Team Mackenzie

Conditions of Worth

2012-01-10T11:41:00.000Z

On the July Hutchorium trip of 2011

I Popped thee Question

You have to give me - 10 out of 10 - for location.

Glad she said "Yes"

Mhairi and I tied the knot

Headed south to the Med

for a wee Honeymoon

Malta - Gozo - Comino

Wishing id brought ma boat

We like boats and wow their was plenty to choose from.

I liked the Traditional wooden Luzzu

Fab weather - Fab company - Much Fun

One of the worlds largest container ports

Azure Blue sky's and Palms galore

They seem to value the old

lots of renovated buildings and lookout towers.

Soil is a very highly sought after and rare commodity on a rock strewn very dry island

I can hear the 1st condition of worth

straining to get loose from within your heed.

Does it have any good climbing ?

Im not going unless there is some awesome climbing !

It better have some worthwhile climbing !

I mean fucking big numbers !

I too used to think of my climbing destinations like this - constantly setting myself --Conditions of Worth

Constantly demanding its not worthy of my presence or effort unless its hard___high___sunny___virgin

Unconditional (love) regardless

my motto for the future

We could all practice this !

Deep water soloing was excellent - probably because the sea was 25 degrees

Maltas Blue grotto area - ticked all our boxes

Good climbing on bolts - good Trad - fab DWS - Awesome Snorkelling

yes i know we dont normally talk of such deviant weirdness on the blog

but i have to say
We really loved the Snorkelling

Mhairi stares longingly

At a mere 70 million bucks worth of boats
This is the Sunseeker HQ Valletta,
out on a private island,
when i asked a local
how to get out there for a tour

he said
"you sir are not well dressed enough, to go out there !"

This kind man (Alfred)
dropped us on a ledge,
where we spent the morning clipping bolts in the sun, climbing on some really stunning routes in a perfect setting.

lunch on a ledge with its own cave to escape the sun, followed by Snorkelling with hundreds of vibrant coloured fish and corals in the afternoon.

All this colour from one cool flower must be the sun.

We thought we had found an awesome hotel, truly stunning location, gardens and swimming pools.

All seemed good for £150 per night --- its the sprawling cattle ranch behind Mhairi

We were happy with our gorgeous room and private balcony with sea veiw

Decided to dress for diner

Shock horror -- when we entered the dining areas -- people were looking at us like we had two fucking heads -- Ok i thought "bit over dressed mabee" -- then i realised --

We were the youngest couple in the whole hotel

SAGA tours Special

The slight odour of pish and soft food
should have given the game away really.

Surounded by the elderly and the clinicaly obese and a few stray cats, we decided to move to another island. I'm pleased to say we are far to young for luxury accommodation.

Comino

A glimpse of Cominos Blue lagoon from the ferry

"You Have to visit the Blue lagoon" all the locals told us this, so here we are and yes it was blue, warm and very very busy, not really our thing but glad we went.

I mean it was great if you like sitting on a sun lounger

watching enormous fat birds scaring the fish by snorkelling.

The limestone rock of Comino

Some is most excellent

But a few bits i played on

very Friable Very snappy footholds

The sharpness of the rock is fearsome

i discovered this by

slicing myself quite deep

from belly to titty

all because a foothold snapped

Apparently its ok to wild camp on Comino

I would consider this next time

The big cliffs on the south of Comino

looked really fab

Hmmmm sounds like a Condition of Worth

GOZO

Big unclimbed Cave
Xlendi

Great area for DWS, Trad
Very rated for diving

Carved steps

To the trad area

Big pillar is E3

Looked like good bouldering on the wind formed weirdness but allas you could crush most of the inland limestone on Gozo with your bare hands.

Extremly extruded formations everywhere

Gozo West Side

A bird hunter Hide
somewhere to aim at Song Thrush !

A GOZO Local

The crowds arrived to watch Mrs Mack
Ignoring the signs to
"stay away from the cliff as it may be dangerous"

Iv seen a you tube clip
of some nutter jumping from here

Solo traverse of the inland sea
(easy but necky as a large rock sits directly under
the middle of the cave only 3ft under the water)
Certain death if you fell from here.

Spent some time cruising the island

explored most of Gozo in 2 days

Xlendi on Gozo is blessed

with some of the best eating

we have ever experienced

Back to Malta's north coast

We discovered a 70ft wave geezer spouty thing.

Encouraged by a med storm i tried to capture the perfect photo
I got a bitty mesmerised by this spout
took my eye of the ball
totally annihilated by the spout
Soaked to the skin.

After the storm we headed back to south Malta

Better weather better climbing

found a Trad route called "hello buoys"

Classic E2

Superb situation
One of our mate Craigs Runners
was left in remembrance of him
about half way up the crag

Did a three pitch 6B+ sport route
one of the best bolted situations
we have ever been in.

We explored an awesome gully

Found fantastic formations

Tried to catch this local
however he made quite an aggressive challenge towards my fingers
So i bottled it and gave up

Fishing rod holders on most ledges

placed by clever local fisherman

When we go places and do things
we always have a great time
but sometimes you meet someone
who just makes the whole trip better

Our Maltese friend - Angelo

I feel humbled to have met this guy

such a character

such great banter - Having never really met many climbers

he thought i was just crazy

but he loved Mhairi

Angelos fishing partners these guys fished with him every day and swiftly dealt with any small fish offered

Mhairi and i spent quite a few afternoons
fishing with Angelo

Parrot Fish
he made all the water in the bucket
bright red

Unknown Fish

Bream

What you do isnt important!

The friends you do it with make-ith the journey !

Best wishes for the 2012 year ahead
from all of Team Mackenzie

Reflective Practice

2011-10-05T18:13:00.002+01:00

On personal reflection, since the last post, iv learnt shit loads, i feel matured like a fine wine
still im learning and weirder and weirder, im actually learning about myself and i like what im learning.

