tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12981810087674964412024-03-13T07:27:02.057+00:00My Wild CampingGeoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-4405956892989234882014-05-03T12:29:00.002+01:002014-05-03T14:16:59.532+01:00I've moved this blog to WordPress!<br />
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You can now find me at <a href="http://mywildcamping.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">My Wild Camping. </a><br />
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Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-672959456088748532014-02-10T11:26:00.000+00:002014-02-10T11:26:05.160+00:00Are our hills really safe in their hands?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-30128329546150823722014-01-02T14:23:00.000+00:002014-01-02T14:37:20.592+00:00AAC Kincraig Meet. <span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EkgheEoylew/UsV1HayHWUI/AAAAAAAABXA/UXznCJNLolY/s1600-h/IMG_19368.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1936" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ir41sr0OTVY/UsV1IEDuXMI/AAAAAAAABXI/iZVkxcDS1FM/IMG_1936_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1936" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Early May saw us in the Cairngorms, the weather prospects did not look good, with high winds and sleet forecast on the tops. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The first morning dawned cold, wet and windy. Not being prepared to spend the day following a compass bearing in unpleasant conditions, we decided on low level walk to Ryvoen Bothy.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eZeMEZEXdVQ/UsV1IwkwEDI/AAAAAAAABXQ/4_kFK4kv-iM/s1600-h/IMG_19337.jpg"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eZeMEZEXdVQ/UsV1IwkwEDI/AAAAAAAABXY/6k6G3Y41J9U/s1600-h/IMG_19339.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1933" border="0" height="772" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D1mC9ZhHtP8/UsV1KnGg99I/AAAAAAAABXg/Icl9mqjVBbk/IMG_1933_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1933" width="580" /></span></a></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It turned out to be a good choice, we took an early lunch in the spotlessly clean bothy, then spent a pleasant afternoon ambling along the track towards Nethy Bridge. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NcSFZKLVaDc/UsV1LrCQ-qI/AAAAAAAABXo/lJ5E-v4A85Y/s1600-h/IMG_19323.jpg"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NcSFZKLVaDc/UsV1LrCQ-qI/AAAAAAAABXw/2kqxA4gkHyc/s1600-h/IMG_19324.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1932" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J-GTK5tnza0/UsV1N-BYZ3I/AAAAAAAABX4/0_WGha9DK7M/IMG_1932_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1932" width="644" /></span></a></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The weather continued to be stormy so the next couple of days were spent biking in Glen Feshie, hoping that the weather would improve.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Kfl4A_TZ5TE/UsV1O4dfm6I/AAAAAAAABYA/5gEK_absEZM/s1600-h/IMG_19474.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1947" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yFa-XmeUJ1Y/UsV1P9xWobI/AAAAAAAABYI/hnOLnPHTTPA/IMG_1947_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1947" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QN1yB_3QFqM/UsV1QoBlowI/AAAAAAAABYQ/8UHhC5FO8kk/s1600-h/IMG_19515.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1951" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OaSW9NLZT_U/UsV1RadrsnI/AAAAAAAABYY/NBt2VGCXtrk/IMG_1951_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1951" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kcHsKe9rCck/UsV1Sna185I/AAAAAAAABYg/GhOpyb0E68g/s1600-h/IMG_19525.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1952" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-U77zGplV4a0/UsV1TYzP75I/AAAAAAAABYo/JRjuf0fhxkA/IMG_1952_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1952" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ydcuqXsd6no/UsV1UJrmkdI/AAAAAAAABYw/DG3-w1ebAjo/s1600-h/IMG_19536.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1953" border="0" height="772" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rkQ_q91ZBGI/UsV1U8RY1UI/AAAAAAAABY4/nxy2BdzmcI8/IMG_1953_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1953" width="580" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">After what was to be the final outing of the trip, we returned to the hut feeling somewhat down hearted, our visit to Ruigh Aiteachain Bothy had been cut short by a rising Allt Garbhlach. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">But all was not lost! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We entered the hut to find that good weather was forecast for the next day good, and our trusty meet leader had managed to extend our stay by one more night, which meant that at long last we might be able to visit the tops and get a view.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">And what a day it was!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sgor Gaoith was our objective, its been on my peaks to do list for years, but I had determined that I would only climb it on a clear day, and today hopefully was the day.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-De3mV8mvNdM/UsV1Vzzc90I/AAAAAAAABZA/K3QPjR1uHHw/s1600-h/IMG_19584.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1958" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ehoQIG1iAc0/UsV1W8UowqI/AAAAAAAABZI/xugt-ik3NPo/IMG_1958_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1958" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Blue sky over Glen Feshie. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D0Fj3ZPqQ9U/UsV1YHMtX3I/AAAAAAAABZQ/q-y47bqEO6s/s1600-h/IMG_19594.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1959" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VedtMJ44Q80/UsV1Yz67IbI/AAAAAAAABZY/nHhUq7By1iw/IMG_1959_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1959" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The start of the path to Carn Ban Mor.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Vcy3OT-Z5Ag/UsV1aL9TcbI/AAAAAAAABZg/z5Au1AzepB4/s1600-h/IMG_19605.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1960" border="0" height="772" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-n-ucyWWWfTA/UsV1bA7QP5I/AAAAAAAABZo/5qtM8ieWtA4/IMG_1960_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1960" width="580" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WUo8A79VoRw/UsV1cH889UI/AAAAAAAABZw/Qh3OuDYUvMU/s1600-h/IMG_19614.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1961" border="0" height="772" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z7E3UGxHEoc/UsV1dMHFpjI/AAAAAAAABZ4/9NzkJJ_gazQ/IMG_1961_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1961" width="580" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3VdhC5n7w1w/UsV1dwzVICI/AAAAAAAABaA/x_jtqBKt3C4/s1600-h/IMG_19624.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1962" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tYL7MyrI7Pw/UsV1emBM7TI/AAAAAAAABaI/tIs1NwFeALQ/IMG_1962_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1962" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-R2nqDd5724w/UsV1flMWfVI/AAAAAAAABaQ/B6zPVb25iQ0/s1600-h/IMG_19674.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1967" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RQZ7hVvQ6q0/UsV1gt_t74I/AAAAAAAABaY/y1H5LzqdCCg/IMG_1967_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1967" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SkZ7kKVxwQA/UsV1haxJ9UI/AAAAAAAABag/kzGpr7cs51o/s1600-h/IMG_19704.