Walks in England Walks in Wales It's all my own work
My most recent walks in Scotland
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Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th August 2008, I drove up to Torridon on Sunday, it rained all the way and some of the showers were almost tropical, I was beginning to worry that I was going to have another washout; the forecast had changed each day for the past week so I wasn't sure what to expect. Monday was windier than I had hoped as well as raining; the revised route involved a drive round to Coulags in Strathcarron. It stopped raining as I left the valley I had walked up and climbed the interesting Moal Chean Dearg. It started to rain as I reached the summit and I got wet on my way down to the river and warm again as the sun came out while I walked back to the car. Back at the hostel the new forecast was much better, will I finally get my chance to do what I came for? Tuesday morning's look out of the window was not too promising but I had to go and see; I had a steep climb up to the ridge but as I climbed up onto it I had a Wow! moment as I saw the size of the ridge I was about to walk. Liathach was everything I expected, a series of narrow exposed ridges between steep rocky peaks leading up to the summit of Spidean a' Choire Leith. I didn't feel brave enough to scramble over The Pinnacles by myself, the path that avoids them clings precariously to the precipitous slopes. I walked over to Mullach an Rathain, the other munro, before making what seemed like an everlasting descent back to where I left the car. Read about it or just look at the photos Maol Chean Dearg and Liathach |
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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 |
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Previously umpublished photos that I didn't have time to write a walk report for |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th July 2006, 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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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Saturday 30th July 2005, I had arrived the previous night at Tulloch Station Lodge to meet Scottish friends and join them on their Munro bagging quest. Starting from Glen Nevis walking up a spectacular rocky valley to meet the real start of the Ring of Steall, a unique wire bridge. It was perfect walking weather although the highest hills were covered in mist, obvious paths for most of the way that were not too eroded, ground that was firm but not too hard on the feet and gradients that were strenuous but not tedious. On Sunday we drove to Loch Quoich, parking just after the bridge and walking again on good ground to Sgurr a'Mhaoraich. On a sunny day there were wonderful views from its summit of the islands and big hills all around. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos Ring of Steall and Sgurr a'Mhaoraich |
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Friday 17th to Sunday 19th June 2005, a unique environmentally friendly hostel so remote you can only get there by train, Leum Uilleim a not so wee Corbett walked on Friday evening, the Munros Sgor Giabhre and Carn Dearg on Saturday and Beinn na Lap, a Sunday morning Munro. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of a misty weekend around Loch Ossian |
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Saturday 14th May 2005, A 900 mile round trip, a 3 hour walk in to Shenavall bothy wearing a monster rucksack, almost 16 hours to walk the six Munros of Fisherfields and another 3 hours with the same heavy sack to get out again. The further away from it I get the better the memories become, a lot of it was fun but there were moments when it all felt too much. We started at 6:20am on a brilliantly sunny day but not too warm, the rivers and bogs were passable and each of the six hills had its own character and its own view of the world. The view from A'Mhaighdean is probably the best I have seen but it is a hard won prize, I suffered a loss of enthusiasm as it all got too hard before rediscovering the joys of walking on Ruadh Stac Mor. A final 3 hour walk back before fording a twenty foot wide river and the last 30 minutes crossing a man eating bog ended with brilliant sunset as we got back to Shenavall at 10pm. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos of the Fisherfield Six |
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Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th November 2004, it was a fine sunny day as I drove up to Scotland but by the time I got to Glen Coe it was dark and there were flecks of snow in the air but it stayed dry until I got to Station Lodge at Tulloch to join the A+ members of Linlithgow Ramblers. It was a grey looking Saturday morning and 1 degree Centigrade when we got to Newtonmore, there was some snow on the hill tops that turned out to be ankle deep by the time we reached the summit of A' Chailleach. We made the short down and up route to Carn Sgulain before walking the long undulating ridge over Carn Ballach and Carn Ban to Carn Dearg before making a strenuous descent through snow and heather to get back to the car after it had gone dark. It was 10 degrees centigrade on Sunday morning when we parked by the side of Loch Leven near Glen Coe village, no snow but the the wettest of drizzle on the steepest of not so wee Corbetts, Garbh Bheinn. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos when I was Stationed in Tulloch |
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Saturday 16th October 2004, whilst visiting Whithorn it seems a shame not to find a wee Corbett to climb, I decided to drive over to Moffat for something a bit more challenging. It started raining when I got to Dumfries and was still raining by the time I got to Capplegill on the A708 Moffat to Selkirk road. It was wet and not going to become dry soon so waterproofs were required from the beginning as were some medium strength gloves, it wasn't too warm in the cool breeze. The day's first challenge was to get across Blackhope Burn, after a typical Corbett style steep green climb the second challenge of the day was the strong wind firing the rain horizontally into me. Read about it No photos today |
