot to include in my previous post:
1) Food: Is protection from critters needed? Of course the big problem (literally) in my home stomping ground is bears; I was delighted to learn that in Vermont rodents were about all one had to keep away. It doesn't look as if elevating one's food is even POSSIBLE in those treeless areas of Scotland. I'll probably carry only some freeze-dried dinners and breakfast/nutrition bars.
2) Shorts: Feasible hiking wear? Creag's description of the heather, and warnings about ticks in the grass, suggest maybe NOT. I like Railriders Weatherpants (reinforced seat and knees, elastic bottom cuffs) but also carry a pair of convertible pants (with zip-off legs).
3) Camera batteries: Advice for keeping digital-camera batteries going? I have a Sony and one spare battery. Obviously I'll start with both fully charged, but the 240-to-120v transformer I saw at Radio Shack is heavy (from a hiker's perspective) and a plug adapter would be needed too. (It looks as if Scotland uses simply two cylindrical pins, versus our spades.)
PS: I ordered the two OS maps needed to complete my planned journey, and the Garmin microSD card with the Scotland maps.
On one of HW's points, and Creag's rejoinder: If this thread is of interest to so few VFTT'ers that it is considered objectionable, I'm game for switching to private emails among a few of us.
Thanks, Hillwalker and Creag. Very interesting and helpful advice! A few assorted questions I forgot to include in my previous post:
1) Food: Is protection from critters needed? Of course the big problem (literally) in my home stomping ground is bears; I was delighted to learn that in Vermont rodents were about all one had to keep away. It doesn't look as if elevating one's food is even POSSIBLE in those treeless areas of Scotland. I'll probably carry only some freeze-dried dinners and breakfast/nutrition bars.
2) Shorts: Feasible hiking wear? Creag's description of the heather, and warnings about ticks in the grass, suggest maybe NOT. I like Railriders Weatherpants (reinforced seat and knees, elastic bottom cuffs) but also carry a pair of convertible pants (with zip-off legs).
3) Camera batteries: Advice for keeping digital-camera batteries going? I have a Sony and one spare battery. Obviously I'll start with both fully charged, but the 240-to-120v transformer I saw at Radio Shack is heavy (from a hiker's perspective) and a plug adapter would be needed too. (It looks as if Scotland uses simply two cylindrical pins, versus our spades.)
PS: I ordered the two OS maps needed to complete my planned journey, and the Garmin microSD card with the Scotland maps.
On one of HW's points, and Creag's rejoinder: If this thread is of interest to so few VFTT'ers that it is considered objectionable, I'm game for switching to private emails among a few of us.
Last edited:
Creag Nan Drochaid
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Responding your latest...
#s from yours:
2) I wear the kilt for hiking and many other activities. Google search ticks+Scotland reached BBC article from 2009: 3 cases Lyme in Scotland 1999, 285 in 2008. visitscotland.com has page on it among other walking topics, very helpful. Your choice of trousers w/zip-off legs sounds wise. Gaiters sounds even wiser.
1) Let us consider the critters in the Highlands. If we practice normal standards of cleaning our mess gear and keep food in air/watertight containers, there is no critter I have heard of there that will try for it. No bear, raccoon, porcupine, skunk. No squirrels in treeless country. I could be wrong, but none of the folk I camped with took any special precautions.
I trust Hillwalker will correct if I am wrong.
Creag nan drochaid
#s from yours:
2) I wear the kilt for hiking and many other activities. Google search ticks+Scotland reached BBC article from 2009: 3 cases Lyme in Scotland 1999, 285 in 2008. visitscotland.com has page on it among other walking topics, very helpful. Your choice of trousers w/zip-off legs sounds wise. Gaiters sounds even wiser.
1) Let us consider the critters in the Highlands. If we practice normal standards of cleaning our mess gear and keep food in air/watertight containers, there is no critter I have heard of there that will try for it. No bear, raccoon, porcupine, skunk. No squirrels in treeless country. I could be wrong, but none of the folk I camped with took any special precautions.
I trust Hillwalker will correct if I am wrong.
Creag nan drochaid
DougPaul
Well-known member
Please continue the thread--I'm enjoying reading it. You have 816 views so far, so I suspect that others are reading it too.
So far it looks like a useful reference for anyone who is considering hiking in Scotland.
Doug
et al
Everything that Creag nan drochaid has said is spot on.
I have often used a simple plug adapter in Scotland since 120 VAC 50 HZ is readily available. No need for a step down xformer. The Corryhully bothy has 120 VAC as pointed out by C N D. Only about 2 ounces I believe for the adapter.
