Category Archives: Lockerbie

Old pals reunited .

Posted on July 15, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

It’s great to meet folk again ! Yesterday I met 3 old pals and had a cup of tea in Forres. Tom Taylor organised it as Bill Gault was up visiting with his wife Roberta. Bill was our Boss he … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Lockerbie, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Views Mountaineering, Views Political?, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

1988 Piper Alpha disaster.

Posted on July 6, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

I remember this tragedy with sadness as I knew one of those who died. Gareth Watkins’s was in the RAF Kinloss MRT with me in the 70’s. He was a lovely man and left the RAF to work in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Lockerbie, Mountaineering, People, Views Mountaineering, Views Political?, Well being | 2 Comments

Off to do a talk on “Well – Being”. A extremely important subject for all the emergency services .

Posted on March 3, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

I am off to chat to some Emergency Agencies on Well – Being. I hope a few will take away some tips on dealing with a subject not often spoken about being part of being in an Emergency Service. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Family, Friends, Health, Lockerbie, Media, Mountaineering, People | 4 Comments

Lockerbie another year on and the pain is still there.

Posted on December 21, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Today is the Anniversary of the Lockerbie Disaster in 1988. I was the Team Leader of the RAF Leuchars Mountain Rescue Team. My first stint as TeamLeader and I had a great young team. We were involved in so many … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Cycle to Syracuse Training, Lockerbie, Media, Mountaineering, People, PTSD, Well being | 6 Comments

Don’t get down – There’s lots of good news about. Cairngorm Mountain Rescue did a great job in wild weather and I had a visit from one of the Ladies of Lockerbie.

Posted on December 6, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Yesterday I had returned from a couple of days away at Achnasheen in a bothy. I was a bit down as I had hurt my leg falling in a big hole covered in fresh snow. I also had an upset … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Friends, Lockerbie, Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 2 Comments

The Stress bottle – before counselling?

Posted on July 6, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

Most years sadly we assisted many Mountain Rescue Teams with taking fatal casualties of the mountains. I do know it effected me over the years. Yet in these days it was just get on with it. At time’s despite your … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Articles, Friends, Lockerbie, medical, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, PTSD, Well being | 17 Comments

Beinn Eighe – early start to make the best of the weather. First Munro’s for a while ( over a year). A visit to the Lancaster crash in Corrie Mhic Fhearchair.

Posted on June 16, 2021 by heavywhalley.MBE

“Any chance of a day out on the hill” I get these questions now and again. I have a friend who joined the RAF Leuchars Mountain Rescue Team in the 80’s as a very young lad when I was Team … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Corbetts and other hills, Equipment, Flora, Friends, Hill running and huge days!, Lockerbie, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Munros, People, Poems, Recomended books and Guides, SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | Leave a comment

Willie Mac – Local boy retires a big thanks from RAF MR and your old mates.

Posted on April 9, 2020 by heavywhalley.MBE

I met Willie Mac as a young lad from Harris who joined the RAF Leuchars MRT, he was enticed to join by Stampy a tiger in his day. He worked in Workshops and had not long joined the RAF. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Bothies, Enviroment, Equipment, Expeditions - Alaska - Himalayas etc, Friends, Gear, Himalayas/ Everest, History, Lockerbie, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Munros, People, Rock Climbing, Views Mountaineering, Well being | 3 Comments

Kegworth – Aircrash- ” lest we forget.” Three weeks after Lockerbie in January 8 th 1989

Posted on January 9, 2020 by heavywhalley.MBE

A friend Steve Roberts wrote this and it worth remembering. Thank you Steve. “Deepest respect and condolences to the relatives of the Boeing passenger jet which went down in Iran. Yet we must not forget the Kegworth Air Disaster – … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Lockerbie, medical, PTSD, Well being | Leave a comment

Dog Tales – Part 7 Lockerbie.

Posted on January 3, 2020 by heavywhalley.MBE

Let me introduce myself: My name is Teallach I was a very soft Alsatian and I have been asked to write about my life in the mountains. I was very lucky to have spent all of my life on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Friends, Lockerbie, medical, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment