Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Race for Life in Edinburgh - 4th June 06

As some of you will know from me endlessly going on about it, I'm taking part in the Edinburgh Race for Life on 04/06/2006 to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

I'm looking for sponsorship which is why I'm writing this piece in our blog. I'm not looking for big bucks. Any amount, even a pound, would be a huge help.

It's really easy - you can donate online here: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/dizzywiggins. You can also read my training diary which I update regularly. It's my Race for Life Blog.

All donations are secure and sent electronically to Cancer Research UK. If you are a UK taxpayer, Justgiving will add an automatic 28% bonus to your donation at no cost to you. Please join me in supporting Cancer Research UK and a fabulous cause!

Many thanks,
Nicola

Posted by bigcrags @ 2:19 PM 0 comments

National Cycle Path - Glasgow to Edinburgh - Route 75

The BBC has a really good article on Route 75 - the national cycle network's route between Glasgow and Edinburgh. I've long thought these routes were under-utilised and the article really goes into why you wouldn't want to be cycling on this one with your kids. Sustrans run the network and details of all the routes can be found through them. The article does note that you don't actually need to be on an off-road cycle path to ride in Scotland as there are so many unclassified and quiet country roads, but you'd think this cycle network might be better looked after and promoted seeing that it's only a few years old. Cycling Scotland run an event on this route called Pedal for Scotland but as yet, no details on their website.

Posted by bigcrags @ 9:52 AM 0 comments

Thursday, May 25, 2006
I agree with Hillary

Articles like this one make me feel sick to my stomach. A struggling climber high on Everest left to die by up to 40 people who passed by. Just how those climbers rationalise getting to the top of Everest as a priority over saving a human life leaves me speechless.

Posted by bigcrags @ 10:02 AM 0 comments

Friday, May 19, 2006
Free Walking Guide

This saturday (20th May) the Guardian is including a free walking guide with 50 British walks in it. I believe the guide will also give you access to all 50 walks in an online edition at Walking World.

Posted by bigcrags @ 10:03 AM 0 comments

Thursday, May 18, 2006
Piano found on Ben Nevis

The JMT this week released info that they had found the remains of a piano under a cairn on top of Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain during a big clean up of the top. It had clearly been there for some time. Man with strength of 10 claims responsibility.

Update: turns out it was a bunch of Removal men from Dundee who pushed it up there in 1986 for charity. The Ben detectives deduced this from a McVities wrapper found in the cairn. I wonder if they would have got more if they'd pushed it back down again?

Posted by bigcrags @ 9:26 AM 2 comments

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Death Golf

I see golfers and walkers are going at it again. Who the hell wants to go walking on a golf course anyway unless they are actually playing the game. Solid white missiles raining down on you at a hundred miles per hour deftly aimed at you by questionably dressed people with sticks.
I can think of loads of better places to go for a walk.

ps Had a great day's golfing at St Fillans last week. No damn ramblers anywhere. ;-)

Posted by bigcrags @ 3:32 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Measuring Route Distances

I'm sure most people have probably come across Google Earth by now. It doesn't show the Scottish hills in particularly good detail yet but today I came across a great tool within it. It's a measurement tool, found within the tools menu. You can measure a straight line distance or draw out a path on the satellite picture and Google will give you the distance. Great for hikers, bikers, paddlers or runners. First few tries on routes I normally run or bike show it to be pretty accurate.
Just thought I'd share.

Posted by bigcrags @ 3:13 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Digital Cameras for the Outdoors

One of my pet hates is electronic equipment that you have to handle with kid gloves on because a splash of water or a gravity-assisted fall to the ground could fry it. My reasoning is that if Motorola can make walkie-talkies that survive pretty much anything at the hands of the mountain rescue etc, why can they not make mobile phones and cameras just as tough.

Tom at Two Heel Drive highlighted a post by Gear Guy about digital cameras for the outdoors where a number of more rugged cameras are briefly mentioned. If you're worried about knackering your expensive camera on a day in the hills, maybe one of these is what you should be carrying.

Posted by bigcrags @ 3:54 PM 0 comments

Ultimate Midge Protection

Every year we look forward to the warm weather arriving so that we can enjoy the outdoors without looking like the Michelin Man. Unfortunately though, along with the warm days come the bugs, and in Scotland that means midges. These tiny little biting insects start as just a minor irritation but can reduce a hero to a gibbering wreck in a matter of hours. Now consider going camping for days on end with these little critters around and you can see how they might disrupt your holiday.

In the shop we keep midge protection - mesh midge head nets and Jungle Formula (a DEET based liquid). But more and more I'm hearing people recommending Avon Skin So Soft - soft and fresh moisturiser as a way of fending off the midges with less harmful effects than some DEET formulas. There's no denying that DEET stuff like Jungle Formula does work, but it will also melt plastic and the evil taste lingers for hours when you inevitably get some in your mouth. So next time an Avon catalogue is dropped through your door, look up the Skin so Soft and give it a try. (but make sure you've got a head net too)

Posted by bigcrags @ 3:19 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 08, 2006
Lucky Climbing Helmet

A few years ago I bought a bunch of cross country skis off a guy on ebay. When I went to pick them up he had a garage full of gear and offered me a climbing helmet in with the price. I had no idea of it's history, whether it had taken any big knocks or falls, but it was free, so I agreed immediately. I had a feeling it would be a lucky helmet.

The picture above is from a couple of months ago on Ben Lui shortly after having climbed to the top via Central Gully. I had taken my helmet off and it rolled and skidded down the other side of the hill around 1000 feet. We gave chase. In this picture my mate has captured the moment of triumph - recovery of the helmet. It was almost as satisfying as summiting the hill.

I will continue to use this climbing helmet and hope for much more luck from it yet, despite what it does for my sense of style.

Posted by bigcrags @ 3:37 PM 0 comments

Friday, May 05, 2006
Scrambles on Ben Nevis

For anyone looking for a good scramble right up the middle of one of probably the most formidable set of mountain cliffs in the UK Outdoors Magic has a scramble on Ben Nevis called Ledges Route. I've not done it but it looks like a cracker. The description doesn't have a diagram or marked photo though so you might like to find a scrambles on Ben Nevis or Scrambles in Lochaber type guidebook with a diagram. It really is easier to navigate when you have a drawing to work from.

Posted by bigcrags @ 11:32 AM 0 comments

Thursday, May 04, 2006
Glen Tilt Satellite Photo Now Hi-Res

Google maps have been slow to bring high resolution satellite imagery of Scotland to the Internet. Yes, you could see some of Edinburgh and Glasgow but now it seems they've picked a Highland area to make high res. Of all the places in the hills to pick though, why Glen Tilt? Why not Lochaber, Skye or the high Cairngorms? I'm sure the people of Blair Atholl are happy though.
Click here to see it

Posted by bigcrags @ 4:20 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 03, 2006
The man who went up a hill and came down a mountain

Swiss to create another 4000m peak by building a tower on top of the Little Matterhorn - this has to be a late April fool.

Posted by bigcrags @ 9:59 AM 0 comments

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