Access to a year's subscription to Rockfax Digital. I wasn’t exactly keen but had recently done Striding and Swirral Edge on Helvellyn. Would it make a difference? Moreover, exploring the driving analogy would have us being first licensed before venturing out and then having to be qualified before venturing out alone. Are we putting ourselves at unnecessary (and in some folks eyes unacceptable) risk? A series of large well constructed cairns guide folk to and from the summit, around the top of Gardyloo Gully and past the potentially dangerous ground of Five Finger Gully. The Northern Corries alone accounted for 38 call outs for the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue team in the same five year period. In length the full ridge continues for 10 km from the Pap of Glencoe at the west to the eastern end at the Devil's Staircase. Aye he was fine in the end! Apart from the little 'accident' the aonach eagach proved a spectacular scramble and well worth while the drive there (and back). I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." There are already signs at the Glen Nevis visitor centre to educate folk on the appropriate clothing, equipment and experience necessary for a safe ascent of the mountain. Scrambling the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe is one of the classic mountain scrambling days in Scotland. (2). Is there anything wrong with learning by other peoples mistakes? Heading east to the Cairngorms, the Northern Corries in winter have to be the classic 'black spot' hotspot. So far, all we've asked of you is that you visit and interact with the site but we are in uncertain times. Many thanks to Bob Sharp for his kind support and information regarding accident statistics. Is Ben Nevis a KILLER MOUNTAIN? If you appreciate UKClimbing then please help us by becoming a UKC Supporter. However despite the warnings, the rescue team continued to get called out to recover folk stuck on steep frozen ground. I am not sure if visual and audio warnings are appropriate or effective. Mountain literature such as The Munros should be updated to highlight seasonal specific blackspots/dangers eg Coire Tulaich and suggest alternative routes of ascent and descent for winter conditions. Not all mountain accidents involve mountaineers, some involve general tourists. The Mountain Rescue Statistics also reveal the accident 'black spot' hotspots in Glencoe. Starting up the Devils Staircase I was busy scoping out this track into the hills. This again reflects the popularity of these locations. Info. Realistically, the answer has to be a resounding NO. Check out our Membership Benefits – and join us today! These cairns were built in the summer of 2008 and follow the line of the traditional 'pony track', but they are not without contention. For your average hill walker the tourist track is an easy, well constructed path all the way. Please help UKClimbing continue to provide varied and free content by becoming an official UKC Supporter. … It is becoming increasingly clear that very many people currently underestimate the challenge that our hills and mountains can present. You can help us by becoming a UKC Supporter. The ridge towers at 953m high and is often thought of as the UK’s toughest … ! The first of these is the famous Grade 2 scramble of the Aonach Eagach ridge. UKClimbing is a vibrant web site with rich content and an amazing community. a number of points. I'd really love to do this walk. The central section, some 2 km in length, is very rocky and the route along it requires scrambling ability. I’ve done the Aonach Eagach four times, the last time being 2008 when most of these images were taken. Tap to unmute. Should they show danger spots? Scrambling the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe is high on many people's 'tick list'. Share. How about a line of cairns guiding folks down the south side of the ridge towards Loch Achtriochtan or north towards the Pap? Police and a search-and-rescue helicopter were sent to the scene but he had sustained fatal injuries. A look through Scottish Mountain Rescue statistics reveals the most common accident ‘blackspots’. --Douglas Adams, Images If all works out I might be doing the ridge in winter conditions over the next few months – watch this space! That's not meant to sound complacent, but the impression sometimes given is that the general public are somehow at huge risk every time they step onto a hill. Spot the climber, a tad flooded Clachaig Gully© jimorothy, May 2009 Four incidents and two fatalities this summer, on or close to the Clachaig Gully path at the western end of the Aonach Eagach prompted me to consider the thorny issue of accident 'black spots'. Through their mountain safety initiatives the Council offer subsidised training course in mountain skills. sorry for the late reply, been very busy this year! Saturday's inaugural Salomon Glen Coe Skyline race went down a storm with competitors and the many spectators who came to offer support. However, when Heather postulates; “You wouldn't think it was acceptable to jump in a car and drive without having some professional instruction first. The Aonach Eagach has all the ingredients for a great day out and is a real mountain challenge in every respect. All rights reserved. Heather Morning - MCofS© Mick Ryan About The Mountaineering Council of Scotland The idea that anyone should be denied access to a hill for want of some kind of licence or instruction is nonsense. In reality, many people obtain a provisional licence and are then accompanied by a qualified driver, not a professional instructor. Or is there a bigger picture to consider here? A GLASGOW policeman was killed in a freak hillwalking accident in Glencoe yesterday afternoon on a path between the two Munro peaks on the Aonach Eagach ridge. If you're on holiday in Fort William and you've got, for example, Chris Townsend's book on walks in Lochaber as well as the appropriate map, are you really also going to look for an internet cafe to find whether your chosen routes have any danger spots? Aonach Eagach. Lying on the West Highland Way it’s another popular biking and hiking route; later in the year I might be seeing this track a couple more times on my bike… it was good to … It is folk with inadequate experience and equipment who are exposing themselves to a greater level of risk. The tourist track on Ben Nevis is top of the league table for Mountain Rescue call-outs to one specific location in Scotland. Should a list be published and reviewed regularly of locations where accidents are occurring? The first recorded incident on Sharp Edge was in January 1961, to a young man who had slipped and fallen 100' and sustained a fatal head injury. You can show your support in one of two ways; both come with rewards, and one includes discounted products from Rockfax. Glencoe, Scotland. Compare this, to the press coverage of road traffic fatalities that occur on the UK roads every day. Perhaps the way forward is to encourage and foster a culture of self reliance through the provision of training. The Aonach Eagach is a rocky ridge lying to the north of Glen Coe in the Scottish Highlands, boasting two Munro summits. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. So it was back to school on Monday morning with another war story to tell. In the five years from 2004 – 2008 there were 32 incidents of the Aonach Eagach closely followed by 29 incidents on the Buachaille. Of course it doesn't take a genius to work out that the largest number of accidents happens where the largest concentrations of people go. With over 100 incidents and 11 fatalities since then, Sharp Edge is a continuing major responsibility for the members of Keswick MRT. Show your support UKC Supporter badge on your profile and forum posts. Aonach Eagach. Shopping. Fred Maclean, 44, who was walking at Aonach Eagach Ridge, died in a fall on Saturday morning. Driving tests are to prevent people killing other road users, not themselves. Copy link. The Aonach Eagach is a rocky ridge lying to the north of Glen Coe in the Scottish Highlands, boasting two Munro summits. Discussions are on-going as to whether the close proximity of some of the cairns to the precipitous North Face is likely to 'lure' somebody over the edge in winter conditions. If you have enjoyed this post, why not share it in Facebook, twitter, etc. The whole article seems to lead up to a suggestion that people pay money to go on courses organized by...the body behind the article. Some saying it's dangerous and should be avoided (deaths have happened), while others think there is nothing wrong with it. Body recovered by Glencoe MRT. The central section, some 2 km in length, is very rocky and the route along it requires scrambling ability. For this reason, it’s quite a serious undertaking. View A Close run thing on the Aonach Eagach Image Gallery - 5 Images. View A Close run thing on the Aonach Eagach Image Gallery - 5 Images. The technically difficult sections are few in number and very short-lived. Approach . "It was just an accident," he added. Bumbling Along Aonach Eagach: The UK's Narrowest Ridge. Within the mountaineering context, we could sensibly replace qualified by suitably experienced, in line with the HSE definition of competence. 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