Pure scunnered!

It's a fair description I'd say

After settling nicely into Bigbananatowers the shiny sheen has been tarnished somewhat. Sure, the comfy leather sofas have been installed facing the big new telly and the "gear room" is coming together nicely but we recently discovered that the damn shower has been leaking. For the last two months the water has been running out from underneath the shower and under the wall into the bedroom under the carpet. As a result the skirting board has swollen and popped off the wall, the door frame has swollen so the door wont close and the the underlay is sodden. At least the carpet didn't get damaged and to be fair the builder has been very good about coming back and forwards to get it sorted.

There's been some dramas at work too, however I'd probably best not say too much about it on here. What I will say though is that I was on the receiving end of some of the nastier aspects of human nature...and that's before I mention the usual office politics crap.

Then we come to the weather...

How windy?

"Southerly, soon increasing to around 50mph, gusts 70mph. Perhaps temporarily 65mph with gusts to 90mph."

How wet?

"Heaviest rain will fall on southern ranges. Risk of flooding - very wet underfoot."

Cloud on the hills?

"Increasingly extensive."

I don't give two hoots though, I'm still going out to play tomorrow.

Be carefull out there...

There are bad, bad men who work in shops who tempt and prey on innocent types.

"Yes mr Bigbananafeet, just try on this other one from Haglofs on. Its the same shape. Here try a fleece underneath, yes lovely. See the way the arm articulation prevents the jacket riding up at the back and they way the hood moves with your head. Beautiful sir and it even fits your helmet underneath. Very fetching sir. Of course sir it doesn't matter that there's hardly any left anywhere of that particular model, we can order it in especially for you. Yes, its imperative you must get one of these before winter sets in. Just look how shiny it is, feel how smooth that pro shell feels against your base layer or powerstretch top blah blah etc etc blah."

A week or so later and the phone rang...


Yes, I am weak...but its so shiny!

Enchanted Forest, Goblins, Dragons and Nessie?

At the weekend there I did nothing but work. The weekend before that was also spent at work. The one before that however was spent doing something entirely different though.

Louise still has a lot of Scotland to see, so I had booked tickets for us to go to the Enchanted Forest. We decided to make a weekend of it. We went up to stay at my Auntie Susan's, who lives in a wee farmhouse on the shooting estate out the Back of Dunkeld. It's great up there, and I don't visit often enough. There's Heilan' Coo's right on her door step, a Barn Owl in the barn next door,Pheasants running about in front of your car constantly and that's before you meet my Aunties daft and slightly mental dugs, Geordie and Mickey!



As I drove up there were plenty of "Oooh's" and "Aaah's" from the passenger seat. The autumnal colours of Perthshire were as usual fantastic. It was like looking at one of those wee B&Q paint charts with every conceivable shade and hue of yellow through to the deep rustic reds. They don't last long though, and as I sit here and write this they have pretty much all gone to be replaced with some sharp frosts and and ice on my windscreen.

We arrived late, so we had dinner and a few bottles of Vino (Cheers Ross!) and then it was off to bed so we could make the most of our Sunday. After a lazy start (some being lazier than others!) we decided to go for a walk. We crossed over the A9 and parked up in the Hermitage. We followed the gentle tracks through the woods following the river Braan. Its a fantastic place, especially at this time of year. I imagine it would be just as pleasant in the spring and summer too though. It's definitely one to note for those bad weather day's when the mountain summits are clagged in and all you will see up there are your own feet.





It's not just a walk in the trees here. There's plenty to keep your interest up, especially if you were to have kids in tow. There's a picturesque stone bridge and an old Victorian Folly dating from 1758 that overlooks the mighty Braan falls (really impressive when the river is in spate).





Continue on through the colourful trees and you'll find "Ossians cave".







All this was making my belly start to rumble so we went back to the car and made our way to Grandtully. We were in search of a place my Granny and Auntie Susan had both told us about. The Highland Chocolatier! It's magic in there and it almost deserves a day out all of it's own. The Cafe is superb and the Chocolatier is just dangerous if you have a sweet tooth and a credit card. I'll be thinking of it as our "Real Food Cafe of the east"



After refuelling with a "Hot Goblin" each and a "White hot chocolate" to drink, the gear monster in me started to take over. I wanted to head off to Pitlochry early before the shops closed so I could have a poke about in escape route. They carry a good range of Haglofs kit and the staff all know their stuff in there which seems increasingly uncommon these days I'm afraid. My bank manager must've breathed a sigh of relief though when all I came out with was a hand full of Stoats porridge oat bars. We pottered about seeing the sights of Pitlochry for a while and had a pint whilst we wondered why Nessie wasn't up haunting her own loch?? I suppose monsters of the deep need a holiday too sometimes.



