Longform
The Ascent of Cairn Toul and a crossing of the Braeriach Plateau
Braeriach, at 1,296m, is the third highest peak in the UK and one of special significance for me. My relationship with this enigmatic mountain goes back to November 2008, the date of my first failure to climb it (read an old Glencoe Mountaineer report of my second aborted attempt
Avalanche by moonlight
The ordinary experience on the UK’s mountains can be a predictable one. The weather is either middling, with low cloud, blustery wind and a splutter of rain, or it’s downright terrible–but you lace up your boots anyway, telling yourself you need the exercise. You reach the summit
The mountains of my life – Castor, my first Alpine peak
~ My brother James and Castor in the Swiss Alps ~ This blog post is part of a series of articles on mountains that have a special significance for me. See also: Bowfell, Tryfan and Stob Ban. By early 2007 I was immersed in the culture and history of mountaineering. I had
Climbing with an Alpenstock
“It is a fact that everything which can be done with the alpenstock can be done also and better with the axe. No proper step can be quickly made with an alpenstock.” ~ “[The alpenstock] has a long tang running into the wood … and its termination is extremely sharp. With a
The mountains of my life – Stob Ban, my first Munro
This blog post is part of a series of articles on mountains that have a special significance for me. See also: Bowfell and Tryfan. My hillwalking apprenticeship was played out in the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, and North Wales, but by 2006 my sights were set on more ambitious
The mountains of my life – Tryfan
This blog post is part of a series of articles on mountains that have a special significance for me. See also: Bowfell. Two weeks ago I wrote a little about how climbing Bowfell was an important right of passage for me as a hillwalker. Today I would like to talk
The mountains of my life – Bowfell
There’s a folder on my hard disk called “Pictures”. Everybody has one like it. The humble Pictures folder may be an utterly ordinary part of modern life, but I also think it’s one of life’s under-appreciated wonders. Delve into that folder and you will relive old memories;
Scottish winter climbing: the future
I can think of no finer outdoor playground than the Scottish Highlands. These mountains, only a few hours by car from most of the UK, offer everything the outdoor enthusiast could wish for: spectacular scenery, world-class walking, kayaking and mountain biking, hills of every type from rounded lumps to jagged
To look but not to touch – Glen Coe at its finest
With the excitement of my book launch, it’s easy to overlook the fact that I have been lucky enough to spend a few days in Glen Coe during a spell of grand beau temps. We are currently in the middle of one of the longest periods of calm, settled
The Beinn Fhada ridge, Glencoe
The Bidean massif is a complex mountain range. It’s a rugged landscape of secret valleys, soaring aretes, savage cliffs, hidden peaks. Since 2008 I have journeyed into this range on dozens of occasions and climbed most of the easier routes, even adding a couple of new ones to the