With the exception of a year spent travelling around the world with Mrs Wife (then known as Miss Girlfriend), I've lived all my life in Scotland.
Last night, in a conversation with Mrs Wife and my uncle on the Munros, I realised that I've only been to the top of one of Scotland's 284 highest mountains.
The one Munro which I can say with certainty that I have climbed is Mount Keen at the head of Glenesk, which I walked up with my fellow members of Glenesk Youth Club when I was only 10 years old.
I've never climbed Ben Nevis, Ben Macdui or Ben Lomond, although I have been up Cairn Gorm in its funicular railway.
In truth, my experience of travelling around Scotland is pretty limited. Until last month, when I visited Skye, I'd only been to one of Scotland's islands, Mull. I don't think I've ever been to Stirling Castle, I've never been to Eilean Donan and I haven't visited Orkney or Shetland.
It's quite strange that I've visited Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji and New Zealand, but I've never been to Blair Atholl. I've spent eight months in Australia, driving right across the country from the east coast to the west, but I haven't spent even a single day in Cupar.
In fact, I'm so poorly travelled within my own country that I think it's time I do something about it. Arran and Islay both appeal as the first ports of call on my Magical Mystery Tour of Scotland, which will begin just as soon as I have time.
However, it won't be this weekend, because that's when I'm visiting Dublin....for the third time.....
8 comments:
Isn't visiting Dublin, for you, like the equivalent of going from New York to New Jersey? I've been to so many parts of New York, the city, all five boroughs, upstate, the Catskill Mountains, Long Island, etc...and all up and down the east coast, plus California, Tennessee (to see Eric, naturally), and Texas (most recently), but I'd love to go northwest, i.e., to Yellowstone, Nebraska, Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming. We don't have enough "Big Sky" out where I live. It's all obscured by electrical and telephone wires, and Really Big Buildings.
We're flying from Aberdeen to Dublin, and I think the flight takes about 45 minutes. I definitely want to see more of the US, I've only been to LA and to New York for five days each at the end of our round-the-world jaunt.
Arran and Islay are so close, you can easily do both together. It's a few years since I last drove that road, but I think it's only about 30min or so between Kennacraig (the ferry terminal for Islay) and the terminal for the small ferry to Arran from Kintyre.
Your priority should be Islay though, I think. But then I'm biased ;-)
And I've been on both.
Armin: It's a part of the world I do know quite well, as I lived and worked in Mid Argyll and Kintyre for almost three years. You're right, Kennacraig and Claonaig are only about half an hour apart, but I'd like to do Arran and Islay individually to give them both a decent length of time. Chances are we will start with Islay though, as my father-in-law is one of the Islay ferry captains.
... I believe that there is another Mt. Keen on Mull...
... climb them all, brah...... that's what they are there for....
Eric
I fully understand what you are saying. I've lived on Vancouver Island for over 20 years and finally, just last year, my wife and I drove to the top end of the island just to see what it was like.
Many years ago, while staying at Fort William I decided that climbing Ben Nevis would be a small task because from the foot it didn't look so very high, at least by Canadian standards. I think I tramped up a few hundred yards and then decided that my time would be better spent going down for a beer.
Ian
I'm the opposite never been out of the UK and don't particularly want to. Was last in England age ten, that is about to change though. I'll be going there soon the bogle clan coffers are running low so I need to replenish them.
Good job that Munro is not the one they found to short to be one! Or you would not even have that claim to fame. Oh and give us a wave from Arran I'll wave back! :0)
Eric: There's no way I'll get around them all - there are mroe than 280 for me still to do, and I barely have time to do anything as it is!
Ian: I'm sure I'll tackle Ben Nevis someday - especially if the alternative is a Fort William pub!
Mirk: Why don't you fancy travelling outwith Scotland?
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