The call of Scotland. In the beginning... and then there was light! My first trip ever to Scotland was by steam train from Blackpool to Aberdeen with my Grandmother. The year was around 1950 when I would be 11. As a trainspotter I spent the entire journey getting smoke in my eyes, and a black face, from standing with my head out of a corridor window (then openable!) so as not to miss an oncoming train. We stayed a week in the Granite City with friends. Most of my days were s

As you draw closer to completing a round of the Scottish Munros, you will probably start wondering “What's next?”.  How do we follow that? You will probably have very mixed feelings, with the excitement and achievement of having successfully completed a considerable challenge, and nagging doubts about how to fill all those hill days still to come.

A brief encounter with a ladybird. Ben Lawers... One thoroughly wet & windy day, 7th February 1981, to be precise, two of us (Malcolm and I) were out all day on the Ben Lawers Range. Ian missed the trip as he was in breeding mode. However, to us, the day was not regarded as a washout. Far from it, as we had successfully bagged three new Munros. These Munros were numbers 46-48 for me. They were Meall Corranaich 1069ft, Bhain Ghlas 1103ft and Ben Lawers 1214ft. We had started a

A small number of locals would respond to Sid's phone call about an incident, and Rescuers were recruited by Sid visiting his busy Bar