Category Archives: Articles

Self Reliance ( meaning “reliance on one’s own powers and resources rather than those of others”) on the mountains a few thoughts.

Posted on October 15, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

It is what many of us call this is the “silly season” it’s already started in my mind. The daylight hours are now shortening and the weather changing. Mountain Rescue Teams are getting busy as the weather, daylight catch folk … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Enviroment, Equipment, Gear, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Munros, Recomended books and Guides, Scottish winter climbing., SMC/SMT, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | 5 Comments

The point of Training hard for the worst that the weather can do on the mountains.

Posted on October 12, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

I have written a few blogs recently about mistakes I made on the hill. The point I wanted to make was to show how little things can escalated and can turn into an epic . I spoke to Dan Carrol … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 3 Comments

A new book on the way from the Scottish Mountaineering Trust on Tom Patey .

Posted on September 29, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

From the Scottish Mountaineering Trust “Tom Patey is a Scottish climbing legend who needs no introduction. His climbing escapades, evening antics and desire for adventure combine to produce a character unlike any other in our country’s climbing history. We are … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides, SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering | Leave a comment

The Torridon hills some memories.

Posted on September 28, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

The other day I was up a lovely wee hill An – Ruadh Meallean near Torridon that gave me a great view of the West side of the Torridon Munro Beinn Alligin. I have done several big call outs on … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Avalanche info, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

Are you ready for the change to winter?

Posted on September 23, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Hopefully we have still got some summer left but I have not been out for a while but heading West this weekend. So I had a look at my kit. My summer bag was light. I have added some more … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Avalanche info, Enviroment, Equipment, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

Podcast on Beinn Eighe about 30 min in from Joss Goslings Diary / on Radio Scotland – Scotland Outdoors sept 4 th!

Posted on September 4, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Yesterday the Scotland Outdoors programme did a piece from Joss Gosling’s diary. It was I thought a great tribute to Joss Gosling and the Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team in 1951. The link is below : https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scotland-outdoors/id261779480?i=1000534293033 It was wonderful to … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Well being | Leave a comment

A Classic Climb Greag Dubh Wall – Tremadoc North Wales.

Posted on September 3, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

I located a photo with great memories of my time in North Wales. I loved climbing there and we often went to Tremadoc which seemed to hold the good weather. It was also a roadside crag( no long Scottish walks … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides, Views Mountaineering, Well being | 2 Comments

Time to check your gear for winter?

Posted on September 2, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

The picture was taken in 1972 after I had been in the RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team for a few months. I had just done my first winter. That was some introduction for a 7 stone wee lad . Every … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Equipment, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | Leave a comment

Wreckers Slab – from the words of babes ?

Posted on August 29, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

My mate Pete Greening wrote this “While on holiday in Cornwall in Aug 2013 David Whalley (Heavy) enters into the spirit of things by doing his best impression of climber/surfer/visionary/Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, during an ascent of Wrecker’s Slab” I … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Book, Family, Friends, Gear, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Rock Climbing, Views Mountaineering, Well being | Leave a comment

Sea King Helicopter Memories.

Posted on August 25, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

My first memory of the. Seaking was getting dropped of on Ben a Bhuird for winter climbing in the late 70’s. After being so used to the Wessex it was so big and we could get many more on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Islands, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 1 Comment