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1970" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zf661dGVXq4/UsV1iT2j-JI/AAAAAAAABao/NqZAaDklyic/IMG_1970_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1970" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w1g3K34VxxQ/UsV1jqWf9UI/AAAAAAAABaw/1DT7qrKJsgw/s1600-h/IMG_19928.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1992" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nKVjia_GEa4/UsV1keafqSI/AAAAAAAABa4/TpTJ3ogXz_c/IMG_1992_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1992" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The path crossed a steep snow slope where a fall would have meant a slide of hundreds of feet. .</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3fb2s9WbVMU/UsV1lWGBSUI/AAAAAAAABbA/cOMA4FH4ybA/s1600-h/IMG_19734.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1973" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-33YzEF0RjX4/UsV1mXMp2ZI/AAAAAAAABbI/sYHuJ5XHmg0/IMG_1973_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1973" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Having decided it wasn’t worth carrying our ice axes we had to take the safe but steep grassy slopes to the left of the track, these eventually spat us out near the summit of Carn Ban Mor to be greeted with this fabulous view.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P3DHOciCRZ4/UsV1nZo2K4I/AAAAAAAABbQ/-DdoggytDa0/s1600-h/IMG_19784.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1978" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tm8F_2-kSKE/UsV1oMWh1cI/AAAAAAAABbY/hbCJ77ddgYM/IMG_1978_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1978" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Braeriach, Sgor an Lochain Uagaine (Angels Peak) and Cairn Toul.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7JbKp6znFGo/UsV1pJ8IdCI/AAAAAAAABbg/7J1GqzLu6ek/s1600-h/IMG_197612.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1976" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tyhZLkOm1jM/UsV1qEhk37I/AAAAAAAABbo/F9tbhtW5mcU/IMG_1976_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1976" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sgor Gaoith in the distance.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3ynmXSbWSvM/UsV1q4nAWqI/AAAAAAAABbw/b5kh5LJv-Es/s1600-h/IMG_19814.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1981" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CtrdqRBE9FU/UsV1rsDtPHI/AAAAAAAABb4/qdBBD-TKIOg/IMG_1981_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1981" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NaZQNqnzcMA/UsV1tLWUJHI/AAAAAAAABcA/01Li72bulyQ/s1600-h/IMG_19868.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1986" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BtfhRy0y4k4/UsV1uIT8dkI/AAAAAAAABcI/rYi4M00FZ4k/IMG_1986_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1986" width="644" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Loch Einich, Monach Mor and Beinn Bhrotain.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mRVKbNRPkWw/UsV1uxUpvbI/AAAAAAAABcQ/S7VzeAFGIWc/s1600-h/IMG_19935.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="IMG_1993" border="0" height="772" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sqs6t2XbKDQ/UsV1v8WinoI/AAAAAAAABcY/gV0bNOQftEc/IMG_1993_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_1993" width="580" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">After a leisurely lunch on the summit soaking up the view in warm sunshine, we retraced our route back to the car. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It had been one of those special days, well worth waiting for.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-35562392597516783392013-12-18T12:16:00.000+00:002013-12-18T12:16:05.932+00:00Happy Christmas Everyone.<a data-cthref="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=-z23Okp270_oPM&tbnid=6iIgn_E4vreEMM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cartoonmotivators.com%2FClose_Shave.html&ei=cI-xUqaMHo2p0AXvvIEQ&psig=AFQjCNH1ejctGcBb-XzB6juUgburSH-xdw&ust=1387454643229368" data-ved="0CAUQjRw" href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=-z23Okp270_oPM&tbnid=6iIgn_E4vreEMM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cartoonmotivators.com%2FClose_Shave.html&ei=cI-xUqaMHo2p0AXvvIEQ&psig=AFQjCNH1ejctGcBb-XzB6juUgburSH-xdw&ust=1387454643229368" id="irc_mil" style="border: 0px currentColor;"><img class="irc_mut" height="452" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.cartoonmotivators.com/images/P/CloseShave.jpg" style="margin-top: 102px;" width="640" /></a><br />
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Not much activity this year on or off the hills, but hopefully 2014 will be more focused on fun.Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-38843763036339409422013-03-15T12:44:00.001+00:002013-03-15T12:44:38.136+00:00How many windfarms does it take to power a light bulb?<p> </p> <p>This Civitas Comment recommended by Douga; Quixote makes an interesting read.</p> Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-2631506150700061262012-12-21T14:26:00.000+00:002012-12-27T14:32:33.990+00:00Greg's Hut.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="428" id="il_fi" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/3087029797_93795ddd1a.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="640" /></div>
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Where ever you're spending Christmas have a great one!<br />
<br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-43684819024650954402012-11-26T15:40:00.001+00:002012-11-26T19:10:23.539+00:00Nant Rhys Bothy walk.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinY__9qUj0UC8yWvEgLsjctPnihVVVBvxrdsMELTuY8qzlrIrGFRkGmc1kM-IN3Vyj1-JXQBFQhplAeaOtlXXUh8E3VnG9frURBZwCPtOGRz0OuFrLVToERcCOZfaKj_6nx6UGwqrQfaA/s1600/IMG_1560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinY__9qUj0UC8yWvEgLsjctPnihVVVBvxrdsMELTuY8qzlrIrGFRkGmc1kM-IN3Vyj1-JXQBFQhplAeaOtlXXUh8E3VnG9frURBZwCPtOGRz0OuFrLVToERcCOZfaKj_6nx6UGwqrQfaA/s640/IMG_1560.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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On Friday my brother a I went for a much needed day out. Its been months since I've visited the hills, so a trip to Nant Rhys Bothy in Mid Wales, gave us a gentle walk with an interesting objective. <br />
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We left the car in Cwmystwyth and followed the old track that climbs up the valley to the west of Yr Allt. <br />
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As the track descended towards the Afon Diliw, we enjoyed the low winter sunshine.<br />
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We crossed the foot bridge and followed the bridleway which lead to the bothy. Considering the floods we'd seen on the journey up from Worcestershire, the river was surprisingly low and clear as it gurgled its way towards of Aberystwyth. But this tranquillity scene was not to last! </div>
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Nant Rhys Bothy is a real gem, there are two rooms downstairs the one with a stove, chairs, and sleeping platforms looks very cosy, plus another bedroom, upstairs.<br />
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Outside there is a wood store, complete with saw horse, plus the luxury of a one hole compost toilet.</div>
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The walk back from the bothy was quite an eye opener! </div>