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Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th August 2004, at last a chance to walk in Glencoe, in spite of a poor weather forecast I thought it was warm enough to set off walking in shorts. The car park at the Glencoe Pass has a very impressive view of the front of Gearr Aonach, the middle one of the Three Sisters. The path takes an interesting route to Coire nan Lochan and its Stob and then up an excellent rocky stairway to a misty Bidean nam Bian. We visited Stob Coire nam Beith, a top, before visiting the unspellable Stob Coire Sgreamhach and the very interesting Beinn Fhada ridge. Sunday saw even worse weather so we settled for a wee Graham, the grassy pasture of Fiarach was not quite as tame as it looked. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos from Saturday Bidean nam Bian |
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Friday 25th to Sunday 27h June 2004, a weekend in Ratagan started on Friday evening, surprisingly warm and brilliantly sunny even at eight o'clock in the evening at the summit of Sgurr an Airgid. Saturday was generally dry but overcast for the climb to the Graham, Biod an Fhithich. The wind was too strong for comfort to be able to climb the Forcan Ridge so had to climb The Saddle from behind, then on to Sgurr na Sgine and the Corbett, Sgurr a Bhac Chaolais. Glen Coe is a splendid place and in spite of the rain and cloud I took some photos to try and capture the impressive valley surrounded by hills rising directly from the road side. Read about it and look at the photos |
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Thursday 10th June 2004, a solo trip to Scotland again, whilst visiting Whithorn I decided to climb a wee Corbett in the Galloway hills. Started from the car park at the Forrest Estate off the A713 just north of St Johns Town of Dalry, a long walk through the pine forests on the waymarked red route over North Gairy Top to the misty summit of Corserine. Then followed the ridge south over Millfire, Milldown in clear conditions and on to the unpronounceable Meikle Millyea in wind and rain, then down the green route back to the car. Read about it and look at the photos |
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Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th May 2004, the Cairngorms in spring, staying at Braemar Youth Hostel with all the other youths from Linlithgow. Woke up to heavy rain in Braemar, not a promising start to what was going to be a long day. By the time we got to the car park at Linn of Dee for an 8:30 start it had stopped raining but the mist made sure we couldn't see any mountains. Derry Cairngorm, Ben Macdui, Carn a'Mhaim and no photos followed by Mount Blair on Sunday. Read about it and look at the photos |
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Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st March 2004, first weekend of the year with the Linlithgow Ramblers in Scotland staying at Corpach near Fort William, and I got threatened with having to join the club again. Raining in Fort William on Saturday morning and it rained all day except for when it turned to snow near the summit of Gulvain. Raining even harder on Sunday morning but it brightened up and felt quite warm as we climbed the wee corbett Sgurr an Utha. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos from Sunday the rise and fall of Sgurr an Utha |
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Saturday 27th December 2003, I thought I would take advantage of the Galloway hills whilst visiting my parents in Whithorn, the closest Corbett to them being The Merrick. It took about an hour to get to Loch trool, leaving the car at the highest car park close to Bruce's Stone. Not much photography going on in the misty conditons on the snow covered hill tops but then as I got most of the way down the mist cleared and the sun started shining. Merrick Christmas! Read about it and look at the photos |
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Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st September 2003, another weekend with the Linlithgow Ramblers in Scotland staying at Braemar Youth Hostel, I'll have to join the club at this rate. Cold and raining in Braemar on Saturday morning turned into glorious weather walking to Bhein Bhreac and Beinn a'Chaorainn, even colder on Sunday morning but still sunny as we had an easy walk up the corbett Ben Gulabin. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos around Beinn Bhreac and Beinn a'Chaorainn |
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Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July 2003, another weekend in Scotland staying at Ratagan Youth Hostel in the very attractive Glen Shiel. 7 Munros on Saturday on the South Glen Shiel ridge and the Corbett Sgurr Mhic Barraich on Sunday. The weather was excellent, dry and sunny and polite enough to rain overnight, excellent weather for the midges too. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos around the South Glen Shiel Ridge |
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Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May 2003, spent the weekend in Scotland staying at Crianlarich Youth Hostel and walking my first 4 Munros, Stob Diamh and Beinn Cruachan on Saturday and Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas on Sunday. The weather was very entertaining, plenty of variation with frequent rapid changes. Read about it and look at the photos or just look at the photos around Ben Lawers and Ben Cruachan |
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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. |