Dominating the head of Loch Etive in the west, Ben Starav has two ribs off its summit. We went up the northern (right hand) rib on hard-frozen snow. Then across the summit area to a long narrow east ridge which rises to the subsidiary top. The first rib rears up… Continue reading
“And is no nook of English ground secureFrom rash assault ?”Gunnerside Gill off Swaledale was filled with burning, digging, banging, crushing and smelting lead ore, at the time Wordsworth was writing. Industrial buildings thrown up willy-nilly, plate-ways carved diagonally up hillsides. Today, a path climbs the narrow re-wooded valley, passing… Continue reading
The moon still shone, high above Loch Tulla, as we parked by Achallater Farm, a few miles up the road from Bridge of Orchy. The place and time, brought echoes of starting other days here:- for Y-Gulley, Central Gulley, and a few trips up West Gulley. This time, our objective… Continue reading
Bitterly ironic is not how I normally think of Steve M. However he smiled as he photographed me sitting with his dog, and I must wonder whether he was thinking “Should’ve gone to Specsavers !”. Alas, truth will out. We were on the rim of the Monadliath, some 200 square… Continue reading
To the south lie Loch Hourn and the Knoydart peninsula. To the east and north the big summits of the Five Sisters and behind them the Mullardoch mountains. Out west, we gazed toward Eigg, Rum, and Skye. “The view remains in my mind, as possibly the finest I have ever… Continue reading
Angela must have placed a phone call with Walter Wall. He spread his sunshine continuously across a clear blue sky as we drove 12 km or so up the tiny road into Glen Affric, and then walked another 7km from the roadhead up a side valley and up to the… Continue reading
I recall a wild November day in 1994, the wind blasting us from the northwest, superb views in between heavy hail showers. A treasured memory of two much-valued friends made me keen to join Angela for a return to the Carn Mairg Group in Glen Lyon, Central Highlands. . During… Continue reading
“The four highest places in the Dales ?” “ Umm… Whernside, obvs, and Ingleborough. And, er… Great Summat Whatsit …. and ….” “High Seat “. “Where the heck is that ? “ “Exactly” After nearly a mile across a trackless and steadily rising moor, the ground got steeper. And Steeper.… Continue reading
Five of the Usual Suspects camping at Kinlochleven. (Angela, Steve G Steve M, Dave, and me). Almost like old times. Our objectives were the eastern Mamores, a range sandwiched between Ben Nevis to the north and the Aonach Eagach of Glencoe to the south. Other M words were misty, murky,… Continue reading
Creag Meagaidh requires 880 metres of ascent to the summit. Gairich, (just as another example) 730 metres. But you might benchmark 1000 metres uphill for a typical Highland day. I decided to see how many of those pesky brown lines could be crossed in a moderate day close to York:-… Continue reading
