Category Archives: Articles

1976 The Munro’s – 46 years on. A few thoughts.

Posted on November 27, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

Munros- 46 years on. Big changes but still a great way to get to know Scotland. In my early wa liking days the Munro’s was a huge ambition. I completed them in 27 Mov 1976! It was recorded in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Munros, Well being | Leave a comment

Everest Classic – photo and memories of the Fox of Glencoe.

Posted on November 25, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

I always thought that this was an outstanding photo of Hamish McInness stretcher being used on Everest in the Western CYM. ‘The photo was taken by my pal Terry Moore in 1992 . Typically Terry understated the effort “ Twas … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Rock Climbing, SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Well being | Leave a comment

Cranstakie and Beinn Spionnaidh and the Mosquito crash.

Posted on November 20, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

These are Twin Corbetts rising East of the A838 road from Rhiconich to Durness. The most Northerly Corbett is Beinn Spionnaidh. These are two Corbetts I never appreciated in my youth. There a long way North to these hills. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Books, Corbetts, Corbetts and other hills, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides | Leave a comment

Remembrance Week – The Beinn Eighe Lancaster. March 1951.

Posted on November 11, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

IN THE MEMORY OF THE CREW OF LANCASTER TX264 Its 70 years since the crash of the Lancaster on Beinn Eighe. I was told of the story often and visited the site on many occasions. It is a situated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Books, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Scottish winter climbing., SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | 4 Comments

1978 – Early days at RAF Buchan plus two big call-outs on Colonsay and Braeriach.

Posted on November 2, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

Few folk will know I was posted to RAF Buchan near Peterhead after getting promoted to Corporal in 1978. It was a small station but very important part of the Cold War. Even though it broke my heart to leave … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Avalanche info, Equipment, Family, Friends, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

1977 – The Call-outs keep coming : Liathach, Loch Avon, Ben Nevis and Ben Dorian. A winter traverse West to East of Scotland

Posted on October 30, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

I remember some of these incidents wee. The incident on Liathach in Torridon was when a young ATC cadet fell from the Pinnacles. He was a young ATC guest who was put with the team. Liathach was snow covered and … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

1976 – Things move on: Becoming a Party leader and planning a Big Walk – North to South Scotland.

Posted on October 25, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

I had been back in the team for a year now was fully trained and hoping for my party leader. This had been a long journey for me it took me for what seemed years to prove myself. I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Friends, Gear, Health, Hill running and huge days!, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 2 Comments

1975 Sept – A big lower in Skye on Sgurr MhicConnich

Posted on October 22, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

In the RAF Kinloss MRT wE had practiced for big stretcher lowers during our training crag day. Yet apart from a lower with Lochaber MRT in Zero gully on Ben Nevis my knowledge was pretty scant. On the Ben even … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Gear, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Views Mountaineering, Weather | Leave a comment

Summary of my first three years incidents with RAF Kinloss MRT.

Posted on October 21, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

Above is the call outs attended by the Kinloss team in 1972. All apart from 1 we’re for missing walkers or climbers. The other was an aircraft crash near Kintail. As the reader can see they incidents were all over … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, History, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Munros, Other hills Grahams & Donalds, People, Scottish winter climbing., SMC/SMT, Well being | Leave a comment

The mountaineering obsession begins !

Posted on October 20, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

It was all action on my first two years at Kinloss Mountain Rescue from 1972 – 74 . Every weekend was spent away with the team. I visited so many places all over Scotland. I hardly went home as I … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Bothies, Enviroment, Equipment, Family, Friends, Hill running and huge days!, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment