16-17 Nov 2024 Across 35 years, I have driven often past the Dreadnought Hotel in Callander, but never put my head inside. Finally, we were in Crieff searching for somewhere to sleep, and this came up. We also got some good bar meals, an open party in the bar, and… Continue reading
21st September 2024 The drive to Oban is simiar to the journey to Fort Bill or Aviemore…. which we regard as pretty standard stuff for a Friday evening. But add in the ferry terminal time, the hour’s sea volyage, plus a drive across the island, and you definitely get the… Continue reading
Between the two branches of Lake Como, a ridge of mountains runs 33 Km from Como to the tip of the peninsula at Bellagio. My friend Steve W and I set foot on the “Dorsale per Cresta” trail after a Friday evening flight and a morning train from Milan. The… Continue reading
Ben A’an is not quite in the top drawer of most remote mountains in Britain. But it is still a long way from anywhere. It was one of the last few Munros for Angela. And I wanted a return visit. In the early evening we walked westwards from Invercauld on… Continue reading
OS Maps stopped working on my phone in Scotland on Saturday. This led to a bit of cross-checking, and it might be worth sharing our thoughts. (With apologies to those who already know all this stuff. — or who may offer technical corrections). . The maps on the phone come… Continue reading
The Mountain First Aid course over 2 days was very well anchored in outdoor mountaineering and rock climbing contexts. Our Instructor Matt Hutson (Mountainsandmoors Ltd) used his wide experience in expeditions, mountaineering and outdoor leadership to provide actual examples of things that happened and how to deal with them. So… Continue reading
Towering above Bridge of Orchy on the West highland line, Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaid give a good round which I’ve enjoyed several times, so I was glad to see it amongst Steve Murray’s list. . As my friend Paul W is also Compleat and at large, the choice… Continue reading
The seven Macdonalds were attacking the house, with the woman inside. Until the menfolk returned and killed them. A memorial to this raid of 1620 began our route from Ardvorlich House by Loch Earn. The sky turned glittering blue. After a month of downpours and floods, maybe even the weather… Continue reading
And did some god in ancient time, crash down his battle-axe upon these hills ? You might think so, looking at the great wound of Glen Tilt. It runs for miles from Blair Atholl, a gash one thousand feet deep and mostly, straight as an arrow. Steve M and I… Continue reading
The area of the Dents du Midi -and Dents Blanches adjacent- is sprinkled with at least a dozen mountain huts. Routes through the ranges vary from woodland and alpine pastures to rocky clambering with ropes and chains to hold on, and in one case a 100 foot ladder. My friend… Continue reading
