Alps
The Grand Route Forbes — a long-distance hike in the Alps
Regular followers of this blog will be aware that I admire the writings of James Forbes, a Scottish geologist best known for his pioneering studies on the glaciers of the Alps. I have written before about the long foot journey he conducted in 1842, and I’ve even followed the
One hundred and fifty years
Image from http://1865.chamonix.fr/En/ Next year, in July 2015, the Chamonix valley will begin a series of celebrations marking 150 years since 1865, and paying tribute to one of the most remarkable periods in modern history: the Golden Age of Alpinism. During this period, which lasted from
The Ascent of Sasseneire
In the first week of July 2014 I conducted a journey through the Alps, beginning at the city of Aosta and ending at Evolene in the Valais. My original plan had been to climb Mont Brule on my way over the glacier from Italy, but the weather was bad that
A return to the Western Alps
My blog has been far too quiet this year, and that’s a reflection on the fact that the day job has been occupying more of my time, and (as I recently lamented) I have been able to enjoy fewer trips to the mountains. However, that is about to change.
19th century glacier travel – a brief analysis
Before the summits of the Alps could be reached, terrain arguably more hazardous than the upper slopes themselves – and certainly less predictable – had to be negotiated. A frozen raiment guards the greatest peaks of the world, and two centuries ago this mantle of ice extended deeper into the valleys than
Book Spotlight – The Summits of Modern Man by Peter Hansen
The Summits of Modern Man: Mountaineering After the Enlightenment by Peter H. Hansen I have a confession to make. The author of this book was kind enough to send me a review copy some time ago, but it has been a busy summer and I’ve only recently got round
Visiting the Grave of Owen Glynne Jones
There comes a time in the career of an author when the seemingly impenetrable veil between reality and the imaginary worlds we write about is lifted. We are touched by the very stuff of our stories. Characters who were real enough to us in our heads become suddenly tangible human