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Monday 31 August 2020

The Aonach Eagach ridge

Walk Description

Just photos and walk statistics at moment.

One of my best days ever - The Aonach Eagach Ridge, cannot remember easily a better day with as much sustained climbing and inescapable opportunities for extreme exposure.

Hiking days of course. Pleased I edited that in before anybody noticed.😂

Yet again I needed a rest day failing to manage again two consecutive Munro days.

If I had done more research before the walk I probably would not have attempted it solo.

Having now done it I guess I can class myself as an experienced scrambler.

One of the quotes from my delayed research:- "...there’s really just two convenient ways off: the beginning and the end.”

Although I met many people on the ridge, perversely I was the only one doing it West to East, I simply chose to do the long walk up the A82 at the beginning of the walk rather than at the end.

It did however result in an excellent climb at the end of the route up the west side of the final peak of Am Bodach.

Example of an early scramble. They get better!!!
Scroll down for link to set of fully captioned photographs.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 29 August 2020
Walkers - Steve Smith
Start Point - Glen Coe viewing point small west car park NN 16834 56920
Start Time - 09:06
Finish Point - Glen Coe viewing point small west car park NN 16834 56920
Finish Time- 18:18
Total Duration - 9hrs 12mins 
Overall Average pace - 0.89mph
Total Distance Walked - 8.18 miles
Total Height Ascended - 1249metres

Peaks visited

7 in all including 2 Munros, 2 Munro Tops and 2 Corbett Tops
S: Spain
P: Portugal
E:Europe

Final walk from previous trip

2020
August
To do

Other walks on this trip

2019
August
To do
September
Yet to do

Route

More Photographs
Full set of captioned photos providing journal and description of key parts of ascent, descent and summit photographs.
Ballaculish bridge beyond Pap of Glencoe from Aonach Eagach - Sgorr nam Fiannaidh
Click on photograph to view slide-show
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Thursday 28 November 2019

Essex Unitary Authority County Tops


Walk Description
A drive round day with Gina to visit some peaks 'local' to our home in flat old East Anglia. Don't get to do this very often:- a.) because there are not that many summits in this area, b.) don't want to complete them all too quickly.
The focus was the three Essex Unitary Authority County Tops outside of the M25 ring, but mission creep was in evidence with picking off two bonus TuMPs, raising awareness there may be more summits within a days drive locally than I think.
Struck me today the range of summits you get to visit.
This year exemplifies that range from Pico de Aneto, the highest point of The Pyrenees, my highest, most prominent and most isolated peak reached in July, to Thundersley Hill visited today in the corner of an Essex residential cul-de-sac.
The height, prominence, isolation or any other characteristic can be used to determine a summit but the common memory of all routes is the places you get to visit that you never new existed.
Today it was the Green Man near Criers Wood. A cosy gastro-pub that offered over 55's a two course chef prepared meal for £7.50.
Peak bagging gets you to these different places with the opportunity for progression mixed with skills acquisition and confidence to reach the highest point in The Pyrenees, along with the satisfaction and purpose from planning visits to any summit.
Purpose, Challenge, Adventure, Fulfillment - the four reasons peak bagging has become such a passion.
Some summits satisfy all four. Some do not, but what I find is there is always one.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 28 October 2019
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith
Accommodation - From Home
Start Point - Various
Start Time - 12:32
Finish Point - Various
Finish Time- 12:43
Total Duration - 0hrs 11mins 
Overall Average pace - 0.71mph
Total Distance Walked - 0.13 miles
Total Height Ascended -7.00metres

Peaks visited

TuMPs [1]
Langdon Hill
TuMPs [0]
Criers Wood
Thundersley Hill
Unitary Authority County Tops (110E - 184E,W&S))
Heath Mount (47=E, 70=E,W&S)
London Road (47=E, 70=E,W&S)
Langdon Hill (boundary) (48E, 71 E,W&S)
E: England
W: Wales
S: Scotland

