The Greater Ranges

Hi. I`ve been threatening Alex I`d put a few of our old photos up from the days when we had a lot more energy than we have now and the heady juice of youth flowed fast and endless into our little legs.We weren't always two old smelly duffers shuffling up wee pimples.There was a time when we strode the greater ranges like bloody Titans I`ll have you know........ .Ah for those long gone effortless days again.


In those far off times even I loved the big mountains,probably because my job was a lot easier on me then.This was taken on a winter bagging trip over 20 years ago,around the time we first realised something funny was happening to the weather,long before global warming was getting a mention but if you went up the 3000 foot hills you noticed a marked difference in the snow.

One of Alex going up the Cioch in search of the broadsword reputedly lost up here from the film Highlander.


One of yer man Alex on Bidean in Glencoe.His head for heights was even better when he was younger.



Arran has always been one of our clubs favorite islands.We used to go here every spring to camp then climb the peaks.One of my best remembered climbs was this one.

Full of dark chimneys,chockstones, awkward thrusty edges and big drops.The reason for the two grades is it has two different end pitches one of which goes up the right hand ramp line above the climbers to the chock stone exit at the very top.Never laughed so much on a climb.


Never laughed much on this mountain.I was far too nervous. Probably the most incredible breathtaking hill I`ve ever been up.Monte Pelmo in the Italian Dolomites done at the end of the Alta Via One,the classic route through these mountains.Best mountain I`ve ever seen.

The descent without a rope was somewhat worrying,we could see a herd of ant sized horses galloping on the meadows 4,000 feet below,more or less straight down from here.I don`t mind admitting it a wee bit of pee came out here.

This was easier, the Bossons glacier on Mont Blanc reputedly one of the fastest in the Alps due to its steepness.Many big holes you could drop a double decker bus down.We were roped up for this.

Amazing day out apart from the altitude,caused by our on stupidity racing up it maybe a bit too fast but we wanted to catch the weather window.15,800 feet I think( can`t be bothered looking it up, too busy with this one fingered typing epic.)

As you can see we weren`t alone.A popular route from the Grande Mullets hut.(big mules) We were just going to sleep here when the bell rang to get up. A crampon army dressed in the dark and head torched up in unison.

One of George and Alex in Skye.Although this is called the Prison from this angle I think it looks more like a hungry snapping turtle.

One from the days when we were bagging Classic Rock- (the book). Cracking route.Every September weekend we used to go a bagging down south all over England and twice here.

Like the clouds on this one .Soaking wet sleeping bags and tents waiting for the sun to dry them out- and us!

Alex on a lovely traverse then straight up the corner climb at a certain seacliffs in Galloway.

Had a great early holiday here in the Aosta valley of northern Italy.Filled with easy snow peaks and 10,000 foot Cobbler like hills.The highlight of the trip was climbing Gran Paradiso a truly beautiful hill.At 14,000 feet the highest mountain wholly within Italy.

I must have been taking my bravery pills here!

What a view from the summit.

An unusual one from a belay on Integrity.A hard feeling route with tremendous exposure.Not often you can look down onto the Cioch.

Ordessa Canyon.Magnificent place.We had to backpack down here next morning and spent a good while looking for a path down in the fading light.Fantastic backpacking along the walls of this and a lesser known canyon but the equal of the Grand Canyon as it is wilder and more unexpected.We had dramatic thunder and lightning storms here most afternoons into the evening.The rain was so hard a fine spray of mist came straight through the tent canvas onto your face and our eyes were zapped by sudden white bolts hitting the peaks nearby.Alpine thunderstorms are a blast.

Mind bending exposure on this summit.There are climbs up the front face and basejumpers leap off.Now thats mad!!
Hope you enjoyed my wee gallery of what we got up to when we were young.

One of the highlights of the GR20 on Corsica. A fantastic backpacking two week trip. Very hot!! First time I`d seen prickly pears in Europe when I stood on one coming off the boat.