Those of you who know me, do i think, realise that "i like who i am."

I like what i do, and iv always taken real pride in doing it well.

From Fishing to Fucking , im pretty good at it all, now thats not a statement of ego or super ego, it simply just how i feel, i guess im lucky.

From This

Rediscovered my love of Motorcycles
in 2011

to This

I promise to try not to Kill myself.

Confidence in your own abilities
something quite useful in life but a real handy tool for a climber. and an essential one for any competitors.

Teaching confidence - Fostering the ideals you are at least, as good as anyone else.

Exactly what im doing now

not focused on a climbers EGO or results of a competition.

Focused on a young persons life, future.

yes i get called a prick, wanker, fuckin arshole everyday at work

But i actually enjoy the challenge, the inspiration to coach life skills, as well as climbing skills, is strong within me, that's who I am, I guess.

I feel proud of what we have achieved over the last decade, iv been lucky, no blessed with the privilege of helping a horde of young blades achieve their full potential.

Six young novices to British champion competition climbers is quite a achievement in ten years.

None of these young climbers suffered any form of climbing injury.

None of these young climbers was made to give up their childhood to make way for training.

I will not train any kid until they brake even if pressured to, by the GB Team Management.

I will not fly my flag beside any GB Team manager who calls any idividual team member an "Arsehole".

For this reason alone we resigned from GB team climbing and coaching.

We will try to continue in the pursuit of excellence but only with the Scottish Teams.

Or we might just go climbing !

Last winter was a challenge, even driving up the glen was quite adventurous.

Sometimes winter is fab fun, other times i cant wait for it be over. As a skinny bloke its hard to stay warm on a winter day especially if your waiting for your partner to "hurry the fuck up" pitch after pitch.

So for that reason i like to solo in winter, no egos here, im happy up to 3 maybe 4 on a good conditioned day.

Strathconnon water ice III ish, fabo day out,playing on cool ice.

last winter being lucky enough to explore in the Black Rock Gorge

Proper cold had meant the scary looking, unclimbed pillars inside the gorge had formed, this was a chance of a lifetime as iv never seen them form fully.

Now some purists may say youv not climbed it because you were all top roped, and i agree the problem was "i dont have big enough balls to try to climb this properly in this place, no gear, not enough ice for screws, and your all welcome to better the accent.

Sometimes Team Mackenzie gets bored with winter and things can get a little silly.

We managed a fabulous trip out to the summer isles, accompanied by my Bro and his Team and we were blessed by fine weather, grey but dry and windy enough to chase the dreaded midge.

Every time we arrive on any island

it pans out like this

Tents up

kids are excited

Eat a nice meal

Drink some booze

Adults are totally hyper

kids go to bed

Drink some more booze

Adults continue into the wee sma hours

So the next days, batch of ace pics (in my opinion) were taken by the bairns

While the adults were too rough to move from camp.

Dylan gets leathered.

Miss Champion Brodie

Making a BID FOR FREEDOM

(oh my god hes going to take up BASE - in it)

Spotted a lifetimes new routing potential on ****** Island

Robert chaffered me around in the dingy

lots and lots of climbing on here, we will return here next year for some roped action, me thinks.

Robert throwing his weight around.

Team Solo at Cummingston

Guitar by Ruairidh

Off to get Married, we are ! C ya.

An Tealach

2010-11-24T18:44:00.000Z

Well that was a good year, another one survived and not that many close shaves either, well not from climbing anyway.

The expert driver in the silver car (between the orange jacket and ambulance) was traveling in the same direction as the ambulance and pulled out into the path of the black fiat punto doing 60 mph.

As the boys and i sat waiting at the juntion less than a meter away. Both cars impacted and lept 5ft into the air, showering our cars windscreen in deisel and bits of plastic. Team mack sprung into action pretty quickly spurred on by the fact that both vehicles were on fire.
Was amasing that they walked away but the boys and me were pretty freaked and stunned as we had spent the weekend risking our necks trying new routes on virgin rock and were now home aparently safe Hmmmmmm.

GRRRrrrr Fekin arsepeice -- Close !

(il buy you a pint if you can tell me where this boudering area is ?)

Anyway like i was saying a good year was had by all thankfully.

As the thoughts of winter climbing are now imminent in my mind, i decided a night nav was in order, i really love a good night walk, usually we are not too bad hill fitness wise but this time, this walk near killed me, afterwards i realised i hadent done that much proper hill walking for ages.

Most mortals with any sense would pick a lesser hill, if youv not been out for a while but oh no not Team Mack.

An tealach is a big day out for most people but to tackle it in the dark at the end of nov, would prove to be a bloody real test of mind and body.

We left the car at the river and set off through the roddys and within five minutes i ended up knee deep in the extremly chilly river.

Raging with my own laziness, not bothering to actually look at the map because iv walked it many times. TWAT i have walked it many times in daylight. After some time searching the roddys i found the tunnel through them and we were now on track for an awesomely wild walk.

The big waterfalls gave their position away long before we could see them and when Dylan and Mhairi and myself turned the headtorches onto the falls -- well lets just say SPIRITUALY UPLIFTING.

The path in daylight is hard enough to follow as in petters out onto a rocky rib affair but in the dark it was impossible to be sure if you were on the path or not, I like the feeling of Hmmmm i think we are still on the path and then a cairn appeared in the blackness just to make me smug.

Many hours of oooooing and aweing at pretty headtorch illuminated waterfalls followed until we stumbled onto the small but perfectly formed beach at Toll An Lochan.

The scene was set by mugs of the best hot chocolate and some food, then i decided to try and address my sore feet and along with Dylan we debooted and skipped towards the water on the black sand beach.

Now im a complete pussy when it comes to cold water anyway but this was something else, i honestly could not stand in the water for more than six seconds before the pain actually made me scream out loud, proper loud. My thoughts turned to the main corrie path round sail leath, if their were early birds on the path, they might have heard my screams at 6am in the dark, meanwhile Dylan paddled about some more up to his knees and mhairi made more chocolate.

