Category Archives: Recomended books and Guides

Pete McGowan – another character of the hills. RAF Mountain Rescue, Mount Kenya and Dhaulagiri 1V.

Posted on January 28, 2023 by heavywhalley.MBE

Pete McGowan was an ex RAF MRT team leader. Pete was an amazing guy and he sorted out the “RAF Kinloss Team ” in the mid 70’s. What a leader and some task master, he was known throughout Mountain Rescue … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Friends, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Scottish winter climbing., SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

A few memories good & bad of snow holing.

Posted on January 8, 2023 by heavywhalley.MBE

A pal asked me recently if when I am feeling better would fancy going snow holing this winter? It brought back so many memories some good some bad of some wild nights in the Cairngorms and Ben Nevis. In those … Continue reading →

Posted in Avalanche info, Equipment, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 2 Comments

Over in the beautiful West Coast.

Posted on January 1, 2023 by heavywhalley.MBE

The weather has improved from the wet and windy weather on the drive over. We had a couple of lovely low level walls round the Coast surrounded by Loch Torridon . Ben Alligin was looking spectacular snow covered and looking … Continue reading →

Posted in mountain safety, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 2 Comments

Clothes maketh not the man or woman.

Posted on December 28, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

I got asked on a few occasions when asked what was the Corporate issue to the RAF Mountain Rescue Teams. This was from a few filmmakers who were reacting a few Call-outs. They were amazed that most folk wore their … Continue reading →

Posted in Equipment, Gear, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Views Mountaineering, Well being | Leave a comment

Tom Patey Ones Man’s Legacy – a review from “All things Cuillin” by Adrain Trednall.

Posted on December 22, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

Tom Patey One Man’s Legacy – Tom Patey has always been a hero of mine. I was brought into mountaineering with folk who knew and climbed with him. The stories of his climbs and escapades are incredible. During my mountaineering … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Equipment, Mountaineering, Recomended books and Guides, Rock Climbing, Scottish winter climbing., SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Well being | 2 Comments

Today is the Lockerbie Anniversary Disaster Tragedy. A hard day for many. Help is out there #itsgoodtotalk

Posted on December 20, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

It’s been a difficult year for me a lot of medical problems and very hard at times controlling the “Black Dog”is always there. Today is a huge day in my life it is the Anniversary of the Lockerbie Disaster in … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Family, Friends, Lockerbie, Media, Mountaineering, People, PTSD, Recomended books and Guides, Views Political?, Well being | 4 Comments

The Grahams and the Donalds.

Posted on December 4, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

Following on from the Scottish Mountaineering Club’s best-sellers, The Munros and The Corbetts, this definitive guidebook recommends the best journeys on the next principal listings of Scottish hills. Written and compiled by some of the foremost authorities on the Scottish mountains and brought … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Corbetts and other hills, Mountaineering, Other hills Grahams & Donalds, Recomended books and Guides, SMC/SMT, Views Mountaineering, Well being | 1 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

Ben Loyal – 764 metres and an epic rescue after a plane crash of a Handley Page Hampden.

Posted on November 20, 2022 by heavywhalley.MBE

My first impression of Ben Loyal many years ago sometimes called the “Queen of Scotland” was so impressive. It was a Misty day and the hill emerged as the hill cleared. You can see this mountain from a long way … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Books, Corbetts and other hills, Friends, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, People, Recomended books and Guides, Rock Climbing, 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