It’s not my first GPS device. I’ve got half a dozen now counting this new eTrex, two running watches (Forerunner 305 and 310XT), a nüvi 1390T for driving, a chart plotter on the boat and an old 8-channel GPS 45XL (which was my first), but most were bought for different purposes and only that old 45XL is truly superfluous now. (more…)
13 December 2014
6 December 2014
More December
Comments Off on More December
1 December 2014
Remotely interesting
Lurg Mhor is miles from anywhere… except Lurg Mhor! Frequently quoted as one of the very remotest Munros, I’d had it and its neighbour Bidein a’ Choire Sheasgaich on the radar all summer, but what better time to hit such remote peaks than the limited daylight of St Andrew’s Day? (more…)
Comments Off on Remotely interesting
24 November 2014
Fastpacking Fannichs
While not quite the stunning November day of two weeks ago, yesterday’s more wintry trip over the eastern Fannichs brought another healthy haul of four Munros and three Tops. Having done the central group of Meall a’ Chrasgaidh, Sgurr nan Clach Geala and Sgurr nan Each before, finishing the ridge east of those leaves just two Munros and a Top at the western end for another day, but my seven peaks were hard won in conditions that were cold, slippy where frosty/dusted with snow and very windy (nearly got blown off Sgurr Mor!), with generally poor visibility and intermittently showery as well… (more…)
Comments Off on Fastpacking Fannichs
10 November 2014
November Fastpacking
After getting my Ultimate Direction SJ Ultra Vest 2.0 in May and loving it, I was keen to add something similar but larger for the kind of hill days when I needed a greater capacity. But it seemed that it just didn’t exist, with UD’s own PB Adventure Vest only so much bigger and looking marginal for fit with the M/L size topping out at my required 40″ chest and the Salomon packs not appealing so much to me. But then I got wind of the new UD Fastpack 20 (due out September) with M/L size specified for 32″ to 46″ chest and a configuration that looked just right, would have taken it there and then if I could have got my hands on one, and promptly pre-ordered from Castleberg Outdoors. (more…)
28 September 2014
Feshie
Took a trip to the Glen Feshie Munros on a so-so forecast today with them being the nearest I’d not done (had Carn Ban Mor from ML Assessment years ago, but the rest were ‘new’). (more…)
Comments Off on Feshie
15 September 2014
Northern Pinnacles
Meall Dearg and the Northern Pinnacles of Liathach have been calling me ever since I first set eyes on them on a conventional east-west traverse of Liathach 29 years ago. But now I really needed Meall Dearg with the Munro/Top quest not complete without this ‘most difficult top’ (to quote Irvine Butterfield’s somewhat debatable description), so thought I’d go take a look yesterday… (more…)
Comments Off on Northern Pinnacles
8 September 2014
Slowest Ben yet!
Fair to say I got what I deserved when I’d neither been training ‘for’ it nor been well the preceding week, but afraid my 2013 Ben Race optimism’s now been followed by a new 2014 worst of 2:18:41 and placing outwith the top 200. (more…)
Comments Off on Slowest Ben yet!
26 August 2014
Rest of Glen Shee
Exactly a month after blitzing the hills west of Glen Shee with Marie Meldrum, Sunday saw me back alone to mop up the ‘rest of Glen Shee’. (more…)
Comments Off on Rest of Glen Shee
12 August 2014
Squares, stars, wheels and kelpies
Some tidying up of ‘Munro’ odds and ends last week, with Thursday as ‘deleted Top (square) day’ seeing the missing bumps (which quite frankly probably all deserved to be deleted!) on Meall Garbh and Meall Corranaich efficiently dispatched… (more…)
Comments Off on Squares, stars, wheels and kelpies