Author Topic: Every walking picture tells a story  (Read 28589 times)

midweekmountain

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Every walking picture tells a story
« on: 17:05:38, 21/01/16 »
Big thanks to all who have supported the last two photo posts.


Variety is the name of the walking game for me!!!!



So here is another set of my fave photos taken on various outings that may include, birding, trainspotting, scrambling, climbing, bouldering, flowers, vintage cars, ice climbing,  canal walks, city Walks, wild camping in fact anything that gives me an excuse to go walking.


Each picture has a story and hopefully there will be a little bit of something for everyone.........

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #1 on: 17:11:08, 21/01/16 »




This is one of my all time favourite mountain photos its not very good techically but I think it really captures the feeling of the Aonach Eagach in winter, at this point your walking into the sunset contented, with all the techy bits safely behind you.


There are only a handfull of must do walks in the British Isles and this is one of them, the Aonach Eagach Ridge in winter.
As with most classic ridges it pales into insignificance in summer BUT in winter it changes character completely and becomes quite magnificent,


I would recommend it to any competant mountaineer.


Don't do it in summer, you will be disapointed,  don't do it under overcast skies, wait until you get a good settled spell of cold clear winter weather with blue skies, find a reliable partner and get yur ass to Scotland.


I have never ever hired a guide in my life     BUT     (I can't believe I am saying this)

I would even go as far as saying it would be worth forking out for a guide to do this one given the right conditions.

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #2 on: 17:24:18, 21/01/16 »



Skye boasts the most rugged group of mountains in the UK!!!!

Over the years I have had some fantastic days on Skye one that springs to mind was the day we did the Bhasteir Tooth. This is the obvious steep, almost vertical zagged profile that can be seen clearly from the road.

We parked up the road from the Sligachan, whenever you go anywhere near the main Cuillin ridge it becomes more mountaineering than walking. So after the 4.5 km approach we reached our first scramble the north east ridge of Sgurr a'Bhasteir a grade 1/2 scramble that took us to the foot of the Bhasteir Tooth.

Our objective was Naismiths VDiff *** route the guidebook describes it as:-

'The most intimidating section of the main Cuillin Ridge, it has been the undoing of many tired climbers making a south/north traverse. It gives a sensational climb avoiding the considerable height loss suffered by the popular alternatives'

We saw a couple of Cuillin Traverse teams taking the 'walk of shame' as  we clambered up to the base of the Tooth.

Even on this warm day it was wet and cold, not straightforward, even worse, once you get to the top of the Tooth there is another tough section to get onto Am Bhasteir, the main summit.

Here things ease but you are still in scramble mode all the way to Sgurr nan Gillean the last major summit on the main ridge.
Still more scrambling takes you down Gillean's south east ridge and eventually follows the main path back to the Sligachan.

The walk was approx 9 mile in total an outstanding days mountaineering.

April

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #3 on: 19:44:55, 21/01/16 »
Great photos MWM  O0
Hate will never win

beefy

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #4 on: 20:28:24, 21/01/16 »
looks great MWM ...  O0
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #5 on: 10:15:51, 22/01/16 »
Thanks guys

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #6 on: 10:22:02, 22/01/16 »



Heres one for  the Canal Walkers.


I always think one of the best things about going abroad is new experinces so we had a quick trip across to Amsterdam and a lovely walk around the canals. My first time there, more canals than you can shake a stick at, awesome place.


Funniest event concerned one of those scantily clad ladies who sit in a shop window in their underwear. As we walked past one of them was putting the empty milk bottles out, just as she bent over facing us her tops flopped out of their minimal retention, poor lass was doing her best to pop them back in, when she looked up and saw H.


Fcuk you stinky, you stinky, you stinky, turned round slammed her door shut and whipped her curtain shut.


We just looked at each other and burst into laughter you don't see that down the Uddersfield Narrow.

phil1960

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #7 on: 12:22:17, 22/01/16 »
Great stuff Stuart  O0
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #8 on: 09:38:45, 23/01/16 »
Great stuff Stuart  O0

Thanks Phil

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #9 on: 09:58:18, 23/01/16 »




This is another one of my fave walks around Otley Chevin with my bouldering mat.

