About me
This website is dedicated to my personal Mountain Walking and Mountaineering experiences over very many years. I've been enjoying the great outdoors since at the tender age of nine, my Uncle and Cousin took me on a Youth Hostelling weekend to the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire where we stayed at St Briavels Castle, which is still a Youth Hostel. I've been walking and climbing in all areas of the UK from as far north as the Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye through the Lake District, Yorkshire, the Peak District, North, Mid and South Wales right down to Devon and Cornwall.
In Europe I have organised and participated in successful expeditions to Switzerland, the Italian Dolomites and the French Alps. Further afield, I have been to South America to climb Aconcagua, Africa to climb Meru Peak and Kilimanjaro by the difficult Western Breach route, to Nepal, which was a lifetime ambition, to climb Gokyo Ri, Kala Patthar and Chukhung Ri, then in 2019 I went to Russia for an attempt on Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. I have written about many of these trips and expeditions and these reports are in the 'Previous Expeditions' pages.
During those expeditions I had the opportunity to test out all types of equipment and the Equipment Review page lists most of this gear along with my honest opinion. Hopefully that will be of use to anyone considering purchasing equipment.
Over the years, I have been slowly but surely climbing all of the 2,000 foot mountains in England and Wales as defined by the Nuttalls guides, i.e. 2,000 foot with a 50 foot drop. As a labour of love, I have listed all of these mountains along with the date of ascent on the Mountain Log Book page. During 2023 I completed all of the mountains in Wales and hope to complete the English ones in 2024. I have created a database SQL file and also a spreadsheet containing the list. Anyone who reads this and would like an electronic copy of the full list of Mountains, get in touch and I'd be happy to provide it free of charge, but be warned, it gets very addictive! In the meantime, have a look around the site, read the reviews and reports and let me know what you think.
UK Mountains Blog 2023
In the Cloud 20/11/2023
In the Cloud 20/11/2023
On the way back from the Peak District, I added a final climb to bag one final Marilyn, The Cloud. It is a pleasant walk, well signposted from the car park and a nice summit. I cannot comment on the views as, ironically, the summit was totally enveloped in cloud!Monsal Trail 19/11/2023
For my final day in the Peak District, I elected to walk a good section of the Monsal Trail from Millers Dale Railway Station to Bakewell. The walking was, of course, easy being flat all the way, but the weather was suitably unkind with frequent heavy showers. Enjoyable nonetheless.Ilam and Thorpe 17/11/2023
Dovedale 17/11/2023
One of my most favourite areas of the UK is Dovedale so it was a joy to park up at Ilam village, walk up to the NT cafe for a coffee and then over a very muddly field to Dovedale. I walked along on the Thorpe Cloud side as I expected the stepping stones would be underwater, they were! It is a lovely walk along the Dale at any time and today the sun shone for most of the day. On the return I took the high path to try and avoid the muddy field back to Ilam, it was better but still muddy. I was given an arial demonstration of hang gliding flying by a group as I walked which added to the enjoyment of the day.High Peak Trail 16/11/2023
From Cromford car park, where on one side of the wall, it costs £7 per day to park and the other side is £4 per day I set off, following the canal to the High Peak Junction, cafe closed! The trail ascents the 1 in 8 climb up to Black Rocks where the second cafe was also closed. Continuing on the next incline, also 1 in 8 bought me to Middleton Top, third cafe closed! I decided to continue out to Harboro Rocks as I had never actually been to the top. It is pleasant little climb and I was surprised to be able to see Carsington Water less than two miles away.
