Tag Archives: mountain

May 27 2024
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Daily Post, Landscape

A walk up Dumgoyne (or not)

Saturday 25th May 2024, 11.10am (day 4,657)

Dumgoyne, 15/5/24

Dumgoyne is a steep little volcanic plug that rises on the edge of the Campsie Fells, north of Glasgow. On the map it looked like a nice little prologue to the actual destination of my hike, which was Earl’s Seaat, one of the County Tops, although less photogenic. But in fact, I never made it to the top of Dumgoyne: one of those climbs that the nearer I got to it in actuality, the less appeal it had. No matter: CT #81 was duly bagged about two hours later.

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Apr 29 2024
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Daily Post, Landscape, Transport

The approach to St Helena

Saturday 27th April 2024, 1.10pm (day 4,629)

St Helena airport, 27/4/24

So here I am back on St Helena, for my third visit — but not the last. Whereas, up until 2017, everyone arrived at Jamestown where the boats dock, nowadays, unless you are on a yacht, first sight of the island is always the airport, one of the more dramatic approaches in world aviation, I am sure. Behind is Great Stone Top, which I climbed in January last year.

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Feb 27 2024
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Daily Post, Landscape

Skiddaw in cloud

Monday 26th February 2024, 12.30pm (day 4,568)

Skiddaw, 26/2/24

This shot was actually incidental to the walk I completed today — my penultimate Wainwright walk, unless there is some big change of plan between now and, say, the next month. Skiddaw was nowhere near where I was. But — it looks so good here. All macho and domineering, despite its sheen of snowy white. Would that we could all look so good at a few million years old.

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Jan 08 2024
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Daily Post, Landscape

The Brecon Beacons (not climbed yet)

Sunday 7th January 2024, 9.50am (day 4,518)

Brecon Beacons

The County Tops project exists so I can find excuses to get about the country, and this won’t be my last trip to South Wales by any means. These lumps of rock and grass will get me back again: these slopes eventually culminate in Pen y Fan (its summit obscured by mist in this shot), highest of the Brecon Beacons and the highest point anywhere in the country south of Snowdonia. I was just driving past today, though — it can wait.

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Sep 10 2023
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Daily Post, Transport

Warning sign

Sunday 10th September 2023, 11.50am (day 4,399)

Mountain, drive slowly, 9/9/23

This would be a marvellous sign to see at any point, but the fact that it sits on the outskirts of Bradford makes it more entertaining still, in my opinion. Not to mention the fine optical illusion evident here. Take a good look — it’s almost like one of those ‘impossible objects’ that work in two dimensions but not three.

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Sep 10 2023
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Daily Post, Landscape

Approaching Seatallan summit

Thursday 7th September, 3.45pm (day 4,396)

Approaching Seatallan, 7/9/23

My last block of time before work really kicks in for the next academic year, and early September has been used before as an excuse to bugger off to the Lake District for a couple of days. In 2016, for instance, the 7th and 8th September were spent hiking out to the bothy at Mosedale Cottage. This year it was Wasdale, for four of the twelve Wainwrights I still had to do. Seatallan is one of the less exciting ones on the list, a seemingly endless grassy slope which these two walkers have nearly finished climbing, to their relief, I am sure. In the background, Black Combe.

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Feb 24 2023
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Daily Post, Landscape

Walkers on Knott Rigg

Thursday 23rd February 2023, 12.40pm (day 4,200)

Walkers on Knott Rigg, 23/2/23

It was about time I paid another visit to the Lake District, having missed out on most of the winter, and I was not the only person to be thinking that it was too nice a day to stay indoors. The walkers stand on Knott Rigg, a fairly inconsequential lump that becomes the 306th Wainwright bagged on my second round, so I have 24 to go. In the background, Red Pike.

I notice that this blog, which was started on my 42nd birthday — hence the name — has now reached day 4,200. I am sure that I will think of some way of marking 6th April, which I calculate will be day 4,242.

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Jan 25 2023
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Daily Post, Landscape

Two Stone Tops

Wednesday 25th January 2023, 11.05am (day 4,171)

Two Stone Tops, 25/1/23

You didn’t think I had come all the way out to St Helena just to work, did you? Not a chance, not when there is some great walking to be done. Like the hike out to Great Stone Top, here on the right — and its smaller (but less accessible) brother, Little Stone Top as well. (More detail and photos on my other blog.)

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Sep 18 2022
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Daily Post, Landscape

Darrach Hill (an arse)

Saturday 10th September 2022, 11.25am (day 4,034)

Darrach Hill, 10/9/22

Darrach Hill lies a short (but not easy) way north of the town of Kilsyth, in central Scotland. Ot becomes the fifty-ninth County Top that I have surmounted — and if you’re interested in that parallel project please do follow my other blog. The summit of this hill is only 1,171 feet/357m above sea level — sounds easy, right? Don’t you believe it. The crap that one has to negotiate to reach the summit fully justifies my use of the anatomical reference in the title of this post.

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Aug 17 2022
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Daily Post, Landscape

Slipway on Lough Barra

Wednesday 17th August 2022, 9.35am (day 4,010)

Lough Barra slipway

The last day in Ireland. Four days in the North, four photos with people in them, all taken in Derry — then four days in the Republic, four photos taken in different places and not a person to be seen (unless we count yesterday’s Madonna). Our drive back to Derry airport was partly done through the utterly empty landscapes of the Glenveeagh National Park. Lough Barra is in the middle of nowhere, but does have this slipway on it: maybe there is good fishing to be done there.

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