Category Archives: Gear

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

Windy walk at times on An Ruadh – Mheallan the Little Red Hill ( A Graham near Beinn Alligin

Posted on September 27, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

The plan was to climb Beinn Alligin at Torridon but the winds were forecast pretty high. So we opted for a pathless Graham opposite the big Munro . From it you can see a another side of the Munro Beinn … Continue reading →

Posted in Avalanche info, Corbetts and other hills, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Munros, Other hills Grahams & Donalds, People, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | 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

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

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

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

Enjoy the Outdoors more make it a family affair! More great advice from Mountaineering Scotland

Posted on August 7, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

I have always tried to encourage young people and families to get out on the hills and wild places. I was lucky as I was introduced at an early age by my parents . We had great holidays and adventures … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Corbetts and other hills, Family, Friends, Gear, Mountaineering, People, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | 2 Comments

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

Slowing down? It means more time to look around away from the hills. A visit to “Ring of Bright Water country” to ease the legs. Ticks be aware !

Posted on June 30, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

I find nowadays that after a day on the hill I enjoy a “recovery wander” in the local area if I am away from home. I was at Arnisdale this weekend on Beinn Sgreathill and we had to be in … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Books, Enviroment, Friends, Gear, Islands, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Plants, Well being, Wildlife | 3 Comments

A bothy tale – Early winter Dec 1978 – The Mamores and an encounter at Meannanach bothy.

Posted on June 8, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

We were on our first winter traverse West to East of Scotland. We had done a North to South a year earlier and John Hinde one of our mentors had said “if you think your fit try one unsupported in … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Bothies, Friends, Gear, Hill running and huge days!, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Views Mountaineering, Well being | Leave a comment