New and Recent Not the Lake District Walks by Andy Wallace

Walks in England Walks in Scotland Walks in Wales It's all my own work

My most recent walks not in the Lake District

Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June 2008, a weekend in Northumberland made a change for me; walking with 40sWalkersNorth we managed to find the only island of good weather in the northern half of Britain. On Saturday we walked part of St Cuthberts Way from Wooler to Fenwick, it was a surprise to find a large cave named after St Cuthbert in the middle of the green rolling countryside. Light rain accompanied us on the final hour to Fenwick and it poured down overnight, but Sunday morning was bright and breezy. We walked across the fields and through a gauntlet of large concrete blocks, a wartime attempt to prevent amphibious landings, to the start of the Lindisfarne Causeway. We had planned to walk along the Pilgrims Path, marked by a line of high wooden posts, but it still looked quite wet; eventually we just went for it, mainly barefoot, but one well-prepared individual brought her wellies. After a quick walk across the island to the castle, and a short visit to a local pub we had a hurried walk back across the sand before the tide came back in. Look at the photos around Holy Island

Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June 2008, a weekend I had been looking forward to for a long time saw me staying in the Glencoe Hostel with my fellow Linlithgow Ramblers; the warm sunny weather seemed to bring out the worst of the midges. On Saturday we drove up the lovely Glen Etive to Invercharnan in order to walk through the Glenetive Forest before climbing Beinn Fionnlaidh in very warm conditions. On Sunday we made the long anticipated steep climb from Glen Coe to the summit of Am Bodach, a sudden rugged drop to a ridge that led us to the summit of Meall Dearg and on to the Aonach Eagach. Generally it was the most interesting and rugged of ridge walks, occasionally it was so exhilarating that I didn't dare let go with either hand to reach for my camera in the places that would have made the best photographs; The Crazy Pinnacles are a place that I must visit again. The ridge ends at the summit of Stob Coire Leith; all you have to do then is climb up to the summit of Sgorr nam Fiannaidh before the steep 2000 feet of descent on eroded scree and grass that proved that my knee is fully healed. Read about it or just look at the photos of Beinn Fionnlaidh and Aonach Eagach

Previously umpublished photos that I didn't have time to write a walk report for
15th July 2007, White Coomb
28th July 2007, Sgorr Dhearg
29th July 2007, Sgurr Mor
6th August 2007, Criffel
22nd & 23rd September 2007, The Brothers and Geal Charn

Friday 28th March 2008, I had to get up at 5am in order to get to the Station Lodge at Tulloch in time to join the other Linlithgow Ramblers for a bonus walk. The objective was a Graham called Creag Dhubh, we started from the back yard of a small group of houses at the end of a track leading off the road near Roybridge. Saturday 29th March, had been planned as the main Munro climbing day of the weekend but the atrocious weather forecast meant that we climbed the Grahams Binnein Shuas and Binnein Shios near Loch Laggan, their lack of height didn't diminish an enjoyable walk. Sunday 30th Mar 2008, yet another Graham, Cnap Cruinn, starting from a track on the Fersit road. By keeping a bit lower we managed good walking in much better weather than had been forecast; the forecast meant that I only took my camera for the Saturday walk Look at the Saturday photos

Sunday 24th February 2008, it had been a wet night in Galloway but the morning sky was blue as I set off for the hills; the first navigational challenge was to find the off-road route to Loch Trool from Clatteringshaws Loch. From Craigencallie House, yet another derelict Outdoor Centre, I walked on a forest road and crossed River Dee by a wooden bridge. I climbed up by a disused quarry face to get up onto the ridge to Darrou, it must be a rarely visited cairn, and then on to Little Millyea which at least gets a mention in the guide book. After descending to a col I picked up the wall and followed it to the summit of Meikle Millyea and walked the Rhinns of Kells ridge across to Milldown and Millfire before climbing the easy slopes of Corserine. I had walked a long ridge and after a quick descent I had a long walk back along the forest road. Read about it or just look at the photos of Rhinns of Kells to Corserine

