Hiking the Affric Kintail Way (pt. 2) | Remoteness and the Return of Winter

[@johnburrows6055]

Thanks,, I really enjoy your videos. Otto is a great companion for you.😊

[@frankalexander6629]

Thank you Elli for bringing this to us. You've made my mind up to do this trail next taking me back to Cannich and Altbeithe Hostel, mind you I've had great weather in Kintail. Following you all the way, so interesting!

[@robertmackay3795]

Otto is my new hero,what a trooper

[@ellihikes]

He really is the best hiking partner 🥰

[@AbdulsCycles]

Hi Elli, grateful for you showing us such amazing Hiking the Affric Kintail in Winter! We look forward to your next upload! Have an awesome and safe week out there~

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for the kind words and for following along! I really appreciate that :)

[@RenateSchneider-d8w]

Respekt - wir ihr beide diesem Wetter trotzt. Schnee Regen, Kälte und Wind. Hoffentlich ändert sich die Wetterlage bald. Dann käme diese schöne Landschaft noch viel viel besser zur Geltung. Ich drücke euch die Daumen. 😊❤

[@gerardgeometre1862]

Hello Elly, a really strong performance from both of you in these adverse weather conditions. It was obviously one of those situations where you only have one alternative: it is what it is, so keep going and get on with it. Luckily you have the right and suitable equipment for such adventures. All the best.😊

[@andrewmills509]

Sorry it’s a tough day Elli, I hope it ends well for you and Otto ( another 20 mins to find out ) those Dam weather forecasts you can never trust them 🤣🙂 it still looks incredibly stunning though. You could take some amazing panoramic photographs. Thanks for sharing another very enjoyable video.

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for following along, I really appreciate the kind words and encouragement :)

[@Earlofmar1]

I had to phone the lady at the Morvich Campsite and both times she was really kind. Most of the people on the trails generally are really good as a rule.

[@ellihikes]

Yes, that's so true. Been experiencing the kindness of people on all my hikes so far :) That's such a nice feeling :)

[@catmandubh]

Again, a great video. You are pretty tough coping with Scottish wet and cold conditions.

[@aiden94136]

Brilliant video stunning vues I only just found this trail and it's looks so remote and stunning I live so close to this aswell 😂 40 miles summer trip will be planned thank you I enjoyed both sections to this video :)

[@RobbC.]

You realise you are at your limit when you want to quit but still carry on. You push those limits. It's good as long as it's not dangerous, and you managed it very well. What a beautiful place. Well done for surviving :)

[@ellihikes]

Aww, that's very kind! And so true, that's what I want to do :) Thank you so much for following along, that means so much :)

[@ianpadley3334]

You and Otto are an inspiration. Thanks for sharing this and for your courage to share your feelings too. It’s not always easy, but the harder days do make for great memories!

[@ellihikes]

That's definitely very true :) Thank you so so much for the kind and encouraging words and for following along 😇

[@user-man-now80]

I hate the snow, but as you say 'it is what it is' - cold, wet, treacherous and , for me utterly miserable ; but for a brave soul like you Elli, and little Otto, it's a challenge to be accepted and beaten. I admire your adventurous spirit. Another entertaining video. Cheers. Sheffield South Yorkshire. I'm happy to see that you made it to the safe and warm refuge.

[@stephenvicary9243]

Another cracking video Elli. Despite the highs and lows that the Scottish weather threw at you, the landscapes colours looked amazing, snow, hills, loch, clouds, streams and waterfalls. Didn’t envy you and Otto (who I think has mountain goat genes in him) paddling through the cold trail. Thank you for an extremely well presented and informative hike. Take care ⛺️ 🌧️ 🏔️ 🐕 🚶🏻‍♀️ Til next time….

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for your continued support, kind words and encouragement. That means so much :)

[@elinaranes4357]

Dear Elli and Otto,that looked so hard,with the snow and the boggy path. I hope you both are in a dry and warm place now. Look after yourselves and stay safe💜💜

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for following along, Elina :) I really appreciate the kind words. Yes, these days were quite hard. Just cold, wind, snow and a bit of loneliness that got to me a bit. But still a very beautiful area :)

[@cml4914]

Glad you managed to power through the bad weather. Definitely adding this to my trail list ❤

[@ellihikes]

Thank you :) Yes, you definitely should! The weather wasn't great, but I still can really recommend it. It's not too hard, not too long and just very stunning :)

[@cheekuenbird38]

Well done to both of you 🙏👏thank you for sharing ❤ always cheer me up ❤ I just a holiday in Isle of Arran. Beautiful coast and good for wild camping for motor home or camping. A bid hug for brave boy Otto❤