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The presence wind turbines which we'd tried to ignore on our way to the bothy was quite overpowering, particularly the noise from the turbine blades which almost completely blotted out the sound of the Afon Diliw, what was even worse were the shadows from the rotating blades flickering on the trees. If this had been the windows of my house it would driven me completely bonkers in a very short space of time. And this was from turbines that were about 500 yards away!!!!!</div>
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Once clear of the wind turbines, we had a enjoyed the remainder of the walk back to the car and although we got slightly damp from a short sharp rain shower any discomfort was more than offset by this beautiful rainbow.</div>
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Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-68650280376628323612012-11-22T08:30:00.000+00:002012-11-26T19:08:04.564+00:00Negative equity?<br />
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3753" height="640" src="http://windfarmaction.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/best-offer.gif?w=640&h=640" title="Best-Offer" width="640" /><br />
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Always a good source of facts about the wind industry and its interesting ways of distorting the truth, Dougal Quixote came up with this item on <a href="http://windfarmaction.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/a-very-brief-point-on-house-prices/" target="_blank">house prices</a>.<br />
His post <a href="http://windfarmaction.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/the-desecration-of-our-landscape/" target="_blank">"The Desecration of Scotland"</a> is also well worth a read, and contains this <a href="http://www.tw312.org.uk/" target="_blank">link</a> showing the concentration of turbines being installed in Galloway, not a pretty site to those who love this part of the country!<br />
<br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-57789041136687247752012-09-12T16:54:00.000+01:002012-11-26T19:07:08.916+00:00Dougal Quixote strikes again.<a href="http://windfarmaction.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/cropped-p1000181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="132" src="http://windfarmaction.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/cropped-p1000181.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Dougal Quixote describes himself as "Slightly mad. Always believes a cup is half full so continues to tilt at Wind Turbines and the politicians that seem to believe it is their god given right to ruin Scotland for a pot of fool's gold".<br />
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His Windfarmaction blog is always worth a read, but I thought todays video offering called Arcadia, was particularly good, <a href="http://windfarmaction.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/arcadia/" target="_blank">click here</a> to see more. Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-73722694155210069322012-06-25T07:40:00.002+01:002012-06-25T07:40:27.933+01:00Failed again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Not
a good start to the day, I’ve been failing miserably to upload my favourite wild
camping picture to the competition on Martins <a href="http://www.summitandvalley.com/2012/06/osprey-grab-bag.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+summitandvalleyblogspotcom+%28Summit+and+Valley%29" target="_blank">Summit and Valley Blog</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">So
no chance of winning an Osprey Grab Bag for me then!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">If
I had been successful, this is the image I would have submitted.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-25676822888841569802012-06-23T11:34:00.000+01:002012-06-23T11:34:32.449+01:00It's only money!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="398" id="il_fi" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02192/gas-bill_2192876b.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In order to<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> avoid any nasty shocks when I received next winters fuel bill, m</span>y electricity supplier has advised me to review my direct debit
payments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s good to know that the money from our ever increasing energy
bills is being spent wisely! <a href="http://windfarmaction.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/money-for-old-rope/" target="_blank">Click here</a> to find out more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-19343256627298594652012-06-04T12:51:00.002+01:002012-06-04T12:51:43.405+01:00Blackrock Cottage Part 3.<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I stepped outside the hut on Sunday morning, the cloud
was down to about 600m on the Buchaille, and it was trying to snow. It also
looked pretty grey and gloomy over Rannoch Moor, but there were some patches of
thinner cloud and the odd hint of blue sky, which looked promising for later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over breakfast we came to the conclusion that, the best
weather would be found towards the coast today. A number of our group were set
on Ben Starav, but we thought there was a good chance of cloud at that height,
so we decided on Beinn Trilleachan which at 839m is significantly lower, and
hopefully would remain below the cloud base.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The drive down Glen Etive is always inspiring with so many
famous peaks on view. Unfortunately, the wooden fence surrounding the house at
Dalness is a blot on the landscape, but once past this eye sore, stunning views
continue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The end of the road has changed quite a bit since they
started logging trees in Glen Etive Forest. There’s a gate across the road, a
new car park and the old pier has been modified, so the timber can be shipped out
via Loch Etive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s great to see the bare hillside emerging after being hidden for so long. When I first came to this part of Scotland in the mid 60’s, the forests along the A82 and in this area were just being planted, never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see them being felled!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We took the boggy path along the edge of the forest until we
reached a height of about 200m, then turned left and climbed the south west
shoulder of the hill. The going was quite steep with very little sign of a
path, as we found our way through the low rocky out crops until we reached the
first top, Meall nan Gobbhar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although the going was steep, we were both finding it easier
than the last two days, the views were excellent, and the weather was better
than we’d expected. There were occasional snow showers blowing across the glen,
but fortunately most of them missed us on Beinn Trilleachan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ridge now became easier to follow; keeping well clear of
the impressive drops above the Trilleachan Slabs we made our way to the rocky
peak at of 767m. From here we descended 70m through broken slabs, which looked
awkward from above, but turned out to be quite straight forward, to a bealach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Form the bealach it was just a plod to the summit. The