Saturday 16th June 2007, it had been a wet week and there was a bad forecast for the weekend; on Friday I drove through 200 miles of rain before I got to Scotland to meet the Linlithgow Ramblers and help to load up the bikes before driving to Braemar. It was dry when we got there and Saturday morning was dry at first. We parked at Inverey on the Linn of Dee road, cycled up Glen Ey to Altanour Lodge and climbed Beinn Uitharn Mhor by the most direct route; it was raining ordinary Cairgorm rain, not the deluge that was forecast. Sunday was drier and we had an even longer bike ride from the Linn of Dee car park to Geldie Lodge; we had a further lengthy walk before climbing Carn an Fhidhleir and An Sgarsoch. The saddle soreness of the past two days was bearable because of it was easier cycling downhill than walk the 8 miles back to the car park. Read about it or just look at the photos of Beinn Iutharn Mhor and Carn an Fhidhleir, An Sgarsoch

No Photos

Saturday 27th May 2007, it was a warm, sunny day when I set off but when I got to the Cairnsmore of Fleet Nature Reserve Information Centre it was much cooler, well it was only 8am. I set off walking in shorts anyway; I followed the track underneath the disused railway viaduct at the Big Water of Fleet and into the forestry. It was a 3-mile walk Loch Grannoch before making the steep climb and clamber up to the summit of Craigronald. On a broad, flat, undulating ridge I walked across to Meikle Mulltaggart before descending to Nick of the Saddle and climbing the steep grassy hillside to the summit of Cairnsmore of Fleet. I followed the broad ridge to Knee of Cairnsmore and descended the Door of Cairnsmore before walking over soft, heathery ground to Clints of Dromore; I followed the path below the crags back to Dromore and the car park. Read about it

Sunday 29th April 2007, another sunny morning but a shorter drive took us to Fersit, a popular starting point for the local group of Munros. After walking across boggy ground that wasn't as difficult as it might be in wet weather we made the steep, rough climb to Sron na Garbh-bheinne. Then there was a less steep climb up a broad ridge full of sparkling stones, to the summit of Stob Coire Sgriodan. We descended on grass and ascended up the south-eastern top with its cairn made from white quartz stones before walking across easy ground and a straightforward climb to the broad summit of Meall Garbh. Walking across easy ground we descended before climbing the relatively easy grassy slopes of Chno Dearg where we found another large cairn and a surprising large number of other walkers. The long descent northwards was generally on a narrow path through the heather by the side of a small burn. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Stob Coire Sgriodan & Chno Dearg

Saturday 28th April 2007, I had met up with members of the Linlithgow Ramblers the previous evening and stayed in Tulloch Station Lodge; we woke up to a sunny, blue-sky morning and a good weather forecast; it looked like being a teeshirt and shorts day. We parked by the side of Loch Cluanie and walked up An Caoronn Mor, the walking route to Glen Affric, in order to climb Mullach Fraoch Choire from not the usual direction. A 600-metre climb up steep, and in places swampy, grass that usually only the deer get to see before a more straightforward climb to the summit, a steep descent across an arete, bypassing rocky pinnacles on the way. The ascent to A'Chralaig was up a broad, undulating ridge where substantial remnants of substantial cornices were beginning to lose there grip on the edges above Coire na Cralaig. The descent from A'Chralaig, at first easily down a broad ridge was across an ocean of sparkling stones before a long, steep, grassy descent back to An Caoronn Mor. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Mullach Fraoch Choire & A'Chralaig

Saturday 24th March 2007 brought a clear, blue-sky morning after a cold night in Galloway; it was looking good as I parked the car at Loch Bradan. After leaving the car park I turned left along a good track but it wasn't long before I couldn't reconcile the features on the ground with what I could see on the map; I should have realised why that was at the time. After a bit of a detour around Loch Riecawr I made a strenuous climb to the summit of Shalloch on Minnoch and made the easiest descent I could back to Stinchar Bridge. Sunday morning was a bit cloudier that the previous day, but it was a bit warmer with a reasonable breeze. I parked at Loch Trool in the car park closest to Bruce's Stone; at the top end of the car park is a notice at the start of The Merrick Climb so there could be no false starts on this walk. I climbed Benyellary and The Merrick, it was too windy to struggle with a map finding another way down so I retraced my steps back to Loch Trool. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of A Shalloch and The Merrick

Sunday 12th November 2006, Cairnsmore of Fleet. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Cairnsmore of Fleet