It was an out and back walk with the bonus that the return trip was all either flat or downhill. Around 11 miles walked. The weather was dull but no wind and no rain so an improvement on the last few days.Brown Knoll 15/11/2023
Jacobs Ladder 15/11/2023
I parked at Barber Booth lower car park and followed the lane up to join the Pennine Way as it made it way out to and up Jacobs Ladder. At the top, my path went left to Brown Knoll (569m) and then over to Lords Seat (540m). The weather was dreadful and my waterproofs let me down somewhat. My first stop was at the base of Mam Tor for a drink, but it was too cold to linger long. From there, a good path led me down to Edale where the call of the Ramblers Inn was too much to resist. A warming coffee and I was off for the last two miles following the Pennine Bar to Upper Booth, then retracing my steps down to the car. It rained all day and was seriously cold!Goyt Valley 14/11/2023
Goyt Valley 14/11/2023
A day in the Goyt Valley today. I parked up in the Goyt Lane Car Park just out of Buxton and headed cross country to Shining Tor (559m), a Marilyn, then along the ridge to Cats Tor (519m), not a Marilyn. The original plan was a walk over to Black Edge but due to a combination of weather, general fatigue and apathy, I changed it to a route through the woods, via Erwood Reservoir and back to the car. It was still around ten miles so happy with that.Peak District Week 13/11/2023
Day one in the Peak District saw me climbing a 500 metre peak - Roaches (505m) and bagging another Marilyn - Gun (385m). The day was super windy with Storm Debi making its presence known. The walking was good on reasonable paths and for such relatively lowly hills, they tested the legs at times. I parked just below the Roaches ridge, bagged that, then it was a circular walk with a spur to reach Gun. The return was more or less straight back. 14km walked with a very reasonable 784m of ascent.Hampshire completed 10/11/2023
It was not too difficult to bag all the peaks in Hampshire, there is only one! Butser Hill at 270m fell easily, although it is a really nice climb and does test the legs a little. The view from the top is well worth the effort, being able to see over the Solent to the Isle of Wight. A convenient car park in the Queen Elizabeth Park makes a good starting point.New Marilyn bags 09/11/2023
I had a trip down to Sussex planned and checking on my Marilyn list, discovered three en-route, so made a plan to visit them all. In order of ascent, I bagged Walbury Hill (297m), Black Down (280m) and Chanctonbury Ring (240m). All of them were really nice walks of around 5km for each one.Marilyns 08/11/2023
Having discovered Marilyns as a new challenge, I have created a database of them all and set about recording the dates of ascent. Many of the Nuttalls are also Marilyns and vice versa so there is some overlap, but there are equally many Marilyns that fall short (far short in some cases) of the mountain definition of being over 2,000 feet. Have a look at the Logbooks section to see the various lists. It does mean of course, that I can bag summits without recourse to vast distances and it seems that there are Marilyns in most counties of the UK, so I do not have to always travel North.Scotland Winter Summits 23/10/2023
Super excited to have booked my next big adventure, a week of Winter Summits in Scotland. It is not until February 2024 but something to look forward to. I might even bag a few Nuttalls on the way up and back, now that would be an adventure to write home about.Peak District 22/10/2023
I have booked a weeks walking in the Peak District. It will be mostly my favourite routes, but I will also be including a few peaks that fall into the 500 metre range and a couple that are declared as Marilyns so more ticks in more boxes in my various books and lists!Cleveland Way 28/09/2023
Cleveland Way taster 28/09/2023
A walk from Scarborough to Filey and beyond on what is both the Cleveland Way and the English Coastal path. The Cleveland Way ends at Filey and the path then becomes the Yorkshire Wolds Way! Nice walking on good paths, muddy at times and some steep descents to and ascents from beaches but all were short lived. A nice walk to end a weeks holiday in the area.Yorkshire Moors 24/09/2023
Simon Howe 24/09/2023
Moors meander 24/09/2023
Goathland makes an excellent starting point for a walk on the moors. I headed off to Simon Howe via Two Howes. The weather was okay and it was clear enough to see the Howe from some distance but the path was a good one. Arriving at the Howe, it started raining so I put on my waterproofs, picked up the Lyke Wake walk which I followed past Wheeldale Lodge, a Youth Hostel back in the day and now a private residence. Continuing on I headed out to a road which I followed for a short distance before heading down a forest track. It was about lunchtime so I stopped for food and a rest. After lunch it was uphill along a forest fence to the top but there was no ongoing path so I quickly abandoned hope and headed over towards the same road. It became extremely hard going with waist high heather, deteriorating into head high ferns. Eventually I found my way out and onto the road. A little way up and I headed across the moor on a good path. Finally I felt warm and dry enough to remove my waterproofs, then followed the path which bought me to Beck Hole. From there, I followed the old railway line back to Goathland. Unfortunately it was uphill all the way back to the village, but I did pop out at the cafe so stopped for coffee and cake before walking the final mile back to the car.Looking back to Flamborough 23/09/2023
