Sunday 29 July 2012

fingers ridge

Felt pretty smug this weekend as Donald & Di avoided the downpours.


Donald is a passionate hill walker and has often gazed up at mountain crags, watching climbers weave their way up the crags.  Today, he became that climber.




Today, we had the whole route, the whole corrie and (nearly but not quite) the whole mountain to ourselves.

Very unlike my normal memories of Finger's Ridge in mid winter :)

Thursday 26 July 2012

cairn of the fox's den

I wasn't organised enough today to find a climbing buddy, so I went walking.


For those who follow the Facebook page, you will know that there are 3 types of birds: tweety birds, ducky birds and hawk-like birds.


Well today I saw:
4 x hawk- like birds [1 x osprey and 3 x golden eagles]
lots of tweety birds [screaming dotterels, gabbling grouse, oyster catchers, lapwings and meadow pipits]


I also saw:
1 x mole
6 x very stinky wild goats
lots of frogs
and a rather posh bothy


I was so excited, I phoned Derek to tell him.  His reply: "So, you went to the Highland Wildlife Park, didn't you?"

Tuesday 24 July 2012

for one day only

I was going to blog about today...

... but ...

.. I only have one sister and this weekend she became Mrs Richardson.

So, for one day only, there was not a scarpa shoe in sight, only these ...


and there was not an outdoor research jacket in sight, only these ...


What I am going to do with a pair of Dorothy Wizard of Oz shoes and a posh dress after this weekend is beyond me :)

Friday 20 July 2012

circumnavigating the isle of mull


If someone had told me that this week I would be sailing around Mull, I wouldn't have believed them.


If someone had told me that this week I would be sailing around Mull, in a classic boat called Crazy Jane, I still wouldn't have believed them.


If someone had told me that this week I would be sitting off the back of a boat, fishing, there is absolutely no way I would have believed them.


2012 will always be remembered as the water summer.

A massive thank you to Willie for letting us see a completely different world :)

Saturday 14 July 2012

the sun always shines on the west coast

This is the Great Ridge on Garbh Bheinn:


It is a rather fine climb.


This is not the Great Ridge of Garbh Bheinn:


This is Scott and Wayne who took Di climbing for a day in Midgie Glen [note: sunglasses and t-shirts are being worn].

No-one knew what the word "capacious" meant as mentioned in the guidebook ("capacious ledge") - our guesses being either ridiculously small or ridiculously large.  Since there were 3 of us, it was a good job that it was the latter - every days a school day.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

the speyside way


The Speyside Way is one of 4 official Long Distance Routes in Scotland.


First opened in 1981 to run from Spey Bay to Ballindalloch, with a spur to Tomintoul being added in 1990.


A northern extension from Spey Bay to Buckie followed in 1999, with the route being further extended from Ballindalloch to Aviemore in April 2000.


So, yesterday afternoon and this morning, Derek & Di cycled from Buckie back home.


This afternoon, we will be mainly drying kit.

Saturday 7 July 2012

cuillin ravens

I could talk about this:


or I could talk about this:


I could mention the rather fine views:


or I could mention the weather.


But, I won't.  


Instead I am going to mention this:


At the start of our mini break, in our top pockets were: 1 full bag of jelly babies, 1 full bag of jelly snakes, numerous cereal bars, numerous chocolate bars and more important one bag of Energy Red Power Gums (left overs from PDG).  One bag contains 10 gums, each containing 150mg caffeine. On the back of the packet, it states in very big bright letters "DO NOT EXCEED RECOMMENDATION".


So yesterday, spare a thought for the ravens on the Cuillin who were probably quite literally having the flight of their lives.

Wednesday 4 July 2012

last day on the east


I am beginning to think that the word "corbett" goes hand in hand with "no views".


Monday 2 July 2012

brown cow hill

Unlike munro summits, corbett summits are somewhat more demure.


Feel sorry for any ground nesting bird this summer - must be like raising kids in a swimming pool.


Would prefer to be climbing dry rock but a corbett is better than nothing.