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The Living Mountain on the telly
Nan Shepherd, author of the classic ‘The Living Mountain’ When it comes to classic books about the Cairngorms, Seton Gordon normally comes top of the list for his long out of print ‘The Cairngorm Hills...
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Killing trees for conservation
Some of the ringed trees visible from the track near Derry Lodge. Photo by John Watson A few folk have been curious about the ring-barking of trees in the forestry plantation just east of Derry Lodge....
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The Mountain – on the Beeb … and Mar Lodge – on the web
The Mountain – Cairngorm under snow This blog tends to concentrate on the more genteel parts of the Cairngorms, but a new BBC Scotland series perhaps merits a quick visit to the fleshpots of Cairngorm....
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Access problems at Linn of Dee
The following notice has appeared on the Cairngorms National Park website. This is all the info I have at the moment but if I hear any more I’ll add it in. Shouldn’t think there’ll be too many people...
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Cairngorm skiing – the traditional way
This winter, as in a number of winters before, I’ve toyed with the idea of getting skis again. Not to go back to the crowded slopes of Glenshee and Cairngorm which I went to as a teenager, way back in...
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Skiing the Black Spout of Lochnagar in 1954
Ashie Brebner is pictured skiing out of the lower part of the Black Spout, just before falling and almost starting an avalanche. Ashie Brebner is best known as one of the people who built the Slugain...
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Bygone Cairngorm bothy photos
I’ve been sitting on some of these photos for a while now, mostly sent in by George Adams and Colin Campbell, always waiting for the context to use them. Then one of the comments after Ashie Brebner’s...
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Bothy crime
The scene of crime. The Hutchison Memorial Hut I’ve railed before in this blog about folk who leave litter and unwanted gear in bothies, and all the ‘proper’ hill folk have nodded in agreement. Isn’t...
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‘Extreme’ bothy maintenance
Ready for action. A simple job made ‘extreme’ by remoteness and weather Just back from a wee trip to the Hutchison Memorial Hut with Neil Findlay for some ‘extreme bothy maintenance’. Neil and Walt had...
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Bothies, litter and education – a step forward
Last August I let rip at groups taking young people into the hills. I love it that there are people who care enough to encourage youngsters into the mountains but, like so many others involved in bothy...
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The Fool on the Hill
Ach, it’s all been a bit serious on here the last few posts, so here’s a wee bit of light relief – a tale from the early years of this century when I still thought I was a climber and occasionally...
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Spring at last in the Cairngorms
Glen Lui under a baking spring sun, snow disappearing fast There may still be great quantities of snow in the hills, but last weekend was my first day of spring all the same. I’d just spent the week at...
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New bridge imminent at Derry Burn
Waiting to go into place – the pylons for the temporary Derry Burn footbridge With spring making inroads and people’s summer plans getting firmed up, there’s been increasing interest these last few...
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Work and wildlife in the Cairngorms
Great day for a work party (and picnic from the looks of things) at Allt Scheicheachan – not, you would think, ideal conditions for filming the wildlife. When you walk in to the woods and sit with your...
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Ice cream and nailguns on Lochnagar
Installing one of the roof windows during a major refurbishment of the Gelder Shiel Bothy That ol’ Cairngorm magic has done its stuff again and another cold bothy has been given the five star...
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Anticipation v realisation: the bothy book
One of the more anticipated new books this summer was the Cicerone guide The Book of the Bothy, by Phoebe Smith. As soon as it was announced the old guard bothy ‘guardians’ were up in arms: not only...
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A make-over for Callater Bothy
Callater Bothy is the building on the right, with the Lodge at the rear. It’s been said – and with some cause – that a bothy without a fire is just a shed. Well Callater Bothy may not have a fire yet,...
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Callater completed
A welcome and homely sight on return from the hills – Callater Bothy, with the Lodge behind At the start of September the Eastern Highlands MBA crew descended mob handed on a spartan Callater Bothy and...
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Writing the book on mountain rescue
Mostly Happy Returns, by Braemar Mountain Rescue Association There’s a perhaps morbid fascination among hill walkers and climbers with tales of when it all goes wrong. I’ve long ago given up trying to...
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Royal opening at Gelder Shiel – Ernie’s Bothy
Prince Charles outside Ernie’s Bothy This blog has never had any real need for a Royal Correspondent, but I had to appoint myself to the job today for the official opening of the refurbished Gelder...
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