Ratho
Great to have a climbing session with Emanuelle today on her birthday. We were inside and a slightly damp outside at Ratho. Many thanks to Gillian for organising the day.
Local Hills, Bouldering and Climbing
Over the last week we’ve managed some good local hill walking, bouldering and climbing culminating in a visit to North Berwick Law today. The crag was busy, for North Berwick Law, but everyone was friendly and sensible given the current situation.
Ettrick Hills & Last Donald
In early July when we were allowed to travel further for exercise again I decided I needed a goal to help me get my hill fitness back. I settled on the Donalds and Donald Tops. For the less hill nerdy folk out there this is a list of 140 hills in the Scottish Lowlands with a height of at least 2000ft (610m). The logic behind this choice was that they were relatively close to home, so would limit travel; would be relatively quiet hills in terms of other people and that I’d already done quite a few.
Saddle Yoke across the Moffat Water, which is part of the excellent horseshoe above Black Hope.
Last week Jen and I went for a very pleasant walk up West Knowe and Loch Fell and with these two I completed the Donalds and Donald Tops. I climbed my first Donald in November 1998, so definitely wasn’t breaking any records. However, I’ve walked or run 48 that were new to me since July plus some I’d visited before and a bunch of smaller hills to make interesting routes.
Jen heading up above the Selcoth Burn.
Loch Fell was a fairly random choice for the last one, but it’s definitely worth saving for a clear day as it gives magnificent views to the Lowthers, the Galloway Hills, the Lake District, the Cheviot and the Eildons as well as the nearby Ettrick and Moffat Hills. A quick thankyou should go out to Rab Anderson and Tom Prentice who edited the excellent SMC guide to “The Grahams and the Donalds”, which suggests good routes with plenty of options and lots of interesting background information.
Afterthought Arete and Curved Ridge
Two great routes over the last few days that I would highly recommend. One in the Cairngorms and one in Glencoe.
Perthshire Cragging
Out climbing at Creag na h-Eighe and Myopic’s Buttress, Dunkeld, today. Some seepage at both crags, but plenty of routes to be climbed.
Galloway
I was out for a run in Galloway yesterday, for those who know the terrain “run” is a fairly loose term. I took in Buchan Hill, Rig of Loch Enoch, Mullwharchar, Dungeon Hill, Craignairny, Craignaw, the west top of Snibe Hill and Craiglee before descending the delightfully named Rig of Jarkness back to Loch Trool. Plenty of tussocks, but also some excellent expanses of exposed granite. Wilf.
Meall nan Tarmachan and Beinn na Sroine
I was out doing some staff training with the Falkirk Outdoors team yesterday. Good to catch up with some of the team in person for the first time in a while. The weather was great, so I then headed for a run up Beinn na Sroine, which gave great views to Ben Lui, Ben Cruachan and beyond.
Loudoun Hill
I met Nettle at Loudoun Hill yesterday for a bit of cragging in the sunshine. A good day with the rock drying pretty quickly in the sunshine after overnight rain. Amongst other things we climbed The Edge with Nettle leading the second pitch. His first time on it and always a memorable experience.
