Rum Diaries

So not updated this for a while and I will get round to updating it soon.......
So recently some friends from work and I headed out to Rum for three days. Managed to get really wet, really tired and really emotional.
Leaving from Mallaig we got the ferry across to Kinloch. To kill some time Craig, Lawrence and Neil went on a tour of Rum castle, which was the highlight of there three days. While on their tour the rest of us hung out at the community hall and made use of Rum Shop which is like Tesco except it has no trolleys, self checkouts, aisles or customers.
After Craig and Neil had the tour of their life we headed to Guidril Bothy for our first night. This bothy is in a gorgeous location and is well kept.
Due to the long days we didn't leave at the crack of dawn. However we did have a 16km day with lots of hills to take in so we started around 10am.





Dibidil Bothy

Making our way to the start of the Rum Cuillin

Approaching Dibidil Bothy

Neil getting close to the end

The weather wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either we were glad to reach the last bothy and didn't take long before we hit the sack.
Overnight there was lots of rain which made the river crossing more interesting. There was one which included a jump over a gorge, which was fun. We were all very soggy on the ferry but glad to be out of the rain.

Break of Dawn

I was out of bed at 4.15am to join a team who were climbing the Ben for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and MND Scotland. It was another stunning day with fantastic views in every direction. There was team of eleven, all of which did a great job and summited successfully.

The summit shot

GDIF

Geoff, Richard, David and John were raising money for the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival. This is a free outdoor performing arts festival that takes place between the 21st and the 29th of June. From looking at some of the videos on the sight it looks like quite a specticle.
So far team the team hs almst raised £3000 by climbing the four highest peaks in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The guys did a great job getting to the summit and back down again so help the guys out click here to donate.

Plenty of snow on the Summit Plateux

Team shot on the summit

Enjoying the Sun

For the past week I have been working for Stramash in Glencoe. Stramash had the Tullochen Trust in Glencoe for their outdoor residential. I was taking two seperate groups up to camp in the Lost Valley, from there we went to Gear Aonagh and the second group went to the top of Stob Coire Nan Lochan. We had great weather throughout the week and both groups really enjoyed the views and lack of Midgies. I hope the rest of the summer is as good as this. 

Heading up to Stob Coire Nan Lochan

On Gearr Aonagh

Looking into the Lost Valley 

Still plenty of Snow



 

I was on the Ben for the Snowgoose mountain centre today. I was leading a school group from London to the Summit. They did well only taking around six hours to get up and down.
The summit was really busy even with all the snow, which meant that you had more than a few people stepping right out onto the cornices!

Real Adventures

I have been working with Dan Robinson and Real Adventure over the past four days in the Lake District. It was great fun to be back working with Dan and good to visit new places and work with old friends again.
I was working with 9 girls from Malvern College for four days . Together we Kayaked and Canoed on Ullswater, walked over Birkhouse Moor and gorge walked up Red Tarn Beck.

Still Warm

Well instead of twiddle my thumbs I thought it would be best to go out and do something, even just to stretch the legs. So Craig and I headed into to Glencoe and took a wonder up the zig-zags on Gearr Anoagh we went up onto Stob Coire Nan Lochan to find a lack of snow then headed down broad gully. 

Luckily the snow is expected to come back.

SCNL

Glencoe at Dusk

West Highland College

I was out with West Highland College today near Loch Treig. We were focusing on Navigation skills today but still managed to summit a Munro.

Soggy Bottom

After having a nice walk in Glen Coe yesterday where the sun was out for most of the day. We had were met with rain all day today, completely soaked through before we even got to the Achintee. Fortunately it was a short day.

If You Got The Balls....CHECK THEM!

This is the message the Hartson Foundation are trying to spread. John Hartson was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer after ignoring a lump for 4 years, John admits himself that if he was aware of how easy it was to get checked and that Testicular Cancer is over 90% curable if caught early enough he probably would not have had to go through the brain operations, lung operations and over 60 sessions of chemotherapy.
To raise awareness for this Jon and 60 of his friends and supporters were walking up Ben Nevis today. We had good weather and everyone made it to the top. Afterwards it they hit Fort William for a pub crawl, literally crawling between pubs!
To find out more click here.