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for your continued support and kind words! That means so so much :) The Isle of Arran is definitely on my bucket list too, I've heard so many great things about it :)

[@mikePNW]

That was a really tough stretch! You just haven't had great luck with the weather lately. These kind of days really build character and you showed how resilient you are. You both did awesome! Keep it up my friend 💪

[@ellihikes]

Aww, that means a lot! Thank you so much for the kind words :)

[@Ballbagsaggins]

Snow days can be lovely but tough going! Well done! Looks like Otto had a lot of fun at least.🙂 I'm finally getting out with my hound (Belle) this weekend. Having only managed 1 night camps this year, I'm really looking forward to getting out on the Cross Borders Drove Road for 2.5 days.🙂 She's very excited that all of our things are packed and ready to go.🙂 Hope you enjoy the whatever you do next.🙂

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, yes! Otto didn't seem to be too bothered by the snow 😅 thank you so much for following along. I hope you had I great hike on the Cross Borders Drove Road. It's beautiful area too, we've hiked a bit of it last year on our JoGLE :)

[@nickwinter991]

Snow can be so nice, but not when it is slushy and you are cold and wet. What a transformation next day, though, when the snow had gone! Thank you for the summary of the trail, that's very helpful. My problem now is that you are adding trails to my to-do list much faster than I can ever hope to do them! Maybe that's in the category of a nice problem to have though... I admire your determination and the way you just keep walking even when the weather is bad, you are cold and wet and haven't seen anyone for days. Most of us can do that for a day or two, but you just keep going on and on, like you did in your JOGLE marathon. Not many people have that enduring willpower and physical strength. I think a lot of us following your adventures would be interested if you did a video sometime on the "inner game" of keeping going in tough times. How do you motivate yourself? What do you say to yourself in the morning when you are nice and dry in your tent, but it is raining hard outside and you know you have to pack up the wet tent and trudge through mud all day? When you are walking into a strong wind and the rain is stinging your eyes and face, and your hands and feet are soaked and frozen, do you keep going by imagining a lovely meal in a cafe followed by a nice, warm, comfortable bed even if there is no possibility of those in the near future? Or would that just make you want to catch the next train home?!

[@garybeaumont1373]

This vlog came up when I was researching the trail and you’ve convinced me it’s worth doing and within my capability. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to seeing more of your trails.

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much :) It's definitely worth it, the area is stunning and the hike not too hard! Can't recommend it enough :) Thank you for following along!

[@chrishiking8818]

Elli and Otto total respect to you both in all sorts of weather in Scotland. I think Scotland really throws the weather and wildness at you and truly tests your body and gear. Another beautiful video. And Otto well he's a super dog. Take care both 🌷

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, yep - Scotland was really testing us a bit this spring :) Thank you so much for following along, that means the world :)

[@martinforrester8249]

That was a tough one Elli, but you are resilient. It's a great pity that there was no firewood left in the Bothy for you.

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, yes! A fire would have been amazing 😊 But it's kind of a steep climb to bring in firewood, so I can totally see why there wasn't any :) Thank you so much for following along :)

[@babcockandbobbins]

That did look like a struggle but so nice of them to let you stay in that tv room.

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, yes! After 3 days of cold winds, snow and wet feet I was very happy to get there and even mote when they offered me to stay inside. That was such a relief :)

[@BrokenBackMountains]

Snow days can be fun but tough especially that slush but the views can be very atmospheric. Otto is the one to follow in the boggy bits. Dogs always find the best route.

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, that's so true. Otto always find a better way than I do 😅 It was tough doing it in the cold and the snow, but still very very beautiful and a totally different atmosphere :) Thank you for following along!

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

Hello Elli & Otto, Another fantastic journey comes to an end. It was so funny when you got to that small water crossing, I loved the way Otto just jumped a cross as if to say come on mum it's bloody easy lol... Also, I love the way you say Shiiiiit with your German accent. You looked so happy to reach the both and you didn't even care there was no fire wood. So nice of the lady to let you sleep in the dining room at the end. I have always found the Scottish people to be very kind and friendly. So what's next Mount Everest!!! 😋✌

[@m1klgordon]

OMG, you were right about the shite weather, Elli. But you and Otto make things so bright and warm. I really appreciated your comments about the Morvich Lady because most of the time we Scots help when we can. Is there a Led Zeppelin song about that? I love the area you filmed in because I spent a few treasured weeks at Ceannacroc, south of Affric, in the '70's. My wife passed 32 years ago but our kids and grandkids still ask for stories of her. Hope you have better times in Scotland when you come here again. Thank You X

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for sharing - that means so much! It is a very special area for sure and I can totally see why you love it 😇 Scottish people really are so so helpful and kind. It is one of the reasons why I always keep coming back. It's so easy when there's always people ready to help 😍 You can be so proud of yourselves :)

