Category Archives: Far away

Samaria Gorge and the twenty-one steps

September 13, 2015

10.2 miles, 5h 15m,  descent from 1233m to sea level. Samaria Gorge, Crete A long tale, I’m afraid, but it was a long day. My pick up was at a pre-dawn 5.45 am. The alarm was set for 5 am … Continue reading →

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Στην Κνωσό μέσω Ηρακλείου: A Minoan Morning

September 8, 2015

Distance: Not much actual walking. Climb: Virtually none. Duration: Left after breakfast, back for lunch. Knossos by bus A journey rather than a walk, and certainly not an epic journey. As I walked from the hotel I left the unreal … Continue reading →

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The Donalds

July 15, 2013

A little history Percy Donald, wrote “The two-thousand feet tops of the Scottish lowland uplands” for the journal of the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 1935, listing 133 tops and 15 humps in southern Scotland. He had decided to visit all … Continue reading →

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Glensherup Round

April 27, 2013

7.9 miles  3h 43m  ascent 539m Innerdownie-Whitewisp Hill-Tarmangie Hill-Cairnmorris Hill-Ben Shee This was a straightforward route starting from the reservoir; through the forest to Innerdownie; along the ridge to Whitewisp Hill and Tarmangie Hill; across the shallow col to Cairnmorris … Continue reading →

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The Western Ochil Donalds

April 21, 2013

15.6 miles  6h 30m  ascent 1093m Blairdenon hill-Greenforet Hill-Blairdenon Hill-Ben Buck-Ben Cleuch-Andrewgannel Hill-King’s Seat Hill An early breakfast, then up the road. I parked, as before, in the Ochil Hills Woodland Park, near Alva. A red banded way-marker shows the … Continue reading →

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Facing up to the wind on Ben Ever

March 22, 2013

4.71 miles  2h 42min  ascent 553m (abandoned: strong winds) Looks like I picked the wrong week for my two day Donald-bagging in the Ochils. The planned walk for day 1 had been: Ochils Woodland Park-Silver Glen-Ben Ever-Blairdenon-Glenforet Hill-Ben Buck-Ben Cleuch, … Continue reading →

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The Glen Artney 2Ks

March 16, 2013

10.2 miles   6h 8min  ascent 775m Am Beannan-Meall Clachach-Uamh Bheag-Beinn Odhar-Beinn nan Eun The Glen Artney Donalds. What? If Percy Donald didn’t include them, why should I  accept them as Donalds. Mind you, we shouldn’t blame the hills themselves. … Continue reading →

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MLT expedition: should have eaten my spinach

October 20, 2012

12.8 miles  950m ascent   2 days (probably 14 hours) Where do I start this tale? I’ll skip the story of the packing and begin at breakfast. Preserved Killick, fresh out of Portsmouth, could not have beaten it. I slipped … Continue reading →

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