UKH

The 9 year old laddie has done a few hill walks but has started question if they are Corbett's or Munro's

This questioning is coming from others, as when he tells them he's been hill walking up a hill they ask him if its a Corbett or Munro so of course, being a kid, he now want to do Munro's as they are bigger

Now, I don't want to put him off walking (long boring routes/whaleback of a hill with little view etc.) so was thinking of what "good" munro's there are for forays from Ayrshire - the Arrochar hills not exactly short, Loch Lomond hills equally not that short - but also don't think he's ready for a wander up some nice Glencoe scrambly classics

Ben Lawers group no exactly that exciting - hmm, perhaps with the exception of Tarmachan Ridge I suppose

Where else should I be thinking of ?

In reply to Pids:

How about Schiehallion?
And you can tell him about weighing the world.

In reply to Pids:
Buchaille Etive Mor is good, short, but sort of rocky and interesting. Buchaille Etive Beag. Ben Ledi is good, although a Corbett. Cairngorm (if walking far is a problem...) Ben Lawers is actually quite nice I took my nieces up there when they were 11 or so in spring with a bit of snow to add to the interest including ice axes etc (although not necessary), the Glenshee Munros - with bothy visit, there are so many, depending on your wee man.
I think less bog and more interest (rocky bits, scrambling, etc is great for children ...ehh and me too)

In reply to Pids:

The wee Buachaille in Glencoe is a great 'little' munro and you get fab views in all directions to more 'grown up' hills. Nice ridge between the two munros.

In reply to Pids:

Meall a'Bhuiridh then have a tea at the ski centre cafe? (the car park is at 300m or so elevation, making it even easier)
I guess whether it's good or not depends on whether you found the ski centre paraphernalia interesting or eyesore.

In reply to Welsh Kate & Heike:

Wee Buachaille - I just seem to remember wading through a series of bogs & peat hags to get to it, seemed to take me hours, although that may just have been me.

Schiehallion is a good shout - fair walk in, bouldery at top

He's been up things like Ben Ledi/Bein an Lochain/Ben Vrackie and enjoys the "scrambly" bits more than bog trotting (don't we all) hence thought Tarmachan Ridge

Ski centre hills - aye, we've been through the ski centres, they do have their own particular charms

May just do a few more corbetts with him this autumn/winter and then hit the heights of munro bagging next spring - as ever, all depends on weather.

Cheers for the feedback though guys, appreciate it.

In reply to Pids:

Tarmachan ridge, or the main munro at least, is one of the better bets for a short day trip from the south (was considering it at the weekend with me much smaller nippers). Also, as Heike said, Ben Lawers is much better than many people think and you get the benefit of that same high start too.

I'm in a similar boat myself, always on the look-out for decent well drained paths, minimal bogs and convenient high starts. But as your lad has done a number of Corbetts I think you're already well on the road to proper mountain days (we're still a few years off that) so once you've broken him in gently on stuff like Tarmachan and Schiehallion you'll have all sorts of options: Beinn Dorain, Cruach Ardrain, Ben Vorlich, Cruachan (you don't have to do the whole ridge), Wee buachaille...

In reply to Pids:
A friend took her youngest son (6) up A' Ghlas Bheinn in Kintail for his first Munro last March. It actually worked really well, as the walk in from the Kintail outdoor centre is really varied and interesting, then there is a fairly steep ascent (with optional easy scrambling). Minimal bog and good views if the weather is half decent. I thought he would get bored or tired before the top, but he was bouncing all the way back to the car.

It is perhaps a little longer and has more ascent than you might want (you start from sea level), but I think the idea of going for something rocky, rather than dull and peat haggy is a good one.

Another option might be Maol Ghaordaidh from the interesting (Glen Lyon) side. There isn't a path, but the going is over quite reasonable ground and there isn't much of a walk-in. A steep clamber over boulders gets you onto the nice easy summit ridge, then you can come back down the corrie to the east. I've been up this way a couple of times and found it to be reasonably dry (although I might just have been lucky).

Otherwise Buachaille Etive Beag sounds good (not been up for years but I think there is a good path up onto the ridge now). Or (non Munro) Ben Vrackie.

In reply to Pids:

With the rather important caveat that I haven't done it myself, would Goat Fell be worth a look? Nice ferry across, and from all I've read, a decent interesting hill. Happy to be shot down if this is completely inappropriate.

In reply to Pids:
Wee Buchaille is a lot better nowadays, there is a constructed path most of the way. For a child it probably feels like scrambling as it is lots of rocky steps... I think Tarmachan ridge would be fun. I had considered this for our wee man too.

In reply to tony:

He's been badgering me to do that with him, we can see it from our house on clear days!
Heading over in October holidays so should get a chance of a wander up it, it was too wet last time we were over in Easter!

In reply to Pids:

We have had success with picking really good days, and going with other families so that chat and peer pressure ease the ascents. In these circumstances hills around Glen Shee have been very enjoyable. Can also recommend Ben Cruachan (more spicy than I remembered) tarmachan schiehallion.

In reply to Pids:

The Glenshee hills, while not all that exciting, would allow several hills in one day. High start and then knocking off a few summits might satisfy him?

In reply to Pids:

the buchaille perhaps? its not a huge amount of ascent for a munro and you could traverse the ridge and make it a circular walk with great views. the top bit of Coire na tuilaich isn't that good a path though.

Those bridge of orchy hills are a reasonable compromise between not being to hard work, an ok path, descent views and not too rounded and boring.

In reply to Pids:

Tarmachan Ridge up Ben Lawers way?

In reply to tony:

I did Goatfell with my parents when I was 8. We were no a hillwalking family but my mother went up it when she was a child and wanted to go up again. Half way up a thunderstorm rolled in and we hid under a boulder till it went away. We didn't have waterproof trousers only those cagooles that you got in the 1980s. I got to the top just fine. Mum didn't like it as she doesn't like heights and there's a big drop on one side.

Anyway I went back years later and it wasn't as big as I'd remembered it.

The point of the story is that an 8-year-old and two not very competent adults got up just fine from the Brodick Castle side where there is now a good path all the way up.

In reply to Pids:
Actually, being inspired by this discussion, we went to do Tarmachan ridge with our wee boy (7) last weekend. It was very nice and he enjoyed it. We took a walker's safety rope with us for the tricky bit. It's a really lovely and interesting hill walk. I can recommend it. Where the steep down climb is on the tricky section, just go down the steep grassy ridge to the right. A lot less hassle.

In reply to Pids:

Cairnsmore of Carsphairn - obviously ....

In reply to m dunn:

That's a good one, we did this last year with the wee man!!

In reply to m dunn:

Haha, was indeed going to do that the other weekend but weather forecast was bad so went north instead and went up BenVrackie instead, my Corbett count is growing

In reply to Heike:


Nice one!

Will need to find a spare weekend and get round to it soon.

In reply to Pids:
Hi Pids
I guess it is ajudgement on what he would like but perhaps you could consider Curved ridge. Based on the fact my boy had really enjoyed the wee scramble on a short rope to the true summit of the Cobbler I took my son up Curved ridge aged 9 as his first Munro on a short rope, he really loved it and we both had a great time. It was sobering the absolute trust he had in his dad (long gone now he is 17 mind....)
Gregor