Knoydart (26th June – 1st July 2009)

Alex P and I went up to the Highlands for another week of Munro-bagging. Taking advantage of the warm and dry weather, we started with a strenuous five-day expedition into the Rough Bounds of Knoydart from Loch Quoich. Our route took in a total of ten Munros (and two Corbetts), as well as the remote village of Inverie. A superb few days of isolation and awesome scenery!

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Looking back to Garbh Chioch Mhor

Gun and The Cloud (21st June 2009)

I was surprised discover (while browsing Wikipedia!) that I had only climbed two of the five Marilyns (hills with at least 150m prominence) in the Peak District area. To remedy this, I headed to the south-western corner of the National Park for a walk over Gun and The Cloud, starting near Rudyard Reservoir. Now it just remains to visit the highest point of Kinder Scout!

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The Cloud

CUHWC Glenridding Trip (5th-7th June 2009)

The last CUHWC weekend trip of the year was to Glenridding, staying at Gillside Farm. I did three contrasting walks in the Eastern Fells: Glenridding Dodd and Sheffield Pike in sunshine on Friday evening, Helvellyn via Swirral Edge in hail and snow on Saturday, and Helvellyn again via Striding Edge and the Grisedale Horseshoe on Sunday!

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Looking back along Striding Edge

Eskdale (15th-17th May 2009)

I spent a weekend in Eskdale with a small group of CUHWC members and duffers. Despite a number of heavy and prolonged showers, the clouds were generally clear of the tops and we enjoyed some excellent views and even a few sunny spells! We took in most of the nearby fells, walking from Slight Side to Esk Pike on Saturday, and from Green Crag to Hard Knott on Sunday.

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Looking back to Green Crag from The Pike

Parents’ visit: Crich, Carsington Water and Monsal Dale (9th-10th May 2009)

My parents visited me for the weekend. On the Saturday, we did a morning walk in the Derwent Valley near Crich, then headed to Carsington Water to meet up with my uncle and his family. On the Sunday, we did a longer walk from Taddington, through Monsal Dale and Chee Dale.

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Monsal Dale and the viaduct, from Monsal Head

Black Hill and the Far-Northern Peak (25th April 2009)

After a few weeks of dry weather, I decided it would be a good time to explore some of the peat bogs in the far north of the Peak District! My circuit from Crowden took in Black Hill (which I last visited on my Duke of Edinburgh Gold practice expedition seven years ago!), West Nab and the hills around Dovestone Reservoir.

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The view from Great Dove Stone Rocks, clearer and sunnier now after a brief shower

Crianlarich (9th-14th April 2009)

I joined a few duffers and a few others for an Easter weekend’s Munro bagging around Crianlarich, staying at the Ochils Mountaineering Club hut. The weather was kind to us once again, being almost entirely dry, with excellent visibility on the Saturday and Sunday in particular. Eleven new Munros for me increased my tally so far to 91!

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Stob Binnein, from Ben More summit

Axe Edge and Birchenough Hill (29th March 2009)

I made an early start to explore some of the the moorlands SW of Buxton, enjoying a clear, crisp, sunny morning with a dusting of snow! The route passed through Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire, with notable landmarks including Axe Edge, Oliver Hill, Three Shire Heads (where the three county boundaries meet) and Birchenough Hill. I had planned to continue to Shutlingsloe, the ‘Matterhorn of Cheshire’, but unfortunately had to cut the walk short to head into work to look at some engine test data, hot off the test-bed!

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Looking towards The Roaches, from Wolf Edge

Edale skyline (7th March 2009)

I made an early start for a brisk round of the Edale skyline, starting in Hope, with the aim of finishing before the forecast afternoon rain. Surprisingly, this was only my second local walk of the year so far! The rain never actually materialised, but at least the early start gave me time for some gear shopping in Hathersage!

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Grindslow, from Rowland Cote Moor

CUHWC Twentieth Anniversary Trip (20th-22nd February 2009)

I joined 85 other former and current members of CUHWC to celebrate the club’s twentieth anniversary with a weekend of hillwalking and a black tie dinner at High Close Youth Hostel, in Langdale. My walks took in most of the Langdale fells and included, on Saturday, Ruth’s completion of the Wainwrights on Lingmoor Fell.

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Ruth, Jo and Alex on Silver How, with Fairfield beyond

CUHWC Snowdonia Trip (6th-8th February 2009)

As there were spare places available in the bunkhouse, I made a late decision to spend the weekend in Snowdonia with CUHWC. We enjoyed lots of fresh powdery snow on the hills, but thankfully almost none on the main roads! On Saturday we walked to Creigiau Gleision via Crimpiau and Craig Wen, returning by Llyn Cowlyd Reservoir. On Sunday we did a morning walk up Moel Siabod, before an early journey back home ahead of the expected snowfall!

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Emma, Ian and Michael on Creigiau Gleision’s north top