Category Archives: Equipment

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

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

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

Part 2 – The Diary of Joss Gosling from the Lancaster Crash on Beinn Eighe in 1951.

Posted on August 19, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Joss’s Diary continued. 20 April 1951 The RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team left Kinloss for Kinlochewe to find the weather dull. Saturday 21 April – The weather was really fine it improved, not a cloud in the sky . Five … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Books, Enviroment, Equipment, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, PTSD, Recomended books and Guides, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

The Diary of Joss Gosling written in 1951 on the Beinn Eighe Crash. Part 1.

Posted on August 18, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

This was from a personal diary of Joss Gosling of the Beinn Eighe crash of the Lancaster aircraft that crashed in 1951. The Lancaster Crash on Beinn Eighe (A copy ) from the original diary of Joss Gosling who was … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Equipment, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Views Mountaineering | Leave a comment

Garbh Bhein – Ardgour a sad tale.

Posted on August 16, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

As a Mountain Rescue Team Leader the worst thing that could happen is a Team member being badly injured or killed. I will admit it worried me a lot during my years as Team Leader and as a Party Leader. … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Corbetts, Corbetts and other hills, Enviroment, Equipment, Gear, History, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, PTSD, Rock Climbing, Views Mountaineering, Well being | Leave a comment

Long Gone Ferries Ballahullish, Skye, Cape Wrath ! Any memories ?

Posted on August 13, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Ferry memories: One of the classics was The Old Skye Ferry before the Bridge was built. It used to take us over to Skye for training and for Call outs. In these days there was no Kessock bridge at Inverness. … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Enviroment, Equipment, Friends, History, Local area and events to see, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Sailing trips, Views Mountaineering | 4 Comments

Animal Rescues. Sheep at Applecross and the Bull on the Five Sisters ridge at Kintail.

Posted on August 12, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

My first animal rescue was around Applecross near the Cioch Nose where several sheep had got stuck on steep crags. Seemingly it was an annual event and a few of the Kinloss Team were sent up to help. As a … Continue reading →

Posted in Enviroment, Equipment, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Views Mountaineering, Wildlife | Leave a comment

More on Big Boots on climbs some of the comments received.

Posted on August 7, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

These are just a few comments of Climbing in Big Boots some classics : Mark Hartree – Had some fun days in big boots. Slabs in Wales, ridges in Scotland, sea cliffs on Anglesey. (Dream of White Horses in plastics) … Continue reading →

Posted in Enviroment, Equipment, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Rock Climbing, Views Mountaineering, Weather | Leave a comment

Hillwalking in the heat! Some tips.

Posted on July 17, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Over the years I was very lucky to learn about walking in the heat during my time in Desert Rescue in Masirah in the Persian Gulf. Nothing can compare with the Temperatures out there are incredible and it took a … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Enviroment, Equipment, Friends, Gear, Health, Hill running and huge days!, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Views Mountaineering, Weather | 2 Comments