Minehead (22nd-27th December 2017)

As usual, I spent Christmas in Minehead with Ruth and my parents. We did a few local afternoon strolls.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/V9HMdzZxQNohhhsg7

Stanage Edge and Offerton Moor (16th December 2017)

I headed to the Dark Peak in search of snow, and found plenty on my walk from Grindleford over Stanage Edge, Offerton Moor and Eyam Moor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8aycHUnfPFGjjTfp2

The light conditions were constantly changing over Stanage Edge

Corbett-bagging around Crieff (3rd-5th November 2017)

Ruth and I spent a long weekend in the southern Higlands around Crieff, ticking off three Corbetts and a Graham, and re-visiting a couple of Munros. We also enjoyed the first underfoot snow of the winter!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Btg9zfmnNniopyfe2

Ruth on the ascent to Meall na Fearna, with Ben Vorlich towering above

Band trip to Coniston! (27th-29th October 2017)

I organised a walking trip to the Lake District with some of my friends from Rolls-Royce Derby Band. Most of us walked over Lingmoor Fell in grey weather on the Saturday. A select few turned out again in glorious sunshine on Sunday for a walk over Coniston Old Man and Swirl How!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/49nt022l92VaotjF2

Pete, Heather, Grahame, Helen and Jeff at the summit of Swirl How

Lancashire (20th-22nd October 2017)

I spent a long weekend in Lancashire to attend Lucy and Becca’s wedding and do a bit of hillwalking. On the Friday I bagged a couple of new Marilyns, and on the Sunday I revisited Pendle Hill. No photos of the wedding I’m afraid!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yoPL76BF3pEf9DhI3

Looking back up to the summit of Winter Hill, from Two Lads

Parents’ visit (12th-15th October 2017)

My parents visited for a long weekend. Despite rather grey weather, we enjoyed contrasting local walks around Bradgate Park, Brassington and Shutlingsloe.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kNdfGtp9DTY8VcYH6

Arran, Arrochar and Glen Lochay (3rd-8th October 2017)

I took a solo autumn trip to the Southern Highlands to bag a few Corbetts, spending three days on the magnificent hills of the Isle of Arran, then three days on the mainland around Arrochar and Glen Lochay.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sxqHJom93J7pawQL6

Berlin (22nd-24th September 2017)

I spent a long weekend in Berlin to catch up with the Bibens family, who were on holiday from the USA to take part in the Berlin Marathon. As well as returning to some sights I’d enjoyed on my previous visits, I made first time visits to the Zoo and the Reichstag, and was delighted to be able to attend a fantastic concert by the Berlin Philharmonic.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uH2uPRAPoQNBjE1o9

Sarah, Katie, Ruth, Emily and Doug on Museum Island

Stanton Moor (14th September 2017)

I went for another evening walk in the Peak District with my colleague Aditya, this time heading to Stanton Moor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CNyMjgVTiF27VoGu8

Dove and Manifold valleys (10th September 2017)

I spent a rather grey September Sunday morning walking near the Dove and Manifold valleys, starting in Hartington.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MvjoR3jFwdLF4FzR7

Looking back over Dovedale to Biggin Dale from Gypsy Bank

August Bank Holiday in the Peak District (27th-28th August 2017)

I took advantage of excellent sunny weather over the August Bank Holiday weekend for two walks in the Peak District: a round of The Roaches and Gun with Dave and Jo on Sunday and a quick blast along White, Curbar and Froggatt Edges on Monday morning.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JXT9cXP5gN7xpFKm9

Dovedale (24th August 2017)

My colleague Aditya and I went for a couple of hours walk in Dovedale after work.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vFLQ39iNbginjX5CA

Patterdale (18th-20th August 2017)

Ruth and I took our cousin Xavier to the Lake District for a weekend of camping and hillwalking. We stayed at Gillside Farm in Glenridding, and enjoyed walks up Helvellyn (by the Edges) and Place Fell.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fmTRgseRpRw4KyL4A

Great views of the head of Ullswater, with St Sunday Crag and Grisedale beyond

Ulm, Heidelberg and Verdun (11th-12th August 2017)

We broke the drive home with visits to Ulm, Heidelberg and Verdun.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/i8sryMbnp9p4sxJ3A

Stubaital (4th-10th August 2017)

For the remainder of our Alpine holiday, we headed northeast across the Austrian border to Stubaital. Volderau proved a convenient (if very wet in the evening!) base for some very spectacular and varied mountain walks and a couple of days’ mountaineering on Zuckerhütl, Wilder Pfaff and Wilder Freiger.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LqFQKnygSKntx1iS9

Ruth, Emma and Ian at the summit of Zuckerhütl (3507m)

Stelvio National Park (30th July – 3rd August 2017)

For the first few days of this year’s Alpine adventure, we headed to the beautiful Stelvio National Park in the Südtirol region of northern Italy. Based in Trafoi, we enjoyed three day walks to acclimatise and then tackled the easy glaciated peak of Monte Cevedale.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/e4VhbP2UT8ocMoXA9

Minehead (22nd-25th June 2017)

I visited my parents in Minehead for a long weekend. We enjoyed local walks from from Withypool, Wimbleball Lake and Lynton.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uzkptmFrHWfqX9qb9

Some sunny Shropshire hills (17th-18th June 2017)

I spent a sweltering sunny weekend exploring some of the hills of western Shropshire, including the Marilyns of Corndon Hill, Heath Mynd and Stiperstones, and numerous Tumps.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LDaAhPBNKho6nUBn7

Glen Affric, Glen Shiel and Glen Nevis (27th May – 4th June 2017

With Ruth suffering from a knee injury, much of my trip to the Highlands for Spring Bank Holiday week this year was solo. I therefore opted to focus on collecting some of my unbagged Munro Tops around Glen Affric and Glen Shiel, then relocated to Glen Shiel for the final couple of days to bag Corbetts and Grahams in Glen Suileag and Glen Roy. In the middle of the trip, I met up with Ian and Emma for a wet day on Beinn Fhada and a glorious sunny one on The Saddle.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LbLQYjePCfiPhAoo7

Ian and Emma above the Forcan Ridge and Glen Shiel

Some South Staffordshire hills (14th May 2017)

I made a day trip to South Staffordshire (right down to the west of Birmingham) to tick off my last few Staffordshire Tumps, culminating on the very scenic ridge of Kinver Edge.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qaaogK5Y9MNtkZfr8