Knoydart (24th-25th May 2014)

For the first part of this year’s Spring Bank Holiday week in the Highlands, Alison, Ruth and I spent the weekend backpacking in Knoydart. We got the first ferry in to Inverie on Saturday morning and completed a strenuous circuit of three Munros and two Corbetts, just catching the last ferry out on Sunday afternoon!

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Loch Hourn

DC’s stag weekend (16th-18th May 2014)

I went to Snowdonia for DC’s stag weekend, based at the Snowdon House bunkhouse in Nant Peris. On the Saturday, we went on a ‘Go Below’ underground adventure in a disused slate mine in Cwm Penmachno, followed by a barbecue back at the bunkhouse. After a leisurely start on Sunday, we did a short walk up Y Garn and then visited a tea-shop in Llanberis before heading home.

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The group: James, Tom, Alex, Alex, DC and Gordon.

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.

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Alex and Ruth below Craignaw

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!

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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!

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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).

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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.

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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!

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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!

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Alex and Ruth below Beinn Odhar Bheag