Fast Transistions

As ever I did not give myself much time to transition from one job contract (and country) to another.  My last few weeks in Scotland saw the seasons change to a definite Autumn and the super breed of midgies (no see ums for the americans out there) appeared as well.  I managed to fit in a couple more adventures before leaving even with the high winds, rain and midgies.  The first was a group effort in too Ardverikie wall on Binnean Shuas with the hope of another climb the next day.  In true style we walked in around 3pm to pitch camp and have a go at the route as a party of 5.  Amazingly the midgies and rain held off most of the time we were actually climbing (except the second belay spot) and we were soon back at our beautiful camp getting eaten alive by midgies....

 Walking in to Binnean Shuas, Hannah up front and Joe behind - note the cheeky bottle of Rose wine on the side of Joe's bag.

 Looking down the route at Hannah and Laura on the second Belay.  I dont think they were particularly impressed with me taking photos while the midgies swarmed.

Laura after her first ever outdoor climb.  Drinking wine through a midgy net - Classy!

 The camp below Binnean Shuas.

The last adventure was my last full day in Scotland for a few months.  Ruaridh agreed to meet me at the northern corries car park in the Cairngorms even though the forecast did not look too impressive.  What was impressive was that Ruaridh had not climbed in a couple of years but was happily flying up the classic Magic Crack (HVS) with frozen fingers and toes and some very windy belays.

 Ruaridh trying to work out the wet lower pitch of the climb.

 Ruaridh looking fairly happy in the middle of the crux on the upper pitch.  (With cold fingers and toes this pitch felt a lot harder than HVS!)

 Ruaridh cruising the final few moves of Magic Crack.

Then the next day I was in Hong Kong and today had my first day out climbing.  A bit of a change from Scotland.

James (top left) on one of the warm up routes on Bunker wall.  I only climbed three routes today due to sweating so much..

 At least there's something to do when it gets too hot!

 Climbing access Hong Kong style.

 And of course the sunset on the ferry ride home.  It is as ever a shock to jump between two such radically different places but soon the busy season will be in full swing in Asia and I will soon be back in Scotland for the snowy and icy stuff.

The good life

As ever I feel incredibly lucky to live my life as I do and the last few weeks have been fantastic even with the mixed weather.  A gamble and a long drive to Ardnamurchan paid off with an amazing few days climbing with Adrian and Hannah a couple of weeks ago and lots of time hanging out in beautiful places have made it easy to find photos for this post...

 Adrian on perfect Gniess in perfect weather on the ring crags of Ardnamurchan (the route is Yir VS 4c on Meall an Fhir Eion)

 Hannah padding up the classic HS Leac Glas (i think) on the apron slabs

 Me taking a breather after the hard part of "minky" E2 5b

 Adrian and Hannah sorting gear halfway up the Apron Slabs

 Dolphin playing in the sound of Luing

 More dolphins

 More dolphins being followed by Iona in Goldeneye

 Dolphins showing off

 Ailsa and Stu storming through the corryvrechan to drop me off on the North end of Jura for another expedition

Theres a climber in there somewhere.  Meall an Fhir Eion

Lots of driving, lots of rain, lots of fun and a little climbing

Even by British standards it has been a little damp for the summer.  It is still possible to find good weather if you look hard enough but it does involve a fair bit of driving and some staring at synoptic charts.  The last few weeks have been busy with work and courses, I took some days off and completed my Mountaineering Instructors training which was great fun (Glenmore lodge is sponsored by Balvenie whisky and has full cooked breakfasts every day which helped) and it was then back on the road for some climbing up North.  Then back to work for the last few weeks with the odd day off looking for dry rock or at least dry pubs.

 Last night - Some of my family lined up at sunset in findhorn bay - you might be able to tell who has the binoculars..

 Charlie rocking it out at the Moorings in Corpach

 My co-instructor Chris sitting by the fire in North Bay on Scarba on one of our expeditions.

 On the same expedition with Chris we came across an awfull lot of dead animals.  The group of young lads we had with us looked a little horrified when we hacked the head off this deer the next morning and carried it back with us.  The smell did mean they kept walking though.

 My Kelly Kettle cranking out one last hot chocolate at about 11pm in North bay while Chris tells the kids a story in their sleeping bags.

 Another wet day in scotland.  Adrian jumping off right angle falls.

 Its probably dry up there - Adrian and I about to bail off a very wet "Satans Slit" on Rannoch wall.  Neither of us could feel our hands.

 Hannah seconding up "route 3" on the main wall on Diabiag in perfect conditions while it rains on the rest of scotland.  The climbing at Diabiag is unbelievable - we managed to fit 9 pitches of climbing into the day, all above HVS finishing with the immaculate "Northumbria wall (E2 5c)"

Looking NW from the summit of Scarba.  The Garbhellachs are the long thin chain of islands on the left and mull is in the the background.  The right side of the image is Lunga, Rua Fiola etc.

