Farm or Forestry?

September 15th 1979

Anne and I were spending a September weekend with Anne's sister, Marjorie, in Inverness, and decided to head up the Ullapool road to climb hills in the Ben Dearg group.

In those days, there was no gate on the forestry track up from Inverlael, but there was a big sign which said "Farm and Forestry Only". However, we were reliably informed that the sign could be safely ignored, so up we drove in the wee Fiat 126, and parked at the top of the road. Just as we were getting our boots on, a Land Rover drove up, and a gentleman in tweedy clothing jumped out and enquired "Well - farm or forestry?" in a plummy accent. We grovelled appropriately (thought afterwards we could have pretended that none of us could speak English), and he turned out to be reasonably friendly, and advised us where they would be stalking, and where we could go safely.

We climbed Meall na Ceapraichean and Eididh nan Clach Geala, but we always refer to it as the "farm or forestry" walk.

Nowadays there is a locked gate at Inverlael, but it is well worth cycling the 3 miles up the track - as we have done twice since, once to climb Seana Bhraigh (12/07/04), and once to climb Ben Dearg and Cona Mheall (15/0707).

And, of course, checking abut stalking by using Hillphones.

(written 12/08/09)

Glencoe 1976-78

I suppose it was three summer SU camps in Glen Etive, where the main activity was hill-walking, that really got me started. We were based in canvas tents at Gualachulain, just at the head of the loch, so big hills all around. Each day, there were 2 or 3 expeditions offered, and as a "tent leader" I would be allocated to one or other of the groups. Some of the leaders were experienced in the hills, others (like me) were pretty well novices - but learned quickly. No risk assessments required in those days!

Here's what I climbed:

16/07/76 Starav

17/07/76 Buchaille Etive Mor (Stob Dearg only)

09/07/77 Buchaille Etive Beag (main top only)

11-12/07/77 Ben Nevis (overnight - watched the sunrise from the summit - see picture)

13/07/76 Ben Fhionnlaidh

08/07/78 Buchaille Etive Beag (both tops)

10/07/78 Bidean nam Bian (inc. Stob Coire Sgreamhach and Stob Coire nan Lochan)

12/07/78 Aonach Eagach

13/07/78 Buchaille Etive Mor (traverse, from north to south - all tops)

In between these camps, I also fitted in a climb of Ben More Mull, my first solo climb. This felt quite exciting, as I had never done a solo hill before, and the route I took was from the south, which involved quite a rough and steep ascent from the col between A'Chioch and Ben More. I remember being a bit worried about having forgotten to take my cagoule with me - but it was a very hot sunny day, so that was OK! Great fun.

I wasn't really a munro-bagger yet, but i started to keep a record of where I had been, and was now up to 14 Munros and 22 Tops (according to the modern classification). I didn't realise it at the time - but that was 5% of the total!

(written 11/08/09)