First ski tour of the session.

I've not been doing so much kayaking of late, just got my mountain head on at the moment. Last weekend I was out with the Edinburgh ski touring club, we skinned up Lurcher's gully from the car park at Coire Cas. Stonking weather hope it lasts. Most of these photo's are by Fenneke Wolkers-Sinke.

 Alan, Tracy, Me, Ian.

 Alan, Fenneke, Tracy, Me 

Alan, Tracy, Me, Ian. 

Fenneke. 

Tracy

The Solway Firth.

In the past I've walked in the Galloway hills, on the Rhinns of Kells and my own mountain "The Merrick" but I've never paddled there. So at the beginning of the year when I was complying the club calender I bent the arm of Mike B who used to live down that way. He duly organized a trip and last friday seven paddlers from Fife met up with seven paddlers from Dumfries for two days of paddling around the Fleet islands and Brighouse Bay. 

                                   
Saturday night was spent in the Masonic Arms, and we didn't even have to roll up our trouser leg. An area definitly worth further exploration.

Brad.

I've known Brad for over 30 years and we've had many climbing adventures over those years. This picture was taken on the summit of the Portjenhorn back in about 1986.

 We'd just done the Portjengrat (ridge) which maybe the best rock climb in the Wallis Alps, an area of mainly snow or mixed snow and rubbish rock climbs.

Brad hasn't been too well for a few years so I was delighted when he rang me to say he'd been on a sea kayaking course on Angelsey and has really enjoyed it. He came up to Scotland for a long weekend and we went up to Arisaig for some really laid back paddling.

Mixing it up.

Spent Saturday paddling down the Sound of Jura and out to the MacCormaig Isles. We somehow managed to stay dry whilst all around us were some really heavy downpours. After our visit to the Isles we turned up Loch Sween before stopping for a coffee opposite the castle and caravan site. There was a seal in the bay, a male. He had something it his flippers. At first we thought it was a seagull, then a plastic bag, but better quality field glasses confirmed it to be some kind of flat fish, a skate or something similar. (We've since consulted an expert who said it was probably a Thorn-back Ray). The seal was tearing off a chunk of flesh to eat then diving down to retrieve the ray for another bite. Then on the Sunday we paddled around the Fairy Isles where we came across an Osprey on it's nest and a Mink having a bad day. First it was beaten up by a huge raptor then just as it found somewhere to hide seven kayakers came around and scared the life out of it.

The MacCormaig Isles (from a previous trip).

These past few weekends I've been trying to mix hill walking and paddling a bit more, the aim is to get a bit fitter.So I've been out on Ben Lawers a few times on my own and with my brother Pete and his wife Ro. I've even managed to climb Curved ridge on Buachille Etive Mor.

 On Buachille Etive Mor summit.

Pete & Ro with Cassy and Billy on Ben Lawers.

A short walk.

Yesterday I went out for a short walk in the Ochils. It was such a nice day I just kept on going, I had no food or water with me but didn't worry about it. In the end I did 16 miles and 5175ft accumulated of ascent, I was a bit de-hydrated afterwards.

The weather for Sunday was for high winds and snow storms, but by mid morning the day was turning to a lovely spring day. I was just getting changed to go out walking when the phone rang. "You fancy a paddle?" Of course I did. We shot round to Loch Lomond.

A great three hours paddling with the Loch to ourselves.

Only been out paddling on the sea once this year, I've been in the pool several times but that doesn't count. I've been skiing twice, not bad considering the warm, wet winter we've been having. I had hoped for more but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. Hopefully if I can save up enough I'm trying to get a crew together for the Chamonix - Zermatt Haute Route by one of the harder more remote variations. This will be for spring 2013, until then I'm looking for mixed kayaking - climbing trips.