Criers Wood Photographs

Manholes in road may be clue to location of Criers Wood high point.
Click on photograph to view slide-show

Heath Mount Photographs

Highest point on edge of Great Wood ( Belfriars Nature Reserve) at Belfriars Park Road entrance
Click on photograph to view slide-show

London Road Photographs

Looking back along London Road towards Southend from London Road Southend-on-Sea current county/UA top (joint)
Click on photograph to view slide-show

Thundersley Hill Photographs

Konny Brook Junction with Kiln Road. HP is at end of Knny Brook to the right near Blackwater cul-de-sac end.
Click on photograph to view slide-show

Langdon Hills Photographs

Heading back up High Road, Westley Heights towards St. Mary & All Saints Church
Click on photograph to view slide-show
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Friday 11 October 2019

Aljibe


Walk Description

Aljibe will be the second P600 of the day.
Not very often joined by my wife Gina on a P600 and not very often manage two in one day. Today I managed both even with a cloudy ascent and difficult drive up Gitano earlier in the day.
When Gina is with me I try to pick routes and days that show the benefits of hill-walking at it's very best. A one hour drive to cover 9km up a badly maintained mountain road to stand on a windy summit in thick cloud and pouring rain hardly reached that qualification.
During our stop off at Cafe la Josefa off exit 80 near Los Barrios on the Autovia A381 I discussed the options with Gina. Given that we were already two hours away from the campsite and the cloud on the inland mountains did not seem as cloudy Gina suggested we press on with the 90 minute drive ahead to La Sauceda and the trailhead for Aljibe. Maybe she is getting the hang of this peakbagging malarki - or more like did not want another 2 hour drive to return.
Ruins of church at Poblado de La Sauceda
The plan was to follow the Carril Bici from La Sauceda, however a map at the trailhead showed there was a path to Refugio de Montaña La Sauceda where we crossed the Garganta de Pasadallano to the abandoned Poblado de La Sauceda then following the Garganta de Pasadallano and a more direct route to Carril Bici saving quite a bit of distance.
Joining the track at 36°N 31' 22'', 05°W 35' 27'' I expected to turn left and join the track marked on the IGN map to Aljibe. However the sign clearly pointed right and not believing the sign we had to go left and find out for myself that the track marked on the map was only a vague line through thick undergrowth. Returning to the sign we continued along the track until another sign to Sendero Pico del Aljibe pointed to a well defined path which is the SL-A136 up towards Puerto Oscuro. The path actually skirted around below the puerto and joined a well defined and marked path along the summit ridge to Aljibe trig pillar.
Soon after joining track leave Carril Bici on the left and use path  following SL-A136
At this point the cloud began to drop obscuring what view we had. It was still warm but hardly the best conditions for me to impress Gina with the joys of hill walking.
As we approached the summit we came to the first tor which crossed my mind was the summit giving me further anxiety about having to scramble up to the high point. Fortunately the only relevance it has to the route was a gate which we went through to pass the tor on it's left.
Cloud had dropped along main ridge.
Not going to get Gina up that if it is the high point. It is not, pass it over fence through gate on the left
Visibility was not improving but the next tor appeared through the cloud and it was on this the trig pillar and what I thought was the summit would be found. The easiest route was round it's right side and up some steps to the broken trig, snapped off at the ground.
Gina wondering why I had to go back to drop a waypoint from Aljibe trig pillar
At this point the cloud started to lift then suddenly clear leaving brilliant views and a near temperature inversion with clouds clinging to the valleys below.
Amazingly the cloud is clearing leaving cloud below filling valleys. Almost a temperature inversion
Gina was in photo mode and I was so happy the conditions had not only improved but turned out to be very special.
Descending the tor I realised I had not done all of my bagging rituals including dropping a way point and logging on peakhunter. Gina was very understanding, though she did have a familiar expression on her face, whilst on the summit for the second time looked to the south and thought the next tor was even higher than the trig. So on my way down I continued to the trig and stood on the high point. certainly a scramble involved but nothing too difficult.
Gina wondering why I had to go back to drop a waypoint from Aljibe trig pillar
After finally persuading Gina to stop taking photos we descended along the same route as the ascent.
Was wondering how I was going to explain why we are here when can't see anything due to cloud.
Now it is clearing cannot get her down
We did think about staying with the track and Carril Bici all the way down but in view of the late hour and failing light decided to leave the track at the water storage tank and take the quicker but steeper option down the path to the Poblado de La Sauceda. This route is actually called the Sendero Sauceda.
Can carry straight on along Caril Bici back to van.
Or turn left at concrete water tank and descend down path to Poblado de La Sauceda used on ascent
We returned to the van at 8pm with about 30 minutes daylight remaining. All that remained was the two hour drive and late finish back at Camping Cabopino. Too late to eat but well worth it.
End of path.
Just as well being as we have a 2 hour drive back to Cabopino