We all pilled into the group shelter (the best invention ever) keeping the stove on for a few precious minutes and we slurped our summit bid fuel.

When we prized Mhairi out of the shelter the dark had diffussed to a light of pinkness, Dylan looked up from the loch and asked "are we going up their" "Oh yes" i replied and smiled as could see his "Oh dear" expression. We heaved and plodded directly up from the loch, super fast way onto the ridge but hell it hurts.

From halfway up the gully things were much more winter than i had expected, every rock was covered in verglass and the summits snowey.

The sunrise was stunning but by 8am a bitter wind had picked up. We took in the summit and bined the plans of a ridge breakfast and returned to the loch, after a full feed and a plethora of hot chocolate, id like to say i ran of the hill like a virile young goat, while in reality i limped and hobbled my way back to the car like a man who had been shot. Buckled is the best word to describe us all, by the time we made dundonell and a comfy warm seat in the car.

Was it worth it ? someone asked as they saw me limping the next day.

Hell Yes - We were blessed with a perfect night- awesome sunrise - fab breakfast - stunning ridge walk - and a killer foot spa.

However i do reccomend you crack a few hills before you try The Forge at night.

All the best from

Team Mackenzie.

Braw when a plan comes together.

2010-08-31T09:40:00.001+01:00

Having had enough of working for goalless idiots and dealing with managers with more faces than a church clock.

The very lovely Mhairi and i went on a well needed wee summer jolly,

We flew to Munich and proper rodded a fiat Punto Evo

(i think it was short for evostick)

We like the Autobhan- oh yeah !

Alpine Meadows were a blurr and we were soon in Austria.

This trip was really to go and cheer for team GB

and obviously we hoped to get a few mountain days.

Ah ! Honey we do not have the right gear with us,

was for me a grand excuse to go craging.

(Totally loving getting spanked on a F8a slab puzzle)

We found the Crags of the Inn valley, over three hundred bolted lines

Most within ten minutes of the road and superb climbing. and its only fifteen minutes from Imst.

Mhairi decided she would lead a cool looking line, that threaded its way between some roofs, for a while i was distracted by the sun dappled trees and the noise of the glacial river, but then Mhairi seemed to leap - no dyno - no jettison herself a full 2m to the left roof system. then she started bawling "theres a f***n snake" all while clinging by one arm, feet flailing about in the wind. Most impressed she was still on, i was, and she decided, i as the hunter gatherer should fetch the beast.

Now iv watched the dudes on the telly catch huge snakes by the tail with no probs, so i thought hes only wee - however - wee is fast and proper pist off, he was -- anyhoo when i had him by the tail 40ft up and sat in the rope,

the tension seemed to go in the system and i whizzed to the deck only to see my belayer disappear in a cloud of chalk dust into the Forrest. after some promises of ant filled rolls with German sausage, she returned to take this pic.

Why have we not had the GB Team here on free days, i dont know.

Standing on a quiet street one evening tucked away in the Tyrolean mountains.
We turned round to see the whole GB team
on their predatorial evening pizza hunt.

These two pizza crushers made us proud as usual

at their first international comp held in Imst, Austria.
After the comp,Mhairi and i continued in our mission to explore this stunning country.

Mhairi insisted on piloting our electroboat on lake Achinsee, Austria's

version of Blackpool Beach but much warmer and a little more pleasing to the eye.

One end of the lake is not so cheesy and we happily stayed with our new friend Thomas at his very nice campsite,out tour of Austria was really ace and highly recommended for a climbing family.

This crusher here winning the 2010 Skymasters

He has always made me proud but to win this event, speaks volumes about his climbing ability.

Had a fab experience watching these two, on the apprentice day

Cioch direct and arrow route,

Six hours and ten pitches, if you stop for multiple lunches !

Robert , Dylan and Stevie get selected for this years world Championships along with a few other Scots, fantastic crew ! big well done.

All i ever dreamed of, was one day for my two crushers to be competing together in an international,

Plans coming together full circle make me smile.

Tanera Beag project has been always in my mind, all summer, every trip we tried and tried , sometimes beaten by weather but mainly coz we kept falling off.

The crew came out to the island with us for my birthday - awe-

The day was fab and i was made up, because i took all the wee ones fishing in the morning and within an hour all had caught a fish, its braw when a plan comes together.

But on Sun 15th aug Robert finaly completed out Anti Social Behaviour Order, Fueled by a huge chunk of chocolate birthday cake, eaten on our favourite ledge.

I have to say it was, scary to watch and im not really sure if he understood that my plan was to drop him in the sea, as he would most definitely have skelpt the roof this time.

He was so far away from the last gear my arse was proper winking for him.

I had payed out enough slack to be proper dynamic but as he caught the good holds, i just started reaming out the rope through the belay device, so as to ensure no impact damage to the cliff.

So far 2010 much interesting - Bring on the World championships -

If proud is a molecule of water - i am a whole ocean right now!

My Island

2010-04-13T12:44:00.001+01:00

Settled at Staffin beach for the weekend, and decided to check out some possible new lines near kilt.

Decided to take careful note of the signage.

160ft of tottering basalt cracks interspersed with blank bits. Nice

immediately i started to lob of anything that could cause me stress on the way back up.

Much lobbing later

Halfway and im more boxed from getting that stuipid thick stiff and hairy fecking static rope to move through the shunt, than i would be leading it – apart from the fact id be dead coz i fell off at the worst gearless part- hmmm some work to do.

Anyhoo nice line straight as a die , or is it dye, you decide.

later on i will be back to try this again hopefully a bit head fitter.

We climbed at Klit Rock for a few hours but the weather was baking, Mediterranean hot and making the basalt towers of Storr, beckon us to wander up and chill in the early evening sunshine.

