eBothy Blog

Just saw this on the news. The project website is here. Looks a really interesting project. I’ll certainly have to think about how I listen to birds and the feelings the songs evoke.

Thanks to Mark Alvarez for this link to a radio item about Scottish lochs changing from amber to stout coloured due to, wait for it, climate change!

I’ve been keeping up with Alan Sloman’s tussle with the OS regarding digital map extracts on his blog. I think he’s doing a great job taking them on. What he wants to do is entirely reasonable. If someone wants to print out their map snippets and use them for navigation to save some money, then ends up over a cliff, that’s their problem! That’s the only reason I can think of why the OS currently ban direct digital extracts from appearing on personal web sites. A more reasonable approach would be a nominal fee, if at all and a size restriction, to stop you publishing entire sheets on your site. (more…)

After a superb day last Monday on the SW ridge of Blaven, today I decided to go for a stravaig up Glamaig. We’d had snow flurries to sea level yesterday and by morning the peaks were white with new snow. We’d had some snow on the tops a few weeks ago but this was the first chance I had to go walking in the snow this year. (more…)

The snow lock on my trusty Lowe Alpine Snowpeak 50 had torn and shredded over the years, so I sent it off to Scottish Mountain Gear who did a brilliant job on it. Excellent customer service too. I sent it off and they emailed me a quote for the repair. They repaired it superbly and I’ve now got it back. Well, I will, once the cat has finished with it… (more…)

I was reading a blog post by the hill-meister himself, Cameron McNeish, about gaelic mountain names and how some have been anglicised over the years and it got me thinking. Cameron regards anglicisation as the putting into English of Gaelic names. For example, he cites The Devil’s Point in the Cairngorms as an example and gives a garbled version of what it should be. “Pod an diomhain”, from what I can make out would mean “pod of the deep”, something to do with whales perhaps? The real name is Bod an Diabhail, “the devil’s penis” and the victorians anglicised it to the devil’s point. (more…)

Strong easterlies and cloud piling up over Knoydart and Kintail, stopping at the Sound of Sleat, leaving the Cuillin clear and sunny. Looking at the Cairngorm webcam the day before I saw there was a load of new snow on the summit and the easterly wind meant the Cuillin would be free of cloud for a couple of days, so I jumped in the car and drove round to the Camasunary car park and headed off into the hills. (more…)

I found this interesting article on winter gear over at MCofS and the hilarious debate attached to it, about ice axe length. I have a 70cm Petzl lightweight axe I use for walking. I’ve also used it on a grade IV climb on the Ben, Glover’s Chimney. OK, it was too long for that and it popped out a few times when I was going over ice bulges. I had borrowed an old Mountain Tech Pterodactyl hammer though and that was bombproof. I’ve also used the 70cm axe on Gardyloo Gully (III), Aladdin’s Couloir (I) and Aladdin’s Mirror (I). So it’s served me well though the grades. But I wouldn’t use it for ice climbing now. I have two short axes for that and plastic boots. I had bendy boots on Glover’s Chimney. The bold days of youth! (more…)

I’m not normally into football but it seemed that Scotland had found a new lease of life and a real football team. The last time I remember such hype and excitement was in 1978 when we were “on the march with Ally’s Army” to Argentina. I was in primary school and we were all taught that song and it seemed everyone in the country was following the team to the world cup. It all climaxed in Scotland going out but it was capped by possibly the best goal this country has ever produced, by Archie Gemmel. The place went wild after that genuine display of footballing genius. (more…)

Thought I’d plug my friend’s new images web site. Graeme’s a pretty good photographer and author. Among his works are Lonely Planet guides and walking guides to the highlands as well as weird stories about Glasgow. Check out his new site here.