They're all nuts these Munro obsessives. Especially Durham ones.

Great photo by Justin Cormack. This bloke could easily be from Durham. flickr justin cormack link


I asked Graeme what he did in the week he spent at the cottage in November. I tell you the weather was foul, and Graeme was on his own. Are the wiry tyros from Durham particularly obsessed? Yes, I speak from experience.
60 years ago my sport  was rock climbing - our heroes then were names like Joe Brown, Don Whillans, about five years older than me. And who were the little beggars who were out first, out in all conditions, bad weather, what weather? Pitons, what are pitons? Overhangs, why are they a problem? Nerves? Tell me about those. They all seemed to come from Durham University. Graeme lives in Durham, so he's got to be one of them.  
Graeme, if you get any more of your pals who want to go climbing in the winter, tell them to come to us. We give you £200 off, for skiers, photographers and climbers in the winter.
Here is Graeme's initial report. He only managed 7 Munros! Only! He got stuck in the snow - where? In the flattest, most low lying country in Europe. I tell you, nuttiness surrounds these lads. 

Hi John

Everything was great, only managed 7 munros due to conditions slowing the pace and some dubious conditions underfoot but all good. I have just returned from Holland after a 2 day business trip turned into 3 with a seventeen hour delay and a drive to Manchester in blizzard conditions and a drive back today in temps. down to –11!!! 

I have a Christmas doo to organize for a few of us in a bothy in the Pennines for tomorrow night, 4 mile walk with backs of logs and supplies however at the moment the A66 (our route there) is closed with the snow, we have about 18” here.

After this I am flat out until Christmas at work as we just about have the construction site held up. So I intend to pull something together for you but at the moment it isn’t very near the top of a substantial list! To be honest it will probably be over Christmas when I get chance.

Hope this is OK

Graeme, this is more than ok. Thanks. Send another when you have the time. You deserve to be famous - a lot of people read this blog.

John

HISTORY PAGES.
The story they don't tell you about the Glencoe Massacre
History around the cottage in Appin
Did the Vikings stage a battle in Glencoe?
The Pictish broch in Lismore
West of Scotland millions of years ago
Robert the Bruce and the Ardchattan parliament
Robert the Bruce and the Knights Templar
The story of the MacDonalds of Glencoe
Ancient roads of the Highlands
Glencoe, the 4th Wonder of Scotland
Castles in the Glencoe area

GLENCOE OUTDOORS
The best walks in Glencoe
Ben Nevis, go climb it
Munros are over 3,000 feet
Some Munros are easy
Glencoe rock climbing
Skiing in Glencoe is excellent again
New cycle tracks around Glencoe
There are lovely beaches and bays around Glencoe
Accommodation Fort William
Golf on the West coast
Tour the Highlands
You can cruise the West coast

BLOGS
Travellers Tales from the highlands of Scotland
Find your ideal holiday cottage anywhere
The most beautiful photographs of Glencoe
The achingly beautiful area of Appin, Scotland
Special offers for self catering in Scotland

COTTAGE ATTRACTIONS
Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland
Last minute, late availability Glencoe, self catering cottage
20 brilliant walks around our cottage area
Easy hill walks in Glencoe
Why not walk up Ben Nevis one day?
Easier Munroe walks in Glencoe
Skiing Glencoe and Nevis range, cottage is midway between the two
Video. Skiing on Glencoe mountain
Weather in the West of Scotland
Rock and Ice climbing in Glencoe
Cycling and fishing Glencoe
Spectacular wild life around our cottage
Golf in the Highlands, Dragons tooth golf course, Glencoe
Cruising the islands, using Glencoe as a base
Safe, beautiful beaches and bays in Glencoe area
Touring the Highlands by car from Glencoe,
Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe
Winter breaks, Jan Feb March in the cottage
Autumn breaks November December in the cottage
Our new Appin blog site

FOR LASTMINUTE BOOKINGS

Short breaks in Scotland, Last minute cottage holidays Scotland, Autumn, Winter, Spring
Weather month by month Scotland summer
Weather month by month Scotland Autumn
Weather in Scotland Winter, month by month
Misunderstandings about Scotland's weather
Scotland's rain
Advice on driving in Scotland. Several Scotland driving pages are linked to this.
Honeymoon cottages in Scotland
Scotland for Christmas and New Year
The unofficial Scottish tourist Board
Cottages in Scotland permitting smoking
Cottages in Scotland welcoming pets

FOR WEST OF SCOTLAND SITE

Holiday accommodation, B&Bs, hotels in the West of Scotland
Holiday accommodation, B&Bs, hotels in Oban
Holiday accommodation, B&Bs, hotels in Glencoe
Holiday accommodation, B&Bs, hotels in Fort William
Holiday accommodation, B&Bs, hotels in the far West of Scotland
Holiday accommodation, B&Bs, hotels in Appin
Port Appin and Lismore B&Bs
Barcaldine B&Bs and hotels
Duror b&bs
Kentallen b&bs
Ballachulish b&bs
Onich b&bs
How to find cottage owners self catering websites

Wonderful new social network site for Glencoe

Wherever climbers meet around the world, in the Himalayas, the Andes, the Alps, The Rockies, the Cuillins, or at Napes Needle, sooner or later the conversation will get around to the climbs in Glencoe. Shortly afterwards they'll agree to meet together next time in Glencoe in the Climbers Bar of the Clachaig Inn.

