On the horizon, the megalithic construction at Callanish












Callanish is made of thin slabs of Lewisian gneiss, which ranks as one of the oldest rocks on the Earth's surface. The rock's inky layers make it a striking building material, in plentiful supply on the sea-cliffs a couple of miles to the west.

Seals basking on the shore; South Uist. Well, not so much basking as taking a shower. Suberbly adapted to an aquatic existence. I wanted to grow fins and join them.

Where there's rain there's rainbows.

The stunning white beach scenery of South Uist. Hebridean beaches rival any in the World, offering unrivalled rainbathing in unspoilt surroundings.

 

 

These stones form part of the cicle of Pobull Fhinn, the largest of the Uist stone circles, situated about half-a-mile south-east of Barpa Langais.

Despite its remote location this is the first Scottish stone circle I have visited. It's actually oval in layout, which may sound like a trivial detail, but compared with their English and Welsh counterparts, many of the Scottish stone circles are irregular in shape.

This heap of rocks is Barpa Langais, on the island of North Uist, which has the highest density of Neolithic tombs in the British Isles. It's the best-preserved chambered cairn in the Outer Hebrides. Inside, the walls and roof of the original burial chamber are still intact - amazing given the prevailing conditions and the age of the structure (at least 4500 years).

 

Hebridean flora include foxgloves and a striking tall yellow flower that grows in bogs.

 

Perfect weather on Skye. One could be forgiven for being well-psyched to traverse the Cuillins, seen here in all their glory. However, one's disappointment that the weather broke next morning will be easily understood. It rained all day. And the next.

I made a diversion to the Outer Hebrides to see some megalithic monuments, in the naive hope that the good weather would return in due course. In the event it rained for 10 days before I gave up and came home. No foot was set on the hill. It's raining still.

 


The tidal entrance to the amazing Spar Cave, Skye. The calcite formations include huge staircases of flowstone, and are among the best I've seen in the UK.

 

 

 

 

 

Pitch 1 of Flat Crags Climb (S), Flat Crags, Bowfell

 

On the Climbers' Traverse, Bowfell.

Apparrently there are 6 species of reptile in the UK - 3 snakes and 3 lizards - but they are not usually found in upland regions of the North. Any claims of tortoise-sightings, for instance, can be rejected out of hand.

These are tortoises and Lindas, and related items.

A tortoise is a type of reptile, possibly the least scary of all reptiles, except maybe geckoes.

Tortoise is also a post-rock outfit. Throughout their 10-year history, Tortoise have been one of the most singularly dynamic bands in modern music. With each record they have not only redefined their own sound, but helped to nudge music itself in unique and exciting new directions.

Lindas are types of Human Beings. Mostly they are very nice, but sometimes they can get upset if they are in any way associated with certain types of harmless reptile.

JHBSBIGTRIP would like to make it clear that any inference that Lindas and tortoises are in any way associated is purely accidental. And in no way intentional. Not even slightly.

Lindas have never had anything to do with tortoises.

At all.

Ever.

User-friendly stile in Langdale

 

The replica bronze age settlement near Cardigan in Pembrokeshire

 

 

Pentre Ifan and other lesser dolmens in Pembrokeshire

 

 

 

 

Ho Hum Courtesy of Cumbria County Council, I just lost a whole big post to the ether.

Oh well.

Anyway, it's a murky morning in Ambleside, but the weather has been fab and have had three superb days in Langdale. Climbed at Hodge Close, Langdale boulders, Scout Crag, and made a protracted ascent of Bowfell with Tortoise Linda, detouring via a route each on Flat Crags and Cambridge Buttress.

Forgot to blog about Wales. I went there for the CC meet in Llanberis and that was a great weekend of climbing at Gogarth and in the Pass. Followed that up with a sprint up Slanting Buttress on Lliwedd, then drove to Pembroke to meet Bully and Shoe On the Road (seek them out, blogspotters). We toured some dolmens in the fabled Preseli Mountains (alleged origin of Stonehenge's bluestones) and, as 'Meat and Two Veg', won the pub quiz in St David's. On one frenzied day I soloed Red Slab, did 2 new HVSs (details below, somewhere), and deep-water-soloed about 8 routes on Barrel Buttres including the traverse (6c...NOT!). Then drove back to Llanberis to meet Tortoise Linda, who got lost (becoause of Uncle Satnav, she claims). We climbed some stuff on slate and walked around Ogwen for a couple of days until, finally, the rain drove us back to England.

After some downtime in Macc, and visits to Chester, Darwen and Barrow, not to mention Back Forest, Trevor Rocks, Wilton, Craig-y-Longridge, Ulverston Canal and The Strawberry, I'm back on the road and heading for SCOTLAND this afternoon! Hey Ho Let's Go....

The Lost Post rescued from the ether...

Ahem, I must apologise to readers for the lack of general bloggery on this site, in what is supposed to be a period of active BigTripping.

My excuses include lack of access to the tinternet, and not having much to write about that's of any interest to anyone but me.

For instance, I'm sitting in Ambleside Public Library, and it's a gloomy day in the Lakes. However, I've just had 3 days of perfect weather in Langdale, camping at the NT site. Climbed at Hodge Close, Langdale boulders, Scout Crag, and Flat Crags plus Cambridge Buttress on Bowfell and had an awesome time. I detect yawns out there....

However, I'm in danger of losing track of my own movements. So, for the sake of my own diarific records, I must stultify you further....

April 28 - May 5: Mallorca with Linda who claims to see tortoises. Pics below.

May 7-14: Dublin. Climbed at Dalkey; visited the Negrange and Knowth passage graves, drank Guinness, saw bands. Pics below.

16-18 May: Llanberis pass. Climbers' Club meet at the Des Res that is Nwys in the Pass itself. Climbed on Anglesey - True Moments/Freebird, Castell Helen (a long-standing ambition) and Dinas Cromlech (Cobweb Crack, Hoah's Warning, Cenotaph Corner) with CC types. Was good.

19 May: Soloed Slanting Buttress on Lliwedd and a Severe on some slabs I forget the name of, then drove to St David's in Pembroke to meet with Bully and Shoe, who are on the road here: (link to be added)

20 May: visited about 5 dolmens and a stone circle dotted around the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire. This is where the bluestones at Stonehenge are supposed to have originated. As 'Meat and Two Veg' we won the pub quiz in the local that night.

21 May: Soloed Red Slab and did some new routes(more below), then went deep-water-soloing at Barrel Buttress - did about 6 routes including the 6c traverse.

22 May: Drove back to Llanberis to meet Tortoise Linda, who got lost because of Uncle Satnav.

22-29 May. Climbed some routes on slate and walked about in Ogwen. Went back to Macc to sort various thing out. Climbed at Back Forest. Went to Chester to socialise.

30 May...blah yawn who cares.