Search results for ""Author Noel Williams""

The cold conditions last winter were exceptional and a bumper crop of new routes were put up across Scotland. These are fully described in the New Climbs section. There is also an account of a repeat of the Scottish Haute Route on skis from west to east over seven days in March. Other articles include an account of an ascent of Nanga Parbat as well as past adventures on Vulcan Wall and Route 2 Direct on Ben Nevis. There is also another look at the most appropriate criteria for identifying separate mountains - particularly Munros. The 'bagging game' still fascinates...This year also sees the return, for the first time for many years, of the detailed accident reports from the Mountaineering Council of Scotland.

Read more less

Another cold winter in 2010/2011 led to much new route activity across the Highlands. The lead article is an account of the first ascent of Stone Temple Pilots on Shelter Stone Crag - one of the most impressive of the new climbs done last winter season. There are also articles detailing the winter routes on Merrick in the Borders and in Coire Eilde - a new venue in Glen Coe. There are articles relating to the development of routes at Carnmore some fifty years ago, as well Longbow Crag in the Cairngorms some thirty years ago. There are also various articles of a more general mountaineering interest including a modern appraisal of Ben Wyvis. A short but very interesting article about the criteria for identifying Corbetts is sure to generate much debate among the hillbaggers. The Journal uses colour throughout for the very first time this year. This has allowed illustrations to be used rather more imaginatively than formerly.

Read more less

This year sees the 80th anniversary of the original opening of the CIC Hut on Ben Nevis. It also sees the completion of a major new extension at the hut. A photo of Charles Inglis Clark climbing on Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh as a young boy accompanies an article by former hut custodian Gerry Peet. This is following by a profile of Graham Macphee, who in the 1930s took full advantage of the hut's location to pioneer a number of new routes on the North Face when writing the first guidebook to the mountain. Gordon Smith also writes again about his early winter adventures on Ben Nevis. This year also sees the 70th anniversary of the first Greater Traverse of the Cuillin by Charleson and Forde. This event is marked by several articles relating to Skye including one by Forde's daughter, Helen. There are lots of other stuff including climbing in Yosemite, paragliding in Torridon and Corbett bagging, plus details of all the rew routes done in Scotland over the last year.

Read more less

The annual "Journal of the Scottish Mountaineering Club" has maintained a continuous record of mountain activities in Scotland since 1890 - 116 years of unbroken publication. This year's journal includes an article celebrating the centenary of the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club. Guy Robertson describes climbing Centurion on Ben Nevis in extraordinary winter conditions. John Mackenzie tells of winter pioneering in Glen Strathfarrar. Gordon Smith gives an account of his 'Dangerous Obsession' with a route on the Grandes Jorasses thirty years ago. Ole Eistrup describes climbing a new route on the Monch with Dougal Haston shortly before his untimely death. There is also a first hand account of what it is like to suffer from Lyme disease. And of course there are all the details of the latest new climbs north of the border.

Read more less

This year's "Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal" has the usual great mix of articles - several involving adventures abroad. Martin Moran describes some mega routes in the fjords of Norway, Mark Litterick describes winter climbing in Austria, Graham Little describes rock climbing in Albania and Steve Chadwick gives an account of ascending Mount Cameroon in Africa. A scholarly piece looks again at the climbs of WH Murray. Other articles describe a rescue on Ben Nevis, the use of modern technology in the hills, how to have an epic, a monster run in the Alps, and a discussion of the disease of Munro bagging...and as usual details are included of all the new routes pioneered in Scotland over the last year.

Read more less

This is the 2011 fully updated and enlarged, colour edition of the very popular SMC guide "Skye Scrambles", first published in 2000. The guide describes not only scrambles, but also walks and some easier rock climbs. It is the definitive guidebook to scrambling on Skye and as such it is also an essential guide for any hillwalkers wishing to venture into the mountains of The Cuillin. There are informative introductory sections on geology, wildlife and mountaineering history. The guide is profusely illustrated with new colour maps, crag diagrams and photographs. A significant number of new outings are described and many route descriptions have been updated. The guide uses a slightly larger format than the previous guide and is also colour throughout. The traverse of the main ridge of the Cuillin is fully described and new diagrams have been created to show the crucial sections. Skye has far and away the best scrambling in the UK. And this new edition of the guide gives the most comprehensive description so far available of the magnificent scrambles and easy climbs in the Cuillin and many other parts of the island.

Read more less

As usual the 2014 SMC Journal is packed with a wide variety of articles relating to Scottish mountaineering. There are tales of epic walking and climbing adventures in both summer and winter, as well as more informative articles ranging from wildcats to John Muir's connections with the SMC.

Read more less