Snow and sun

In the exceptional February weather we've been out on the local hills almost every day keeping my knee mobile or, if you prefer, applying the Martin Banfield suggestion of  'kill or cure'. Much catching up to be done after my month's absence from blogging, but not today. It's yet another stunner, so we're off out.

A snowy stroll - Saturday 26 January

The snow never stopped yesterday. Literally. The birds constantly made it clear that they needed fed. A 3-4 hour power cut rounded off the evening.

Our regular

There was respite today so we took ourselves out across local tracks stopping for a pleasant half hour's chat with a local man who, having spent over thirty years with the Forestry Commission, was now a volunteer warden and speaker with the Woodland Trust. The Trust owns an important area of the Glen Devon side of the Ochils, thus protecting it from the march of wind turbines. We really ought to be members.

The wall has vanished

The Ochils would have been skiable for most of their 28 miles

Sunday was a different world. One of wind, rain and rawness, the dirty piles of  snow, cleared from driveways with so much effort only the previous day, now slowly thawing. A depressing sight.  I know snow creates problems for those who work and have to travel but I'll take it over the miserable, dull, dark days.

Still, the thaw allowed me to get the top-box off the 'van - but horror!  I'd  forgotten to take the Golite Quests out and mine is now covered in mould.

Strong winds caused another power cut last night and I wouldn't be at all surprised if another follows today.

Knee problems and looking back

Lynne on Carn a' Mhaim

After months of thinking my knee injury was improving and after some seriously painful physiotherapy (which continues) I’ve now been referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. That will take about eight weeks. Since my previous post I've limited myself to easy local walks and spent some time, which would otherwise have been more enjoyably spent in the lovely snowy hills, scanning a few more slides.

Happy days on a backpacking trip in the Cairngorms in May 1980 taking in Carn a’ Mhaim, Ben MacDui, Beinn Mheadhoin and Beinn a’ Chaorainn.

An idyllic spot to camp at Loch Etchachan but alas it was too early in the day.

Lynne and Morag at our evening camp

The tent is a Saunders Basecamp which had two lovely big porches providing ample storage for wet gear in bad weather.  Not that we had much gear back then and didn’t seem to be any less comfortable than now with all the modern stuff we use. The tent saw one more trip to A’Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor before being lent to my idiot boss who burnt a hole in it with a cigarette. It was only two years old.

In April 1983 we had a terrific ski tour in superb spring snow during a week of still, alpine-like weather but I can't locate all the slides of this trip. I expect they are in carousels used by Lynne who, on a voluntary basis in the 1980s, gave talks to schools about the Scottish hills, climbing history, Munros and so on.  The kids loved it.

Ascending Lurchers on our way to the plateau

 The rucksack is a Karrimor Jaguar weighing 1kg which is about 300g lighter, roomier and far more comfortable than my GoLite Quest. It is still in excellent condition which I doubt the GoLite will be after three or four years, let alone after thirty years! Clothing? An old M&S jersey, an old shirt and Rohan Superstrider breeches. Certainly we carried down jackets but, looking again at these slides, I’m more convinced than ever that for the most part, and with some notable exceptions, we just don’t need all this new stuff that’s being thrust at us. Not everyone will agree of course!

Up on the plateau where, shortly after this photograph was taken, we met Swiss ski-tourers who fed us some Swiss (naturally) chocolate and simply raved about the scenery. We sunbathed above Loch Avon and all was right with the world.

Tomorrow I may try a day in the Ochils before Friday's physiotherapy - the popliteus muscle needs some attention. Oh, and I'm building a Lancaster Bomber (model that is!) and as soon as the snow disappears from its roof, I'll need to get the top-box off the motorvan before it goes for a service. And I need to get round the blogs to find out what you've all been up to.

Birthday, but first....

14 December 2012

Now, I've seen a lot of dead sheep in my time, and rescued almost as many, but never before have I come across a carcass like this. It looks as if this poor soul tumbled down the slope, landed on its back, died and was then stripped, piranha-like, by hungry creatures. The freezing weather of the past week would have made this a welcome feast.