Yorkshire coastal walk 23/09/2023
Flamborough Head to just South of Filey on the English Coastal Path. Very pleasant walk on a mostly good path following the cliffs until dropping steeply down onto the beach for the last 1 1/2 miles. Good weather with a little drizzle. It could be considered to be a pre-cursor to the Cleveland Way which starts a little further up in Filey.Mount Ararat 09/09/2023
Mount Ararat Descending 09/09/2023
Camp 1 down to the trail head was an easy walk, taking around two hours to complete. It was dustier than I remember coming up. We had done it, the mountain was conquered!Mount Ararat Summit Day 08/09/2023
After a break at Camp 2 we continued the descent to Camp 1 which would be our overnight stop, taking just 1 1/2 hours. Going down was not as tough as I had expected but even so, tired legs were pleased to see the Camp site.Mount Ararat Summit Day 08/09/2023
Mount Ararat Summit Day 08/09/2023
A very early start at 2:30am, we headed out in the dark upwards towards the summit. It was cold, but not very cold which was good. As we gained height, so the hypoxia set in which of course let to slight hypothermia requiring extra layers and extra gloves. As we approached the glacier I began to feel the effects of the altitude and began to struggle a little. We had a good rest whilst putting on our crampons which gave me time to recover, but the last 30 minutes was still hard work. We reached the 5,137m summit around 7:30am and stayed for around 20 minutes followed by a 2 1/2 hour descent to Camp 2.Mount Ararat Summit Day 08/09/2023
Mount Ararat Day 2-Camp 1 to 2 07/09/2023
Mount Ararat Day 2-Camp 1 to 2 07/09/2023
Camp 1 to Camp 2 is straight up on dusty slippy ground. The path zig-zags ever upwards with the high camp in sight for most of the climb, but never seeming to get closer. Camp 2 itself, at 4,200 metres is far more basic than Camp 1 and the tents pitched on tiny shelves using rocks instead of tent pegs. Movement around the camp is difficult due to most of it being on a slope with rocks forever giving way and slipping down towards other tents.Mount Ararat, Camp 1 06/09/2023
Mount Ararat Day 1 06/09/2023
Day 1. We were driven from the hotel to the trail head where we disembarked and began the walk into Camp 1, the base camp for the ascent. It is only 8km to the camp, starting on relatively easy open ground on a good path, but as soon as the climbing begins, the path becomes extremely dusty and slippy. There is an ascent of just over 1,100 metres, ending the day at 3,200 metres above sea level. No altitude related effects were noticed.Mount Ararat Day 1 06/09/2023
Mount Artos, Turkey 04/09/2023
Mount Artos, Turkey 04/09/2023
The expedition is on! Mount Ararat cannot simply be climbed, it is too high for that and so as an acclimatisation climb, we ascended Mount Artos near Van in Turkey. It is 3,550m high rising above Lake Van. It is a steady walk for the first section on a good track, then steepens on scrub up to the ridge before the final rocky ridge to the summit. Our day was perfect with excellent views all around. The effects of altitude were apparent but as we descended they soon cleared.Mount Artos Turkey 04/09/2023
Mount Ararat 31/08/2023
Super excited to be organising my final packing for the trip to Turkey to climb Mount Ararat. At just over 5,100 metres it is the highest in Turkey. For acclimatisation we also climb Artos which is a 3,550 metre peak. The itinerary is on the Previous Expeditions page and a full report will be there when I return.Pen y Castell - Wales done 17/08/2023
Wales completed 17/08/2023
With todays bag of peaks I finished the entire Welsh Nuttalls. The last two were Tal y Fan (610m) and Pen y Castell (623m) but I also did Foel Lwyd (603m), Carnedd y Ddelw (688m) and Y Drum (770m) on the way. My good friend Ken came along as companion and guide which meant I barely had to look at the map all day.Helgi Du and Llithrig wrach 16/08/2023
Carneddau, the big day 16/08/2023
Today was the big peak bagging of the week with no fewer than six peaks; Craig Eigiau (735m), Pen Yr Helgi Du (833m), Pen Llithrig-y-wrach (799m), Craiglwyn (623m), Craigiau Gleison (678m), Pen Cowlyd (634m). They did not yield easily, with very few paths and seriously tough going combined with some steep climbs made for an exhausting day, but there are just two peaks plus one downgraded peak to go until I complete every mountain in Wales and join the Nuttalls Club! Bring on tomorrow.North Wales final 15/08/2023
The final attack on the remaining mountains of Wales got off to a good start with Gyrn Wigau (643m) and Foel Meirch (800m) falling. The weather tried to stop me with heavy rain in the morning, that failed, then the terrain tried to stop me with an uncrossable river, but I beat that. My overall total reached 400 today and 106 for 2023. Very happy with that.Shropshire Way stages 4 and 5 12/08/2023
Stages 5 (Ludlow to Craven Arms) and 4 (Craven Arms to Clun) of the Shropshire Way. The official guide numbers these but for practical purposes I did them in reverse. I doubt anyone cares! The route is fairly well signposted but I found having the OS Maps app invaluable in avoiding missing turns, especially as I did the walk in the summer when the undergrowth is such that signs can easily be missed. Shropshire Way 11/08/2023