Cycling the Three Peaks

Today I was up the Ben with four chaps who were cycling between the three peaks. Today was their last day and it was safe to say they were feeling the strain! Hoever they got up and down in good time and raised lots of money for charity. Well Done Lads!

View from the zig zags

Soggy

I was working on the Ben today, for Mountainandglen.com, luckily it was just the Ben because I was completely saturated by the time I got back to the carpark. The team I was with were raising money for children with Brain injuries and so far had raised a staggering £30000 which is absolutely brilliant. I hope they mangage the rest!

The Guys soaking on the Summit

Despite the bad weather it wasn't stopping the masses attempting the climb the summer traffic has arrived.

Duke Of Edinbrugh

The third year pupils at Kinlochleven High School were practising for their bronze Duke of Edinburgh. We were walking from Corrour Station to Kinlochleven with an overnight camp in the middle. The group did really well having never walked that distance with such heavy loads before.
We spent the night at Loch Chairain Bothy which protected us from the midges while we had our dinner and played a quick game of telepathysnatchygrabby.
We woke up to a nice pleasant breeze and sunny skies and everyone was thankful to return to civilisation.

Walking home looking toward Glencoe

2:15am

Not my normal Saturday wake up time but I had to be walking up the been at 3am. I was marshaling for a 3 peaks challenge run by Jagged Globe. It was lovely to watch the sun come up and have the mountian to myself.

My Desk for the Day

One of the members taking part broke their ankle on the way down which made the day a bit more interesting.

The queues that were held up for the helicopter

One Out of Three

I had to run up the Ben after work today. One of my friends from school had come up to start the three peak challenge with his work colleagues. So I went along for some moral support and to see how he was getting on.

Still snow on the Summit

Sun setting over lochaber

The guys finished and good time and managed to raise over £3000 pounds for Marie Curie Cancer Care and every penny raised their company matched.

Glen Sheil

Craig MacDonald and myself headed up to Glen Sheil today for a change of scenery. I always had it in my mind that it was a much longer drive heading up this way. Turns out its less than an hour from Fort William, we planned to tick a few peaks off North of Loch Clunie.
We started off with Carn Ghluasaid which led us round to Sgurr nan Conbhairean, a very impressive looking hill. Once there a spot of lunch then down to Sail Chaorainn and back to the car, good day.

Enjoying the view from Sgurr nan Conbhairean

Walking above the cloud

Sgurr nan Conbhairean touching the cloud

Stob Coire Easian

I had a day free today so I went for a wee walk next to Loch Treig. I went up Meall Cian Dearg and bagged Stob a'Choire Mheadhion and Stob Coire Easian. Since it was a saturday the hills were rather busy on the way back down I passed thirteen people.

You can see from the picture the views were stunning!

Kidney Research UK

It was a really wet, cold and early start this morning (6.45am). Me and some others, Kidney Research UK, were on Ben Nevis for a charity walk. My job for the day was to walk up and down the path with collecting the people that didn't make it to the top.
The rain didn't stop at all however that didn't stop everyone having a good time and putting a great effort.

Kidney Research UK

Getting Lost

It was my last day with the lads and they decided to have a more relaxing day. So we went for a wander up to the Lost Valley. The weather stayed nice for us and the midges were bearable so it turned out to be a very pleasant way to end their holiday.
They said they were coming back next year so I will look forward to seeing them again.  

River Cross

On the way home

It's Not That Cold

Nothing like starting your day with a cold shower

Another walk in the Glen

After yesterday the guys were after some more excitement. Therefore we woke ourselves up in a Gorge then went for another stroll in the hills to warm up again. After getting back the decision was to have a more relaxed day for their final day.