The forecast wasn’t exactly nailed on, but there was enough chance of dry weather to persuade me and Maria to head north for the bank holiday weekend, so on Saturday morning we found ourselves leaving the midge-infested carpark at Linn of Dee, with some camping stuff, climbing gear and optimism.… Continue reading
Our headline refers – obviously – to scramble routes in the West Highlands. First up was Ledges Route. This must be a contender for the best way up Ben Nevis. Interesting (in contrast to the Tourist Track) straightforward, and a reasonably short way to the summit as opposed to the… Continue reading
Dolly and I thumbed a couple of pages from R B Evans last week. On Monday, we chose Nitting Haws in Borrowdale. It’s a spur within the valley, so somewhat sheltered when conditions “upstairs” are less good. It provides about 250 metres height of scrambling, topping out at 410 M,… Continue reading
With rain forecast for Friday night and more on Sunday, Saturday promised a short good weather window in the Lakes, so Maria and I headed for Grey Crag (on High Stile, above Buttermere). We’d never climbed there before but it turned out to be a very nice spot with a few… Continue reading
Here is a recipe for a Scottish weekend… to be used in cool showery and windy weather. INGREDIENTS A couple of Munros, c/w snow patches. (Beinn Eunaich and Beinn a’ Chocuill) panoramic views Interestin’ map to read……. Dinky mediaeval castle (Kilchurn) Afternoon tea in Victorian mansion (Lochawe) Dinner at The… Continue reading
With good weather forecast for the spring bank holiday, Mike, Linda and I headed to the Lakes. On Saturday, we headed to Thornythwaite crag in Borrowdale and chose the classic Raven Crag Buttress (VD) for Linda’s first multi-pitch mountain route. Afterwards we walked around to the other side of the valley to Dove’s Nest… Continue reading
The Desolation of Smaug! The spring bank holiday loomed and with my both good buddy Jurgen and the Swaledale outdoor club heading to N Wales it was the obvious place to go. And for a change instead of the comfy confines of my van I joined the SOC in the… Continue reading
The estate factor had not been paid for 18 months. The local people had blockaded the landowner in the big house: he escaped by helicopter. In this way the sometimes violent history of Knoydart was still being played out when I first went there in 1998. The peninsula has no… Continue reading
After deciding to give a trip to Scotland a miss over Easter, Dave Carrier and I arranged a day trip to Langdale for Easter Sunday with a view to visiting Gimmer Crag. Figuring there might be a spot of traffic heading that way we left at 5.30 am from York… Continue reading
SEANNA BRAIGH A sensational arc of mountains!! All of the major classics of the north-west, spread out for our view, and looking as though we could touch them. From An Teallach to our south, up through the Beinn Dearg group, across Ullapool to Ben More Coigach, Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beag,… Continue reading