Island life and Jolly nights

Keeping this blog going while I dont have electricity is proving to be a bit of a challenge but the photography opportunities in the hebrides are endless so I will keep at it.  It doesn't seem long since my last post which is probably because days off have been few and far between.  I am now however into my big break of the summer before things get really busy.  Life on the island continues with beautiful sunsets, fun times and the odd night in our own bar the "Jolly Roger".  The highlight of any course is always the expedition, a chance to explore one of the fantastic remote islands of the inner hebrides, cook on open fire, swim in rock pools and check out the wildlife and rocky coastlines.  Below is a selection of pictures from the last few weeks.

Shag eggs on the west coast of A'Chuili

 My Employers - Torquil and Margaret dressed up as the Queen and Prince Philip for the Jubille

 Jubilee lunch in the main house

 Pete keeping things going (with Adrian helping) in the Jolly Roger

 Bog Cotton with Dun connel and Garvellach from Eilean Dubh Mor

 The Small island between Dun Connel and Garvellach at sunset

 Last light from Eilean Dubh Beag

 Ailsa (the biggest poser in the world) kissing a Scorpion fish

Looking north in the sound of luing on a still evenings paddle

Trying to fit it all in

My days off over the last month have been exactly as I remember the best days off in Scotland being.  Big days climbing or on the hill, nights camped in beautiful places with great people.  Below is a selection of photos from the last month.

 A day out on Etive slabs with (from left to right) Nadia, Hannah, Wee Ben, Gloria and myself.  We climbed Spartan slab with Nadia and I topping out last at about 9pm to get back down to the glen to find a fire going and dinner cooked.

 Nadia enjoying a bit of scottish slab climbing!

 The Yellow van Club - Stu's, mine and Ben's parked at the head of Loch Etive

 Halfway along the Aonach Eagach ridge with Stu, Iona, Nadia, Gloria and Hannah with of course a dinner in the Clachaig Inn at the end of the day.

 While Nadia was in Scotland we headed out early one morning to look for the "Captains Bothy" otherwise known as Carlottas Eyrie - on of the most spectacular coastal bothies I have seen.  The door is accessed by climbing up some slabs with an in situ rope to help you along...

 Messing around on expedition on the Island of Lunga.  The sundial says its time to go find a cave to sleep in.

 Hannah and I set off to have a massive course break fitting in as much climbing as possible.  This is taken on the first night at about 9pm before starting the Cuillin Ridge on Skye.  We bivied on the ridge, finished it the next day, drove to Ben Nevis, Slept, Climbed "Centurion" on the Ben (with Hannah in one approach shoe/one climbing shoe), drove to glen coe and climbed "Agags Groove" on the Buachille the next day in the pouring rain before heading back to work.

 Hannah and I about to start the Cuillin traverse at about 9pm on the summit of Garbh Bheinn the most southerly peak of the 14 peaks that make up the ridge (11km of lots of scrambling, climbing and abseiling)

 Hannah seconding up the crux pitch of Centurion - you might just be able to spot that her left foot is in an approach shoe after she forgot one shoe....

 Cuillin ridge shortly after dawn

Sunset from Back of Keppoch.

On sadder news my friend Doug passed away recently from cancer.  Doug was an amazing inspirational guy who had a story for every occasion,  Below is a selection of photos of Doug in his element on Staff training on the Deschutes river. Not sure why I shot them all in black and white but it does seem to suit.

 Doug telling another story

 Justin, Doug and Mike watching a flip drill.

Doug surrounded by staff at the Ed Rogers flag on the lower deschutes.

Back on the Island

Its been a whirlwind couple of weeks and I am now back living on "the island" (Rubha Fiola) on the west coast of Scotland.  The transition from Hong Kong to an island with no roads, internet, electricity or even anything to buy has been interesting and I am enjoying not being on my computer so much.  Island life is as mad as it has always been with jet boats, mud pits and wild people and my days off seem about to follow similar patterns to when I worked here last.  After the first course last week we finished work yesterday at 10am, drove to Fort William, Stared at rain, went to a cafe, went climbing (in the wet - kind of scary!), caught up with some friends, went for a curry, went for some beers, then some whiskies, woke up with a hangover, had a fry up, climbed a classic three pitch route in Glen Nevis, drove back to oban and am now drinking coffee and getting ready to meet the next load of kids.  

I also managed to meet Nadia for a night and most of the day last week and tried to show her some of my favourite places around Glen Coe.  

Some photos

 Staff kit piling up in "Goldeneye" to head out to the island for four months.  (a third of that is probably mine!)

 The spine of a minky whale skeleton we found on expedition last week.

 Back to smelling of campfire on a regular basis.  Expedition food at its finest, sausages and baked beans.

 Bog cotton blowing in the wind with another amazing sunset over the black isles and garvellach

Looking North just after dawn (which is rather early right now) toward Easdale, Belnahua and Mull

 Nadia and I on the summit of Buachille Etive Mor on a very cold day

All the best things - a classic scottish hill lunch.