Author: David Pettit

I'm a keen hillwalker and hill-bagger based in Derby, UK. I also enjoy orienteering, running and playing euphonium in a brass band, but those are not likely to feature so often on my blog.

Galloway (3rd-5th May 2014)

Ruth, Alex and I headed to the quiet and remote hills of Galloway for the Bank Holiday weekend – an area none of us had visited before. Over Saturday and Sunday we did a 50km backpacking expedition from Loch Doon over the Rhinns of Kells, Dungeon Hills, Merrick and Shalloch on Minnoch, camping near the outflow from Loch Enoch at just below 500m. Sadly most of the summits were in the cloud, but we enjoyed being in the wilderness and got lots of opportunity to practice our compass bearings! On Monday we completed the Galloway Corbetts with a morning walk up Cairnsmore of Carsphairn before heading home.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/R1FwfXip6JuHveQr7

Alex and Ruth below Craignaw

Parents’ visit (26th-27th April 2014)

My parents visited for the weekend. As the forecast was for showers both days, we opted for a couple of relatively-short walks just outside the Peak District National Park, starting in Ellastone on Saturday and in Brassington on Sunday. As it turned out, we had no rain and plenty of sunny spells!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1Vj8aw2pZsfRVqKc7

On the Limestone Way near Hutts Farm

Brecon Beacons (11th-13th April 2014)

I met up with eight other Duffers for a weekend in the west of the Brecon Beacons National Park, staying at Ynysmarchog Bunkhouse in Trecastle. Good walks on the Black Mountain on Saturday and above Heol Senni on Sunday allowed me to tick off all my remaining South-Welsh Nuttalls, and I also managed to fit in ascents of the Sugar Loaf on Friday evening and Ysgyryd Fawr on the way home!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/FkxN6geDexYBXmAJ8

Looking west from Fan Nedd’s northern cairn to Fan Gyhirych and the Black Mountain

CUHWC 25th Anniversary weekend (21st-23rd February 2014)

Nearly a hundred current and former members of CUHWC congregated at High Close YHA, in Langdale, to celebrate the club’s 25th Anniversary. Saturday was mostly dry for a good walk over the snowy summits of Bowfell and Esk Pike, before the evening’s black-tie dinner, speeches, singing etc. Sunday was wet and windy so we opted for a leisurely start followed by pub lunch at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tmVaV6yRm3PaNDY87

East Dining Room

Kenilworth and the Cotswolds (7th-9th February 2014

Along with a few other Duffers, I visited Tom and Helen in Kenilworth for the weekend. On the Saturday, we did a local walk to Hatton and back, and on the Sunday, we headed to the Cotswolds for a walk taking in the Marilyn of Cleeve Hill (for me) and a section of the Cotswold Way (for Tom and Helen).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/41M2wSMGijS8T4Sf7

Descending into Breakheart Plantation

Buttermere (25th-26th January 2014)

I spent a wet and windy weekend in the north-west of the Lake District, staying at Buttermere Youth Hostel. The main aim was to tick off a few Wainwrights as a contribution to CUHWC’s 25th-Anniversary round and, given the weather, a selection of lower fells seemed ideal! On the Saturday, Ruth joined me for a linear walk over the seven Wainwrights in the Lord’s Seat group. On the Sunday, I did three short solo walks, to Low Fell and Fellbarrow (two more Wainwrights), followed by the Marilyns of Watch Hill and Swinside.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jX57iTRGDFUPHLez5

Looking towards Derwent Water and Catbells on the ascent of Swinside

Ladybower (11th January 2014)

MWIS promised a sunny day so I headed to the Dark Peak for a circuit around Ladybower as my first local walk of the year. Unfortunately the reality was sleet and low cloud until mid-morning as I crossed Win Hill, but the sunshine did burn through by lunchtime for the return leg along Derwent Edge!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iXxm7mjT7exrcbLYA

Looking up to Back Tor from the cairn and viewfinder on Lost Lad

Arisaig (28th December 2013 – 4th January 2014)

For this year’s Old Duffers’ New Year trip, we stayed at Borrodale House near Arisaig, a few miles south of Mallaig. Despite the forecast of unsettled, stormy weather, the wind and rain were not severe and we managed five good hill days. Seven new Corbetts, including the five in Moidart, took my total to 57. An excellent start to 2014!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hTWj1wCbsUvuq24Q7

Alex and Ruth below Beinn Odhar Bheag