Looking for the next great challenge, I came across the Shropshire Way. It runs for 200 miles or so around Shropshire (oddly enough) so I have decided to do a section to see what I think. It is ambitious being from Ludlow to Clun via Craven Arms. It covers two stages of the walk and is around 20 miles. To be on the safe side, I have pre-planned several pick up locations along the route.North Wales beckons 20/07/2023
And on to the next trip. I have not been to Wales all year which is somewhat unusual so will be setting that straight in August. I have a plan to complete all of the remaining unclimbed mountains in Wales which will be a great achievement and allow me to join the Nuttalls Welsh Completers Club, the first step on the ladder of completions.A great weeks walking 16/07/2023
Twenty two mountains climbed, 126km walked and just under 6,000 metres of ascent. Impressive by any standards. It brings my total mountains to just under 400 and the total for this year to 104 and it is only July!Back to the Lakes 15/07/2023
A final visit back to the Lakes to climb Birkhouse Moor (718m) and Sheffield Pike (675m) via Red Tarn. The weather was probably the worst of the week and I nearly did not bother but of course pig-headed determination won the day! Actually, I am glad I did it as it was enjoyable despite the weather and means I have completed all of he Helvellyn group of mountains now.Final day in the Alston area 14/07/2023
More ticks in the Cross Fell area box. Today I managed two walks with two peaks on each, they were; Bellbeaver Rigg (620m), Viewing Hill (649m), Melmerby Fell (709m) and Fiends Fell (634m). Nice end to a good week in the area. The forecast for tomorrow is dreadful, my plan is a couple in the Helvellyn area but we will see...Walking in the Cross Fell area 13/07/2023
Across to Cross Fell 13/07/2023
Across to the Cross Fell area for the first time since I walked the Pennine Way. Three mountains bagged; Bullman Hills (610m), Long Man Hill (658m) and Round Hill (686m), bringing the total for the week to 15 and exceeding last years total. I am now on 98 peaks for the year with just 51 remaining.Killhope Law Summit 12/07/2023
Renwick Fell 12/07/2023
More in Burnhope Seat 12/07/2023
The Burnhope Seat area is most definitely not for the feint hearted! There are few footpaths which is probably testament to the lack of popularity of the mountains. Today I climbed The Dodd (614m), Killhope Law (673m) and then drove over to Renwick to tackle Thack Moor (610m). A good day out but atrocious weather with heavy rain showers all day.Burnhope Seat plus 11/07/2023
Burnhope Seat is a difficult area, there are few paths, lots of soft ground and too many peat groughs, making going tough. Even so I managed five peaks on one walk; Dead Stones (710m), Burnhope Seat (747m), Redgleam (718m), High Field (708m), Three Pikes (651m) then went for a restorative coffee and teacake, then bagged Flinty Fell (614m) on the way back. A good day out, the weather was not kind and I was in waterproofs for most of the day, but it is done!High Street done 10/07/2023
The final peaks in the High Street Group went today; Place Fell (657m), Gray Crag (710m), Stony Cove Pike (763m), Hartsop Dodd (618m). 20km of walking, initially dry, then light showers and windy in the afternoon. Just managed to finish before the major rain of the day arrived.and another trip 25/06/2023
Just back from a successfull tour of Yorkshire and I am already planning the next one. All being well, another big bag of mountains, 19 in all will be attempted. Keep watching for news! With just 66 left, it will knock a big hole and bring this years total to over 100 peaks!Cautley Spout 23/06/2023
Cautley Spout Stroll 23/06/2023
To round off another week of peak bagging, I decided to have an easy walk along the River Rawthey to Cautley Spout, claiming to be the highest waterfall in England it is an impressive sight, visible from some distance it towers above the path when close by. For a coffee afterwards I went to the Cross Keys. Unable to resist a scone as well, it made a fine reward to end a great week of walking in this part of Yorkshire.Ascent of Rogans Seat 22/06/2023
Final peaks of Great Shunner 22/06/2023
The two remaining peaks of the Great Shunner Fell region were dispatched with ease on a glorious day. The paths were good and easy to follow, the sun shone with a gentle breeze to avoid overheating. What is not to love about mountaineering? Final peaks of Ingleborough 21/06/2023
The final two peaks in the Ingleborough Group were dispatched on a fine Yorkshire Day. They were Dodd Fell Hill (668m) and Drumaldrace (614m). This brings the years total to 81 and just 68 to go to finish them all. The end is in sight!Summit of Tarn Crag 19/06/2023
Lake District - a wet start 19/06/2023
Day 1 of the latest trip started off very wet so full waterproofs were needed. The day saw me ascend six peaks; Branstree (713m), Tarn Crag (664m), Grey Crag (638m), Harrop Pike (637m), Nowtli Hill (673m), Selside Pike (655m). Mostly on good paths but between Harrop Pike and Nowtli Hill it was cross country with no paths and tough going.Northumberland 06/06/2023
Heading back up to Northumberland in a few weeks time to continue the assault on the mountains in that region. There are plenty to go at and unfortunately well spaced out so the bag will not be as big as it has been on previous trips but that is the nature of the game.