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th July, Buachaille Etive Mor has been on top of my wish list for some time and the weather was completely mist-free and un-Scottish when starting the walk from Altnafeadh. I climbed Coire na Tulaich and up to Stob Dearg before walking the ridge over Stob na Doire and Stob Coire Altruim to Stob na Broige before descending to Lairig Gartain. On Sunday with the weather being so good it seemed like a good opportunity to re-climb my first Munro; the first time was on a wintry May day and I hardly saw anything of Ben Cruachan. Steeply up through the woods past Cruachan Falls, past the dam and onto Stob Garbh and Stob Diamh, over Drochaid Ghlas and a bouldery climb to Ben Cruachan before descending via Meall Cuanail back to the dam. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Buachaille Etive Mor and Ben Cruachan

Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th May 2006, I had packed crampons, ice axe and all in case the forecast of snow was right, it might also be warm and in my haste to pack my shorts I managed to not pack full length walking trousers - I would have to somehow improvise if it wasn't warm. We walked in the area around Glenfinnan, Sgurr nan Coireachan and Sgurr Thuilm on Saturday and Streap on Sunday. I got away with wearing shorts and found out once again that walking the Scottish hills can be a challenge. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Weekend in Glenfinnan

Sunday 16th April 2006, I parked the car at a picnic spot, complete with tables, near Kirriereoch about 5 miles north of Glentrool village in Glentrool Forest in Galloway. It wasn't raining but the hill tops were covered in thick mist, I was hoping for good visibility on what might be a navigational challenge. It all worked out well on a strenuous route to Shalloch on Minnoch over Tarfessock to an interesting ascent of Kirriereoch Hill. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Shalloch on Minnoch, Tarfessock & Kirriereoch Hill

Saturday 11th March 2006, Some weeks ago I had planned a weekend in Glencoe but the forecast is as bad as it could be, a large amount of bad weather is heading for Scotland. I did check with the people I was meeting before I set off on Friday afternoon that there will be something to do the following day in the event that the forecast is right. It turned out that the weather came a day later than was forecast and I was lucky to climb Ben Starav in reasonable weather but it was a long drive home to England on Sunday. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Ben Starav

Wednesday 4th January 2006, whilst visiting Whithorn I took the opportunity of a good weather forecast to climb one of the Corbetts of the Galloway Hills. It was -5C when I arrived at Carsphairn, parking near the grandly named Green Well of Scotland at Bridge End a kilometre north of Carsphairn itself. I walked along a track by the side of Water of Deugh through a field of furtive looking cattle before walking over rough frozen ground to the base of Willieanna. There is a wall that takes you up and over Willieanna and Dunool before a longer slog to Black Shoulder and the final walk to the summit of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. Follow another wall back down to the boggy start of the track, follow the track then all the way back to the road. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

Saturday 19th November 2005, It was -8C when I arrived at Aviemore Youth Hostel on Friday, the moonlight had been very bright on the long drive north along the A9. My expectation was for a very cold weekend, was I well enough equipped and prepared for another Scottish epic. Do my Scottish friends only invite me on their most challenging works, can the fell walker cope with some real mountains and real weather? Ice Axe, crampons, head torches all used on the walk to Beinn Mheadhoin and back on Saturday and a quick but arctic walk to Cairn Gorm on Sunday. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Cairn Gorm & Beinn Mheadhoin

Saturday 29th October 2005, I had arranged to stay with friends at Jesse James' Bunkhouse near Lanberis in North Wales and I was hoping for some good weather to get to know some new hills. Wales had obviously decided that I have had my fair share of good weather this year and there was plenty of Welsh mist and some strong gusts of wind as I climbed to the boulders and slabs at the summit of Glyder Fach and then crossed the short but interesting rocky ridge of Castell y Gwynt. As the ridge broadened on the ascent to Glyder Fawr the probably exhilarating view of the Nameless Cwm was obscured by mist and the summit of Glyder Fawr was a confusing series of rocky upthrusts. Some collaborative navigation got us down the steep eroded slopes to Llyn y Cwn where the obvious ascent to Y Garn beckoned. Then it started to rain and as I descended the narrow ridge off the summit of Y Garn back to Ogwen Cottage there were a couple of anxious moments as the wind got a bit too strong for comfort. Read about it and look at the photos

