Monday 22 June - Nell

Last March two ultra runners, along with Border Collie Nell, were reported overdue in the Fisherfield Forest and Dundonnell MRT were called out together with members of Torridon MRT.

The missing party were all found near Loch an Nid, the runners suffering from mild hypothermia, and were flown out by the coastguard helicopter. However Nell ran off frightened by the helicopter so the following morning two members of Dundonnell MRT, Alison Smith and Rachel Drummond, accompanied by their SARDA dogs, went back to the scene of the rescue to look for Nell, taking with them a disposable barbecue and sausages.

Soon they were cooking up the sausages, Nell appeared on the rocky hillside and was lured closer by the smell of the food. She was eventually secured and all walked the five miles back to the road.

Unharmed by her adventure Nell was re-united with her owner, the daughter of one of the rescued runners.

Heart-warming. And well done Alison and Rachel.

Sorry, I don't know who to credit with the photos. 

Sunday 21 June - SARDA

What a wonderful photograph of Jib, member of Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team. Wearing goggles allows Jib to take part in helicopter rescue missions by protecting her eyes from flying debris.

Photo copyright Jamie Greig.

Sunday 14 June - NASA-JPL My trip to Mars draws near - launch now scheduled for 17 July

Engineers at NASA's JPL have been busy getting the Mars Rover, Perseverance, ready for the start of  its journey to Mars landing at Jezero Crater on 18 February 2021. The crater is some 45km in diameter and Perseverance will land on the flat floor of the crater just east of the ancient river delta.

The rover's mission is to look for signs of past life, collect rock and soil samples, and cache them for possible return to Earth at a later date in a joint venture with the European Space Agency (ESA).

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took this photo of Mars in July 2018 near its closest approach to Earth since 2003 - 36.9 million miles.The two Moons of Mars are Phobos (right) and Deimos (left).

Jezero crater lies within the small circle near the centre of the photograph. Crater not visible. Photo Mars Orbiter Mission 2014

Perseverance landing ellipse in Jezero crater

The name plate attached to Perseverance's robotic arm

The laser-etched titanium plate weighs 104g and measures 43cm long by 8.26cm wide and was cut using a water-jet. The surface was coated with black thermal paint before a computer-guided laser generated the name 'Perseverance' by ablating the surface.

The name plate acts as a rock and debris shield to protect the cables which carry power and data to the computer in the body of the rover to the actuators in the arm. Power is also carried to the instruments and drill in the turret. (Photo and details courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Perseverance gets its flight wheels which are 52.5cm in diameter. The wheels are re-engineered versions of Curiosity's and have twice as many treads, slightly curved instead of chevron

The protective antistatic foil will be removed before launch. The spokes are titanium.

Perseverance during mass properties measurements

Precision mass properties measurements are crucial to to a safe landing on Mars, ensuring the spacecraft travels accurately throughout its journey and has a successful entry, descent and landing.

On a rover turnover fixture the Perseverance’s centre of gravity is determined relative to its x-axis (tail to front) before moving Perseverance to a spin table the surface of which sits on a spherical air bearing that levitates on a thin layer of nitrogen gas. The centre of gravity of is then determined relative to Perseverance's z-axis (top to bottom) and the y-axis (left to right). The engineers then rotate the rover slowly back and forth calculating the imbalance in its mass distribution.

After analysis of the data, 6.27kg were added to the rover's centre of gravity which brought it within 0.025mm of the spot mission designers had intended. (Source NASA JPL-Caltech)

Perseverance's mast mounted camera system can zoom, focus and take 3D images and video at high speed to allow detailed examination of distant objects

Descent stage

Mars Helicopter - Ingenuity can be seen fixed to the yellow/cream structure (red arrow)

Weighing 1.8kg, Ingenuity will test powered flight on Mars and is powerful enough to lift off on Mars where the atmosphere is less than 1% the density on Earth's. It will take off, fly for up to 90 seconds for a distance of 300m and land with commands from Earth sent in advance. It will fly up to 5 metres above the surface.

I am thoroughly looking forward to Perseverance's journey to the Red Planet and will provide updates nearer the launch and throughout its voyage as well as more details of the mission and the rover's scientific instruments.

All images courtesy NASA JPL - Caltech

Sunday 31 May - A fine circuit

I was a bit concerned to read that two walkers were charged by police after being rescued a week ago from Beinn a' Chroin, a Munro near Crianlarich. Apparently they were not equipped for the ascent, got in to difficulties and the Killin Mountain Rescue Team were called out. The pair were subsequently charged in connection with 'culpable and recklesss conduct' having placed the officers and MRT members at risk from coronavirus.

I don't condone their actions in breaking the 'stay local' guidelines (they'd driven 60 miles) but reporting the walkers to the procurator fiscal was not a proportionate response in my view, and I do wonder if the fiscal will think it worth spending public money to proceed. Mountaineering Scotland pointed out that charging the pair had caused "concern in the outdoor community". It certainly made me feel uneasy. What next?