To be honest i haven't been here on a sunny day since i was a child, and i expected the rock to look shit.

Surprisingly i felt the urge to climb this freakish looking tower of certain death, much loose iv been told but yet i still really really wanted to go back to the car for the gear.

luckily for me i think, i was just as content to sit in awe at the landscape before me. Il be back !

These stunning basalt formations are the result of ancient volcanic activity, great landslips producing these wildest of Scottish landscapes.

Botanists among you can search this rare alpine oot for yersels.

The surrealistic landscape of dark cliffs and rocky spires backed

by Skye blue sea is probably unrivalled anywhere in Britain.

We sat gazing and grazing with the whole place to ourselves for a couple of hours.

If you have never been up to the Storr, then you really must treat yourself one day, i highly recommend it for a wee wander.

I actually want to climb it!

Climbing, blogging and stuff

2010-02-14T12:45:00.012Z

Blogging is time consuming,especially if you really have no idea of what your doing.i had noticed some really nice blog templates out on the web. So thought id change the look of the

blog.

mmmmmmmmm thats why it looked all mixed up and writing all over the place for 2 days.

Anyhoo check out our, google analytics map, showing regular visitors to the blog.

Very surprised and well I'm actually flattered that so many people enjoy reading it, inspired we shall continue.

Blog has had 138 visits from one location in Anchorage Alaska.

So “hi” to the peeps in Alaska. Look us up if yer ever in Scotland

Last year we no i, thought a power kite might be fun, to 20 buck on Ebay. So i tied myself into the dinghy and were away great idea !

However as soon as it crashed in the loch and yes i mean the middle of the loch.

it sank immediately and as i was pulling and straining on the twelve lines trying to get the stupid thing back in the dinghy, a land rover stopped on the road, yes it did look like i was pulling a net across the mans loch. Note to all you youngsters dont try this you need a water launchable kite. Yes when i set off i thought i may drown and yes it was a stupid plan.

The camel, inverness area Conglomerate fetishists sport crag was favoured much last year.

Pics by Mr Addison

Loch Assynt for the annual Hutchoriam celebration.

15 of us had planed this for months, when we arrived at our spot, there was a man with a bike sitting on the grass.

As soon as i got out of the car he picked his bike up and started taking a wee tent out.

“shit “ i thought , as i wandered over and told the man “sorry but iv got fifteen mates with drink and guitars and drums and your welcome to join us mate but dont expect to sleep”

“your f*****n jokin” the man screamed as he threw his tent on the heather. “Iv just cycled 40 friggin miles and iv another 50 to do tomorrow, i need my sleep”

I felt a wee bit guilty as i was putting the tent up coz about a mile along the road i could see the poor chap down by the loch, busy putting up his own tent. Sorry but it was best to tell him i thought.

Lots of boat jolly's this year done 1200 miles in the boat now.

Winter Came with much snow this year and for a couple of weeks we couldn't even really get out, so we had lots of local wanders , Snowboard and Sledge exploration.

The track from Boath up Fyrish is always good after some white stuff.

Nutters leaping from the monument into a snowdrift.

We all had great fun at the tooling comps this year and some of us older players performed better than the younger team members.

I did get stung by fickle weather went to Apelcross looking for masses of water ice and found this.

But when i decided to take Dylan

on his first proper winter mountaineering day,

Perfection in white and windless

sunshine.

Fingers Ridge IV classic Cairngorn mixed climbing, absolutely plastered in squeaky snow ice.

Mhairi and Dylan spoilt by mother nature, iv climbed here hundreds of times and never had conditions like this.

Taking your dearest and youngest on a first time adventure is always rewarding but to do in conditions as good as this, Lets just say i was smiling inside and out.

Anyway we all made light work of the perfect route and basked in the sun on the plateau.

Stuff gets in my way .

Sometimes i like to do other creative stuff !

C ya !

Night Nav - 'The grey one'.

2009-10-22T20:36:00.003+01:00

Winters a comin

So i thought it a good time to go and practise a bit of navigation.

I really enjoy a good night nav, real micro navigation in the pitch black is thee way to get your nav skills sharp.

and for a blind old bugger like me it crucial to practise it.

We left the car before 5am and stumbled about in the blackness

untill we were on the Killer stairs of leg Death.

Climbing up the giant staircase of liatach in the pitch black was trully awesome and i was surprised about the legs they were still alive, well on to the ridge

Stags roared all around us

Mhairi was convinced they were right behind her.

They were i think too but thought it best to say nothing and keep walking

If you have never experienced a night walk in the highlands, you dont know what your missing.

The silence of the dark encompasses all and the low light plays tricks on the eyes and the mind

yes i know im a bit blind anyway and no we werent pissed. checking our compass bearing again and again, i was sure we should be at the waterfall

Somehow we werent on the path anymore and i thought "shit stumbled off it again" but 5 mins later ahaa "a waterfall"

Its so very easy when the path turns to rock slabs to wander off course.

Allways remember you are working within a corridor of error its just how wide your corridor is that matters.

The light when we reached the ridge was majical and changed every five seconds,

every time you lifted your head from the path, we found a different jaw droping painting of light and shade and mountains.

Such a fantastic wild landscape.

The sun rise itself was just too good to capture on digital media and if an artist painted the colours we were treated to you wouldnt buy the painting.

You must go and see for your self, see it with your own eye,

you will be rewarded for your efforts

if your lucky.

Were we lucky ? , "hell no" id been watching the charts for weeks, just waiting for the right fri night, chuffed to bits, with not too much puffing and grunting we were on ther ridge.

What a ridge walk it is twisty and thin and if youv done it in winter im jelous "must do in winter me thinks "

Liatach first climbed in 1894

All the cool scramble sections could be avoided if your soft in the head

The pinacles of Am Fasarinen (The Teeth),

can be climbed allmost anywhere with stunning veiws in every direction. big day out though, big walk, big up, big down absolutly knackered by end but smiles all round.

