My impression is it was a bit of a washout this summer, or was it? proove me wrong, it’s been very quiete on here regarding Scottish antics, i had a good few forays into the mountains back in may, i’m sure there have been some good days since.. pics and tales of daring do would be nice.

Very dry in May – did the Northern loop of the HT550 over the May Day BH weekend and the HT550 itself at the end of May. Just had a week split between the Cairngorms (very wet) and Coll/Tiree (alternate days of sunshine and rain).

Here’s Mr Fitz crossing the Fords of Avon while doing the Cairngorms Loop:

Much of the rest of the inner loop was similarly damp if not as dramatic.

Wow epic pic, have crossed that a couple of times, not in full spate though!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/UDZZy7]IMG_20170509_162132090_HDR-1 (640×360)[/url] by michaelandamanda, on Flickr

Loch Ericht mid May. Sun was warm wind was freezing to an ssj.

Wow epic pic, have crossed that a couple of times, not in full spate though!

+2
I have backed off with DofE group and once in snow melt there – penalty for failure and all that…

My impression is it was a bit of a washout this summer, or was it?

Warm and damp seems to sum it up. May into June was fine, then just descended some. There has been OK temps, but blimey there has been so many damp/wet parts of days. I’m not really Highlands, but some of the garden has been rotting rather than growing. Many days of sun and rain – not just clag.

That said it’s not been *terrible* like 4-5 summers ago.

That said, eldest_OAB had a week of this in FtWilliam for his Abernethy Gravity Camp.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/XdE1gj]Loch Linnhe[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

I must admit that when I saw the level of the Avon that I though we’d be heading down to Faindouran bothy though some of the burns we’d already crossed were pretty high and there was no guarantee that everything would be passable. Craig crossed at about the point where most cross, i.e. directly from the steps, I figured that it was shallower getting to the upstream end of the “island” from the point that’s under the blurred patch. Once there I took the line that Ian’s on which was between just below and just above knee height. We were on the far bank when Ian arrived so we guided him across.

Both Ian and I commented that we wouldn’t have done it without anyone else there. I’d not been there before but from looking downstream and at the map there doesn’t look to be any slack water downstream to be swept into. My wife got there at 9pm, decided against it in the dark, kipped in the refuge and crossed the following morning.

@matt – a bit different on a DofE if you are responsible for a group.

It’s funny, I’ve got soaked while commuting way more than usual this year, but I haven’t had that many manky days in the hills. Can’t complain!

There’s been lots of wet days but not much water. Up until 2-3 weeks ago many of the lochs and reservoirs were at very (record?) low levels.

Our weather was varied. Showers touring around the back of Ben Nevis, glorious red hot sun around the back of Cairngorm.
It actually hit 99deg later!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TXeTqq]IMG_3863[/url] by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/UDvejE]IMG_3929[/url] by ritcheyp20, on Flickr

This picture taken late afternoon on the NC500 more or less sums up this ‘summer’ perfectly.

It’s all about timing ..
Sunbathing in the grounds of Rothiemurcus Lodge..31.5.17

20170531_134037 by Neil Hodgson – Flickr2BBcode LITE
Same day The Larig Ghru Pass

20170531_142448 by Neil Hodgson – Flickr2BBcode LITE

The Green Lochan nr.Ryvoan Bothy
29.5.17..Rider: Russell Stephenson

20170529_160657 by Neil Hodgson – Flickr2BBcode LITE

20170529_160808 by Neil Hodgson – Flickr2BBcode LITE

and 4 days earlier ….

I requested pictures of derring do, i suppose a troop of middle aged fat blokes eating cake will have to do 🙂

Why don’t you show us some photos of your rides then?

Well to be honest, i don’t really do photos while out riding, this may sound hypocritical but this doesn’t stop others taking pictures, i like hearing about others adventures whether tales or a dramatic picture.

I was the same in climbing, very rarely took a picture, unless it captured something. The front cover of the SMC Ben nevis guide is one of mine.

Whitestone has it.

Whitestone has it.

He appears to be combining Castelli kit with flat pedals. I surely hope my eyes are mistaken, as such a horror shouldn’t be allowed in the world.

He appears to be combining Castelli kit with flat pedals.

Not me! There ain’t enough Xs in Castelli’s sizing range to fit me 😳 The gentleman in question is Craig and he’s Scottish.

Was i overly harsh with the fatblokes and cake reference? was only jesting.

I want to see pics of chakaping riding down a Munro.

Was i overly harsh with the fatblokes and cake reference?

Yep…… we were’t eating cakes…. 🙂

Round a Munro do you?

Yay Beinn Fhada did it back in may, glorious… one of the best descents awaits, is it you that writes a blog sometimes.. a very good read.

Which way do you do the Beinn Fhada circuit? I’ve done the Glen Lichd climb but carried on down Glen Affric.

Over Bealach nan Sgairne, up there with the best singletrack descents in the UK.

PS. yep up glen Lichd from Morven to just before YHA.

Just back from a pootle up glen affric and Glen Strathfarrar. Weather was kinder than forecast. No rain ( on us)
[url=https://flic.kr/p/YRk7Ke]IMG_0973[/url] by TandemJeremy, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/XQaDer]IMG_1068 (2)[/url] by TandemJeremy, on Flickr

theres been dry days in amongst the wet days.

am undecided on the beinn fhada loop, maybe cos it was boggin when i did it

July, August and September have been pretty damp where I’ve ended up. Missed a couple of BAMs as a result (well the forecast usually worse than the actual, mostly).

I did the Hebridean Way the other week. I was going to take 5-6 days and take detours, stop here and there… nah, weather was so pish I did it in 3 (on my SolarisMAX….). There was nothing else to do than beast on….

@whitestone, that fords pictures are mental. I was a little dubious when I did it in October and thought it high then… jeezo.

am undecided on the beinn fhada loop, maybe cos it was boggin when i did it

I’d have to agree…. pretty swampy for us too. We both enjoyed the day just not sure it was that great a ‘mountain bike ride’.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/YsU9iA]20901549_10213876064718624_1104234889199834368_o[/url] by Martin Forrest, on Flickr

Sadly, only made it up to your fine country once this year… but by god, we were blessed with the weather.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/UzQU68]20170506_102819[/url] by Dave Lowe, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UwbUaS]20170506_112610[/url] by Dave Lowe, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TinxqC]20170506_221944[/url] by Dave Lowe, on Flickr

Nice pics especially Lowey and KennethCurtain (but did the inversion pic involve a bike or were you on foot).

Week near Glen Affric at end of August. 1 wet day. Winner!

[/url]DSCN1751 by rick.campbell, on Flickr [/img]
Perfect gneiss slabs at Sheigra.
[/url]DSCN1681 by rick.campbell, on Flickr [/img]
Very cold and wet on Derry Cairngorm.
[/url]DSCN1432 by rick.campbell, on Flickr [/img]
Great day up Devil’s Point in April. Great descent down to Corrour (hair raising at the top!).