Christmas and New Year

(Are over. Woo Hoo!)

But I had intended to update the world with what I've been up to while on holiday.

So, Christmas. It was quiet. Just me and Sean in Aberdeen. (We visited the parents the weekend before and went to a folk gig at Rufford Old Hall.) Christmas Eve we managed a run along the beach - climbing over the groynes as the tide was coming in.

On Boxing Day we braved the sales in town and I got myself a new pair of walking boots from Tiso's. They are Scarpa ZG65s and so far so good. I don't think they'll stay beige very much longer though. They started to get mucky on a short walk up Clachnaben.

We went away over New Year - I should say Hogmanay, shouldn't I since I'm in Scotland- with the Aberdeen Mountaineering Club. We stayed for four nights at Invergarry Lodge, near the southern end of Loch Ness in the Great Glen. The lodge is usually an independant hostel, but the club booked it out. It was a good place to stay for 27 people and a dog.

Sean and I went out with two other club members to the Forcan Ridge (pic from Manchester Uni Hiking Club site) in Glen Shiel on the first day. I carried far too much stuff and wore myself out, but the day was good. It wasn't very snowy on top, but the ground, which is usually boggy, was very icy. We were more likely to fall on the path than the ridge itself. We avoided the one section of vertical climbing though, just in case. Afterwards, we retreated to the Cluanie Inn, for a drink in front of the fire.

On the 2nd Sean and I went up Meall na Teanga - one of the munroes near the lodge. Several other club members were also going in smilar directions, so we walked part way as a four. The weather was wet and miserable, but I was persuaded to persevere. Again the ground was frozen, so we got our crampons out to get up to the summit and down safely.

And so, that was my Christmas holiday.