Thought id take some video for change, really should take a tripod though, its a bit shakey in places or mabee it was me with no sleep.

We took seven hours from start to finish

and thats probably a resonable time in the daylight.

One of Scotlands finest hill walks,

and certainly one of the best experiences on a hill ever.

If you havent done it i hope the vid and pics insprire ya to go.

Bring on the winter,

i think me legs are ready, it only took us four days to fully recover from the wee torridonian trail.

LIATACH

'The grey one'.

old Childrens Play Area -- Old Man of Stoer

2009-10-11T12:42:00.001+01:00

We all live in a country full of poeple who apreciate the outdoors but sadly i feel, we live in a country full of poeple who dont remamber they were all kids once and they certainly dont apreciate shareing their outdoor climbing with kids or indoor climbing for that matter. Seems to me their are a few sados who just dont like kids.

I get very pissed off with so called climbers who spout the old line that "kids these days have no real climbing ambition" and "never climb outside" and are only brought up on plastic routes and are all cheeky plastic route hogging "wall rats", you read this pish all the time on forums

Usually i suspect writen by over weight, hairy assed grumpy old gits who bumble about on Vdifs, carry too much gear and have never encouraged a youngster to do anything othere than go to school and turn their f*****g music down.

So many years ago i thought wouldnt it be cool to take a whole wall full of kids up a classic scottish rock climb, a real climb, I suggested to a few parents " The Old Man of Stoer" we talked about it and as usuall time slid by and it never seemed to happen.

Like all things in life you need to make it happen, so we set a date, planned it out, aranged time and camping gear, talked with others who would like to help and all phsched we were ready to go.

Now i dont live in assynt but do consider the old man as one of my local climbing areas and i had climbed the route many times, sometimes with freinds sometimes on my own. So i thought to myself our planed assent was right in the middle of the summer and if i lived in london and was planning to travel up north to do this i may be shocked to find a very big party in front of me, so foolishly i thought id better inform others of our plan, i didnt want to spoil anyone elses trip up to this must do route.

I posted our plan on the two climbing forums used by many climbers in the Uk, now i did expect the usuall pish ripping from some but the comments and even emails i got from so called climbers were a joke, we were accused of playing dangerous games and being enviromentally destructive, one particular ass peice said i was giving the north kids a bad name.

The posts ran for weeks and weeks and eventually i just stopped reading them because it really was f******g depressing me that these so called citizens of climbing community,were so callous and uncareing.

Who do they think they are, these dicks think they dictate to us locals who can or cant climb on a peice of rock that actually belongs to all of us.

Rage and anger and i just wanted to post that if anyone dared even speak out of turn to any of the party on the day they would end up under the old man, (its quite funny how fired up some get over a forum)

We arrived at the point of stoer and we had a few drams and organised a very phsyced bunch of young uns

Now this plan was a logistical nightmare, i had thought about how my system would work, what to do if someone wasnt happy on the route, what to do if anyone got stuck or fell off.

we abbed down the scramble because i did not want the kids on that without a rope, too risky

My plan was to first climb the stack with adult belayers leaving one on all the stances, then simply abb back down and tie all the kids on one giant rope and they would all be seconding to the top.

It was windy as, and poor robert had to sit on this very exposed ledge for hours.

And Paul sat on top for a few good hours too, proper frozen they were

everyone else had a sunny place to sit but these two were the main men of the day for me

Huge thanks Guys

Obviously the wall rats made light work of the route and loved every move, the banter was ace.

Some looked at the abb down and decided that it wasnt for them, this year.

We met some other climbers on route, rwal nice chaps encouraging the kids to help them get their rope unstuck. ha!

I sat a while and watched proudly as the team made their way up the very very cool rock.

Dr patey would be proud i thought to myself.

Al the kids conducted themselves like they should,double checking everything no idioyic behaviour unless you count me as idiotic soloeing the stack five times on the one day.

Some of the parents looked more gripped than the kids to be honest and this ammused me muchly.

So would we do it again- most definatly - would i post again to inform others of our plans - yes because i feel it was only polite,

However re the chap who spouted so much pish that i felt the need to email you on uk climbing calling you a cheeky dick, if you are that person who called my employer and tied to have me sacked , well it is probably best if we dont go climbing together ever, my freind.

All on the trip loved it and we should i feel make a yearly thing of it, so next year if you have a youngster whom you feel would really like this day out and can definately climb it, then feel free to join us, im sure you will see the post and open invite.

To all the kids and parents,well done guys

Big thanks to all who email and posted encouragment and praise for the teams efforts

and those of you who were worried that the kids may not have been safe, ralax they were all safe because we bloody well made sure they were all safe,all of the time.

Bring on next year

Summer of 2009

2009-10-03T23:01:00.001+01:00

Craig Hutcheson was lost to Loch Assynt

In a moment of adventurous stupidity

July 5th 2008.

His close Friends and family decided to celebrate him and his friendship, with a gathering at the loch on the anniversary of his death.

Many phone calls were made, much beerage organised, some of us made it up on the fri night and this meant the double whammy two day sesh was on.

My bro and both mhairi and i looked on Craig like a son or a wee bro, loved him like a son and miss him like a son.

Thankfully this wasn't a one way relationship and he treated us, like old dads that pick away at his every little mistake.

We would rip the piss for weeks for the slightest little error.

Somehow we were best Friends too and the banter was truly untouchable, the honesty and truth in our friendship could never be separated by distance, we would all be Friends for life.

15 of us arrived with tents and supplies for weekend to remember, Team Mack provided our masseef "Rage" tent an enormous dome, with morroccan rug decour and enough tea lights to heat loch assynt itself.

All our thoughts most of the weekend were for Craig, how we miss him and how we wish he hadnt decided to swim the loch. i wish he had told me his stuipid plan but it was heartwarming for us all, to see his freinds and family some of whom had traveled big milages to be there at the loch.
We are all good freinds now.