Saturday 3rd September 2005, I had been looking forward to a Ben Nevis weekend for a long time, it had been in the diary all year but suddenly got cancelled because it clashed with the Ben Nevis fell race but friends came to the rescue though with a more challenging alternative to the tourist path to the Ben. From the top car park in Glen Nevis we walked the steep ascent of Aonach Beag taking in a couple of Munro tops on the way, an easier walk to Aonach Mor and we lost a lot of height and then had a strenuous job of regaining it on the climb to Carn Mor Dearg. Then we crosssed the arete in perfect conditions before the final bouldery climb to Ben Nevis and finally a long, steep and quite direct descent back to the car. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Four by four thousand foot hills

Sunday 20 March 2005, the mist burned off even more quickly today and the plan was to climb a wee Welsh Corbett but as with all such hills it has to be climbed from bottom to top with legs still feeling the strain of yesterday. Starting from Pont Cyfyng near Capel Curig, a rough but obvious track leads you to a forest and through mature trees to a rather plain looking hill. Moel Siabod eventually revealed its attractive rocky summit and North West ridge before an ad hoc descent over steep wet grass, slabs and boulders back to ground level. Read about it and look at the photos

Saturday 19th March 2005, staying with friends at a bunk house in Dolwyddelan I woke to a misty morning following a clear chilly night but the sun soon got rid of the mist and Wales was revealed. We had to get the Park & Ride shuttle bus back to the car park at Pen-y-Pass to start our walk along the Pyg Track. Soon we could see the impressively steep rocky ridge up to the Crib Goch arete. A spectacular and exhilarating ridge walk cum scramble with the most fantastic views of of Garnedd Ugain leading to Snowdon. It was something of a culture shock walking beside the railway line to the busy summit of Snowdon. The good path descending from the col to the Pyg Track was full of snow for a while whilst the sunburn was beginning to smart a little bit. Read about it and look at the photos

Saturday 19th October 2002, another meeting with members of Outdoorsmagic, this time in the Peak District on a cold but brilliantly sunny day. Starting from the village of Edale we walked the Mam Tor ridge, back at Edale it was too early to go home so I took in Kinder Scout whilst the weather and visibility were still good. Read about it and look at the photos

Stonehenge is a very special place, and the surrounding countryside seems to be full of henges and white horses and other ancient places.

Out of the way at the end of the Machars peninsula in the South West of Scotland is where my parents live. It's a different kind of a different world - let me know if you like the look of Whithorn and you want to know more.

	Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June 2008, a weekend in Northumberland made a change for me; walking with 40sWalkersNorth we managed to find the only island of good weather in the northern half of Britain. On Saturday we walked part of St Cuthberts Way from Wooler to Fenwick, it was a surprise to find a large cave named after St Cuthbert in the middle of the green rolling countryside. Light rain accompanied us on the final hour to Fenwick and it poured down overnight, but Sunday morning was bright and breezy. We walked across the fields and through a gauntlet of large concrete blocks, a wartime attempt to prevent amphibious landings, to the start of the Lindisfarne Causeway. We had planned to walk along the Pilgrims Path, marked by a line of high wooden posts, but it still looked quite wet; eventually we just went for it, mainly barefoot, but one well-prepared individual brought her wellies. After a quick walk across the island to the castle, and a short visit to a local pub we had a hurried walk back across the sand before the tide came back in. Look at the photos around Holy Island
	Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June 2008, a weekend I had been looking forward to for a long time saw me staying in the Glencoe Hostel with my fellow Linlithgow Ramblers; the warm sunny weather seemed to bring out the worst of the midges. On Saturday we drove up the lovely Glen Etive to Invercharnan in order to walk through the Glenetive Forest before climbing Beinn Fionnlaidh in very warm conditions. On Sunday we made the long anticipated steep climb from Glen Coe to the summit of Am Bodach, a sudden rugged drop to a ridge that led us to the summit of Meall Dearg and on to the Aonach Eagach. Generally it was the most interesting and rugged of ridge walks, occasionally it was so exhilarating that I didn't dare let go with either hand to reach for my camera in the places that would have made the best photographs; The Crazy Pinnacles are a place that I must visit again. The ridge ends at the summit of Stob Coire Leith; all you have to do then is climb up to the summit of Sgorr nam Fiannaidh before the steep 2000 feet of descent on eroded scree and grass that proved that my knee is fully healed. Read about it or just look at the photos of Beinn Fionnlaidh and Aonach Eagach
	Previously umpublished photos that I didn't have time to write a walk report for 15th July 2007, White Coomb 28th July 2007, Sgorr Dhearg 29th July 2007, Sgurr Mor 6th August 2007, Criffel 22nd & 23rd September 2007, The Brothers and Geal Charn
	Friday 28th March 2008, I had to get up at 5am in order to get to the Station Lodge at Tulloch in time to join the other Linlithgow Ramblers for a bonus walk. The objective was a Graham called Creag Dhubh, we started from the back yard of a small group of houses at the end of a track leading off the road near Roybridge. Saturday 29th March, had been planned as the main Munro climbing day of the weekend but the atrocious weather forecast meant that we climbed the Grahams Binnein Shuas and Binnein Shios near Loch Laggan, their lack of height didn't diminish an enjoyable walk. Sunday 30th Mar 2008, yet another Graham, Cnap Cruinn, starting from a track on the Fersit road. By keeping a bit lower we managed good walking in much better weather than had been forecast; the forecast meant that I only took my camera for the Saturday walk Look at the Saturday photos
	Sunday 24th February 2008, it had been a wet night in Galloway but the morning sky was blue as I set off for the hills; the first navigational challenge was to find the off-road route to Loch Trool from Clatteringshaws Loch. From Craigencallie House, yet another derelict Outdoor Centre, I walked on a forest road and crossed River Dee by a wooden bridge. I climbed up by a disused quarry face to get up onto the ridge to Darrou, it must be a rarely visited cairn, and then on to Little Millyea which at least gets a mention in the guide book. After descending to a col I picked up the wall and followed it to the summit of Meikle Millyea and walked the Rhinns of Kells ridge across to Milldown and Millfire before climbing the easy slopes of Corserine. I had walked a long ridge and after a quick descent I had a long walk back along the forest road. Read about it or just look at the photos of Rhinns of Kells to Corserine
	Saturday 16th June 2007, it had been a wet week and there was a bad forecast for the weekend; on Friday I drove through 200 miles of rain before I got to Scotland to meet the Linlithgow Ramblers and help to load up the bikes before driving to Braemar. It was dry when we got there and Saturday morning was dry at first. We parked at Inverey on the Linn of Dee road, cycled up Glen Ey to Altanour Lodge and climbed Beinn Uitharn Mhor by the most direct route; it was raining ordinary Cairgorm rain, not the deluge that was forecast. Sunday was drier and we had an even longer bike ride from the Linn of Dee car park to Geldie Lodge; we had a further lengthy walk before climbing Carn an Fhidhleir and An Sgarsoch. The saddle soreness of the past two days was bearable because of it was easier cycling downhill than walk the 8 miles back to the car park. Read about it or just look at the photos of Beinn Iutharn Mhor and Carn an Fhidhleir, An Sgarsoch
No Photos	Saturday 27th May 2007, it was a warm, sunny day when I set off but when I got to the Cairnsmore of Fleet Nature Reserve Information Centre it was much cooler, well it was only 8am. I set off walking in shorts anyway; I followed the track underneath the disused railway viaduct at the Big Water of Fleet and into the forestry. It was a 3-mile walk Loch Grannoch before making the steep climb and clamber up to the summit of Craigronald. On a broad, flat, undulating ridge I walked across to Meikle Mulltaggart before descending to Nick of the Saddle and climbing the steep grassy hillside to the summit of Cairnsmore of Fleet. I followed the broad ridge to Knee of Cairnsmore and descended the Door of Cairnsmore before walking over soft, heathery ground to Clints of Dromore; I followed the path below the crags back to Dromore and the car park. Read about it