temperature was now dropping steadily, as a cold wind brought in more cloud and
snow showers from the north.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was too cold to linger on the top. So, anxious to get out
of the wind we ate a quick snack then started down. As we returned along the summit ridge,
the cloud gradually covered Ben Starav, making us feel rather smug about our
choice of peak for today. Once off the ridge we were reasonably sheltered, so we meandered contentedly down through the crags until we reached
the forest edge, which we followed back to the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another brilliant day!</span></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-10028594332977056092012-05-28T16:37:00.000+01:002012-05-28T16:37:01.066+01:00It doesn’t come much better than this!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38ai3b3FLgPUZUBqifvxiPXybGDmbhaoywo_Wz3PvscC5cXFbYv2VG9j_fAXGr4BUY52Ng2JjBEKK134ySlOQqlsyPp3kED73kb_CdB9Blla7Z0kPtKhpxbvzd-vo5E_oS7rrx32AW7E/s1600/IMG_1287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38ai3b3FLgPUZUBqifvxiPXybGDmbhaoywo_Wz3PvscC5cXFbYv2VG9j_fAXGr4BUY52Ng2JjBEKK134ySlOQqlsyPp3kED73kb_CdB9Blla7Z0kPtKhpxbvzd-vo5E_oS7rrx32AW7E/s640/IMG_1287.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Family events are preventing me from visiting the hills this
week, so I’ve had to settle for a couple of hours on the bike each day. But with
the Worcester countryside starting only 200 metres from my front door, cycling along
narrow lanes in the sun is the next best thing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qG7bsHH91HZbIdJ5nZb2SfxBLov0w6jmZBHdwwbfqTApMb5CGzzT-xbnmhNHZyG8Nfwy-LAyXfjNMsSrS5-8aqgk6dBGYB4ldcZq0j4j-1wvSL0b_5nDI8UcxFeSli3aLw3LXTSDCdM/s1600/IMG_1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qG7bsHH91HZbIdJ5nZb2SfxBLov0w6jmZBHdwwbfqTApMb5CGzzT-xbnmhNHZyG8Nfwy-LAyXfjNMsSrS5-8aqgk6dBGYB4ldcZq0j4j-1wvSL0b_5nDI8UcxFeSli3aLw3LXTSDCdM/s640/IMG_1301.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-16884080994227909292012-05-26T06:32:00.000+01:002012-05-29T10:50:32.623+01:00Blackrock Cottage Part 2.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Having
recovered from our previous day’s excursion on Beinn Mhic-Mhonaidh, we decided
today we would be a good day to have a look at Meall Lighiche. It lies south of
Glencoe and is surrounded by other hills, so we hoped given good weather, we’d
be treated to excellent views of Sgor na h-Ulaidh, Bidean nam Bian and the
Ballachulish Horseshoe.</span></div>
W<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">e
left the car by the side of the A82 (at NN119564) and took the farm track to
Gleann-leac-na-muidhe. Just before you reach the buildings there are signs
instructing walkers to follow a path of poorly constructed of stepping stones,
which bypass the farmhouse. Presumably this is to keep the nasty mountaineers
well away from the lovely locals. These diversions seem to be on the increase
in Scotland; I’m not sure how legal they are, but they’re very irritating and
do nothing to encourage harmony between landowners and visitors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Back
on the main track again, as we cleared the farm buildings, we began to get
super views of the Aonoch Eagach ridge behind and Meall Lighiche in front.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We
continued up the track until we reached the Allt na Muidhe. The water was very
low, so we bolder hopped across to the west bank and followed it upstream for a
few minutes, before heading towards the north ridge of Creag Bhan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the initial climb to a saddle, we went
to the right of the next small hump before re-joining the ridge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
ridge is made up of steep grassy terraces and as with most Corbetts no sign of
a path.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">At
last we came to the top of Creag Bhan but of the small cairn which is supposed
to mark the top, there was no sign.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGEWxBQiuX_2_bRpWqyaa_Lp4hP2hVzjHSUfeBgteagfD75LAfHogfdzTHrA33CSMJFgUAGW7luO27zCL47BdQlqcUYDhu6su1wtl2rVjoqm6AlOkzQJJ6ESdBhqKQnfElyJI-XRTfJM/s1600/IMG_1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGEWxBQiuX_2_bRpWqyaa_Lp4hP2hVzjHSUfeBgteagfD75LAfHogfdzTHrA33CSMJFgUAGW7luO27zCL47BdQlqcUYDhu6su1wtl2rVjoqm6AlOkzQJJ6ESdBhqKQnfElyJI-XRTfJM/s640/IMG_1191.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">From
here you can see the summit of Meall Lighiche and the</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">
views were brilliant!</span><br />
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZqrVt1D32FHezd35XEnfBCZlAhwOecBFfq3u6xEmdfuA9EsqhDgvvTa9e9o1ZcB_xJAW3iTVecafrdke_7vksMcAnAqTvZ7lKh0v5h_QuTNct3aOZBeulIFfCCUnqU3TfOlXnd7swmw/s1600/IMG_1194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZqrVt1D32FHezd35XEnfBCZlAhwOecBFfq3u6xEmdfuA9EsqhDgvvTa9e9o1ZcB_xJAW3iTVecafrdke_7vksMcAnAqTvZ7lKh0v5h_QuTNct3aOZBeulIFfCCUnqU3TfOlXnd7swmw/s640/IMG_1194.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhsIOQCTDzHbMjmIYdqoWPHIp6dJRlLNpmZipdf0QB6MArXGE6KGbjbAdS5FzE4eEGgA1x1OjpfinFBxixjC-f0xjAplRsEfHibNAHEmvoAiqzwqpGBUoujvPeYUPMcp_zb9cU0cqb7k/s1600/IMG_1195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhsIOQCTDzHbMjmIYdqoWPHIp6dJRlLNpmZipdf0QB6MArXGE6KGbjbAdS5FzE4eEGgA1x1OjpfinFBxixjC-f0xjAplRsEfHibNAHEmvoAiqzwqpGBUoujvPeYUPMcp_zb9cU0cqb7k/s640/IMG_1195.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2c4xoGD7LX0kgN7ObgH1hWImhDY6u-VrV0GhlKbFoa7PrY5Q83MkBYkEDj4882dea81yAkxtCejxzCOewObP7wP0VLetIfw3OWJFq5BD6VnknCryfi-LyYgD_x_ZooviddaesBJAt628/s1600/IMG_1196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2c4xoGD7LX0kgN7ObgH1hWImhDY6u-VrV0GhlKbFoa7PrY5Q83MkBYkEDj4882dea81yAkxtCejxzCOewObP7wP0VLetIfw3OWJFq5BD6VnknCryfi-LyYgD_x_ZooviddaesBJAt628/s640/IMG_1196.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLaNgSc1kIBNWGArtY0vCITVmdBzrgjmq3xWfYL7RKRKHulES_SFREkDDUpThIvkrzQuSrz05UiOazcMaE8OFgfAmDi4RBjsNzGCYzw76k6hrUEsabSlhXilWK5gojnRobtCY-9BQ8a4/s1600/IMG_1206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLaNgSc1kIBNWGArtY0vCITVmdBzrgjmq3xWfYL7RKRKHulES_SFREkDDUpThIvkrzQuSrz05UiOazcMaE8OFgfAmDi4RBjsNzGCYzw76k6hrUEsabSlhXilWK5gojnRobtCY-9BQ8a4/s640/IMG_1206.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
final ridge follows a line of iron fence posts to the top. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXoSJIRUgBMULZNzO8Cv2FEj00LlTJK9_0Y8FNz13X6I6zEEjUSo-3DanRQFRxGKX0kR_XnGhndlh2S9ucmk2N0_Ag4Frx5TvmwwafdSDHjdqcruQx6jxmJ7zSx7Ye3PJ5lmIflUS3JE/s1600/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXoSJIRUgBMULZNzO8Cv2FEj00LlTJK9_0Y8FNz13X6I6zEEjUSo-3DanRQFRxGKX0kR_XnGhndlh2S9ucmk2N0_Ag4Frx5TvmwwafdSDHjdqcruQx6jxmJ7zSx7Ye3PJ5lmIflUS3JE/s640/IMG_1200.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">After
a leisurely lunch near the summit, it was time to tear ourselves away from the
wonderful views and descend. We were tempted to find a way down the northern
slopes of the hill, but eventually we took the easy option and returned via our
route of ascent. The way back is quite straight forward, but would need care in
poor conditions, as there are some impressive drops on the east side of Creag
Bhan. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Back
at the river crossing, we sat basking in the sun and considered how someone can
enthusiastically rent their holiday cottage to walkers, but object other
