13 July 2025
GrahamsCàrn a' Chaochain
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Other HillsNone
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BothiesNone
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Distance/Ascent9.5km 460m
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Estimated Time6h [much less time had I been walking alone and found the start of the path]
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NotesThe top is to the south of the trig. point and is approximately 2 metres higher.
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This was day 2 of an overnight trip camping in Cannich. It was Peter's first time camping. The camping went well but to say that he was lacking enthusiasm at the start of the day's walk would be a major understatement. His behaviour tried to pressurise me into driving straight home. I set off regardless and eventually he followed.
It had always been my intention to introduce hime to the great outdoors by climbing easy hills in fine weather. 460m of ascent and 9.5km was just a little more ascent and a little further than Ben Bhraggie, which he had climbed four years earlier.
However, I messed up!
I turned off the track too soon. The proper path would be no more obvious, if it was not for the few rocks marking its start. As a result, I took him up through woodland with no path, lots of rotting tree branches, wet holes and, worst of all, clegs (horseflies). He was clearly not happy, getting very angry and using words that I had never before heard leave his mouth!
He exclaimed "Why can't I just have a normal life"? I took that to mean a life sat in front of a monitor playing computer games.
Things did improve beyond the deer fence. Further on, we came across a good path, but it was heading in the wrong direction. It was possibly the top of the path that we should have taken. Progress was slow but he Peter's mood had definitely picked up by the time we had joined the summit ridge, with him saying "I didn't know that hiking could be so much fun". I had been encouraging him to eat. I had a full Scottish breakfast at the Bog Cotton Cafe, but Peter had just a sausage role and I think he had "burnt off" every Joule contained within.
Peter stripped off to the waist. I told him that was OK as long as he put his shirt back on when we reached the summit. When I was his age, nobody worried about the harmful effects of the sun, but today we parents are more aware and encourage our kids to cover themselves up. At the start, sunscreen had only been applied to the arms and neck.
Kids are so much more pasty due to the hours spent gaming in a darkened bedroom. My parents wanted me out of the house and I spent my time playing football or fishing on the nearby canal. That was my "normal life".
It had always been my intention to introduce hime to the great outdoors by climbing easy hills in fine weather. 460m of ascent and 9.5km was just a little more ascent and a little further than Ben Bhraggie, which he had climbed four years earlier.
However, I messed up!
I turned off the track too soon. The proper path would be no more obvious, if it was not for the few rocks marking its start. As a result, I took him up through woodland with no path, lots of rotting tree branches, wet holes and, worst of all, clegs (horseflies). He was clearly not happy, getting very angry and using words that I had never before heard leave his mouth!
He exclaimed "Why can't I just have a normal life"? I took that to mean a life sat in front of a monitor playing computer games.
Things did improve beyond the deer fence. Further on, we came across a good path, but it was heading in the wrong direction. It was possibly the top of the path that we should have taken. Progress was slow but he Peter's mood had definitely picked up by the time we had joined the summit ridge, with him saying "I didn't know that hiking could be so much fun". I had been encouraging him to eat. I had a full Scottish breakfast at the Bog Cotton Cafe, but Peter had just a sausage role and I think he had "burnt off" every Joule contained within.
Peter stripped off to the waist. I told him that was OK as long as he put his shirt back on when we reached the summit. When I was his age, nobody worried about the harmful effects of the sun, but today we parents are more aware and encourage our kids to cover themselves up. At the start, sunscreen had only been applied to the arms and neck.
Kids are so much more pasty due to the hours spent gaming in a darkened bedroom. My parents wanted me out of the house and I spent my time playing football or fishing on the nearby canal. That was my "normal life".
Going down was relatively straightforward and pleasant with just a short band of felled forest at the bottom, before reaching the track taking us back to Cougie. I suggested looking out for the start of the proper path up the hill, but Peter was not interested and babbled on about things that he had seen on YouTube videos.
It had always been my intention to show Peter Plodda Falls and the plan had not changed. I thought that Peter might want to skip it but he got out and, while I wanted to just go down to the viewing platform, Peter would have been happy to explored further. There was a quick stop in Cannich for a drink and ice cream before heading home and Peter's "normal life".
It had always been my intention to show Peter Plodda Falls and the plan had not changed. I thought that Peter might want to skip it but he got out and, while I wanted to just go down to the viewing platform, Peter would have been happy to explored further. There was a quick stop in Cannich for a drink and ice cream before heading home and Peter's "normal life".