Hill-Walking Alone in Scotland

I could have written this post as just ‘Hillwalking Alone’ but have added the ‘in Scotland’ after a little thought. I’ve always been completely happy hillwalking alone in the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales or similar. Wales has been a little more daunting but Scotland is in a class of its own for several reasons…

Sgurr Cos na Breachd-Laoigh, Loch Arkaig

Wed 9 Aug 2017
This walk prompted a new motto for my walking career, such as it is since my severe hip deterioration – no more pathless peaks! This, unfortunately, is going to rule out a great many of the Corbetts proving that you’re best to do those first before you wear out!

An Teallach Compleation Walk – My Photos…

It took me ages to use up my film after my Munro Tops Compleation walk on An Teallach so, in the end, I just went along with Mark’s excellent photos from the day. However, I promised in my last post I’d put mine out when I got them so here they are!

Finished on An Teallach!

Thu 18 May 2017
The day of my Munro Tops Compleation arrived and I’d only managed to scrape two companions together and ended up, by the end of the walk, with just one! Maybe it was because I’d had to make it mid-week as I couldn’t get any weekend accommodation in the area? or maybe I’m just unpopular!

Sgurr na Feartaig – on all Fours!

Tue 16 May 2017
Now only two days before my Munro Top Compleation and Richard was still not fit enough. I’d arranged that we have two nights at Strathcarron on the way up where I said there was a fine choice of lovely Corbetts. I really wanted to do An Ruadh-Stac but not if rain was forecast as I believed it was pretty much all rock slabs for the final part of the ascent and thought they wouldn’t be much fun to descend in the wet. The other Corbetts I had in mind were Sgurr na Feartaig – a nice grassy hill from Craig, and Fuar Tholl – a short walk I’d prefer to leave for the Wednesday in case I didn’t need a day off. As rain was forecast for the middle of the day, we decided on Feartaig…

Liathach Traverse

Wed 12 Oct 2016

The day after my Ghuibhais walk (previous post), I joined another Steve Fallon Group walk – this time on my erstwhile ‘bete noire’ – Liathach! Would my chest hold out for such a steep and hard climb? Would I freak out in a total funk like last time? it’s a pretty fearsome beast…

Photo R Wood

Grievous Guibhais

Tue 11 Oct 2016
Now I have to start this post by reassuring readers that this hill isn’t really grievous – it’s just my play on the Gaelic sound of the name Guibhais – in Gaelic bh = v – therefore I always imagine it sounds like Jonathan ‘Wossy’ Ross saying ‘grevious’ 😆 It’s actually a very nice hill indeed and another tick on my ‘Corbett’ list – not that I’m ever going to be doing ‘The Corbetts’.

Sgurr Dubh & a String of Disasters

Wed 5 Oct 2016
This is the follow up to my previously wasted 1000 mile trip (well, would have been wasted if I hadn’t managed to do Ben y Vrackie on the return). From start to finish it pretty much went wrong but it was still a great day out and a superb route to this particular Munro Top.

Ben Nevis Ledge Route & CMD

Mon 4 July 2016
This was another day out organised with Steve Fallon, although he wasn’t doing the guiding this time…

At the start of the year, feeling a bit of a daredevil, I booked up with Steve Fallon to do several ambitious scrambling routes in the Scottish mountains. The first was my Forcan Ridge trip in June – this was the second and there is one more to come.

Ben y Vrackie and a Famous Proclaimers Song

Thu 4 August 2016
And I would drive 500 miles,
and I would drive 500 more
Just to be the one who drove 1000 miles
Pointless miles upon my Sunny poor
La la la la, la la la la…