Thankfully, Mountain Rescue Scotland* has said: "Mountain rescue teams are here to help. If people get into difficulties in the hills they should be clear that mountain rescue assistance is provided without cost and without judgement".

"We want to encourage everyone who is able to access the hills to make sure they stay safe and are well prepared before they go".

Fine, but calling out rescue teams should be a last resort. As an example of self-reliance read Sir Hugh's account here of self extraction from a hill with a broken arm.

* My note: Cairngorm, Lochaber, Glencoe and Tayside MRTs are not members of Scottish Mountain Rescue.

We were unaware of these goings-on as we dropped down to cross the Frandy Burn to the gate which fortunately was open, either by accident or design, so our disposable gloves were unnecessary.

The Frandy Burn

As we joined the grassy path for the climb to Mailer's Knowe a couple on the track by River Devon stopped to check their GPS which suggested to us that they might not be local. They followed us for a couple of kilometres or so before they branched off for Tarmangie Hill leaving us alone with the skylarks and cuckoos for the rest of the day.

It was hot so I changed in to shorts at the top of Scad Hill before we strolled over Cairn Morris, crossed the stile without using our hands and arrived at Skythorn's small cairn. What a day to be on a hill.

Scad Hill.

This was the third day of lockdown easing and a Sunday so we reckoned Tarmangie Hill would have more than its fair share of visitors and Andrew Gannel Hill likewise. Sure enough figures appeared at the latter's summit as we spoke, no doubt on routes from Dollar and the 'Hillfits (Hillfoots) villages, walks which we've often done ourselves. We didn't want to join them so followed the long, broad ridge above the Brioch Burn towards Backhills.

Horror. The south and south east slopes of Frandy Hill were being prepared for conifer plantations, a growing threat to the lovely open hillsides of the Ochils. Then we noticed that the northern side of Middle Hill was likewise being prepared. Our hearts sank. Will the Ochils ever be left in peace?

By contrast the extensive bog cotton swaying in the light breeze lifted our spirits and we often stopped to gently handle it or brush our hands against the heads as we walked.

Just one of the areas of bog cotton

A long stop for lunch was now in order and we lazed in the sun pondering just when or if we'll ever be able to return to the Highlands without the constant worry of Covid 19. We've more or less reconciled ourselves to staying home this year perhaps driving further afield on day trips when that's eventually allowed. But will things really be much different next year in the absence of a vaccine, treatment or both? And how effective might a vaccine be for the likes of us, not old, but not young either! We just have to enjoy the present, and right now that wasn't altogether difficult to do.  Not difficult at all.

Frandy Moss is a familiar spot to us and we know our way through the bog in the wettest of conditions, but today there was no need to pick our way so we wandered at will before the easy ascent to the cairnless top of our last hill of the day. Spacious and open with the usual wonderful views to the north.

Another halt to finish our tea, a descent through old pastures to the track by the burn, a walk through the small shady wood and a return to the car along the Water Board road, stepping aside occasionally to make way for anglers driving home after fishing on the reservoir.

That last paragraph barely captures our feeling of contentment.

Friday 29 May - Return

On Thursday Nicola Sturgeon duly confirmed the promised slight easing of the lockdown and hillwalking could resume, with the proviso that you stayed local. No problem for us except to decide which hills to climb.

There were lots of cars parked at Castlehill Reservoir but we hadn't planned to stop there or the Woodland Trust carpark in Glen Devon which in any case was closed. Thwarted, people had parked their cars in small lay-bys and many others were half on verges and half on the road with the typical disregard for others which seems so common these days. They were mostly picnickers down by the river.

At the head of Glen Eagles though, we we were in glorious isolation back among the hills after ten long weeks of exile. Cuckoos welcomed us and have been constant companions on this and our three other days in the Ochils.

Fishing had resumed on Lower Glendevon Reservoir as per lockdown easing although we were surprised to find the boats out rather than anglers on the banks. It was good to see the country make tentative steps back to some sort of normality

From our chosen top we could see patches of snow lingering on Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers and other hills further north, all beyond our reach for the moment as was a good photograph given the heat haze.

It was a grand day out over the hills in a very welcome cool south easterly breeze watching the larks soaring, a sight we've missed so much this year. As a bonus Lynne spotted a nest among the tussocks with the young staring skywards, beaks gaped.

Anyone for Tossing the Caber?

All construction has been halted during lockdown except, of course, if it involves a bit more destruction of the Ochils. Four new bigger turbines to be installed.

West Craigs, which we traversed on our way back

It was simply bliss to be back among the hills but crowds of idiots descended on the Loch Lomond area and Glen Coe at the weekend, flouting the guidance on travel, so Nicola is threatening to change this guidance to law. Not sure how that will go down with those of us who've done our best to comply.