So, have just come back from an awesome week of adventure up in the Highlands. Quite a journey from the valleys to the highlands! Especially at these petrol prices…

Had a few days of adventure planned with some good people, Angus n Rachel, Carrie n Nathan. Managed some biking and some walking around Inverness, and an amazing canoe/camping/hill walking trip to Knoydart.

Loaded down with kit and dog, me n the big man (Angus, not God), canoed in from Kinloch Hourn to Barrisdale Bay, where we set up camp before popping up Ladhar Bheinn. At 1020m, it’s not exactly like getting milk from the Spar. The canoe was a slog, the tide and wind seemed to always want a fight!

Climbing a Munro isn’t the easiest of pastimes, but starting an ascent after 6pm and after a few miles paddling didn’t improve the situation. The first part of the climb is pretty straightforward, but there is a section of 250m ascent at about 350m which is just a killer. I think I was over heating and my dodgy knee was giving me jip, but the mental battle was waging war. Turn round, stop here, you’ll never make it… the big man was marching away in front, the unstopable tank like force, but then a change happened. I asked to borrow a pole. Not a helpful worker from Poland but the carbon fibre type. What a difference. Maybe now that makes me old, but it helped so much.

Starting out at 6pm means you are a bit pushed for time on the descent! We managed to chase the sun down from the summit (it won), thank goodness for head torches…

Never has rice, tuna and corn tasted so good. The canoe back once more proved a bit of a slog, with tide and wind working against us, and a weather front threatening to ruin our day… more photos can be found here. Please leave a comment on your favourite!