Such a loch, a true wild scottish landscape with such a place to be remembered by, he will never be forgot.

The weather was mediteranean

However the clegs just loved us.

We all had a great weekend. Respect to Hugh and Pam who endured dining with us all, we were very rough from over consumpion on the fri night.

I feel we will go and celebate again next year on mass and in style.

Ardvreck castle -- The castle is thought to have been constructed around 1590 by the Clan Macleod family.

Attacked and captured by the Clan Mackenzie in 1672

Bad lot them Mackenzies

Team Mackenzie managers decided to wee trip out to the island was in order to fully recover from the wicked behaviour at loch assynt.

One of my favourate felings "Anchored"

Dylan had an escape plan in case of fire on the island.

While trying to retreive an anchor one afternoon, after about an hour of strugling and much lost skin, i discovered a ancient lobster pot crambed full of baby sea creatures.

A few nice cod diners from Crowlin.

Enviable lifestyles of others who live of the land.

Tanera Beag Locals

Cranking in the sun at Ardmair

It was real nice watching Stevie and Dylan, trad climbing with ease on routes i used to think of as testpeices.

Nice to see them on places where i know their quite fearfull. Watching them learning to deal with their own heads.

Dylan was asked if he would like to go to the cuillins for a wee head training trip.

The classic Cioch Direct as the starter.

And the uBer Cool Arrow route for lunch.

How nice it must be have a photographer solo out and above you to take pics, anyway Dylan on the lonely lead of the early 1906 Arrow route.

Thee hottest day of the year- Kilt Rock 40 degrees

Dylan on the much fun Tartan Terrorist

Fantastic Climbing In a Fantastic setting.

WE have had a lot of stuipid fun this summer Nikki and Dylan decided to jump from the boat, i still have no idea why !

Done a bit of milage at the camel along with a few others.

Ellen Macaskill on Stone of Destiny

very nice pics from Jimmy Addison Ardmair and Camel "cheers" another great crag.

All the best from Team Mack !

Skipper wins Twat of the Month Award

2009-06-16T22:41:00.045+01:00

While waiting for tide to turn at Ullapool. We had a really crap meal, served with even more crap customer service with a smattering of contempt from thee most horrible lady at the Ferry Boat Inn. Thanks missus you must do the tourist industry in Ullapool wonders.

Dylan was so bored with the meal he turned to Mosaic pattern making with recycled beach just to relieve the hunger pains or potential food poisoning from raw burgers.

A very gorgeous cruise out to the islands with perfect sea conditions, we can be on the island in 30 mins from Ullapool.

Having wakened up twice now, only to find the boat has dragged its anchor and is not where we left it, this has made me rethink my strategy on anchors and sandy bottoms.

Now i just rig a rope across the whole bay and tie the boat in da middle, id hate to have phone into work to say I'm stranded on an island with no way to get back-honest.

Dylan has developed a passion for photography it seems, most of these landscape and wildlife pics are all his, and i have to say I'm quite impressed with some of them.

I just manged to wake the belayer enough to get a route in - a proper bloody battle ensued with much skin donated by myself on the sickeningly twisted jamming sections.

A very tricky and pumpy little number - way steeper than it looked from the abb or the belay stance. very high quality climbing with a "oh shit im comin off" crux

Man i do feel good when Robert struggles on something, he missed the best hold on the roof and pulled on some sick slopey edges and went up and down a few times, desperate not to fall off

Obviously the headless strong boy just used all the shit holds anyway, but me - well i needed a full five minute sit down rest after the roof.

I sat here gasping for air for ages, almost bitten of more than i could chew, i couldn't lift my arms above my head never mind pull on anything- so i sat for a while longer

Totally boxed but grinning, i wobbled to the top.

E4 6A *** Heart-Stopper

If your lucky with the weather, being out on this part of the west coast is like being on the med, apart from the fact that the water will freeze your nuts off on contact.

Dylan spent ages trying to get Bird photos.

Artic Skua or Bonksie and they do attack you, if you stray near their ground nests.

While Robert and i, cleaned the roof exit line and looked at the beast roof from a rope, Mhairi got a spot of fishin in.

We decided after looking at the big roof traverse, that falling in was most definitely going to be on the menu, anyone who steps up to this traverse, onsight is probably falling off and the hard section of climbing has no gear that we could see.

Team Mack decided that DWS was the way forward and we all had a go at the traverse but its 50ft of the water, and i just could not commit to the last irreversible section, i knew that if i continued along the traverse, id get stuck and have to jump in or worse have to climb the route.

Robert was put to work but with such expectations, he also kept chickening out, " come on Team" we are not applying ourselves here. Dylan in his wetsuit even though he was shorter and more mobile under the roof, kept going out to the hard section and squawking "im coming back"

I fully admit i was shitting it to fall in, one of my best mates drowned last year and this has definitely developed into a fear of the water, iv never had this mental issue before its really weird even scared wakeboarding this year mabee im just gettin old and soft.

Grrrrr feck i so want this project-- right back to the boat for some lunch and a rethink of the strategy.

It was decided by myself and Robert, that we should try to top rope if possible just to check the gear possibility's and exactly how hard the moves were. The anchors at the top are few and not that easy to find and the rock doesn't seem that sturdy on the top, with quite a lot of blocks that are loose

The tourists on the summer queen, gasped as their mad skipper drove his boat, right into the cave. then he slammed it into reverse and rodded it out of the cave backwards. Glad we wernt on the route when he arrived.

Dylan the sucker, tied into the rope and was totally up for testing the top rope, Robert and myself had erected with only 8 load shared bits of gear, i even set it up with gri gri and a separate belay for the belayer, we then lowered Dylan into the abyss down towards a waiting rubber dinghy and Robert rowed him into the start of the traverse.