3rd January - Birthday

Today was Lynne's birthday and obviously had to be celebrated on a hill, so off we went to Innerdownie and Whitewisp Hill. About half way along the ridge to Innerdownie we came across five elderly walkers reclining and sheltering by the wall, enjoying a break on their descent to Glen Devon. They were a cheery bunch and during exchanges of  'Happy New Year', it transpired that their cheeriness was, at least in part, explained by the fact that their beverages were being fortified at regular intervals with Highland Park! They kindly offered us a dram but since we were on the way up, we said we'd settle for the angels' share.

 This photograph from Innerdownie was the only photograph taken all day.

It was rather different scene a few years back.

After a brief stop we found the shelter and dug out the tea and sandwiches. The sun intermittently attempted an appearance but never looked likely to win the battle with the clouds rolling in from the west so, donning more clothing to combat the ever-increasing wind, we sauntered off to Whitewisp.

Hamish Brown describes the section between the two hills as 'interminable' but I've never found this to be so. In fact the tramp across Bentie Knowe is rather fine I think, but in fairness to HB he did made the comment during a 22 mile day on a west to east traverse of the Ochils.

Good ski-touring from Innerdownie to Whitewisp, left

Conditions like this soon please.

It is now three years since I started this blog but unfortunately I find that only a fraction of outings have been recorded from January 2010 so I really must do better, even if some posts are kept brief.

Happy New Year

New Year greetings from the bonnie Ochils from both of us. It's snowier than it looks!

Sent from my BlackBerry®

Merry Christmas

A Merry Christmas to you all, best wishes for 2013 and thanks for your company throughout the year.

Two short winter days

(1) - Tuesday 11 December

Everywhere being solid ice, Kahtoolas were needed straight from the car but we made quick progress along the drove road before beginning our ascent of this lovely unnamed prominence west of, and overlooking, Glen Eagles. Off with the microspikes then through the tussocky grass, avoiding the ice in the hollows between, picking up sheep trods, stopping to view distant Ben Chonzie (Ben-y-Hone), aiming for the highest sunlit snow patch.

Distant Ben y Hone above Crieff from the drove road

It's all familiar ground, and being creatures of habit we sat in our usual lofty spot drinking Lapsang Souchong enjoying what warmth the sun could muster before climbing the last few feet to the cairnless top.  Time being short, the heathery expanse westwards to Wether Hill was not for us today so we dropped down to St Mungo's Farm and the drove road - a useful route for ancient drovers who wanted to avoid paying at Gleneagles Toll.

As a result of walking the Ochils drove roads, A R B Haldane of Cloan House near Auchterarder became interested in "this droving traffic, the routes by which it reached the Lowlands, its ultimate destination and the methods of the men whose work it was". His excellent 'The Drove Roads of Scotland' makes fascinating reading.

The car could have done with its own set of crampons

Just a  simple, satisfying few hours in the 'verdant Downs the Ochil Hills', a few miles from home. What more could you ask?

Massey Ferguson - for Alan R

How about restoring this Alan?

Perkins Diesel Engine

His hypocrisy knows no bounds

The First Minister commissioned Dame Elizabeth Blackwell to produce the image for the First Minister's 2012 Christmas card and the art work will be auctioned next year in aid of good causes. Fine, but be prepared to throw up now:   

Mr Salmond said :"Throughout 2013 we will celebrate the outstanding and diverse beauty of this country in the Year of Natural Scotland, where we encourage people to get out and enjoy what the great outdoors has to offer".

  

Beautiful nacreous clouds

These photographs of iridescent clouds, taken from the garden at 9.10am on the 10 December are known as nacreous or mother of pearl clouds and are formed some 15 -25km high in the stratosphere at temperatures below -78C.

They most commonly appear in polar regions but it is apparently quite rare to see such good displays in the UK. The clouds play a part in the formation of ozone holes as they contain chemicals which destroy ozone. (Information from the Met Office).