The Airdrie Rambler

Glas Tulaichean walk report

jester1970 — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:51:19 +0000

Leaving the path heading for the summit

In the last 12 months I’ve took a slip on just about every river crossing I’ve attempted, in most cases resulting in at least one wet boot. and I was loathe to get damp feet, so we followed the bank of the burn looking for a likely crossing point. Most of the rocks had a coating of thin ice meaning hopping across from one to another was a no-no, and spying the old railway bridge above us we decided to head for that and follow the bed of the old railway instead.

Caldercruix to Forrestfield walk

jester1970 — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:08:06 +0000

I was laid up for a while with back problems, something I’m becoming more and more accustomed to. Last year after a trip to Culra Bothy to climb Ben Alder I found myself laid up, the hard wooden benches not agreeing with my back. Going out to get fit either results in one type of injury or another, knees, groin, you name it, I’ve injured it. READ MORE HERE…

Hillend Reservoir

EDZ Epic Sierra Smock review

jester1970 — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:38:19 +0000

I’m a big fan of smocks. They are the simplest and most effective of garments, usually with only a small zip at the neck and a minimum of pockets, and are adaptable to a wide variety of activities. The EDZ Epic Sierra is just such a beast, and is made from Epic softshell fabric…READ MORE HERE…

Smock- front view

The Big Sky

jester1970 — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:04:00 +0000

After a rotten start to the year I made up for it today with a stunning day near Glenshee. Perfect conditions from start to finish, including a three hour moonlit descent, two Munros, and around 17 miles of walking. As I write I’m still travelling home, an 18 hour day at this time of year is a big commitment, as big as the amazing blue sky we had today. I hope there are more to come…

Carn an Righ summit, as the sun was going down.

Auchinstarry Quarry Update

jester1970 — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:58:04 +0000

The long drawn out saga of Auchinstarry Quarry looks set to be drawing to a close. Work will commence on the 19th of January, and will consist of vegetation removal, removal of part of the drystane dyke along the top of the face, and some scaling (removal) of loose rock. The word I have is that the contractors will attempt to secure any large blocks, so that there should be no major changes to the actual quarry face.

Due to the work taking place access to the top of the promontary and the area immediately below it will be restricted for a period of four weeks. After that hopefully it will be a return to normal. Should I hear anything to the contrary I will update this article.

Loose rock and vegetation at Auchinstarry

Bring me sunshine…

jester1970 — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:06:07 +0000

In 1990 I was at Hameln in Germany with the Royal Engineers, on a signals exercise. We were based at Ravelin Camp, a transit tented camp on a hill overlooking the town. On occasion we had to visit some of the local barracks, and on one visit as my mate and I were making our way across the parade square we noticed the Regimental Sergeant Major off in the distance, accompanied by an officer. As we got nearer we were faced with the dilemna of who should salute and when. As there were two of us, only one was required to salute, that would be the man on the right. That sorted, it only left distance. Too early, you have to hold the salute too long. Too late, and…

Regimental Sergeant Majors are well known for their psychic ability. Sensing that we were just about to salute he beat us to the punch by a nanosecond. “Where’s your salute? Don’t you recognise an officer of the British Army?” We mumbled our apologies and were sent on our way. The etiquette of the parade square was never simple.

The etiquette of the hill is similar. Or so I thought. The other day I was out walking, heading back to the car after a short walk to the Lilly Loch. As I headed downhill I saw a man heading uphill, and the mental calculation was made for optimum delivery of a greeting. The distance narrowed and we were about fifteen feet from each other. “Hiya” I called out with a smile. No reply, just a stare and on he walked. There was no need for a ‘stop and chat’, for a long conversation. Neither of us appeared to be in any particular hurry, yet all I got was a look and a cold shoulder. Open mouthed I turned and watched him and his dog saunter on. Like Germany all those years ago had I left it too late? Or was it my luck to bump into a miserable bugger who brought his own personal cloud to my sunny winter day?

If I see him approach again I’ll know better. I’ll remember my camouflage and concealment training and hide in the long grass until he’s gone.

Happy New Year!

jester1970 — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:39:00 +0000

2012 has started as 2011 ended, wild and windy! Rain, wind, poor visibility, ah, it takes me back to last summer. That was rotten as well, the wettest since records began apparently. New Years Day saw me at the Lilly Loch, and it was surprisingly busy with people out walking. I was up there on the same date last year, up to my thighs in snow. No such thing this year, we struggled against the wind as we made our way in the gloom back to the car. A solitary deer bounded off over the hill, not even taking time to wish us a Happy New Year. Fingers crossed for SOME settled weather, I won’t hold my breath though.

Lens at full zoom, screen out.

After a year of use I thought it was time to review my camera, the Nikon P100. You can read the review HERE. I have a few more reviews in the pipeline, including the Paramo Alta 2 jacket and the Montane Extreme Smock. Should anyone wish to give me more expensive items for review, please feel free to contact me. Wishful thinking!