I giggled to Mhairi as i lowered Dylan to the dinghy " he has no fekin idea what he has signed up for here" Robert had explained the plan, he thought there may be chance that Dylan could hit the opposite wall, so we were going to drop him straight into the sea if he fell at the start, Robert would signal when to belay for real.

Robert appeared out from the cave, he gave a big thumbs up, this was the signal, Dylan was now past the point of no return and i could lock the rope off if he fell, "the boy is truly stone mental" i said to Mhairi "he will be half way to Skye when he comes off here"

Robert shouted some encouragement at Dylan and he wobbled out past his previous high point, the rope from me at the top disappeared way, way in under the massive roof and i had no way to tell how things were going with the very brave climber battling underneath me.

Suddenly the rope went tight and the belay strained , within a second Dylan appeared out from under me, rocketing towards the isle of Skye, accelerating out and up, he was almost level with me as he started the big big swing back in under the roof, i watched with my arse clamping just as hard as if it was me on the end of the rope,

When the crazy boy swung back under me for the first time the rope rubbed on an edge, a puff of dust appeared in the air, almost like a smoke trail, instantly i knew the rope was being damaged so lowered a meter, I gasped "shit" as Dylan appeared on the horizon for a second time, he looked up and shouted "whats wrong" "nah its cool, bud no pobs" i lied.

We lowered him down to Robert and they both scrambled up the slabs, only to find me and Mhairi, sitting wide eyed, examining a very very chewed rope, the damage was right through the sheath and a good chunk out of the core, i honestly reckon had it been fat Robert or myself on that rope, it would have cut through it.

Dylan just shrugged it off and said "well that was fun"

Mad boy explained that when he let go, he had some difficulty in breathing and G force on his lungs during the huge compression swing meant he couldn't even scream.

So we have now decided that top roped trials, under mad huge roofs are probably not best practice and repaeted days like this will probably thin team mack down quite quickly.

Mhairi decided that fishing was the way forward, and promptly caught some diner.

Dylan continued on his pursuit of the perfect photo

Watching a small but tall ship pass us, i thought it would be a great sailing, youth prison.

Iv got a chart plotter to warn of hiden or not so hidden dangers, cost me a fortune but it is a great tool, you can clearly see how i just drove staight into a fekin island.

TWAT !

Summer Isles - Sandstone Sweety Shop

2009-05-05T22:02:00.026+01:00

Navigation at sea is easy - you just follow the ferry and turn right at the last of the summer isles.

About an hour from Ullapool with stunning views over Ben mor coygach and An teallach.

Much rowing back and fore with all the gear

Boat moored -- Tent up - lets go exploring our island

You just cant beat that feeling, being the owner inhabitants of an island for a few days.

We found water and its nice sweet water apparently people used to live here lucky buggers

Most routes require an abb to get to the start

The main walls that face out to the Minch are about 15 to 20 m in height and are made of impeccable sandstone clean and mainly solid apart from the very tops of most routes where their is a bristly finish on some very loose looking blocks.

However we found a truly heart stopping scramble to get to the start of the big cave

Weird but wonderful rock sculptures were closely inspected

Deep water solo potential is simply awesome here providing you have a rescue boat. i have been told by some divers that if the seas are from the west (and they usually are) that you may get pushed into the walls of the cave which is 40ft deep.

The rock in the cave looks sound at the base and pretty dry even close to the water, not much signs of the dreaded green slime obviously the rock gets more blocky as you get higher, we paddled around the cave in the dinghy in silence just grinning.

What a cool place to spend an hour or two floating just looking at lines that will be well climbable if you just grow a set and get on it.

Mhairi topping out on

"Show us your Minch E2 5c"

A high quality battle over a big roof and directly up the black streaks.

we did a few routes in the sun and were honoured by the presence of a sea otter, right unerneath us.

Me thrutching my way up "Tarka HVS 5a" the obvious line of the main Minch wall, most excellent climbing.

After some lunch on a ledge, we did a bit of scrambling around the base of the main Minch wall and explored the concept of the outer edge of the big cave. Here again lines galore to be had but all require ropes and a set of cahooonas of the big and brass variety.

If you are a diver then you may well know of the sanctuary cave here, classic dive with clear water and white coral apparently one of the best shallow dives in the UK.

We found this little coral bloom in a rock pool under one of our routes, amassing, i had no idea we had such coral in Scotland.

Potential routes on this wall looked fantastic with a real sting in the tale.

Same wall from below , all sorts of probable looking lines , really easy slab to very mean looking finish but i could certainly see potential gear placements on the steep part.

So if ya fancy a trip here's a few things we think you should consider, its the big bad Minch your in and there is always a chance to get stuck on the island for a while if the weather was to blow from the west hard.

The midge will be hell on earth soon, the water is still freezin and i mean proper brass monkey freezin,

There is no belays at the top of the cliffs ( i do intend to put a stake or two in the cave area this summer)

There is no phone reception so a handheld VHF is probably recomended.

I kid you not a rescue boat of some kind is most highly recomended unless you like the thought of getting in a washing machine on full spin.

Some very skillful parking from the skipper meant we could just throw the camping gear down the cliff into the boat and head for home after a very very nice trip.

Bring on da summer proper and i think we will try the cave line next time-Think il put a young blade on it and i will be international rescue-F-A-B

(The climbing is shit here the rock is poor and slipy- do not go climbing here ever)

(hopefully that should keep all away coz i want it to myself)

Vertical Art

2009-01-31T00:52:00.021Z

The life of a vertical Artist is not an easy one, first we need a blank canvas on which to paint our art.

This means stripping a painting or two or clearing a complete panel of art.

First we need to get to the top of the canvas and set up our ropes and then we can work down stripping the sculptures.

How tight the bolts are dictates how trashed our elbows and wrists get from pulling on those metal brushes.

Once cleared of colour and a new canvas set, we can create our artwork, sometimes a simple drawing and other times a complicated collage of resin and features.

