more bothy's than you can shake a stick at

Today we found a 52km mountain bike route with 1300m ascent only a flee spit away.

What was more impressive that out of the 6 local's none of us has cycled the route before.

Maybe thats because the tracks aren't marked on our ancient maps and it has a rather deep river crossing.

The happy fisherman on the river must have thought that we were all absolutely bonkers!

torridon

This stick is for deer:

Yesterday I was mainly looking at Derek's arse because he was always in front.  Except for this time:

This is me convincing myself that I don't actually need poles or crutches anymore:

Thankfully, I am not ticking off corbett's - otherwise this beast would be on the list and its miles from anywhere:

No jelly snakes, just Randoms (left overs from PDG):

Obviously the inspiration for Jabba the Hutt: 

Derek looking slightly relieved having swam across loch torridon: 

Note to self: when trying to gauge one's fitness having been mainly static for 6 weeks, going on the hill with someone who is training for an iron man is perhaps not the smartest move.

third time lucky

Corryhabbie Hill is a corbett of insignificant proportions.

However, Corryhabbie Hill is the only mountain that has defeated me not only once but on two separate occasions.

Today, on my third attempt, I finally submitted Corryhabbie Hill in truly minging conditions.  

Thank goodness for good waterproofs :)

escaping the weather

Quality, not quantity - thats what the saying goes something like.

Why can't you have both?

In the past 3 days we climbed 22 routes.

Surely the only way to learn to climb, is to climb?

back to front

The majority of my clients learn to rock climb before they learn to winter climb.

Not Scott.

Scott learnt to winter climb before he learnt to rock climb.

So, today Scott discovered that you don't have to actually cold weld nuts into cracks and that friends are actually quite reliable.

Photo's?  Just randomness that you see in the daily life of a mountaineering instructor :)

amazing scotland

I have lived in Scotland all my life, and it never ceases to amaze me.

Derek required absolutely no persuasion to go climbing yesterday, so we found the windiest crag possible to avoid the midgies.

We re-discovered the Badachro Inn - purveyors of fine real ale I am assured - played with the ringed plovers on the beach and discovered some new climbing venues. 

Arrived home to discover that Skimo Scotland is now Skimo Scotland Ltd and that I am one of the Directors.  The Skimo Scotland website will be updated in a couple of weeks with all the race information for this coming season - fingers crossed that we get the white stuff.

Another successful weekend coming to think about it.

Will be mainly sitting on one's arse the next 2 days as I remember how to apply a plaster.

I went climbing today

Enough said ...

Sitting with a grin from ear to ear.

the burning of the crutches

1,008 hours on crutches.

I have a new respect for lots of things in life.

In the grand scheme of things, my problems were insignificant.  

So Gilbert, man up and get on with life :)

loch cold

Todays effort far outshone todays activity.

I got my feet wet before calling it a day.

Derek lasted 59 seconds before calling it a day.

Louella lasted 9 minutes before calling it a day.

We were supposed to be swimming for 30 minutes "concentrating on form".

Pathetic but still alive.

life's little adventures

Open water swimming - I am now convinced that it takes years off your life.

Yesterday, Derek & Di put on the perv suits for the very first time to experience the delights of scottish loch swimming.

To try and explain what goes through your head as you swim and tread water, for me would be impossible.

The negatives - not seeing anything as you swim except your arms as they pull underneath your body; the black slimey mud that you have to stand on and the fear of getting cramp in the middle of the puddle knowing that your only help is your buddy.

The positives - the sun shining in your face as you come up for air; watching the red kite circle above you and the invigorating feeling that you get when you have finally de-thawed. 

For our first time in the water, with hindsight we were probably in the water just a bit too long.  My right hand formed its own open claw on the swim back which I couldn't move; on getting out the water Derek wobbled uncontrollably to fetch the crutches; we could both hardly speak for at least 5 minutes because we were shivering so much and it took a hot chocolate and poke of chips in Tesco to feel half human again.

Life is just full of adventures ... oh and sharks?  Don't be silly, you don't get sharks in Scotland - just pike!