It didn't take long for darkness to fall and soon enough it was time for the main event. We got on the coach at the Fishers Hotel and 5 minutes later we were wandering through the Enchanted Forest. It's a wondrous show of light and sound set in Faskally Woods, sometimes eerie but always spectacular.



This year the theme was "Scottish Myths and Legends", we met Tam O'Shanter, The witches from "The Scottish Play", the Pictish Dundee Dragon, The Dunmore Faeries and many more.













It's amazing how some coloured lights can really transform the forest into something where the imagination can run riot...sometimes I really do wish I was 5 years old again!

www.backpackinglight.co.uk walking pole extender, first wee shufty.

Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest...

In amongst the mail I picked up from my mum's the other day I discovered a short thin surprise package from some very nice people, Bob and Rose.

It's used to connect two walking poles together which can then be used to hold up some tipi style tents such as the Golite Shangri La 3 also known as Bigbananafeet's Bigbananatent. It means if you use trekking/walking poles you could carry this wee gadget weighing in at a very respectable 46g and ditch the heavy 400g pole supplied with the tent. That's a massive weight saving for under 13 quid!



In the past I've used my Mountain King Carbon Expedition poles bottom sections joined with the chopped down handle section from an old pair of Alpkit carbons I destroyed on the West Highland Way last year. Not everybody has old broken poles lying around however, so this is a fantastic solution. In fact I'd say it's an even better solution than my old one as with this you are connecting the upper sections of your pole together rather than the bottom sections. This means the pole is a bit stiffer and you have the nice blunt handle ends pressing into the fly and groundsheet rather than the pointy carbide tipped ends. I faffed around with various items such as coffee jar lids and those old washing up liquid balls to cap my pole ends.

Trust me, Bob's solution is much more elegant and will tested out in some winter weather very, very soon!



Oh aye and best of all, my big yellow tent now has a purple bit in the middle ;o)

Its good to be back!

I've finally been reconnected to the weird and sometimes disturbing world on the internet. It was nice at first to have a wee holiday from the world of technology but after a while it just got annoying not being able to post on here, read emails, internet banking etc, etc.

Anyway winter is just around the corner and I've been thinking about my winter gear recently, specifically footwear. I've just got my hands on a nice new shiny pair of steel Kahtoolas and I've been seeing just what I can fit them to.

I reckon I'm gonna be doing some wholly irresponsible stuff soon in these bad boys combined with waterproof socks...


A step too far?

and if that doesnae work, I'll stick em on my Keens ;o)

Medicine for the soul

It seemed the order for good weather finally went through this time, every time I checked the forecast for last last weekend it seemed to get better and better. The plan was simple. Find a hill, walk up it, put up a tent and watch the sun go down in a blaze of glory. I sorely needed some time out on the hills. A bit of me time.

As I was coming of nightshift on Friday morning I packed on Thursday evening. All I had to do was wake up and go. My overnight kit all went easily into my Jirishanca, which amazes me, as I haven’t made any super duper fantastic weight/bulk saving purchases for a while! I just seem to be packing faster and lighter these days. I’ve mentioned before but I really am starting to prefer my Jiri’ to the Villain these day’s. It’s just a better carry for me in terms of fit and stability.

As usual I woke late and had to rush off dealing with M8 Friday rush hour then all the usual morons on the A82. I parked up and the light was already failing which meant I’d have to pitch up in the dark but it all seemed insignificant now. I was going out to play, and without a care in the world. Work stress, money woes, house move hassles and all the other wee annoyances of life just seemed to fade away.



I shouldered my pack and set off but due to the late hour I changed from my plan of going up the tourist route to the summit then finding a spot to pitch somewhere on Ptarmigan ridge, to simply going straight up the ridge. Walking conditions were near perfect. There was a wee nip in the crystal clear air. The shadows were long as the sun was dropping behind the familiar Arrochar Alps on the other side of Loch Lomond. I was enjoying that magic half hour or so you get at the start and finish of days like these when the sunlight is golden and even boring old grass seems to burst with colour and texture. It’s like the world’s suddenly being broadcast in High-Def, Truly medicine for the soul! I’m grinning again just writing this!





Despite having not been out regularly for some time and with the constant stop/start for photies, I was making pretty good progress. As I ate up the contour lines, enjoying every one of them, the sky started to put on a fantastic display of colour. There was a band of gold crowning the tops on the other side of the water with pink streamers fading off into the continually darkening sky. Even this was no disappointment as the air clarity meant the wee pinprick stars seemed to dazzle and dance against the sky. As my eyes were naturally adjusting to the descending gloom I had no need for my head torch, I could pick out the shapes and terrain quite easily in the bright moonlit hillside.