	Sunday 29th April 2007, another sunny morning but a shorter drive took us to Fersit, a popular starting point for the local group of Munros. After walking across boggy ground that wasn't as difficult as it might be in wet weather we made the steep, rough climb to Sron na Garbh-bheinne. Then there was a less steep climb up a broad ridge full of sparkling stones, to the summit of Stob Coire Sgriodan. We descended on grass and ascended up the south-eastern top with its cairn made from white quartz stones before walking across easy ground and a straightforward climb to the broad summit of Meall Garbh. Walking across easy ground we descended before climbing the relatively easy grassy slopes of Chno Dearg where we found another large cairn and a surprising large number of other walkers. The long descent northwards was generally on a narrow path through the heather by the side of a small burn. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Stob Coire Sgriodan & Chno Dearg
	Saturday 28th April 2007, I had met up with members of the Linlithgow Ramblers the previous evening and stayed in Tulloch Station Lodge; we woke up to a sunny, blue-sky morning and a good weather forecast; it looked like being a teeshirt and shorts day. We parked by the side of Loch Cluanie and walked up An Caoronn Mor, the walking route to Glen Affric, in order to climb Mullach Fraoch Choire from not the usual direction. A 600-metre climb up steep, and in places swampy, grass that usually only the deer get to see before a more straightforward climb to the summit, a steep descent across an arete, bypassing rocky pinnacles on the way. The ascent to A'Chralaig was up a broad, undulating ridge where substantial remnants of substantial cornices were beginning to lose there grip on the edges above Coire na Cralaig. The descent from A'Chralaig, at first easily down a broad ridge was across an ocean of sparkling stones before a long, steep, grassy descent back to An Caoronn Mor. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Mullach Fraoch Choire & A'Chralaig
	Saturday 24th March 2007 brought a clear, blue-sky morning after a cold night in Galloway; it was looking good as I parked the car at Loch Bradan. After leaving the car park I turned left along a good track but it wasn't long before I couldn't reconcile the features on the ground with what I could see on the map; I should have realised why that was at the time. After a bit of a detour around Loch Riecawr I made a strenuous climb to the summit of Shalloch on Minnoch and made the easiest descent I could back to Stinchar Bridge. Sunday morning was a bit cloudier that the previous day, but it was a bit warmer with a reasonable breeze. I parked at Loch Trool in the car park closest to Bruce's Stone; at the top end of the car park is a notice at the start of The Merrick Climb so there could be no false starts on this walk. I climbed Benyellary and The Merrick, it was too windy to struggle with a map finding another way down so I retraced my steps back to Loch Trool. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of A Shalloch and The Merrick
	Sunday 12th November 2006, Cairnsmore of Fleet. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Cairnsmore of Fleet
	Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th July, Buachaille Etive Mor has been on top of my wish list for some time and the weather was completely mist-free and un-Scottish when starting the walk from Altnafeadh. I climbed Coire na Tulaich and up to Stob Dearg before walking the ridge over Stob na Doire and Stob Coire Altruim to Stob na Broige before descending to Lairig Gartain. On Sunday with the weather being so good it seemed like a good opportunity to re-climb my first Munro; the first time was on a wintry May day and I hardly saw anything of Ben Cruachan. Steeply up through the woods past Cruachan Falls, past the dam and onto Stob Garbh and Stob Diamh, over Drochaid Ghlas and a bouldery climb to Ben Cruachan before descending via Meall Cuanail back to the dam. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of Buachaille Etive Mor and Ben Cruachan
	Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th May 2006, I had packed crampons, ice axe and all in case the forecast of snow was right, it might also be warm and in my haste to pack my shorts I managed to not pack full length walking trousers - I would have to somehow improvise if it wasn't warm. We walked in the area around Glenfinnan, Sgurr nan Coireachan and Sgurr Thuilm on Saturday and Streap on Sunday. I got away with wearing shorts and found out once again that walking the Scottish hills can be a challenge. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Weekend in Glenfinnan
	Sunday 16th April 2006, I parked the car at a picnic spot, complete with tables, near Kirriereoch about 5 miles north of Glentrool village in Glentrool Forest in Galloway. It wasn't raining but the hill tops were covered in thick mist, I was hoping for good visibility on what might be a navigational challenge. It all worked out well on a strenuous route to Shalloch on Minnoch over Tarfessock to an interesting ascent of Kirriereoch Hill. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Shalloch on Minnoch, Tarfessock & Kirriereoch Hill
