Unfortunately the Otter trail in SA is fully booked for when we want to go so we will be doing the Fannie Botha (fnar fnar) and possibly Fish Canyon. Any boredies done these?

Have been to Fish River Canyon although I have not done the trek along the bottom. From what I understand it is only open to very limited numbers each season so you need to book early.

Looks epic

Fair enough. Might just do the pony track if there is going to be snow and ice around.

Totally depends on your route and whether you take a difficult gully or an easy one! There are heaps of routes up that side of the Ben, from the Ledge route (easier), Tower ridge (Diff climb and gear recommended) or a very nice ascent via Carn Mor Dearg (one of my faves). The latter takes you away from the Ben and up its neighbour. Having only done this in winter, I can't say what it'll be like in May, but bear in mind it's basically a 40-odd degree slope all the way up to the ridge (about 400m of vertical) and if you slip, you'll be approaching some fair speed by the time your head brains itself on the rocks at the bottom. On that basis, I'd take walking crampons, ice axe and usual safety stuff. Once you summit CMD and head along the arete to the backside of the Ben, the snow (even at that time of year) can be pretty deep. Having said that, the approach up the Ben from the arete is just a rounded hump so very safe and benign - it's just a drag up that final 100m or so.

Far better than the tourist trail which is everything I dislike about walking!

Well, I'm taking the Mrs, so anything too extreme is a non starter at this stage. We'll be doing a guided glacier hike in Iceland in a few weeks, so I'll see on how she handles the crampons/ice axe. If we need to do the pony trail, then so be it.

yeah I've done the Otter Trail, about 10 years ago

was a bit cold and boring tbf, very scenic though - main prob was pain in the neck sister in law who whinged about everything and anything for 2 days until she left early, to everyones relief (she was also unfit as feck and couldn't carry her smallish rucksack)

tbh I'm not the long distance hiking sort of person, I get a bit bored with 'ooh isn't this a pretty bay / beach / rock' as all seems much like the previous 247 pretty bay / beach / rocks I saw.

If you in SA may I recommend driving up the Sani pass into Lesotho, the whole thing can be done in a day and I found it far more fun & scenic, I know you like your mountains and stuff and the Drakensburg are pretty cool

Booked a long weekend in Glencoe with a couple of mates for later this year - staying at the Clachaig, yeah.

Will NOT be doing Aonach Eagach, will probably do Bidean. Any must do's?

I did an hour an a half through one mountain near Citrusdal with my two kids. Lots of scrambling and a bit of climbing. Does that count

I did a week there in mid-winter just a few years back. Can't recall what we climbed (I think it was Bidean nam Bian), but it was cold, and I spent most of the week wiped out on scotch.

Just enjoy it! Stay off the expanses and keep to ridges as far as you can - Coe is dangerous when the snow comes.

Might be heading out to Aonach Eagach next month - fancy doing something a bit juicy before the snow disappears. The alternative is the North half of the Cuillin as that'd also make a fab winter scramble.

I've done the Aonach Eagach before, hence the never again. To be fair I was woefully underprepared for it. Just slowly building now, might look at it again in a couple of years.

At last. Trip to Glencoe begins tomorrow morning.

Weather looks OK Friday and pretty good Saturday so plan is a low level walk tomorrow then Bidean on Saturday. Can't bloody wait.

Bidean is stunning. Which route are you taking?

So, booked my euro tunnel, camp site and mountain hut accommodation in Chamonix. Ascents of Grand Paradiso and Mt Blanc are on the cards.

Gran paradiso is the embodiment of 'any fat tourist'

Les dents du midi are worth a look.

Well, I have the wife in tow who is not a hard core seasoned Alpinist like me so need to start with the basics. The Eiger can wait till next year.

Sorry, didn't see this.

We went up through Coire nan Lochan then down through the Lost Valley.

We ended up doing Buachaille Etive Mor on the Friday which was also stunning. Great weather all weekend and plenty of beers in the Clachaig. Just a brilliant weekend.

Hoping for a weekend in the Cairngorms in May.

Off this Friday to do Suilven then got 3 days in Glencore. Forecast is -5 and snow

Keen to do Arran circuit and Skye in the next few months with a couple of mates who
are also unemployed.

If you are ever looking for someone to go with let me know. Bafflingly none of my mates up here are interested so a bit restricted to a couple of times a year getting mates up from down south!

In saying that, you won't get me anywhere near snow and much of Skye sounds terrifying!

Skye's grand.

Will do. There’s actually a very good group on Facebook called Iona’s adventures that’s really good for meeting people who are planning various hikes and similar if you’re ever looking for some to do. About 1300 people on it now so something every weekend.

Thanks, I'll take a look

If doing the InPin is on the cards I’d be up for it, on the bucket list.

Get. f**ked.

And then you can get f**cked again! I’m a hiker not a climber and don’t really do heights all that well tbh.

Any fat tourist, you lads will be fine!

Any further honesty and I might have to admit I got vertigo on Bidean and had to scramble off on my arse.

But until that point, carry on.

Well back from the Highlands and Glencoe.. what a week. Blue skies, sunshine barely a cloud all week, no midges. Suilven was an amazing climb.. had the bothy all to ourselves. Wild camped on an amazing beach just North of Lochinver, had one of the best fry ups I’ve ever had in Ullapool.. then Glencoe did Bidan, Lost sisters, Pap and Ben Nevis. Weather was just unfcuking real. One of those weeks where Scotland Beats anywhere in the world. Am headed to Skye to do the Skye trail in mid May with a mate and fingers crossed we get half as good weather.

Off to Skye tomorrrow for 5 days.. fcuking glorious few days here in Edinburgh which almost certainly means it'll pish down for the entirety of our trip.

Perfect, that means there won't be any midges

Taking the day off and going for a little stroll in the Ochils tomorrow, can't bloody wait, weather looks amazing.

Skye for 5 days sounds slightly better tbf

Say hello as you walk through Dollar (although I'll be at work you lucky git....)

The Ceilidh Place?

I was back in the UK and Ireland for 3 weeks recently and had some lovely walks - we did portions of the Pilgrim's Way in Kent, and the Kerry Camino and Wicklow Way in Ireland.

Are they not walkes in Ireland?

Just had a look. It was the Frigate.

Yeah so many good walks to do in the UK. One of the best things about moving home. We could do a different walk every weekend for the next 10 years and still have plenty left. The other great thing is with the different Seasons here the same walk in January is a completely different walk to June.

Tbf, you don't need to leave it that long. I got quite badly sunburned recently walking up around malham cove. Because even a ginger couldn't need more than one application of sunscreen as he set out in Yorkshire in FÚCKING FEBRUARY

Nice

Hahha. It was dumping snow in Glencoe last weekend. I’ve got thermals, waterproofs and sunscreen packed. Fcuking weather in this country!

Anyone done the GR20 in Corsica?

Yes Stunning. If you're trying to cram it into a two week holiday, have a long think. I was obscenely fit when I did it and it was a ludicrously hard 11 days. And I mean ludicrously Nowadays at a not exactly inactive 49, I'd be booking in 3 weeks.

But utterly beautiful and that strange balance of a long arduous walk that doesn't require anything more than basic scrambling. Wouldn't do it in mid summer mind you