How do you get yourself ready for a journey? I guess the most obvious answer is ‘it depends’. Before you start planning, you have to know a few basic facts, like where you’re going, for how long, what’s the purpose of your trip, who you’re going with… Only then you can start thinking about bookings, means of travel, things you…
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There seems to be a recent theme with my walks: large bodies of water! Loch Kinord last week, Loch Muick this time round. Actually, I planned this walk for a few weeks. I walked along its eastern shore in May 2011, on my way back from climbing the White Mounth range, and the loch really made a great and long-lasting…
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It took two visits to the Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve to walk the route I had planned. My first attempt was cut short by deteriorating weather (driving snow). Rather unexpectedly I had another chance a couple of days later thanks to an unusual alignment of stars and a leap year (just kidding…). Unlike at the first attempt, the…
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How do you like today’s gospel reading? Jesus’ call here is so demanding that it goes beyond what’s doable, doesn’t it? What do we do with such bits of the Bible that on the one hand can be really moving and captivating but on the other hand go well beyond what’s achievable? Well, quite often we just skip them effectively;…
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My plan for this winter is to keep walking relatively long-distance but low-level walks to keep my ever-gradually-rustier body ready for the next hill-walking season. Last week’s walk was south of Aboyne, today’s north of it; more specifically, the village of Tarland. I parked my car in the village centre, picked up my gear and let the dog out before…