New Year Walks

A new year, and a new resolution - to work less and get out walking more. The aim - to be able to enjoy a week of walking at the start of May. Now it's been a while, so we are starting small - no Munros for a few weeks yet.

First up then was a stroll over Salisbury crags on New Years day (we were up too late to attempt anything further afield). Arthurs Seat itself was way too busy so we contented ourselves with wandering round the smaller hills.

St Anthony's Chapel

Why climb Arthurs seat on a day like this?

The sun did come out briefly, but there was quite a cold wind blowing, and the swans on St Margarets' Loch were certainly feeling the chill!

Swan on thin ice

The next day consisted of a very muddy struggle through Roslin Glen - not entirely satisfying, so search of something a bit more challenging we headed to the Ochils the day after.

A 10 mile walk over some nice rolling hills, through forests and across open (and slightly snowy) moorland on a circular route around Glen Sherrup. The weather was perfect - freezing (literally) and hardly a cloud in the sky; the views were unexpectedly phenomenal, taking in Ben Lomond, Ben Ledi, Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich, and even Stob Binnein and Ben More far in the distance. A great day out was rounded off with the sight of 3 dippers in the River Devon as we returned to the car.

Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin

Great views!

All Photographs © BrokenMountain 2008

Glencoe Mountains: some pictures

The river Coe on the way to the Pap of Glencoe

It's about time to add some mountains, so here are some shots of Glencoe after a week walking in glorious sunshine and t-shirts ... in May ... in Scotland - no, really, it was good weather! (and let us not forget the midges!)

First of all a shot on the Aonach Eagach - we didn't climb this, but a policy of climbing hills nearby deadly ridges is a good way to get the views without exposing ourselves to any danger!

Aonach Eagach from Garbh Bheinn

Buachaille Etive Mor is my favourite Mountain top of all time (so far). I would say favourite Munro, but I don't want to exclude other countries, notably New Zealand. This was part of the view from the top after a stunning climb up through Coire na Tulaich. A fabulous top with loads of high level walking available, and on a day like this, fantastic views.

Stob Na Doire from the top of Buachaille Etive Mor

Next up another view of Aonach Eagach, taken on the way up to Stob Coire nan Lochan. With perfect timing we did all the hard climbing in the cloud, and the sun started to break through just before the top, giving another day of breathtaking scenery.

Cloud clearing on the Aonach Eagach, from Coire nan Lochan

And finally, after a short stroll up Glen Nevis, a view of Steall falls:

An Gearanach from Steall Meadows

All Photographs © BrokenMountain 2008