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 11 October 2019
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith
Accommodation - Camping Cabopino, Cabopino 
Start Point - Off road parking area at La Sauceda (36.52927°N, 5.58601°W)
Start Time - 15:44
Finish Point - Off road parking area at La Sauceda (36.52927°N, 5.58601°W)
Finish Time- 19:56
Total Duration - 4hrs 12mins 
Overall Average pace - 1.50mph
Total Distance Walked - 6.32 miles
Total Height Ascended - 604metres

Peaks visited

Spain/Portugal 600m Prominence Peaks (168S - 185S&P - 2165E)
Aljibe (69S - 71S&P - 100E)
Spain/Portugal 300m - 599m Prominence Peaks (1000+)
NONE
Spain/Portugal 150m - 299m Prominence Peaks (3000+)
NONE
Spain Autonomous Community High Points (19)
NONE
Spain Province High Points (52)
NONE
S: Spain
P: Portugal
E:Europe

Final walk from previous trip

2019
July

Other walks on this trip

2019
August
27th Oitz
September
02nd Umbría
22nd Cerro del Lastonar attempt with Gina
25th Pico de Mijas with Gina
October
11th Gitano
11th Aljibe

Route

More Photographs
Full set of captioned photos providing journal and description of key parts of ascent, descent and summit photographs.
Does not look it, but this is probably the high point south of trig on left
Click on photograph to view slide-show
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Gitano


Walk Description

First of two P600s planned today. 90 minute drive with Gina from Cabopino driving past cloud capped Gibraltar and towards black clouds shrouding peaks of Parque National Los Alcornocales.
Barred but unlocked access in El Cuartón.
Decided to use access near Puerto Hondo off N-340 in case locked on return.
Mapas de España showed a track all the way to the summit, presumably access for comms workers. I had hoped to use access from El Cuartón at 36.0682°N, 5.5376°W but an unlocked barrier was down and did not want to risk it being locked on return without being sure of an alternate access point.
Plan B was to return to N-340 and use the track to Casas del Tio Noria. We will still end up at the crossroads on the 464m spot height but with a known exit route. 
The track with compacted stone is perfectly adequate for a road vehicle, as long as you do not drive too quickly, and remains so all the way to the gated and open entrance to Parque National Los Alcornocales. Beyond this point there are a couple of hairpin bends and at one of these I had a little difficulty with wheel spin along a rut requiring me to reverse a little and take a slightly different line.
Not a lot to see adjacent to Gitano summit.
Summit is 40m away, top right of picture
It took nearly 1 hour to drive the 9km to the parking near the summit and was greeted with low cloud and wind driven rain wearing just shorts and tee shirt. with the summit being only a short walk away I decided to keep with the shorts and head for the summit. Gina was quite happy to stay in the van and even more happy when I reappeared 10 minutes later.
During that time I had photographed the summit surmounted by a comms building with the highest point looking to be near the SE corner of the building. There is a tor further south about 30m away which could be as high so after photos went to it just in case it was higher. Ground is a little uneven with a short scramble to the top. Not a problem really but felt a little more difficult than it should have been wearing only sandals. Looking back at the main summit I could not decide if it was higher through the cloud but visit both and it is not an issue.
Summit to south looks as high. Visited just in case despite only wearing sandals
Returning to the van soaked, Gina refrained from making any comment. The return journey was quicker than the ascent and also at the 464m spot height took the road leading to the gated access at El Cuartón. It was a tarmac road and more importantly the gate was still unlocked so guessing it is not likely to be a problem, but if it was locked could always return to the N340 via Casas del Tio Noria.
From here it was another 90 minute drive to La Sauceda and the trailhead for the second summit of the day - Aljibe.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 11 October 2019
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith
Accommodation - Camping Cabopino, Cabopino 
Start Point - Parking at comms building near summit (36.09823°N, 5.54101°W)
Start Time - 12:32
Finish Point - Parking at comms building near summit (36.09823°N, 5.54101°W)
Finish Time- 12:43
Total Duration - 0hrs 11mins 
Overall Average pace - 0.71mph
Total Distance Walked - 0.13 miles
Total Height Ascended -7.00metres