Yes, the Clachaig is that famous, all around the world. There is nowhere else like it.

Now there is a fresh burst of life there. Ed Daynes runs it and has got Glencoe and Ballachulish into the 21st century. With encouragement from David at Crafts and Things he has set up an excellent and simple service whereby if someone has an accommodation enquiry when they are already booked, then it is passed around by e-mail and someone with a vacancy picks it up.

Everyone wins.

Now Ed has gone one stage farther. Acquiring technical skills that are well beyond the range of normal humans, he has set up a "social networking" website for Glencoe. Like YouTube, Twitter and the rest, the site enbables anyone with an interest in Glencoe to post messages or photographs, or videos, and to add comments to others' postings.

Here is the site.
The Glencoe network site

There are some splendid people in this world. Thanks Ed.

John

3 dates available still for Glencoe cottage

30th May, 6th June, 27th June are available, very pretty cottage sleeps 4

This is the view over the bay in Loch Linnhe from the front room of our cottage in Appin, near Glencoe.

The Glen itself is wondrous, quite spectacular; the finest in Scotland - well, we think so. The peaks rise up either side from sea level to nearly 4,000 feet.

Everywhere you look the scenery is wonderful.

But all the stories of this land are epic as well. The MacDonalds of Glencoe are world famous as the victims of the tragic, viscious and clumsy attempt to exterminate them in 1692.

But Appin, here by the cottage, is renowed as the home of the Stewart Clan. The Stewarts provided the great line of British Kings and Queens, from Mary Queen of Scots to Queen Anne, to the fated king, Charles 1st.

We've got the romantic Stalker Castle just down the road from our cottage to prove it, the second most photographed castle in Scotland. One of the Scottish Kings, rather a good one, actually, stayed in the castle a few centuries ago.

But we have modern amenities as well. 400 yards away, within walking distance so you don't need to bother how much you drink before going home, is the Holly Tree Hotel. They've put in an indoor swimming pool, which can be used by folks who dine with them. The dining is top class, and you will get change from £10 from their bar meal dishes.

Here is the photograph of the outlook from their dining room and bar window.

We have three dates available for renting the cottage before the Summer holidays being to fill up the place.

The cottage sleeps 4 people, in the 2 bedrooms, has all mod cons, has been fully refurbished in the past two years. We are a tiny bit proud of the job they've done on the new kitchen, and on the new bathroom.

The dates available are 30th May at £395 less the £20 discount for the credit crunch; the 6th June at £450 less the same discount and June 27th at £495 less the same discount.

If you fancy it then look first at the website, check the availability page because the dates do fill up at the last minute and the one you want might not be free.
Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland

John

Here are some other links to local pages of interest, the first being our availability page
Last minute, late availability Glencoe, self catering cottage
Spring breaks, March April May Glencoe
Weather in the mountains of Glencoe
Weather month by month in the area
Skiing in Glencoe
New website to help find holiday accommodation in the West Coast, Oban and Fort William areas
Tourist and visitor information, this is the biggest Glencoe information site, hotel and cottage accommodation
Events in Glencoe Appin Lochaber Oban and Ballachulish
Last minute, short breaks, in Scotland, owners sites direct
Find the best Scottish holiday cottages on the internet
Cut the costs of your holidays

Mountain lectures Glencoe start

Thought some of you would be interested in these free Clachaig lectures.

Tuesdays, 8.00, February until mid March.

The Clachaig, at the end of the Old Road, Glencoe, (through the woods) has the best and most framous climbers bar in the world. Everyone in climbing ends up in this bar sooner or later.

Good for a bar meal as well.

Recommended.

John

John
Lochside cottage near Glencoe in the Highlands of Scotland
Weather in the mountains of Glencoe
Weather month by month in the area
Skiing in Glencoe
New website to help find holiday accommodation in the West Coast, Oban and Fort William areas
Tourist and visitor information, this is the biggest Glencoe information site, hotel and cottage accommodation
Events in Glencoe Appin Lochaber Oban and Ballachulish
Last minute, short breaks, in Scotland, owners sites direct
Find the best Scottish holiday cottages on the internet
Cut the costs of your holidays
Cheap travel in scotland
Scotlands weather misconceptions
Rain in scotland
Summer weather in Scotland
Autumn weather in Scotland
Winter weather in Scotland
Spring weather in Scotland
Facts about self catering holidays
Advice on driving in Scotland
The Demand A82 upgrade campaign site