Ultimate Adventure Magazine

jester1970 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:32:52 +0000

Today sees the launch of a new online magazine- Ultimate Adventure Magazine. It’s a mix of outdoors interviews and articles, gear reviews (of which I’ve provided two) and Muller light yoghurt…

The initial press release and links for PDF/ Kindle/ other versions I haven’t a clue about is below. Enjoy!

Ultimate Adventure Magazine

ULTIMATE ADVENTURE MAGAZINE

Issue #1 – Jan/Feb 2012

In this first bumper-packed 190 PAGE 60,000 WORD issue, we have an interview with CLAUDIO VON PLANTA , famous for filming Long Way Round and Long Way Down with EWAN MCGREGOR and CHARLIE BOORMAN , where he talks about his adventures behind the camera in places like Afghanistan and Africa, and tracking down Osama Bin Laden…

We have interviews with best-selling horror novelist GUY N. SMITH, New Zealand rock-singer and recent Glastonbury performer JORDAN REYNE, ultra-marathon runner ANDREW MURRAY and top SFF artist VINCENT CHONG.

We have features on climbing in Scotland, crossing Australia on a postie’s moped, cycling in the Akamas mountains in Cyprus, making a short horror medical zombie film, and heading to Mexico in search of buried secrets.

All this, along with news, letters, competitions, the ANTI-CLARKSON column, Whackjob Jim Column and The Horror, The Horror Column, reviews of kit, motorbikes, caravans, restaurants, books, video games, albums and sports fuel, short fiction by Garry Charles, a serialised graphic novel by Martyn Pick, your favourite Grumpy Old Man — and Ultimate Kids Adventure, something for the kids (and their parents!) to do at weekends.

Available as:

• a PDF (suitable for PC, MAC, iPAD etc) at www.uamag.co.uk

• a text-only version for your EPUB and Kindle (MOBI) readers at www.uamag.co.uk

• an online readable magazine at ISSUU: www.issuu.com/ultimateadventuremagazine/docs/issue1

• a print version, which can be purchased at www.lulu.com

Alternative digital versions are also available at Amazon, Lulu, iTunes and Barnes & Noble.

All UAMAG digital versions are FREE! We must be mad…

We hope you enjoy!

Andy Remic

Editor

Please note: NOBODY has been paid for anything in Ultimate Adventure Magazine. Every little bit has been done out of our love of biking, climbing, hiking and travel. So please please please help us by tweeting, facebooking, spreading the word to your friends and on forums – our continued existence will depend on our download figures!

Dunsyston Woodland

jester1970 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:46:36 +0000

Finally! A new addition to the Airdrie Walks section:

One of the local residents

Dunsyston Woodland is a forestry plantation north west of Roughrigg Reservoir. Planting of trees began here some years back, and a network of paths has been laid down. It’s a nice area for a walk, the trees provide shelter and a habitat for deer and foxes amongst others. Read more…

Blown away!

jester1970 — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:49:52 +0000

Bearing in mind the high winds which were forecast I thought I would take in a few of the lower tops yesterday. I travelled up to Arrochar and Tarbet station on the train to try and do Ben Reoch, and hopefully tack on Beinn Bhreac or Tullich Hill, depending on the weather and time. Unfortunately there was no lull in the weather, and I struggled uphill in a mixture of hail, rain and then driving snow.

Ben Lomond from Ben Reoch

I struggled up. This was second time I’d been out on the hills in the snow recently. the last time was on Tomtain, but there had been no need for crampons and ice-axe. I’d brought them today, and with the crampons unfortunately come heavy winter boots, and I was feeling it alright. At about the 550m mark I was in the full face of the storm, 60mph winds, driving snow, and getting worse, not better. Only 800m from the top it was time to call a halt and head down.

The summit, out of reach this time.

Even with the wind at my back it was no easier getting down, the wind tore at the loose snow, scouring it and whipping it into a stream of powder and small chunks which headed off towards Tarbet. It surprises how many people go out without goggles in winter. Without them I would have been helpless.

Dressed for the weather.

On the lower slopes I was still battered by the wind, but the snow was now somewhere above me, and I took it easy coming down. It was quite enjoyable, taking a small detour I discovered a small cave hidden away in a crack in the rocks. I could easily sit out the wild weather here.

Cosy...

Back at the train station the weather was no better. The help phone on the platform was not working, and eventually I was informed by the guard on the northbound train that the southbound train was stuck, one half in a snowdrift at Corrour, the other half had hit a tree, and the service was cancelled. I headed for the road, and wasn’t filled with confidence with the bus timetable, dated 2008! The promised bus didn’t appear, and I had no choice but to hit the road, and I began the long trek down the side of Loch Lomond. I had almost given up on thumbing a lift, when a van stopped and two roofers gave me a lift. My luck was in as at the end of their journey they were redirected- to Airdrie! As Harry Hill might say, “What are the chances of that happening?”

I used to pick up hitch hikers occasionally, but it’s not something I have ever had any success in in reverse. Thanks to these two knights of the road, for keeping an old tradition alive, and for getting me home. Had they not I may still have been walking…