The Real 3 Peaks Challenge Litter Pick on the White Mounth 5th October

The national coordinated litter sweep to ‘deep clean’ the highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales has been extended to include many other popular mountains across the UK.  The initiative sees teams of volunteers climbing the most popular hills and clearing as much as they can from the common approach routes and summits before the frost and snow of winter arrives.  

As mountaineering becomes more popular with locals and tourists alike, the problem of litter also increases with items such as toilet roll and hankies, plastic bottles, sweet wrappers and fruit peel being the most commonly seen items. 

A team of litter pickers from Aberdeen Mountaineering Club joined in the challenge to tackle two of the Munros of the White Mounth starting from the Spittal of Glenmuick on Saturday 5^th October.  The effort was arranged in cooperation with head ranger of the Balmoral Estate, Glyn Jones, who provided litter pickers and bags for the group.

Watching the weather forecast all week (and Hurricane Lorenzo) it was decided that the strong SE winds might prevent a full route of the White Mounth, bearing in mind that we would be clutching a long stick and a billowing plastic bag, but at least the most commonly trodden hills of Broad Cairn and Lochnagar could be prioritised.  

The team setting off from the Spittal of Glenmuick

The group split into two, one heading clockwise on the South side of Lock Muick to tackle Broad Cairn and the other heading anti-clockwise on the approach to Lochnagar.     

       

Derek, Luigi and Chris (friend of Hazel & Derek’s) found most of their litter on the lower Loch Muick paths and at the pony hut.  Not much litter was found on the summit of Broad Cairn.

Derek on the way up the landrover track to Broad Cairn

A bag of rubbish found at the pony hut

Hazel & Mark headed off up Lochnagar, finding tissues and food waste to be the most common item.  A few tins, bottles and bits of plastic were also picked up including those stuffed into cairns on the approach and summit.  

How not to leave your picnic spot after lunch (egg peel, banana skins and a muffin wrapper)

The weather was kinder than expected but still windy, wet and cold with poor visibility on the tops so both teams dropped down (via Corrie Chash and Glas Allt respectively) meeting at the Glas Allt Shiel bothy for a quick cuppa before the walk back to the Spittal.  

Luigi heading down the Corrie Chash path

All volunteers agreed that the day had been a great success, pleasingly not too much litter but still a worthwhile task before the winter sets in.  Everyone felt a good sense of achievement and well exercised from a day on the hill.  

The litter pickers with their haul

  

The litter will be weighed and added to the grand total picked for the The Real 3 Peaks Challenge. Glyn Jones, on behalf of the rangers, paid thanks to the volunteers.  

For more information and to follow the main event on Saturday 12^th October visit Real3Peaks Challenge on Facebook, or follow #real3peaks challenge on Instagram.

Mountaineering Scotland are also running a campaign to encourage the mountaineering community, and others, to remove litter and plastic from our hills and crags.  To participate you can take photos of your litter haul and tag #takeithame on social media to promote that we, climbers and hillwalkers, are part of the solution!