walkers using the track past their farm house?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsA470CYRRcHt852cMEiO1OpllfPBertGISB20aiF2mM_VoSLIlCOf5T-bvPfhCw-BXvod2ZF9GAKrDkv2zjeUUztVZnSeaMFlNAKc0WgoOpU58tKlCqsDs5WJZH5flCu_HyT5t9_TGsc/s1600/IMG_1208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsA470CYRRcHt852cMEiO1OpllfPBertGISB20aiF2mM_VoSLIlCOf5T-bvPfhCw-BXvod2ZF9GAKrDkv2zjeUUztVZnSeaMFlNAKc0WgoOpU58tKlCqsDs5WJZH5flCu_HyT5t9_TGsc/s640/IMG_1208.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We
felt the logic didn’t stack up, if we’d chosen to cycle to the end of the
vehicle track, we’d have been entitled under Scottish access law to ride past
the farmhouse anyway! So we determined that on the way down we’d keep to the
road and see what happened. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">As
luck would have it, we arrived at the path just as the landowner came out of
his barn, he shouted a cheery hello, but as soon as we passed the diversion he
pointed out that we’d missed the path! My brother without breaking his stride,
said “ah I’m glad we’ve bumped into you, could provide us with details of your
holiday let”? To this our trusty landowner replied “oh in that case PLEASE come
THIS WAY we NEVER away a BUSINESS opportunity”! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
we collected a business card from his wife, expressed our regrets that we couldn’t
accept a guided tour of the cottage, as we were far too muddy, and carried on
our way!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Maybe
only a small victory, but it had us smiling all the way back to the car. If we
come this way again we will be on our bikes, it will be interesting to see what
the guy has to say for himself then!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-62142612719839243812012-05-17T11:48:00.001+01:002012-05-25T19:20:03.567+01:00Blackrock Cottage Part 1.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">When
we left my house in Worcestershire the rain was hammering down; it was still
raining in the Lakes, but it finally stopped as we passed over Beattock summit.</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
used to love this piece of road in the 60’s and 70’s, driving north after
leaving work we’d arrive here well after dark. If we were lucky and the night
was clear, the stars would look amazing as we headed in to the transport cafe
for a bacon and egg sandwich and a mug of tea. Now the old cafe has long gone,
bulldozed when they built the new motorway, and the skyline is obscured by
overpriced, inefficient wind turbines which seem to be creeping ever closer to
junction 13 and Tinto. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">As
we approached Glasgow, the early afternoon traffic on the M8 was moving well;
and before we knew it we were peak spotting, as we drove through the Arrochar
Alps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">When we arrived in
Inveraray the weather was unbelievable, clear blue skies, bright sunshine and
no wind. We booked into the SYHA for the night, then headed off for a fish
supper at Mr Pia’s fish and chip shop in West Main Street (£6.50 and highly
recommended).</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnFtPqM-Npx3Bup3vz40QA3v2Yd20ylErN7ZzlrR8jRO1Ug9irXoRlbSz7b1RAReKU2o8yYcpivD4S-xSPfRJKTrPHEdD5ooqhNMKSZ5rEKip4E3pf2UZKDcxiflThWEdf4df9tDumk8/s1600/IMG_1138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnFtPqM-Npx3Bup3vz40QA3v2Yd20ylErN7ZzlrR8jRO1Ug9irXoRlbSz7b1RAReKU2o8yYcpivD4S-xSPfRJKTrPHEdD5ooqhNMKSZ5rEKip4E3pf2UZKDcxiflThWEdf4df9tDumk8/s640/IMG_1138.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
next morning we drove up Glen Orchy in fine weather and parked by
the Bailey bridge at (NN242320), which is the starting point for Beinn
Mhic-Mhonaidh.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOOSNQxcFgKKapLZPgOPoaaUKZqtTnpF6caR8QakfMm0TOWohFf2eo8zpmXwDHroxjCR7P7WBDMk5d5kLdkeRSRVO_x9w2d2F_dJgJMkGoXMa3K33uGIMSzJ3JZvPan6SslCvo0YibYU/s1600/IMG_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOOSNQxcFgKKapLZPgOPoaaUKZqtTnpF6caR8QakfMm0TOWohFf2eo8zpmXwDHroxjCR7P7WBDMk5d5kLdkeRSRVO_x9w2d2F_dJgJMkGoXMa3K33uGIMSzJ3JZvPan6SslCvo0YibYU/s640/IMG_1142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeHpvjR4gBMB-qf4XJkCdjDTV8-IEmYbUZiFNiI4nSAoLyoLMY7kLHOLmuNfkH-IIAjkcl3DEJoNmEJEgr87reJBlDxUCVFjk545JvbaXHrkbJTt7svki3WG-HHB2uy6rRXUPwxrFrJg/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeHpvjR4gBMB-qf4XJkCdjDTV8-IEmYbUZiFNiI4nSAoLyoLMY7kLHOLmuNfkH-IIAjkcl3DEJoNmEJEgr87reJBlDxUCVFjk545JvbaXHrkbJTt7svki3WG-HHB2uy6rRXUPwxrFrJg/s640/IMG_1144.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We
crossed over the bridge and walked up the track for about 2km where it reaches a
pleasant meadow surrounded by trees. Here there's a sign pointing to a
footbridge over the Allt Broighleachan. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLWb7qJLf87ILHs568iz6C2D1ZN8Q1BkT66YGIZg1mwQ-x7SvKdNMU35OgKUODlD6FY6uAQryy3AScz-q6HIctz_AAMoQrwC-mP2hU2VMjERE2eFaBQV1Be21ag5rcbvZE2McXNQ2x9Q/s1600/IMG_1172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLWb7qJLf87ILHs568iz6C2D1ZN8Q1BkT66YGIZg1mwQ-x7SvKdNMU35OgKUODlD6FY6uAQryy3AScz-q6HIctz_AAMoQrwC-mP2hU2VMjERE2eFaBQV1Be21ag5rcbvZE2McXNQ2x9Q/s640/IMG_1172.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUVfEst_74iUh9bAWwgQHIhLVnfWbb_-X9cb7Y89liQk9umEubDKqNz0UTQJaEbYgiG0UQq7O2B98yyyMZ78J8sfLcfm-Bql0ELbPOpurITH8ibdSssa_XpoXXPzlhlfZap5ebKXkmdQ/s1600/IMG_1174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUVfEst_74iUh9bAWwgQHIhLVnfWbb_-X9cb7Y89liQk9umEubDKqNz0UTQJaEbYgiG0UQq7O2B98yyyMZ78J8sfLcfm-Bql0ELbPOpurITH8ibdSssa_XpoXXPzlhlfZap5ebKXkmdQ/s640/IMG_1174.JPG" width="640" /></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
normal way up the mountain crosses this bridge and follows the track for about
200 metres until it reaches a footpath which branches off left, this excellent
path is followed for another 2km where it terminates at a stile by some ruined
shielings. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQZIJN0twyFIjI57sQcaasn_MDyUfKUfMWtoiwyry4sIrvIgITxwQlqdfJL2qe0RNHcX5Ijo86XS4KJ2VuL_preAiRv8TtMzCMYr39YECiJ-g9KQWAkIXkF7dwD6L_mFIIZvha64b-uM/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQZIJN0twyFIjI57sQcaasn_MDyUfKUfMWtoiwyry4sIrvIgITxwQlqdfJL2qe0RNHcX5Ijo86XS4KJ2VuL_preAiRv8TtMzCMYr39YECiJ-g9KQWAkIXkF7dwD6L_mFIIZvha64b-uM/s640/IMG_1147.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">By
the time we reached this stile I was knackered! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Our
recent trip to Mallorca (trip report under construction) had left me with a
chesty cough, that and a lack of exercise in last few weeks, meant I was really
struggling! This general malaise wasn’t helped by the fact that we had managed
to turn off the upward track in the wrong place, and had spent ages ploughing
over boggy, rough ground, before regaining the delightfully smooth upward
track 500m short of the stile. </span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezO0k51K3jrcGzoPNhH02f5q24Zv-_7pYL1r3W7okXelYHHZi39gsJVwJFUWfBHUcD6cMFuXdlpoQM9utAkBeuO6BASkiOKBHWyNR1EW0XY_Mpqo6hCF-iDRKRnAQO8hyzWPK1jDKEfQ/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezO0k51K3jrcGzoPNhH02f5q24Zv-_7pYL1r3W7okXelYHHZi39gsJVwJFUWfBHUcD6cMFuXdlpoQM9utAkBeuO6BASkiOKBHWyNR1EW0XY_Mpqo6hCF-iDRKRnAQO8hyzWPK1jDKEfQ/s640/IMG_1169.JPG" width="640" /></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">As
we sat eating our lunch the mountainside in front (foreshortened in the
photograph) looked very steep, I'd had enough, but my brother was keen to continue, so we set off
up the hillside. It was absolute purgatory, I had no energy, my legs were burning and I couldn’t
seem to take enough air into my clogged up lungs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