Suddenly the ridge flattened out and I decided that here would be as good a place as any for a bed for the night. I had to don the head torch now to pitch the tent. This would be a test seeing as I’ve been neglecting my trusty Laser Comp during my love affair with the Shangri La 3. I was pleased though when it went up in a few minutes with no problems. The gradually increasing light pollution from Glasgow looked like a neon work of modern art and had the camera pointed at it many times before I decided to turn in for the night.



I was pretty exhausted after the exertion of getting up here, probably not helped by the screwing around with my body clock as a result of nightshift. I was so tired I simply couldn’t be arsed faffing around with a stove so I ate a Honey Stinger protein bar instead. After tiring myself further by blowing up my new Pacific Outdoor Thermo Orange Lilo I slept well, although I did have cold feet before I dropped off. PHD will be getting a call soon ;o)





I awoke naturally before my alarm that was set for sunrise. The tent was quite light but the sun wasn’t above the horizon yet. It was cold when I stuck my head out of the warm snuggly down cocoon I was in so I jammed on my beanie and reached for my PHD Ultra Pullover. The door zipper went up and the light streamed in. It was a glorious morning. I got up and took in the scene in front of me and wished I could wake up on every wildcamp like this. It was so quiet and peaceful; the sea of mist lying on Loch Lomond was swirling below while the sky got brighter and brighter. I made a quick trip to the wee lochans slightly higher on the ridge for water, taking as many photies as I could.





As I waited for my brew to come to the boil the big orange sun eventually crept above the horizon. Slowly and inevitably it rose upwards sending out its rays of warmth. I had 3 cuppas with my breakfast and took so many photies that I had to start deleting old ones off my camera. Texts were beginning to arrive from Elaina and Steve who were picking up Jamie at the airport for a trip up the Cobbler. I was supposed to join them but I knew I was going to be late at best. This was magnificent up here. It made all the wet hill days, clagged in summits and wild and windy nights in a tent of before all absolutely worth it. I spent so long just enjoying being there that an early riser had walked up the ridge and passed me before I’d even started to put my sleeping bag and stuff away never mind take the tent down. Eventually though I did get moving and made my way onwards to the summit.



Up here I lingered for some time as well. I was just blown away by the views whilst the air was so clear. I had several conversations with a few other walkers who all came up the tourist route. I sent a few of them down Ptarmigan ridge while I made my way down the way they came up. I wish I hadn’t now as frankly it was the boring one of the two and I was getting face ache from the constant smiling and saying good morning! I honestly reckon I must’ve met approx 60 to 70 people on my descent. It’s good though to see so many folks out enjoying the country and being active instead of becoming the couch potato Britain we always see on telly ads. I am glad that the masses are happy to conquer Ben Lomond by the boring route though. It means I get the harder more interesting one to myself.







Eventually I got back to the car and drove around to Arrochar. After a quick bacon butty I started off up the track towards the Cobbler where I eventually met Elaina, Steve and Jamie who were on their way back down. It was great catching up with pals and hearing their stories of snickers conmen and Jamies antics on the Narnain Boulders. When we got back to the cars we had a short drive to The Real Food Café to wait on PTC, Bobinson and co who would be arriving soon at the halfway point on their West Highland Way Falldoon adventure. The crack was good and so was the food. Eventually Jamie had to go onwards to continue his adventures and then the Falldoon team arrived. We stayed another hour or so hearing about their impressive and slightly bonkers journey while they got fed and watered. I don’t know what time I left but it was very late by the time I eventually got home. Definitely the sign of a good weekend ;o)

Flittin'

Assuming I still have any readers/listeners/followers given the absence of any content on here I feel I should offer a wee update of events.

First of all the move into "Bigbananatowers" is almost complete, we're living in there and are very happy. The blinds are now installed so we can sleep in the bedroom instead of camping in the hall (its the only bit in the flat that has no windows) which is more practical but less fun. We have no Internet or TV and we argue over who's turn it is to sit on the beanbag but to be honest it's actually been quite nice to escape from the intensity and fast pace of the modern electronic world...says the man as he writes this on his iPhone ;o)










A pic of the block, sunrise yesterday as I arrived home from nightshift and the view back up the street.

With all the house moving stuff and still having to work 6 shifts out of 7 every week I've been missing out on some quality mountain time. We were up at Glen Coe a few weeks ago for an OM meet which i'll maybe let Louise write about on here seeing as it was her first Munro!

I'm smelling winter in the air during these early mornings and Ive got a weekend off coming up so I'll be heading up a few hills I've been saving up for those cold, crisp winter days.

Who's coming with me?

Posted from my iPhone