I typically take one pair of hiking slacks (yes I'm old) and one shorts. Long gaiters too. Wish I had the nerve to wear my kilt like C N D. I do hike in it here at times but never in Black Fly season
Never have had problems with critters going after my food, but then of course during the fall rutting season there is this:
http://outdoors.caledonianmercury.c...-off-reindeer-attack-with-walking-pole/001335
Here is a shameless promotion for my "Cape Wrath Trail" Blog. I finished it today - nothing like major procrastination
www.samohtw.blogspot.com
TW
Everything that Creag nan drochaid has said is spot on.
I have often used a simple plug adapter in Scotland since 120 VAC 50 HZ is readily available. No need for a step down xformer. The Corryhully bothy has 120 VAC as pointed out by C N D. Only about 2 ounces I believe for the adapter.
I typically take one pair of hiking slacks (yes I'm old) and one shorts. Long gaiters too. Wish I had the nerve to wear my kilt like C N D. I do hike in it here at times but never in Black Fly season
Never have had problems with critters going after my food, but then of course during the fall rutting season there is this:
http://outdoors.caledonianmercury.c...-off-reindeer-attack-with-walking-pole/001335
Here is a shameless promotion for my "Cape Wrath Trail" Blog. I finished it today - nothing like major procrastination
www.samohtw.blogspot.com
TW
DougPaul
Well-known member
If you follow a link at the bottom of the page you will see that they have big cat rumors over in Scotland too. http://outdoors.caledonianmercury.c...g-leaves-experienced-hillwalker-baffled/00783
Perhaps it is an escaped New England mountain lion...
Doug
Beware of these!
Just to give a heads up, Late May to the first frost in the autumn, these are no joke. I have used "skin so soft" and it works, but they become stuck to the greasy stuff so you end up wearing thousands of dead midgies. As far as I can tell, they are related to our NE "No-see-ums". At least they feel the same while biting, and look similar while in flight. Their feasting creates a burning sensation with welts rising a bit later. They are driven off by light breezes, and strong sunshine. Like black flies, you can usually hike faster than they can fly. Avoid low and sheltered places when pitching camp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNZrUMBBrYE&feature=player_embedded
I have read that Braveheart was mostly filmed in Ireland partly due to the Midge problem in Scotland.
However, I would rather face Midges than our Black Flies.
TW
Just to give a heads up, Late May to the first frost in the autumn, these are no joke. I have used "skin so soft" and it works, but they become stuck to the greasy stuff so you end up wearing thousands of dead midgies. As far as I can tell, they are related to our NE "No-see-ums". At least they feel the same while biting, and look similar while in flight. Their feasting creates a burning sensation with welts rising a bit later. They are driven off by light breezes, and strong sunshine. Like black flies, you can usually hike faster than they can fly. Avoid low and sheltered places when pitching camp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNZrUMBBrYE&feature=player_embedded
I have read that Braveheart was mostly filmed in Ireland partly due to the Midge problem in Scotland.
However, I would rather face Midges than our Black Flies.
TW
alistair
Member
I can attest that the midges are ferocious. Maybe the bite is not as bad as the American black fly; but what they lack in tooth size they make up in sheer numbers.
werdigo49
New member
Thanks for the warnings, HW and alistair! But one has to go when the time is available. Some day I'll retire and have a bit more freedom to schedule things.
The midges don't sound very pleasant (or look so, in the video). They bring to mind my first night out on a long Adirondack hike. I don't remember if the problem was no-see-ums or black flies, but there were hundreds of them plaguing me at that stop. I must have eaten a couple of dozen of them with my freeze-dried dinner, and although I was bundled up pretty well they crawled into the cuff of my long-sleeved shirt. Finally I did a vigorous dance and dived into my Eureka Zephyr, a one-man tent I was using at the time. I bet a hundred still got in. Fortunately they completely ceased their activity when it got dark.
I'm now using a silicone tarp and a mosquito net, inspired by Ray Jardine's book. It worked fine against Alaska mosquitoes but I realize the midges are a different story. (It's called a "mosquito net" but I'm pretty sure it's fine enough for the smaller insects.)
Update: The Garmin map microSD card is now installed in the 76CSx and routes (21 of them, plus a couple of "variants") copied to it. Also I've received the two Landranger maps that complete the "definitive route" (#40 and #20), and my Mountain Bothy Association membership packet.
For Linux users: The Garmin Trip and Waypoint program, and the Scotland Memory-Maps, are running on this Linux machine using CrossOver Office. Scroll, zoom, lay out routes and marks, etc. Pretty cool! BUT no connection to the GPS yet... so I still have to rely on the Windows XP laptop.
Is it feasible to walk from the Glasgow Airport to Milngavie? I didn't think so at first, but zooming in on the more detailed Topo map in the GPS shows a road crossing the Clyde near the airport, and Milngavie is only a short distance from the northern end of that bridge.