probably stopped about every 10 metres on the way up this slope, I kept
thinking how wonderful it would be to turn around and go back to the car, but
for some reason I carried on. The only time I’ve ever been more exhausted,
was on the final approach to the <a href="http://www.bertol.ch/en/">Bertol Hut</a> a few years ago, but then I
was above 3000 metres, climbing on steep wet snow, in mist and sleet.</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Eventually
after what seemed an age we reached the crest of the ridge at about 720m, from
there to the summit turned out to be easier angled plod. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqzrZTCT08Ujgv4nqZEeuTnolwJ6bfCESh9VcxLp2G8tlQq05ioe16hQoFTx5uK14QINvi9Ey8ToPqF_wAy66G01c4F416r5YerLf7_s7gMLz_0dAxefjkBAAlNQPcu0KiULPH1MrpZM/s1600/IMG_1162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqzrZTCT08Ujgv4nqZEeuTnolwJ6bfCESh9VcxLp2G8tlQq05ioe16hQoFTx5uK14QINvi9Ey8ToPqF_wAy66G01c4F416r5YerLf7_s7gMLz_0dAxefjkBAAlNQPcu0KiULPH1MrpZM/s640/IMG_1162.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
views from the summit were superb, but unfortunately I seem to have been too knackered to take
any photographs!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The descent is quite straight forward: first, go north east towards a small lochan, then south down the grassy slopes to the stile by the shielings. Then follow the path back to the road, avoiding any unnecessary diversions into the forest.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRZZB9UX5H4fK6ZBgvgU4jwKX-NQuX9a2WixwbPEY4h41XapNgxx6UhMO9_YqhakqREuEJsqZA1KllCM8Ofmy1AQexthQA17spriLPVjdSi9t6pKTJn_ft_SBIc5iAgp7uKos7rIv8Jc/s1600/IMG_1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRZZB9UX5H4fK6ZBgvgU4jwKX-NQuX9a2WixwbPEY4h41XapNgxx6UhMO9_YqhakqREuEJsqZA1KllCM8Ofmy1AQexthQA17spriLPVjdSi9t6pKTJn_ft_SBIc5iAgp7uKos7rIv8Jc/s640/IMG_1164.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc1P9c1HRqZce_fifoAWZqMObBqzLnrkes23FPy_yfODp4BVy2ClfH8d1Fz7vCumKk87OeKRdbtmLRLWBn1lPDM_3jso90QefjQlxiYdrYfntHm4cQH-cjkbP4N_uR-AJ1-v_XXV0dK4/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc1P9c1HRqZce_fifoAWZqMObBqzLnrkes23FPy_yfODp4BVy2ClfH8d1Fz7vCumKk87OeKRdbtmLRLWBn1lPDM_3jso90QefjQlxiYdrYfntHm4cQH-cjkbP4N_uR-AJ1-v_XXV0dK4/s640/IMG_1155.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Back
at the car we drank a well-earned can of beer, and both agreed it had been a
very tough but interesting walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-42853316973912360322012-05-12T06:28:00.000+01:002012-05-12T21:55:02.454+01:00Silence!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I woke early this morning as unusual. Having emptied the
dishwasher and set the table for breakfast, I thought I'd spend a few quiet minutes
checking my reading list on Blogger. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nothing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know Tracksterman is still in China, BG is around and so
is McEff but where is everyone else surely they’ve not all taken of for the TGO
Challenge?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you’re out there let me know, if you’re on the TGO I hope
the first day went well, and I hope you have a good FWA for tomorrow because the
MWIS forecast is dire! <o:p></o:p></span></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-7647915313032918762012-05-08T14:03:00.004+01:002012-05-08T14:26:20.433+01:00TGO Challenge, Lochaber update.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWh8B5dLi6qmiVj3KS4Irt4EJoSTiAGnXCcqkdhIiieDK-n3jY_a0kIZqD5r1MSFos7mC7Qh8FXCosCzl7CJy-qUiOmeJ1YWfCdRX2hL05sN_PA0IoNe8fgusS0_nZ1yQbx7Qrlfi2ns/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWh8B5dLi6qmiVj3KS4Irt4EJoSTiAGnXCcqkdhIiieDK-n3jY_a0kIZqD5r1MSFos7mC7Qh8FXCosCzl7CJy-qUiOmeJ1YWfCdRX2hL05sN_PA0IoNe8fgusS0_nZ1yQbx7Qrlfi2ns/s640/IMG_1204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve just spent the weekend at Blackrock Cottage walking in
Glen Orchy, Glen Etive and Glen Coe. Conditions were cold and mainly dry with
the odd sprinkling of snow. The ground was very dry and the rivers were the
lowest I’ve ever seen them. There were even people bolder hopping across the River
Etive rather than walking to the nearest bridge. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVaA-4dRgn9hjPY6qaZH-ARiSz3qDBuShDQUYDU7HNJtG8-CMdO02Ofd-p8oqqxZqNow_ElPx9krWt3Vy3M7Iz5w-hn9YsrIrSmFnglkuUaKyRKv61J-BXxb3VnLhxrjf1eM_ns7LGbdU/s1600/IMG_1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVaA-4dRgn9hjPY6qaZH-ARiSz3qDBuShDQUYDU7HNJtG8-CMdO02Ofd-p8oqqxZqNow_ElPx9krWt3Vy3M7Iz5w-hn9YsrIrSmFnglkuUaKyRKv61J-BXxb3VnLhxrjf1eM_ns7LGbdU/s640/IMG_1164.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beinn Dorain Group.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUgLwtZnjXzPfftDPShw95R5uZYtvowiG2woJiFljhIOHkKdgdIjgW3M3A4DyzAPe2zb1v5QQaTBr-frPP9eCiOzm4vm24jt_zTqvL47mVeXGNZ5Xluwym28N6gXGzGPljyDa4arx-Fg/s1600/IMG_1206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUgLwtZnjXzPfftDPShw95R5uZYtvowiG2woJiFljhIOHkKdgdIjgW3M3A4DyzAPe2zb1v5QQaTBr-frPP9eCiOzm4vm24jt_zTqvL47mVeXGNZ5Xluwym28N6gXGzGPljyDa4arx-Fg/s640/IMG_1206.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bidean nam Bian from the West.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4asv4ZHRxuemmGTzw4VZqNDjOWhBpaHX-kNhdzpIwl3pvu0EksuwyCTAimeQreZ0CQgySLf3MUFyCcoQB6V_bE8Sfza7gIfJDDa3mkSkmRelJ34SZSmGns3KkMndbQUU59dHodkxhRnY/s1600/IMG_1225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4asv4ZHRxuemmGTzw4VZqNDjOWhBpaHX-kNhdzpIwl3pvu0EksuwyCTAimeQreZ0CQgySLf3MUFyCcoQB6V_bE8Sfza7gIfJDDa3mkSkmRelJ34SZSmGns3KkMndbQUU59dHodkxhRnY/s640/IMG_1225.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking North East up Glen Etive towards Buchaille Etive Mor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsvdYReoDM2golk8no4DJSVSm79Pl9wmeB6q_xIF33MfXqO5YG1_pvxzy2EVB8IaLi7IlCiJjrRsUMaCSrkOISCid1ST4UOwlzhXc0A4XswgjvXLiC22gqEXq14crm32tU-DEX-7Dw-c/s1600/IMG_1216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsvdYReoDM2golk8no4DJSVSm79Pl9wmeB6q_xIF33MfXqO5YG1_pvxzy2EVB8IaLi7IlCiJjrRsUMaCSrkOISCid1ST4UOwlzhXc0A4XswgjvXLiC22gqEXq14crm32tU-DEX-7Dw-c/s640/IMG_1216.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben Cruachan from Loch Etive.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-26170972761353008962012-05-01T13:17:00.000+01:002012-05-01T13:17:28.777+01:00Blackrock Cottage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78tpIB3ylKJEJ06FOrH71ASVfZo880LGMtAXUqNsHhyGkWkyV5WYuu0cRmFK_Tgu01GBH7CQMJgxv9TwOx-XhSke5gUE-4CFXTxuheKWChlG4fnYgO82LR6WXEWwFTZE45Tj1QGuaQOs/s1600/Blackrock+Cottage.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78tpIB3ylKJEJ06FOrH71ASVfZo880LGMtAXUqNsHhyGkWkyV5WYuu0cRmFK_Tgu01GBH7CQMJgxv9TwOx-XhSke5gUE-4CFXTxuheKWChlG4fnYgO82LR6WXEWwFTZE45Tj1QGuaQOs/s640/Blackrock+Cottage.bmp" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This weekend I’m off to Blackrock Cottage with the Austrian
Alpine Club, the weather forecast is not looking too good, but who cares the opportunity
to stay in this brilliant location is just too good to miss!<o:p></o:p></span><br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-68516210696442251942012-04-20T21:22:00.000+01:002012-04-20T21:36:20.348+01:00Radio Paradise.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsx0EqGdnQUFdXspcatFIyqVLLSUxZxJrbmudgj0ef8MCYeIMlA-U_xPPkOC64Xd3Q787RQ8v9duEMOn32wCx862NpqAbb_Pgq5ezZDlsP_X-Bpze3mz2FobtP-XyUSVaUDAtketSnYe8/s1600/IMG_1090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsx0EqGdnQUFdXspcatFIyqVLLSUxZxJrbmudgj0ef8MCYeIMlA-U_xPPkOC64Xd3Q787RQ8v9duEMOn32wCx862NpqAbb_Pgq5ezZDlsP_X-Bpze3mz2FobtP-XyUSVaUDAtketSnYe8/s640/IMG_1090.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On our recent trip to Soller in Mallorca we were introduced