Peaks visited

Spain/Portugal 600m Prominence Peaks (168S - 185S&P - 2165E)
Gitano (68S - 70S&P - 99E)
Spain/Portugal 300m - 599m Prominence Peaks (1000+)
NONE
Spain/Portugal 150m - 299m Prominence Peaks (3000+)
NONE
Spain Autonomous Community High Points (19)
NONE
Spain Province High Points (52)
NONE
S: Spain
P: Portugal
E:Europe

Final walk from previous trip

2019
July

Other walks on this trip

2019
August
27th Oitz
September
02nd Umbría
22nd Cerro del Lastonar attempt with Gina
25th Pico de Mijas with Gina
October
11th Gitano
11th Aljibe

Route


More Photographs
Full set of captioned photos providing journal and description of key parts of ascent, descent and summit photographs.
Road looks OK to drive to Gitano summit. Does get worse but still drivable later (just).
Click on photograph to view slide-show
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Thursday 3 October 2019

Cerro del Lastonar & La Concha. Plus Cruz de Juanar on another day


Walk Description

This was our second visit to El Juanar area this trip. We even managed a third visit after today's walk to climb Cruz de Juanar with details and photos included later in this report.
The first one being eleven days ago on the Sunday 25 September 2019, when we made an attempt on La Concha and the less well-known Cerro del Lastonar, but main P600 summit of the small upland area of Sierra Blanca seen from Marbella. All of the tourist information and local guide sheets mention La Concha and suggest it as a suitable day’s activity if you want a change from the beach or sightseeing. What they do not mention in too much detail is Salto del Lobo (Wolve’s Leap). Situated about two hours from Refugio El Juanar on the NW side of the 1219m spot height, which from now on will refer to as Cerro de Salto del Lobo as suggested in the summitpost.org log entry, was as far as we got on the first attempt. The exposure albeit not too bad was too much for Gina.
Today’s attempt was not planned. We had intended to explore the other hiking trails including the Miradors along with the summit of Cruz Juanar. Saving ourselves about 800m hiking each way we drove past last Sunday’s parking spot near Refugio El Juanar and parked near the locked barrier. It was here we met Gary and Clair who Gary insisted were both on the way to La Concha.
Third sign for La Concha. Turn left off Ojen to Istan path and follow PR-A 168 towards La Concha
Setting off together at a fair old pace chatting we followed the same route along the rough stone track past Mirador del Corzo turn off and taking the right fork sign La Concha towards the derelict Cortijo del Juanar. At this point I harboured hopes Gina may be encouraged by Claire to have another go at Salto del Lobo. We turned left at the third sign for La Concha leaving the PR A-167 ascending through pine trees towards Collado de Juanar. As we left the pine trees and the rate of ascent markedly increased I noticed Claire starting to struggle to keep up. Turns out she was suffering from a hangover.
When we reached Collado de Juanar we offered our goodbyes pointed out our sign to Cruz Juanar and the sign for them pointing towards La Concha. Unfortunately, for Gary, Claire did not seem too keen. Fortunately for me however she suggested Gary and I go for La Concha whilst Gina and her wait for us just before Salto del Lobo. Gina was more than happy with this idea and clearly so was I.
Point near Salto del Lobo where Gina found too much exposure on right and where we turned back on first attempt.
I did still suggest we stick together and continue to La Concha by avoiding Salto del Lobo by heading left of the 1219m spot height from the col with the 1221m spot height. I had instinctively started on this less worn track but was called back by a group returning from Salto del Lobo pointing out we had gone wrong or at least left the main track. However once at the col the girls declined my suggestion. They both said they would wait an hour then head back and wait for us at the Refugio.