The midges don't sound very pleasant (or look so, in the video). They bring to mind my first night out on a long Adirondack hike. I don't remember if the problem was no-see-ums or black flies, but there were hundreds of them plaguing me at that stop. I must have eaten a couple of dozen of them with my freeze-dried dinner, and although I was bundled up pretty well they crawled into the cuff of my long-sleeved shirt. Finally I did a vigorous dance and dived into my Eureka Zephyr, a one-man tent I was using at the time. I bet a hundred still got in. Fortunately they completely ceased their activity when it got dark.
I'm now using a silicone tarp and a mosquito net, inspired by Ray Jardine's book. It worked fine against Alaska mosquitoes but I realize the midges are a different story. (It's called a "mosquito net" but I'm pretty sure it's fine enough for the smaller insects.)
Update: The Garmin map microSD card is now installed in the 76CSx and routes (21 of them, plus a couple of "variants") copied to it. Also I've received the two Landranger maps that complete the "definitive route" (#40 and #20), and my Mountain Bothy Association membership packet.
For Linux users: The Garmin Trip and Waypoint program, and the Scotland Memory-Maps, are running on this Linux machine using CrossOver Office. Scroll, zoom, lay out routes and marks, etc. Pretty cool! BUT no connection to the GPS yet... so I still have to rely on the Windows XP laptop.
Is it feasible to walk from the Glasgow Airport to Milngavie? I didn't think so at first, but zooming in on the more detailed Topo map in the GPS shows a road crossing the Clyde near the airport, and Milngavie is only a short distance from the northern end of that bridge.
alistair
Member
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...ow_Airport_to_Milngavie-Glasgow_Scotland.html
I don't have maps handy, but if I remember right that road your talking about walking is a motorway (major highway) and your not allowed to hike/cycle etc along it.
Are you talking about the Erskine Bridge? ...... then same as above.
The above link talks about getting the train or bus into Glasgow or Paisley (I went to college in this town) then a connection out to Milgavie.
werdigo49
New member
Thanks... yes, I wondered if it was a major highway with no (or no safe) pedestrian access. Guess I'll stick to the Buchanan Station bus route that you and HW have advised. (Actually, after my wife showed me how to use maps.google.com, I think the "road" I had in mind was the Clyde Tunnel!)
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DougPaul
Well-known member
I routinely run Mapsource using Wine (WINdows Emulator) on Linux. (Crossover Office is a commercial version of Wine.) MapSource can read and write .gpx files (containing routes, waypoints, and tracks) and GPSBabel can transfer the info in the .gpx files in and out of the GPS. http://www.gpsbabel.org/
According to the Wine applications database, some combinations of wine versions and MapSource version can also communicate with the GPS: http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=application&iId=227
However, I wouldn't want to try updating the software on the GPS using an emulator--if it fails, you might brick the GPS.
Doug
More on Midges
On my very first trip to Scotland in 89, I had spent from April to when I left in August hiking almost daily in the Whites and getting very brown from the sun. When I was at a B&B in Ft William the lady of the establishment said to me. "tha midgees wilna bother ye, yer too daak" As it turned out, she was right. I remember freaking out other hikers by standing there with arms covered with a coating of midges and none of them biting.
So far, during my trips in May the wee beasties aren't out yet. Also, May has probably the nicest weather in Scotland.
werdigo49 I probably need not tell you this, but when you put the Scotland chip in the GPS, and you're not in Scotland, the GPS won't display anything unless you use the scroll button to scroll the cursor across the ocean to Scotland.
At first I thought my chip was bad.
The buses run very frequently from the airport to the Buchanan bus station. Essentially a shuttle. Very convenient
Hopefully you will keep a journal and give us a nice lengthy trip report upon your return.
TW
On my very first trip to Scotland in 89, I had spent from April to when I left in August hiking almost daily in the Whites and getting very brown from the sun. When I was at a B&B in Ft William the lady of the establishment said to me. "tha midgees wilna bother ye, yer too daak" As it turned out, she was right. I remember freaking out other hikers by standing there with arms covered with a coating of midges and none of them biting.
So far, during my trips in May the wee beasties aren't out yet. Also, May has probably the nicest weather in Scotland.
werdigo49 I probably need not tell you this, but when you put the Scotland chip in the GPS, and you're not in Scotland, the GPS won't display anything unless you use the scroll button to scroll the cursor across the ocean to Scotland.
At first I thought my chip was bad.
The buses run very frequently from the airport to the Buchanan bus station. Essentially a shuttle. Very convenient
Hopefully you will keep a journal and give us a nice lengthy trip report upon your return.
TW
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alistair
Member
Don't forget to have try Haggis and have a fish supper.
