Scotland

Another great day on snow-kissed hills.

On which we summitted the seventh-highest mountain in Scotland, the 1234m Aonach Beag. Plans to continue across to neighbouring Aonach Mor had to be abandoned due to poor visibility.

A couple of days in the wonderfully remote Fisherfield Forest, staying at the delightful Shenavall Bothy.

May Day weekend 2000. A late dash to Scotland after work on the Friday. A long and dark post-midnight walk to the Ben Alder cottage bothy. A cracking day in the hills on the Saturday, begging Beinn Bheoil (1019m) and Ben Alder (1148m) as part of The Great Scottish Climb charity event.

Cona’ Mheall (978m) Another long walk in and only a single munro bagged, in the mist and rain. Yuk!

On which we climbed Beinn a’Chleibh (916m) and Ben Lui (1130m).

A misty day scrambling along the Aonach Eagach ridge.

Bidean nam Bian (1150m) Stob Coire Sgreamhach (1072m) Bruce’s last Munro.

A hot spring day taking in a circuitous route around the Glen Lyon four. Carn Gorm (1029m) Meall Garbh (968m) Carn Mairg (1041m) Meall nan Aighean (Creag Mhor) (981m)

Meall nan Tarmachan, 1044m / 3425ft

Does anybody else think Savage Garden sound like Spandau Ballet? Sorry, just had to get that off my chest… Day one of the holiday proper, then. Irn Bru and Double BK Cheeseburger for breakfast, a quick jaunt into the city, and then we’re off. We didn’t reach the highlands until the afternoon, so decided just to bag a few teeny munros which are adjacent to a 2,000ft high road! Namely Carn Aosda (3,008ft / 917m), Carn A’Gheoidh (3,199ft / 975m) and The Cairnwell (3,061ft / 933m). ...

Travelling Northwards on a weekday when others are working is a wonderfully liberating feeling, especially when you’re heading for Scotland. This time I was almost glad to see the signal lights on my mobile phone quietly extinguish. The journey was pretty good – we hadn’t seen Bruce for about a year, as he’d been off seeing the world for the past nine months. This gave us the opportunity to fill him in on nine months of pop culture, which seemed to boil down to: ...

My second Munro. Lots of fun in the snow.

Good Friday, 10th April 1998. While the Good Friday Agreement was being signed in Belfast, I was reluctantly plodding up my first ever Munro, the dreary featureless lump that is Meall a’Chrasgaidh. Only the view across to the mighty An Teallach served to convince me that it was perhaps worth giving this hillwalking lark another try. ...