	Saturday 11th March 2006, Some weeks ago I had planned a weekend in Glencoe but the forecast is as bad as it could be, a large amount of bad weather is heading for Scotland. I did check with the people I was meeting before I set off on Friday afternoon that there will be something to do the following day in the event that the forecast is right. It turned out that the weather came a day later than was forecast and I was lucky to climb Ben Starav in reasonable weather but it was a long drive home to England on Sunday. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Ben Starav
	Wednesday 4th January 2006, whilst visiting Whithorn I took the opportunity of a good weather forecast to climb one of the Corbetts of the Galloway Hills. It was -5C when I arrived at Carsphairn, parking near the grandly named Green Well of Scotland at Bridge End a kilometre north of Carsphairn itself. I walked along a track by the side of Water of Deugh through a field of furtive looking cattle before walking over rough frozen ground to the base of Willieanna. There is a wall that takes you up and over Willieanna and Dunool before a longer slog to Black Shoulder and the final walk to the summit of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. Follow another wall back down to the boggy start of the track, follow the track then all the way back to the road. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Cairnsmore of Carsphairn
	Saturday 19th November 2005, It was -8C when I arrived at Aviemore Youth Hostel on Friday, the moonlight had been very bright on the long drive north along the A9. My expectation was for a very cold weekend, was I well enough equipped and prepared for another Scottish epic. Do my Scottish friends only invite me on their most challenging works, can the fell walker cope with some real mountains and real weather? Ice Axe, crampons, head torches all used on the walk to Beinn Mheadhoin and back on Saturday and a quick but arctic walk to Cairn Gorm on Sunday. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Cairn Gorm & Beinn Mheadhoin
	Saturday 29th October 2005, I had arranged to stay with friends at Jesse James' Bunkhouse near Lanberis in North Wales and I was hoping for some good weather to get to know some new hills. Wales had obviously decided that I have had my fair share of good weather this year and there was plenty of Welsh mist and some strong gusts of wind as I climbed to the boulders and slabs at the summit of Glyder Fach and then crossed the short but interesting rocky ridge of Castell y Gwynt. As the ridge broadened on the ascent to Glyder Fawr the probably exhilarating view of the Nameless Cwm was obscured by mist and the summit of Glyder Fawr was a confusing series of rocky upthrusts. Some collaborative navigation got us down the steep eroded slopes to Llyn y Cwn where the obvious ascent to Y Garn beckoned. Then it started to rain and as I descended the narrow ridge off the summit of Y Garn back to Ogwen Cottage there were a couple of anxious moments as the wind got a bit too strong for comfort. Read about it and look at the photos
	Saturday 3rd September 2005, I had been looking forward to a Ben Nevis weekend for a long time, it had been in the diary all year but suddenly got cancelled because it clashed with the Ben Nevis fell race but friends came to the rescue though with a more challenging alternative to the tourist path to the Ben. From the top car park in Glen Nevis we walked the steep ascent of Aonach Beag taking in a couple of Munro tops on the way, an easier walk to Aonach Mor and we lost a lot of height and then had a strenuous job of regaining it on the climb to Carn Mor Dearg. Then we crosssed the arete in perfect conditions before the final bouldery climb to Ben Nevis and finally a long, steep and quite direct descent back to the car. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Four by four thousand foot hills
	Sunday 20 March 2005, the mist burned off even more quickly today and the plan was to climb a wee Welsh Corbett but as with all such hills it has to be climbed from bottom to top with legs still feeling the strain of yesterday. Starting from Pont Cyfyng near Capel Curig, a rough but obvious track leads you to a forest and through mature trees to a rather plain looking hill. Moel Siabod eventually revealed its attractive rocky summit and North West ridge before an ad hoc descent over steep wet grass, slabs and boulders back to ground level. Read about it and look at the photos
	Saturday 19th March 2005, staying with friends at a bunk house in Dolwyddelan I woke to a misty morning following a clear chilly night but the sun soon got rid of the mist and Wales was revealed. We had to get the Park & Ride shuttle bus back to the car park at Pen-y-Pass to start our walk along the Pyg Track. Soon we could see the impressively steep rocky ridge up to the Crib Goch arete. A spectacular and exhilarating ridge walk cum scramble with the most fantastic views of of Garnedd Ugain leading to Snowdon. It was something of a culture shock walking beside the railway line to the busy summit of Snowdon. The good path descending from the col to the Pyg Track was full of snow for a while whilst the sunburn was beginning to smart a little bit. Read about it and look at the photos
	Saturday 19th October 2002, another meeting with members of Outdoorsmagic, this time in the Peak District on a cold but brilliantly sunny day. Starting from the village of Edale we walked the Mam Tor ridge, back at Edale it was too early to go home so I took in Kinder Scout whilst the weather and visibility were still good. Read about it and look at the photos
	Stonehenge is a very special place, and the surrounding countryside seems to be full of henges and white horses and other ancient places.
	Out of the way at the end of the Machars peninsula in the South West of Scotland is where my parents live. It's a different kind of a different world - let me know if you like the look of Whithorn and you want to know more.