[@Kennyarrow]

Elli you are a truily beautiful human being, the rest of us aspire to be like you. We love you very much. Warm love felt greetings from south africa ❤😃😍🤗❤❤😍🤗❤😃😍🤗🙏

[@ellihikes]

😇 Aww, that's very kind! Thank you for the encouragement, that means so much :) Thank you for following along 😊

[@Daytona2]

Apart from the forest part on day one it looks like a lovely for a quick getaway/holiday. And the forest isn't so bad. What a great newish addition to the trail network, thanks to all involved. You really are a Scottish expert (but, as ever, beware overconfidence), even before the big one, hope you're having fun and enjoying the weather and soaking in the culture of the event. As ever please don't worry about uploads, besides, spinning the videos out gives you more space and time in future. Hope Otto's enjoying home comforts 💤 do you video call him ? Beautifully crafted video, as ever, thanks Elli & Otto 🙏

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement 😇 Re the Affric Kintail Way: Yes, it really is a perfect option for a shorter hike/weekend adventure. Not too challenging but remote enough to really get the Highland "feeling" and the scenery is beautiful :) PS: TGOC videos starting next Sunday ;) As for video calling Otto: I wish he would understand the concept of phones and images/videos on screens. Some dogs can literally watch TV, but he seems to stare right through it, not getting that there's even anything going on on the screen and even on speaker he does barely react to hearing my voice 😂🤔

[@Daytona2]

​@@ellihikes oh, the video calling sounds like the problem with old style TV sets - dogs sight is so fast, at 30fps they just saw a series of still pictures, they need 75+fps for it to appear as motion. It looks like whatsapp is 60, FaceTime is 60-75 and zoom is 30 which indicates they all lack the server and network power. KZbin will have the power, so perhaps try a private YT live session ?! And again, with the sound, their ears are so sensitive you probably sound like a Dalek to him! 😂

[@mariatassoni3781]

Brava, Elli and Otto! I always appreciate your honesty, and also your positive spirit! These hard bits are what make us stronger, wiser and, overall, better humans! I hope you have some downtime after this trip to rest and recuperate.

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so so much for the feedback ad kind words! I really appreciate you following along and I think you're right: it's so worth it to push through even when it's hard :)

[@alexcrichton6864]

Well done ellie, you and otto are star's, how old is your four legged friend, take care, hope your next trip is better.

[@ellihikes]

Aww, thank you so much, that's very kind! Otto is 7 years old :)

[@damedavidfrith55]

Well done 🎉 looked an amazing walk an no midges a win win

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much! Yes, at least no midges 😅😍

[@CapmanBe]

Bravo Elli ❤

[@steveparkinson8887]

Superb eli, so we'll done babes, all the best to, luvs ur vlogs, don't stop

[@ellihikes]

Thank you 😇

[@JustinMcKinneyhiker]

Great Trip !! Otto is the best !!

[@ellihikes]

He really is the best companion 😍😊

[@callummacinnes3677]

Hi Elli , your channel came up on my feed. Really enjoyed your video. Haven’t done the trail as such but have camped most of it on different occasions. The weather really threw a lot at you but glad that you enjoyed it despite this. Atb

[@ellihikes]

Aww, thank you so much for watching! Really happy that you've enjoyed the video :) It's really a stunning area, even in bad weather - it's so beautiful 😍

[@justinbrockall9252]

Great Video Eli, I did the trail last week over 3 days and even then there was numerous sections of the trail flooded between the Hostel and Glean Licht.

[@ellihikes]

Oh wow, crazy that it was still flooded. But it just rained a lot this spring. Thank you so much for following along :)

[@martinbeswick3281]

Well done both of you. Having been in Glen Affric a few times you were so unlucky with the weather. You will have passed Strawberry Cottage where I have stayed a couple of times.

[@nigelstaveley5054]

You should consider getting a pair of lightweight boots for crossing streams and bogs. Army boots such as Haix are very good.

[@ellihikes]

A good idea, but I'm quite happy with hiking in trailrunners and don't think I would want to carry a second pair of shoes. Boots would have probably helped here a bit, but I was wading through puddles that were more than calf deep constantly, so water would have very likely gotten into boots as well :)

[@RegEdmunds]

When I go hiking I go to enjoy myself, in those conditions, definitely not fun, and the idea of cold wet feet. Urrgh!! You picked up the feel of your walk very well, it made me feel cold and wet whilst sitting in the comfort of my armchair.

[@campingcaledonia76]

Tough conditions there, super slushy. Well done to you & Otto!