to <a href="http://www.radioparadise.com/rp_2.php#">Radio Paradise.com</a> by the excellent Bar Molino, it’s well worth a listen.<o:p></o:p></span>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-6257388283319547282012-04-08T09:49:00.000+01:002012-04-09T06:58:24.029+01:00Mallorca Mayhem?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I’m
off to Mallorca on Wednesday care of Ryanair, but I’m struggling to get my act
together for this holiday and I’m not sure why. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The trip has been in the <a href="http://mywildcamping.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/majorca-planning.html">diary for months</a>, my brother has booked the flights and
our first night’s accommodation, but I’ve done absolutely nothing, except print
off the boarding cards! </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I
bought Tony a copy of Walking in Mallorca by June Parker some years ago, because
he’d always fancied a walking holiday there, but Cicerone guides go it’s not
very inspiring and the maps are virtually unreadable. A trip to the Map Shop in
Upton on Severn usually fires me up when I’m planning a trip, but much to my
wife’s amazement I returned home empty handed, because the maps of Mallorca are
crap!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
this is going to be a trip into the unknown, with no planning other than I
think we’ll take the train to Soller on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Hmmm….
<o:p></o:p></span></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-31157096819255521842012-04-04T10:18:00.001+01:002012-04-23T07:40:59.493+01:00New gear in Mid-Wales<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
recent trip to Mid Wales gave me the opportunity to try out some new gear including my Mountain
Equipment Xero 750 down sleeping bag. To catch up with my<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pipedream Saga (see </span><a href="http://mywildcamping.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/just-pipedream.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://mywildcamping.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/pipedream-realised.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here </span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
<a href="http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/the_gear/down_sleeping_bags/xero/xero_750_-13%C2%B0c---467/">Xero 750</a> is part of the Helium range of sleeping bags, which are designed to be
a light as possible. The bags outer cover is constructed from Helium
lightweight fabric (unique to ME) which is very pleasant to the touch, the
lining is also made from Helium fabric, and is elasticated so that it hugs the
body to eliminate cold spots.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
are good zip and shoulder baffles, and an excellent hood, whilst the foot of
the bag is specially shaped to fit around your feet, and has five baffles to
maximise down loft. The two- way zip is three quarter length, which makes for
easy access and ventilation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
was very pleased with the Xero 750. Obviously it held no surprises for me, as
it’s essentially the same as my Xero 550, which I’ve been using for over 4
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the extra down does make the
750 feel much more luxurious, and it’s also significantly warmer than the 550. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My
first impressions are it’s a great bag, and although I’ve only used it for one
night, I’m confident that the 750 will make camping on those colder nights much
more enjoyable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The soft peaty ground by Llyn Arenig Fawr also provided me with the ideal conditions to try out the Alpkit titanium Vee pegs I bought a while ago.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
normally use a combination of 4 Terra Nova titanium pegs (6g) and 8 Terra Nova
aluminium pegs (13g) with my Laser Comp ( <a href="http://mywildcamping.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/my-shelter.html">see here</a> ), but for this
trip I’m took 2 x 6g titanium pegs, 6 x 13g aluminium pegs and 4 of the new Alpkit
titanium Vee pegs 11g.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1uClEJkF7qAJDV6uS6zSbMsXrRh_WCX0k_6ynWgL7GeAAqS1xMUvI4hTATu370t8dejZiiRk-0KeIJjYyo994Mxa11tN6H_Fxs-OCfdoXUKTt6TlHo-33sWmrPnEfKUJ786t0pVGyvU/s1600/IMG_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1uClEJkF7qAJDV6uS6zSbMsXrRh_WCX0k_6ynWgL7GeAAqS1xMUvI4hTATu370t8dejZiiRk-0KeIJjYyo994Mxa11tN6H_Fxs-OCfdoXUKTt6TlHo-33sWmrPnEfKUJ786t0pVGyvU/s640/IMG_0823.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Alpkit Vee pegs are 16 cm long by 1.4 cm wide, they're priced at £11 for a pack of 6 and only available from Alpkit direct. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sad to say that I
was a bit disappointed overall with the performance of the Alpkit Vee pegs,
whilst they held very well in the soft soil, there were a couple of niggles. The
guy notch is rather shallow and didn’t seem very secure, and I found the top of
the pegs quite sharp, even in soft soil it was very painful to push them in by
hand. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So overall, not a brilliant buy, but I’ll continue to carry 3 or 4 Alpkit pegs
for those wet peaty pitches until something better turns up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QKMz1XzT-Fz3p8xvtKJ8bhd0RkgCYp7c4DiTW55FLkb1Xuuz30uLsH9Szoz_hj756XPQ50mXhiqbRTrH0j3mPFc8cSwP2i7ujDWKTG75cXjKXpAewq1fUgSzfrVL3-shjiS6uufsZxU/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QKMz1XzT-Fz3p8xvtKJ8bhd0RkgCYp7c4DiTW55FLkb1Xuuz30uLsH9Szoz_hj756XPQ50mXhiqbRTrH0j3mPFc8cSwP2i7ujDWKTG75cXjKXpAewq1fUgSzfrVL3-shjiS6uufsZxU/s640/IMG_0820.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
was very pleased with the Roberts R986 radio (</span><a href="http://mywildcamping.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/wild-entertainment.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">see here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) the
reception on FM channels was excellent, AM was not very good, but when I
returned to the road, AM reception on the car radio was no better. The controls
were a bit fiddly, but that’s not surprising on a radio that is so small.
Overall I was very happy with this first field test of the R986, which will now
be a permanent fixture in my wild camping gear.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-45669219916498745522012-03-29T12:18:00.000+01:002012-03-29T12:18:18.148+01:00NeoAir Short, keep, sell, buy a longer version, or go back to my Prolight?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAeiBSE5lLAJ63KRk_hi1ne1KvZ4e9YJlqEFUncXGpqCUKpj_SKeRcl5SXP2QvfQRL04H2riZZ-ULWlEDHB3GcX5pu7EsZ_seEvhFhAsSQOGHZuPY3oBJ19US1nPWbQ9ibKJ2yr0nHzY/s1600/IMG_3456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAeiBSE5lLAJ63KRk_hi1ne1KvZ4e9YJlqEFUncXGpqCUKpj_SKeRcl5SXP2QvfQRL04H2riZZ-ULWlEDHB3GcX5pu7EsZ_seEvhFhAsSQOGHZuPY3oBJ19US1nPWbQ9ibKJ2yr0nHzY/s640/IMG_3456.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">After
a lot of consideration I’ve decided to part company with my NeoAir short.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">It’s
a great mat, super light with a small pack size, and very comfortable once you
learn not to over inflate it, but the drawback for me is the short length.