I can remember talking to one of the leading climbers back in the seventies, Al Manson, a teacher,  had just spent all of his 6 week summer holidays developing micro climbs in one field of boulders on the Chevin.

These micro climbs are normally refered to as boulder problems.

Thanks to folks like Al, Caley on the Chevin is now a world class bouldering venue with hundreds of various sized boulders now giving thousands of problems.

The boulder in the photo is the first one you reach on the walk-in and yours truly is doing  a problem called 'Suckers Arete' my routine warm up route. From here we move on between the trees fom boulder to boulder picking the classics and working on new stuff I will probably never be able to do.

The total distance covered is approx 3km doing an average 40 problems, we often visit on summer evenings after work, there are normally a lot of guys and gals out, boulderers seems to be very friendly so you soon get to know the locals often a big group go down to the Junction pub in Otley when darkness falls.



So you get a walk, a great workout and meet your mates for a pint, I love it......
« Last Edit: 11:57:01, 23/01/16 by midweekmountain »

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #10 on: 09:19:27, 24/01/16 »


On the Crete d'Gites ridge, Mont Blanc in the Background


Ave done a few long distance walks  (LDW) in my time, buit none in the UK, can't see any point of spending my valuable holiday time plodding my home turf.

This photo was taken on the Crete d'Gites ridge near the Refuge De la Croix Du Bonhomme on the Tour de Mont Blanc (TMB).

At the time I was doing some work for a well known holiday company, a last minute hut to hut TMB vacancy  cropped up so I volunteered and got the chance to do the tour several times.

IMHO the best hut on the circuit is the CAF Croix Du Bonhomme Refuge, its an eco hut powered by windmills and solar cells. Each night the guardians the Guyan bros and their team cater for over 100 pepes, the main meal is served by candlelight, after the meal the Team  Guyan who are great characters entertain their guests with an impromtu concert, anyone who can play an instrument or sing are invited to join in.

Great fun.....
« Last Edit: 11:07:54, 24/01/16 by midweekmountain »

youradvocate

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #11 on: 10:52:12, 24/01/16 »
I did that one! Really a great area to hike. Best memory was meeting a group of Australians and the oldest man (wild white hair and in late 70s) was absolutely NUTS about Prof. Alice Roberts. His wife told me he watched her TV shows every day at home and warned me that if he mentioned her name I ought not to respond. I fell into the trap, I did respond and was immensely entertained over the next three beers! 

Innominate Man

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #12 on: 23:29:45, 24/01/16 »
MWM - I know Al Manson. Quite a good few years ago I tended to see him almost every time I went out. In fact I believe he lives quite near me as I've seen him in the local supermarket.
Wasn't his nickname ' The Guru' at one time/maybe still is ?
I remember going to Caley Pompeii and reading a lot of routes he'd pioneered there - probably most of them.


I have utmost respect for the guy - he is so unassuming and quiet.
Only a hill but all of life to me, up there between the sunset and the sea. 
Geoffrey Winthrop Young

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #13 on: 17:15:08, 25/01/16 »
Prof. Alice Roberts.

Thinking mans totty eh,

One of the great things about the alpine huts is meeting interesting folks

midweekmountain

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Re: Every walking picture tells a story
« Reply #14 on: 17:19:55, 25/01/16 »
MWM - I know Al Manson. Quite a good few years ago I tended to see him almost every time I went out. In fact I believe he lives quite near me as I've seen him in the local supermarket.
Wasn't his nickname ' The Guru' at one time/maybe still is ?
I remember going to Caley Pompeii and reading a lot of routes he'd pioneered there - probably most of them.


I have utmost respect for the guy - he is so unassuming and quiet.


Yes Al is quite a character, we used to call him the lawnmower man, cos he used to 'mow the lawn' under the little limestone crag,
his local traing ground, down by the river in Wetherby.



 

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