The Mountain's Silhouette

Hiking and backpacking in the mountains of Scotland

Glen Lochay

An aborted attempt at a circuit of the Munros of Mamlorn in the southeast Highlands with an overnight camp below Ben Challum.

Rainbow in Glen Lochay

Book Review: The Atholl Expedition by Alex Roddie

A review of Alex Roddie’s historical fiction novel The Atholl Expedition

Following on from his debut novel Alex Roddie has once again produced an entertaining work of historical fiction. The Atholl Expedition, his new novel, is a short, pacy book centred around two contrasting ventures into the hills and glens of Atholl and Mar in the eastern Highlands of Scotland. Professor Forbes, an ailing glaciologist troubled by his professional past is seeking Scotland’s last glacier, rumoured to exist high in a Cairngorm coire, in the hope this discovery might rekindle his career. Meanwhile, on the same estate, Prince Albert, with the blessing of Queen Victoria, sets out with the Duke of Atholl to stalk a legendary deer which will likely lead him and his retainers into those same coires.

The Angel's Peak and Braeriach

2013 in the Scottish Hills

Outside the rain-spattered window the final day of 2013 is fading away into the gloom. Like much of December it is raining, heavily, and a strong wind has been gusting through the streets of Aberdeen. It's a good day then for reviewing some of the great times I've had out and about on the hills of Scotland (and beyond) this year.

Sunset, Loch Etive

The Wild Land Consultation

A response to the Consultation on SNH's Wild Land Map Until the 20th December Scottish Natural Heritage are seeking responses to their consultation on the most recent issue of the Core Areas of Wild Land map. This important document could form the basis for protection of a large percentage of Scotland's best and most important remaining wild landscapes and it is vitally important that as many people as possible make their views known. The consultation takes the form of three questions and the John Muir Trust have put together a helpful series of guidance pages to help you write your answers. All responses must be unique to the individual to be taken into account. I have reproduced my response below and David Lintern has shared his over on Self Powered.

Beinn na h-Uamha, Ardgour

A magical winter day hike into Glen Gour in Ardgour taking in the Corbett of Beinn na h-Uamha with wonderful views all round.

Beinn Bheag

Throughout Monday successive weather fronts passed through, framed by the wide windows of our cosy cottage on the edge of Ardgour. Squally showers came racing down Glen Gour, one after another, the sky turning from blue to black in minutes. At first it was rain and wind but later, as the temperature fell, it turned to snow, the nearby hill tops turning white before the line crept slowly down to reach us at sea level.

Monamenach from Glen Shee

A bright autumnal round including the Corbett Monamenach accessed from Loch Beanie and return via a high ring of hills with sunny views across the Grampians.

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A So. Central Backpack (Killin to Kingussie)

A four day backpack from Killin to Kingussie taking in the Lawers range, Glen Lyon, Loch Rannoch and the Gaick Hills with three wild camps along the way

“These rivers of suggestion are driving me away.
The ocean sang, the conversation's dimmed
Go build yourself another dream...”

I’d really wanted to be on the west coast, striding across the mountains of Fisherfield or Affric, but the weather suggested that south and east would be better with the mountains there escaping the worst of low cloud and drizzle. So it was that I pulled out my Munro map and drew a line between a couple of groups of hills that had unclimbed summits nestled amongst them. I found a start point and an end point served by public transport and that was about it for planning. The rest would be down to weather and willingness. In the end I walked around 75 miles in roughly 73 hours and enjoyed some fine walking and camping along the way.

Meall Clachach