Three years ago I slipped a disc, so I need to keep my legs and spine level
when I’m sleeping. With a short mat it’s difficult to achieve this, particularly
when you’re travelling light, because quite often there is not enough spare kit
to make up the difference in height between the mat and the ground sheet.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So
the Neo Air short has to go, for now I’ll revert to using my Prolite,
whilst I review the alternatives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">I’ve
only slept on it four times so; if anyone is interested in buying an as new NeoAir
Short, at a competitive price please contact me by email. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span id="goog_2095494429"></span><span id="goog_2095494430"></span></div>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-1255547118350262422012-03-27T08:16:00.001+01:002012-03-28T16:22:14.159+01:0024 hours in Mid Wales.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far this year has been a bit of a nightmare on the home front, the house is now twenty
years old, and a few areas need upgrading or replacing. Since mid-January we’ve
been constantly surrounded by a variety tradesmen, so it was with some relief
that I managed to snatch a short trip to Mid Wales, to ease some of the stress,
and take the opportunity to try out a few new items of gear.<o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d
had my eye on Arenig Fawr for a while, although I’ve driven past dozens of times
over the years on my way to Snowdonia, I’ve never actually set foot on this
well-known peak. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
didn’t finally get away until mid-afternoon, so it was already 5pm when I parked the
car. The track to Llyn Arenig Fawr goes quite steeply off the road, which left
me gasping for breath and cursing my lack of exercise over the winter, but
fortunately the gradient eased after a couple of hundred metres and it was a
pleasant walk as far as the MBA bothy. <o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once clear of the road I’d
intended to pitch camp at the first secluded place I found, but the only decent piece of grass I’d seen, was the turning place at the
end of the track. As I didn’t fancy being run over by a
tractor or quad bike early the next morning, I decide to carry on a bit further.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Climbing over the ladder stile alongside the bothy, I crossed the outfall
from the lake and followed the well-worn track uphill towards Arenig Fawr. The ground
here was uneven and covered with heather, but with the light fading fast I
finally had to settle for a tussocky piece of ground with a view of the lake and the bothy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By
the time I had the tent up it was dark, but I soon had my gear sorted out and settled
down to eat my tea. I'd anticipated dropping off
to sleep whilst watching the stars Chris Townsend style, but a thin layer of
cloud covered the sky, so I zipped up the door and listened to the radio instead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I woke next morning to the sound of Canada geese and seagulls.
It was still quite hazy so not much of a view as I lay warm and comfortable, whilst
waiting for the brew water to boil. I’d had an excellent night’s sleep, that is,
once I’d levelled out the worst of the humps and hollows under the groundsheet with
my spare gear. It was quite early so with plenty of time, I ate a leisurely
breakfast and had a poke around the nearby bothy before striking camp and setting off
for Arenig Fawr. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDDq7LTDheX04Nfoux0grIovtjLU9RHLfBhm5Z44l_D-bov69ofg_cmbpaZ6FKLWdOIwc_SqjiTSCjNMCqYljTIxAwene1yWBM15t13_MREVxZgFmgzFcDkfJy5IyKyn5A0hOD_rIeEI/s1600/IMG_0845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDDq7LTDheX04Nfoux0grIovtjLU9RHLfBhm5Z44l_D-bov69ofg_cmbpaZ6FKLWdOIwc_SqjiTSCjNMCqYljTIxAwene1yWBM15t13_MREVxZgFmgzFcDkfJy5IyKyn5A0hOD_rIeEI/s640/IMG_0845.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The path is well defined for most of the way, it gains a
good chunk of height quite quickly before turning right over a fence, to make a
gently rising traverse across the hillside. I really enjoyed the traverse, because my legs were pretty tired and my rucksack felt a lot heavier than
it was, due to my lack of fitness. One final pull over the stony slopes below
the summit saw me arrive knackered but smiling at the trig point. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5cHWluhrsJhCTwBdW3xbNZ3_99oP2e8ZIwiVyuiVFUgbPzZ4PvbSgr3D8BF3dA0lGxPcoOXbWb1Bk_8heoFSQD9QCPzbQPDCpcQL2WOXBttH-2CvbT8NQepc3DIx75Y05rXyesX0FxM/s1600/IMG_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5cHWluhrsJhCTwBdW3xbNZ3_99oP2e8ZIwiVyuiVFUgbPzZ4PvbSgr3D8BF3dA0lGxPcoOXbWb1Bk_8heoFSQD9QCPzbQPDCpcQL2WOXBttH-2CvbT8NQepc3DIx75Y05rXyesX0FxM/s640/IMG_0836.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The summit, is a grand spot with super views, but it’s always
going to be a rather sombre place, with its memorial plaque and Remembrance Day tributes to the American fliers who lost their lives here during World War 2. Shaking off the gloom engendered by the lunacy of war,
I made my way back down the hill to the car, and that chaos called home!.</span>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-74443833216711261762012-03-24T06:48:00.001+00:002012-03-24T07:12:06.489+00:00Arenig Fawr wild camp<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZ48F7k9sBjGaxbgbJfDniMJPm6a0DkylKflDRKgQupFu_2kUhpG3tDdXtdQoHmzMlvVTj8OawIzZpWSsnVhrCKZKdzSEXNsCyF-VwmnnGF_atQdAqxTC4A-lVvcU9CK2jv3tg7n5v8M/s1600/IMG_0799.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZ48F7k9sBjGaxbgbJfDniMJPm6a0DkylKflDRKgQupFu_2kUhpG3tDdXtdQoHmzMlvVTj8OawIzZpWSsnVhrCKZKdzSEXNsCyF-VwmnnGF_atQdAqxTC4A-lVvcU9CK2jv3tg7n5v8M/s640/IMG_0799.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A photograph of my wild camp on Arenig Fawr, I'll try and post a full write up in the next few days.Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1298181008767496441.post-58584028801400457542012-03-21T06:34:00.000+00:002012-03-21T07:16:28.829+00:00Time for a facelift!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKdWltGL0zJDg_DZugmgnKh6FTA1WrZ1ZDFR07WfPy0HXUQPmn7OkcpI_bR1CTY9s-Xt3OhQTBG12KDqE0q8mJJlebFiHmhSzBLK9j4qSTy-_86Scj09PIaGtIwmwZxDiy3Su-JjkRO0/s1600/IMG_0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKdWltGL0zJDg_DZugmgnKh6FTA1WrZ1ZDFR07WfPy0HXUQPmn7OkcpI_bR1CTY9s-Xt3OhQTBG12KDqE0q8mJJlebFiHmhSzBLK9j4qSTy-_86Scj09PIaGtIwmwZxDiy3Su-JjkRO0/s640/IMG_0930.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mer De Glace.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The sun is shining and there's a touch of spring in the air, so I've decided to freshen my blog. Nothing drastic just a change of colours and a wider format to accommodate larger photographs.</span> </span>Geoff Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17125634807322399838noreply@blogger.com1