Ramsay Round Shortcuts

[Bob]

I don't think the Ramsay will, partly because it is so far for most people to get to for recce purposes but also because away from the main ridges, there are much fewer paths for people to follow.

The BG is mostly on existing (and pretty obvious) paths created by countless walkers. The bits that aren't existing paths are becoming worn but you'd need to know where to cut off a main path to find these trods. The rakes on the Langdale face of Bowfell are a case in point.

The Paddy Buckley is somewhere in between these two.

And what about races? For most runners in a race it is simply a matter of following the procession, little or no navigation skill required.

[Baggins]

I'm probably a voice in the wilderness here (I'm used to that) but it's sad to reflect that with all this information and micro-navigation flying around the Ramsay (and the PBR) are sure to go the same way as the BG and eventually become just another standard test piece to follow the procession round...

I don't think its ever going to be as popular as the BG, its too remote and a lot rougher for a start, plus even helping out is hard as no roads cross it so it isn't the "fun day" out that a BG support is.

Does it matter that it becomes more popular? Even the numbers doing the BG are miniscule compared to the amount of walkers in the Lake District.

Yes its a test piece but isn't that why we run to test ourselves

[IainR]

The paddy is vertainly getting more and more trods developing, I was quite suprised at the weekend. It's now getting a bit quicker I think, maybe worth including Mynydd Mawr for future roundees to make equivalent to historic completions...:-)

Trods are inevitable though. We live in a sedentary society, increasingly so. If a consequence of a more active population is a few more trods it's a small price to pay.

[ydt]

....and if one does not want to follow the procession round, he/she can try my Meirionnydd challenge; a good part of it is virgin wilderness-no trods. Obviously, if you do not want to repeat someone else's round, then you will have to devise your own.
Yiannis

[Fellhound]

Yes, and luckily there are plenty of hills to go at...

[Baggins]

Yes, and luckily there are plenty of hills to go at...

But if you want a 24 hour challenge that involves running the Grey Corries and the Mamores you'll have to do the Ramsay Round because Charlie picked the optimum route.

Pity the Tranters wasn't longer as its the purest route, a horseshoe, but its not long enough for summer

[Baggins]

Had an "interesting" few days, it did actually stop raining sometimes

From Stob Ban to the Easains I found the deer trods up the North side of the Allt Ruigh na Braoileig but halfway up switched sides half way up as the trods kept disappearing, this was a mistake I think as the heather was thicker so as soon as I could switched back ( the river was very steep sided for a bit so could not get back across right away)

The lay of the land here is very misleading as the streams seem to be descending across the slope so you are inclined to head straight up away from them but this is away from the summit?

Coming off Stob a Choire Mheadhion I went over/down Meall Cian Dearg I had noticed a path trending to the right coming down but kept to the main path, do you go over Meall Cian Dearg or can the steep descent be bypassed?

I then followed the path that keeps high after crossing the stream (just after the pillar) but this joined a higher road so went slightly past the dam before I could cut down to it.
There was a path that seemed to follow the stream down more direct is that any better.

Not the best of days for a recce, cloud was down to 1000ft (well below the pillar) and constant rain.

Chno Dearg to Beinn na Lap found the ridge off eventually (had to stop my lemming like mates going for the direct off the top of Chno Dearg )
Once on the right line thought it was a really good way off and enjoyed the climb up to Ben na Lap, the descent off was a shock though very boggy and stony

Also checked out the direct ascent of Binean Mor as this has been covered in snow the other times I've been up, I wouldn't go any other way now really fast to gain height and a nice change from splashing through bogs.

Mullach nan Coirean I'm going to stick with the NE ridge didn't have time to check it out.

[IanDarkpeak]

Had an "interesting" few days, it did actually stop raining sometimes

From Stob Ban to the Easains I found the deer trods up the North side of the Allt Ruigh na Braoileig but halfway up switched sides half way up as the trods kept disappearing, this was a mistake I think as the heather was thicker so as soon as I could switched back ( the river was very steep sided for a bit so could not get back across right away)

The lay of the land here is very misleading as the streams seem to be descending across the slope so you are inclined to head straight up away from them but this is away from the summit?

Coming off Stob a Choire Mheadhion I went over/down Meall Cian Dearg I had noticed a path trending to the right coming down but kept to the main path, do you go over Meall Cian Dearg or can the steep descent be bypassed?

I then followed the path that keeps high after crossing the stream (just after the pillar) but this joined a higher road so went slightly past the dam before I could cut down to it.
There was a path that seemed to follow the stream down more direct is that any better.

Not the best of days for a recce, cloud was down to 1000ft (well below the pillar) and constant rain.

Chno Dearg to Beinn na Lap found the ridge off eventually (had to stop my lemming like mates going for the direct off the top of Chno Dearg )
Once on the right line thought it was a really good way off and enjoyed the climb up to Ben na Lap, the descent off was a shock though very boggy and stony

Also checked out the direct ascent of Binean Mor as this has been covered in snow the other times I've been up, I wouldn't go any other way now really fast to gain height and a nice change from splashing through bogs.

Mullach nan Coirean I'm going to stick with the NE ridge didn't have time to check it out.

The descent from MCD is marked by a cairn and is on the Eastern side of the ridge just befor the drop.

After passing beneath the piller you cross a stream. Both times I've done this leg we've dropped down with the stream on it's far bank. you then cross another stream and straight over a slight climb to the track(the upper one) which you follow to the dam. I think this is quicker the other is maybe more direct but is much rougher.

Bill I believe you had a chat with a friend of mine easy to spot as he's so tall Big Bob Berzins, he was up there with another friend who pulled out of a tranter attempt after feeling ill. They both came over to the Cairngorms after to see us in.

[ydt]

Bill,
..."I then followed the path that keeps high after crossing the stream (just after the pillar) but this joined a higher road so went slightly past the dam before I could cut down to it.
There was a path that seemed to follow the stream down more direct is that any better".

As I remember, you can cut the track corner and drop down to the dam, that is what I did in my solo run. I had put a food stash in the bushes as well.
Do not drop down to the track that runs along the loch, the descent gets rough further down and the track has some climb in it.
Yiannis

[Baggins]

The descent from MCD is marked by a cairn and is on the Eastern side of the ridge just befor the drop.

I must have missed it in the clag as I went straight over the top

After passing beneath the piller you cross a stream. Both times I've done this leg we've dropped down with the stream on it's far bank. you then cross another stream and straight over a slight climb to the track(the upper one) which you follow to the dam. I think this is quicker the other is maybe more direct but is much rougher.

I started going down this way then after a 100m realised I had come up on the other path so went back and came down the Way Yiannis described.

Took 48 mins to get down but slowed down a lot on the descent from MCD as I had trail shoes on (crampons and wellies would be ideal) then zigzagged all over the place trying to find the pillar, so ok with line I found. (but I'm sure there is a way to the W totally avoiding the drop of MCD and then loop back round to the pillar but thats for another time )

Bill I believe you had a chat with a friend of mine easy to spot as he's so tall Big Bob Berzins, he was up there with another friend who pulled out of a tranter attempt after feeling ill. They both came over to the Cairngorms after to see us in

That'll have been Will and Alan, I was in Fort William then, I was supposed to be going to do the Easains in the afternoon but thought I'd rather wait for the cloud and rain to come back the next day

Did Mark get to Na Gruagaichean as I saw studmarks coming off the summit ridge?