[@ellihikes]

Yes, it wasn't easy, but still very beautiful :) Thank you so much for following along!

[@outdoorsincornwall2060]

What a test! Well done for completing it, hope the weather has been better for you on the next walks

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, it really was a test :) Luckily, the weather slowly got better on our next hikes after that :)

[@gregoryoutdoors]

haha that looked proper fun, its good to know I need to always carry puffy and autumn/winterish kinda setup when going there up into early May etc...still, looks amazing there and cannot wait to go there myself to explore as well!

[@ellihikes]

It's definitely a stunning area to hike, I can totally recommend it :) But yes, also higher up in the mountains where it can get quite cold :) Thank you so much for following along!

[@gregoryoutdoors]

@@ellihikes Cannot wait to do it myself and CWT

[@jameskelly2559]

Lovely hike- you are so brave! Otto is wonderful as ever and steals the show. Can I aks which Garmin you use? It looks perfect for these types of hikes.

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the kind words :) Otto really is the best companion 😍 I use the Garmin inreach mini 1 and it works well for me. I mainly use it for sending check-in messages to my family and to check the forecast when I'm out of signal for longer :)

[@jameskelly2559]

@@ellihikes THANKS ELLI!

[@alangauld6079]

Such a pity you had the misty weather in the middle section, the mountain scenery there really is spectacular. But then again it was early April and we have had one of the wettest and coldest Springs for a long time. I've done the western end of the trail several times while bagging Munros and as part of TGO challenges and stayed at both Camban and the YH. The latter used to leave the back cabin open as an unofficial bothy in the "closed" season, but I don't know if they still do that. (It seems to have had a facelift since I was last there in the late 90s!) Camban also has had a facelift, it used to leak at the eastern end and was very damp inside and only had a single sleeping platform. I'm feeling the urge to revisit it having seen your video. 🙂

[@ellihikes]

Hahaha, yes! A very wet month of April indeed, especially compared to last year 😅 but Scotland is beautiful in every weather :) I was definitely happy for Camban Bothy on this hike, the work done by the MBA and the volunteers is just 👍

[@Oceanpreneur]

WILD! thanks for sharing the good and the bad. Just discovered your channel. Cool to find out about other women hiking with their dogs:) Me & my dog will go hike the GR11 this summer :) I'm so excited! How are his paws doing on a long and cold hike like this? Happy hiking! Suzanne

[@ellihikes]

Aww, thank you so much for the kind words! That means a lot :) Hope you're having a great time on the GR11, heard a lot of great things about it :) Honestly, Otto's paws a pretty toughened up, so he rarely as any issues. He doesn't seem to mind the cold when it comes to his paws.... it only gets a bit trickier when it's very wet AND sharp rocks/scrambles. That's when he had issues in the past, but not when it's mostly a path like on this hike :)

[@snowberry1211]

Admire your drive and passion. What is the little device on your rucksack strap-Is it an emergency gps

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so so much, that means a lot! Yes, that's the Garmin inreach, a satellite device, that I use to check the weather, send sos if needed and also send short messages to my family when I don't have signal :)

[@brianbathgate4944]

Wonderful videos, thanks for taking us on your adventures! Have sub’d :)

[@ellihikes]

Aww, thank you so much! That means a lot, happy that you found your way to the channel 😇

[@brianbathgate4944]

@@ellihikesI love videos like these, part of the joy of YT :-). Great seeing other people’s adventures :-) I was up to Glen Affric for the first time back in May. The weather wasn’t great, but it wasn’t snowing. This year has been crazy for weather in Scotland. Not sure if you live here or just visiting, but we seem to be getting our best weather in Sept these days. This was my wee film from my trip, if you’re interested, we wee based in Cannich :-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGbaaZeFdpmlZ6csi=kog4MLcWwQyKzU_P

[@ichbindannmaldraussen]

Ich dachte fast ich hätte dich vor ein paar Tagen im Bus von Inverness Richtung Fort William gesehen. Aber da war kein Otto! 🤔

[@ellihikes]

Hihihi, ja - ich glaube, dann waren wir im selben Bus, denn ich hab' hinter mir deutsche Stimmen gehört :) Das wart dann wohl ihr beiden!? :)

[@ichbindannmaldraussen]

@@ellihikes Ne, das war ein deutsches Pärchen, welches sich ziemlich laut unterhalten hat. ☺ Ich war da alleine unterwegs nach Skye und saß 3 Reihen hinter Dir. Schottland ist doch klein. ☺

[@hsoderberg6505]

Was there normally not an indoor place to sleep at that place or were they full?

[@ellihikes]

No, they are only a campsite and don't have any cabins or other accomodation. But they were so helpful and let me sleep inside 😍