Category Archives: Weather

St Kilda – is this a Tragedy

Posted on May 16, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

I was sent this photo of St Kilda ( VIlage Bay. It was published by Bella Caledonia. “This image from St Kilda is soul-destroying. Late capitalism, over-tourism and climate catastrophe converge. I wrote about it last year: bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/09/16/cal…” National Trust … Continue reading →

Posted in Enviroment, Mountaineering, Weather, Well being, Wildlife | 1 Comment

Lessons from the Big Walks

Posted on April 3, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

The big Walks I was extremely lucky to do the 4 Traverses of Scotland. The North to South, South to North ( Ben Lomond to Ben Hope ) also the East to West and the West to East. All were … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Family, Friends, People, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 2 Comments

Self Reliance

Posted on March 9, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

Self reliance “Means reliance on your own powers rather than others.” It is what many of us call this is the “silly season” it’s already started in my mind. The daylight hours are now getting longer and the weather changing. … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountain rescue, People, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

Patience is a virtue

Posted on January 24, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

Short blog : it was a Wild night again a few slates of the roof. Many will be getting frustrated by the weather. It’s hard to sit and wait but hopefully it will calm down soon. Read the weather reports … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, SARDA, Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

Winds – the killer.

Posted on January 22, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

Today we are again in wild weather the winds are an incredible speed. To me and I have seen the effect of extreme winds its nature in the raw powerful and frightening. Many think they have been out in extreme … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Books, Enviroment, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Views Mountaineering, Weather | Leave a comment

Wild weather – The risk to you or as a leader A few thoughts ?

Posted on January 21, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

It was due to being a mountaineer and a Mountain Rescue Team Leader in my early days I was a risk taker. Not in the climbing sense at first but being over 150 days a years sometimes out in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Clothing, Enviroment, Equipment, Friends, Gear, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Scottish winter climbing., Views Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | Leave a comment

1973 January The Ben More Viscount crash

Posted on January 17, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

One of my first aircraft searches was for a Missing Viscount aircraft from Glasgow airport that crashed on Ben More (Crainlarich) in the winter 19 -23 January 1973. The aircraft was on a short air test from Glasgow. The two … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Avalanche info, Friends, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Weather, Well being | 1 Comment

Waterfall Gully Ben Nevis A day with the “wee man”

Posted on January 13, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

Now my wee piece on Zero Gully reminded me of a fun day on Waterfall Gully on Carn Dearg Ben Nevis. It was first climbed by a group of National Service climbers based in the RAF Mountain Rescue Team at … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Avalanche info, Mountain rescue, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Scottish winter climbing., Weather, Well being | 2 Comments

My very early days on steep ice. Introduction Zero Gully Ben Nevis.

Posted on January 12, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

Cold Climbs first published 1983 The Great Snow and Ice Climbs of the British Isles Ken Wilson,Dave Alcock Ice climbing generates tales of gripping drama and this book (in the same anthology / guidebook / photo format as the rock-climbing … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles, Avalanche info, Books, Equipment, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, Scottish winter climbing., Weather | 7 Comments

Kegworth Air Disaster

Posted on January 8, 2024 by heavywhalley.MBE

Three weeks After Lockerbie the Kegworth air Disaster Kegworth Air Disaster it occurred on 8 January 1989, when British Midland Flight BD 92, a Boeing 737 -400 crashed onto the embankment of the MI motorway near Kegworth, Leicestershire, in Britain. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft incidents, Mountain rescue, Mountaineering, PTSD, Weather, Well being | 2 Comments