Looking back at Salto del Lobo fro south flank of Cerro del Lastonar. Cruz de Juanar on right
Gary and I set off for Salto del Lobo. Nothing too difficult for experienced hikers, but obvious care needed as there is still plenty of scope for slips and falls with severe consequences. We managed to miss the short chained section by inadvertently scrambling above it and in no time we back on a sandy track heading round the south flank of Cerro del Lastonar looking back at the 1229m spot height. Studying the route around the now left and south side of Cerro de Salto del Lobo clearly looked doable as testified by Rob Woodall’s peakbagger log on 05/10/2010, but probably with similar jeopardy for the inexperienced hiker as Salto del Lobo.
Continuing west around Cerro de Lastonar we missed the cairn marking the direct route straight up to the P600 summit, but in all honesty the P600 is the minor event of this hike.
Gary taking Optional ridge walk on route to La Concha. Easier/safer path to the right
As you progress around Cerro del Lastonar flank, a spectacular view of La Concha comes opens up along with the ridge and narrow saddle you have to traverse. Unfortunately with camera focus playing up I did not manage a decent shot. Good excuse to return on next visit to Costa del Sol.
Again with experience it is a great ridge to walk along but as is often the case there is a less exposed path lower down to the right.
Probably because we stuck to the ridge, we missed the main path and ended up on the south flank losing the track altogether. Having realised the mistake it was an easy ascent up rough ground back to the ridge. Soon after regaining the ridge we reached what seemed to be the highest point and what we thought was La Concha but checking GPS to drop a waypoint indicated La Concha and associated trig pillar was further to the west.
La Cocha East top 70m away from La Concha looks and measures higher. Cerro del Lastonar beyond,
then Salto de Lobo and finally Cruz Juanar
70m further on there is another highpoint but it looks lower. No dispute however that this low point is La Concha, there is even a remnant of one of the corners of the destroyed trig pillar plinth. Altitude measured on the phone confirmed it is 0.9m lower but it is not an accurate or indeed definitive measurement. It is the spot height and I guess influenced by local tradition that this point should be named La Concha as it is the point that looks like a shell viewed from Marbella.By now it is 15:30 meaning we have used up the 1.5 hours we told the girls we would be doing the return trip, so fairly certain they will have headed back to the Refugio by now. We set off back this time sticking to the main ridge. I have to admit, by now I was unexpectedly feeling really tired. It is testament to the tough terrain and ground confirming La Concha ad a challenge. Also it was my first real hike since Pico de Aneto two months earlier so guess I had not retained my hill legs as much as I had hoped.
Having gained ridge, after leaving ascent route, heading east towards Cerro del Lastonar summit
Either way it would be remiss to not visit La Concha as part of going up Cerro del Lastonar. Talking of which we still had to climb. After the chains near Cepillo del Enebro we decided to carry on back round the flank of Lastonar rather than continue up the ridge from the col. Can't confirm if this was the best route but it did not take much effort to reach the ridge once we decided to turn left and head towards the ridge.
We did find a path along the ridge and after turning right it was a straightforward trek to the summit. Not such good views as from La Concha but it was the P600 and for me whole purpose of the hike, despite La Concha being the highlight. Summit photos complete we continued straight over the summit to the NE and descended the other side along a vague rarely used path that brought us back to the ascent route marked by a small cairn that we had not noticed on the ascent. In hindsight we could have used this route to go straight to Cerro del Lastonar if it was the only summit we planned to visit. But as already mentioned La Concha with its views over Marbella along with Atlas mountains in Morroco, not to mention Gibraltar along with the approach ridge really are the highlights of the day. Leaving the whole purpose of ascending the P600, Cerro del Lastonar a worthy 3rd. Having re-joined the main path the return took another hour and was the same as the ascent, but this time using the chained part of Salto del Lobo and back to the van.
Back at van near Refugio El Juanar after being turned back from Salto del Lobo
A smashing day out made possible by Gina and Clare’s understanding, even though they frightened the life out of us by hiding behind the gate posts where the van was parked. Gary had his car keys parked at the Refugio and Gina had our van keys parked near the gate. We did wonder if they would realise and even fantasised about them bring up cold beers and putting them in the van fridge. Well can’t expect everything.
The only downside was the auto focus on my phone camera playing up meaning a significant number of shots were blurred. O well, who knows, maybe on a subsequent trip to Cabopino I can return with a working camera. The views from La Concha are certainly worth the effort.
Michael Coates and Gina at summit of Cruz de Juanar
Click on photograph to view slide-show
We did in fact manage a third visit to the Sierra Blanca on 22 October 2019. This time with Michael and Amanda Coates to climb Cruz de Juanar. The route taken was exactly the same from Refugio parking to Collado de Juanar, then leaving path and taking signed path and short 400m but steep ascent gaining over 100m from the col. Straight forward path to follow with a short scramble just before the summit. Gina's first taste of real scraambling which she managed without a hitch. Not really a lot different to Salto del Lobo. Just goes to show the power of the mind to stop you doing something is equal to the power to make you do it.
Usually would expect to do this summit either on way to/from La Concha/Cerro del Lastonar, but as mentioned above was feeling effects of not doing much hiking since July. In any event it gave a good reason to return and even now all three summits have been climbed am likely to return with Gina to explore many of the other paths around the Refugio and various Miradors.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 03 October 2019
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith, Gary, Claire
Accommodation - Camping Cabopino 
Start Point - Parking near locked gate on track 800m after Refugio de Juanar (36.57711°N, 0.65000°E)
Start Time - 12:20
Finish Point - Parking near locked gate on track 800m after Refugio de Juanar (36.57711°N, 0.65000°E)
Finish Time- 18:55
Total Duration - 6hrs 35mins 
Overall Average pace - 1.22mph
Total Distance Walked - 8.04 miles
Total Height Ascended -705.00metres

Peaks visited

Spain/Portugal 600m Prominence Peaks (168S - 185S&P - 2165E)
Cerro del Lastonar (65S - 67S&P - 96E)
Spain/Portugal 300m - 599m Prominence Peaks (1000+)
NONE
Spain/Portugal 150m - 299m Prominence Peaks (3000+)
NONE
Spain Autonomous Community High Points (19)
NONE
Spain Province High Points (52)
NONE
S: Spain
P: Portugal
E:Europe

Final walk from previous trip

2019
July

Other walks on this trip

2019
August
27th Oitz
September
02nd Umbría
22nd Cerro del Lastonar attempt with Gina
25th Pico de Mijas with Gina
October
03rd Cerro del Lastonar
11th Gitano
11th Aljibe
15th Cruz de Juanar

Route



More Photographs

Full set of captioned photos providing journal and description of key parts of ascent, descent and summit photographs.
Route map, Statistics and other route info to follow. 

View over Marbella from La Concha 
Click on photograph to view slide-show
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