Walking
From single day to several weeks, I have walked many of Britains long distance footpaths. Below are some of the more well-known routes.
| Route | Distance | Description |
|---|
Shropshire Way
(August 2023 onwards) | 200 miles | Figure of eight centred on Shrewsbury. |
Hadrians Wall
(April 2023) | 90 miles | From Bowness to Newcastle. |
Wysis Way
(April 2022) | 55 miles | From the Wye to the source of the Thames. |
St Kenelms Way
(March 2022) | 52 miles | Clent Hills to Winchcombe. |
The Ridgeway
(September 2019) | 87 miles | Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon. |
Three Choirs Way
(March 2019) | 100 miles | Gloucester to Hereford to Worcester to Gloucester. |
Gloucestershire Way
(December 2018) | 100 miles | From Chepstow to Tewkesbury. |
Severn Way
(August 2018) | 210 miles | Following the River Severn. |
Winchcombe Way
(May 2013) | 42 miles | Around the Cotswolds. |
Limestone Way
(December 2012) | 60 miles | Rocester to Castleton in Derbyshire. |
Welsh 3000s
(July 2000) | 28 miles | All 3,000' mountains. |
Worcestershire Way
(July 1992, August 1992 and August 2004) | 38 miles | Wyre Forest to Malverns. |
Cotswold Way
(August 1991) | 96 miles | Bath to Chipping Campden. |
Coast to Coast
(August 1990) | 192 miles | Robin Hoods Bay, Yorkshire to St Bees in Cumbria. |
6 Shropshire Peaks
(July 1990 and April 1992) | 40 miles | East to West Shropshire. |
Lyke Wake Walk
(July 1983) | 40 miles | Yorkshire Moors. |
Offas Dyke
(July 1980) | 180 miles | Length of the Welsh Border. |
Pennine Way
(August 1977) | 270 miles | Edale to Kirk Yetholm (Scotland). |
Rock Climbing
Some years ago, I qualified as an SPA Instructor, and whilst it has probably lapsed due to inactivity, I have fond memories of rock climbing in many areas of the UK & abroad, particularly at Symonds Yat, North Wales, the Peak District, Mid-Wales, Cornwall & Scotland. I have many hundreds of logged climbs in my log book and during my time, have climbed many more than I have recorded.
Mountaineering
There are many beautiful mountain ranges in the world, many within easy reach of the UK. I am fortunate to have been to a large number of them. Below are the best.
| Mountain (Range) | Description |
|---|
Mount Ararat
(September 2023) | The Highest Mountain in Turkey 5,137m. |
|
Elbrus
(August 2019) | The Highest Mountain in Europe 5,642m. |
|
Nepal
(October 2018) | Trekking in the Himalaya to a maximum of 5,643m. |
|
Kilimanjaro
(September 2017) | The highest mountain on the continent of Africa at 5,895m. |
Teide, Tenerife
(April 2015) | Highest Mountain in Spain (Tenerife) at 3,718m. |
|
Alesch Glacier
(August 2001) | Including the Hexenstein in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. |
|
Aconcagua
(January 2001) | Highest Mountain in South America at 6,960m. |
|
Dolomites
(August 2000) | Northern Italys' most famous range. |
|
Matterhorn
(August 1997) | Most famous Mountain in Switzerland at 4,405m. |
|
Mont Blanc
(September 1995) | Highest Mountain in Western Europe at 4,807m. |
|