Always , always careful not to drop anything like an allen key or a very large jug that would bounce on the rubber floor possibly spoiling someones visit to the art gallery.

We strive for perfection in motion, fluidity of moves and gaining difficulty and trickery with height.

All this is done while dragging a heavy bag with gravity hauling at its contents and straining on us with every inch of upward progress.

Every resin art blob fitted to the canvas lightens the load but artists become more and more weary with every move tested and every bolt tightened.

Some days when im feeling particularly creative, we can set a coloured puzzle on the way up and then haul another bag, full of diferent coloured sculptures, to the top, on weakened arms and set another more devious puzzle on the way down in reverse order.

After we have created our masterpiece, we need to test the puzzle and with withering arms, we climb and decide what numbers to announce to the critical masses who decide our reputation as an artist of worth.

"Its very reachy ! Its very crimpy ! its very technical ! its very slopey ! Its just rubbish !"

Paintings and sketches for the thin and the fast, collages and sculptures for the heavy and slow, charcoals and pastels for the old and creaky,

Such variation in texture and movment is surely worthy of the Tate Modern.

Seldom do we gain acclaim or acknowledgement for the elbow and wrist pain or the sweating back and legloop abrasion to the groin areas.

Like circling vultures they wait until the netting is removed and instantly thrust themselves into the vertical painting, never even looking at the possibility's from the floor.

Obviously if you havent looked at the map you dont know where to go, blindly they try this way and then that way and usually it all ends in disaster and always its because "its a awfully long" move or "its very hard for the grade".

Seldom do the vultures ask why they stuffed up on the route, they just sneer at the craftsman and spit fire at his art.

The fire, flem and zeal sometimes about a number on a card being to expensive or to cheap is insulting to a craftsman who has gained many blisters and callouses over his years of painting experience.

The artwork was perfect the day it was drawn and now its dulled with time and skin and hard to see in poor lighting not suitable to a modern gallery,"wash the art" they scream and again we set our ropes and brushes to paint and sweat and strain.

Just once i beseech you, thank the artist personally at every gallery you visit, ask to speak to him and see how he smiles and warms to your costless remarks.

However im lucky the art critics from my local gallery are in the main very complementary about our art and painting and its so nice to be thanked or commended on your hard and tiring work.

Enjoy the art and creativity my Friends, it costs nothing but sweat and skin from the artists.

However chocolate and red bull help, and is always gladly accepted.

We all do really stupid things sometimes

2009-01-10T20:37:00.022Z

We all do really stupid things sometimes.

Some of us are lucky enough to get away with it.

Some of us are not -- eh Craig !

I am actually a bit shocked at myself ,now in hindsight - that i was thick enough to do this.

Some Years ago, id like to say i was young and stoopid but i wasn't i was old enough to know better and just a bit to confident in my climbing abilities and feckin stoopid.

Northern Caithness, sea cliffs had a real draw to me and much exploring was done --- all on my own , Robert was very young and before Dylan's time, i was hunting the perfect sea cliff line and came across a very long and quite exiting traverse around the northern coastline.

One fine but windy day, i was about a mile along my traverse and completely lost in a world of froth and slippy boulders , with no possible means of rescue, mainly because nobody knew i was there. (what a twat)

I found a line that disappeared round the headland towards Dunnet and as i was engrossed in my climb i was aware of a noise -- a thumping metal grating noise that seemed to be getting louder, then as i pulled round a corner my heart lept as here was a huge fishing boat leaning against the rock face at a very precarious angle, and it was banging against the cliff with its mast while its hull scraped of the slabs screaming metal against rock so loud it was actually terrifying.

I just sat looking in awe , wondering if everyone had managed to get off safely, and slightly laughing at someones very big and costly mistake.

I traversed around the walls and managed to get above the doomed vessel and sat on the slab some 20ft above looking into the wheel house and then started surveying the possibilities of adventure- how cool would it be to get aboard i thought.

If i timed it right, as the waves went out to sea, i thought id just manage to get on to the gunnel's and get aboard with dry feet.

Good plan Mackenzie i thought to myself (dick)

As the wave started to go out, i scuttled down the rock and then bottled it and scooted back up to my perch.

The next wave was bigger and when it went i out -- it became obvious to someone of my experience and super abilities -- (over confident idiot) (some of you may think i havent changed a bit)

I thought- i could have made it easily on board. i waited a bit and then i went for it -- and hey that was easy and i only got a bit wet as i fumbled to pull over the rusty handrail.

I raced across the deck towards the wheelhouse door and struggled against the rust to open it but immediately inside, i felt awesome a hot rush of adrenaline filled every vein in my body.

The bridge of the ship to my surprise was striped bare of all electronics and even the chair was gone, even the floor tiles had been removed and only the ships wheel and the toilet remained intact, everywhere inside extruding from the walls was wires and broken parts of the poor ships intestines strewn about the empty scary place. i spent a good 15 mins aboard the boat, i couldn't help thinking about the possibility someone had died here.

I felt the hull move with the sea and suddenly became aware that what i had thought was adrenaline wasn't it was pure fear, i was shitting myself , this wasn't a good place to get stuck -- time to go. I legged it outside onto the deck.

I stood at the handrail gripped with fear thinking the tide had come in and then as the wave went out from under the boat, i jumped back onto the green slab and scrambled at 200 mph up the slab and once back at my perch-- I just sat grinning from ear to ear and smoked a fag.

some of you may ask -- why the feck?

Im asking myself the same question --- But it seemed like a plan at the time.

Bizarrely enough i came across the ships photos on the coastguard site.

(updated since writing)

Some clever chap has shown me these are not the vessle in question but one called the spinningdale on st kilda

I did think this ship looked a bit bigger and man they are rather big swells

So as not to be accused of photo or blog fraud, il just have to send Robert and Dylan off to get some real piccys of it.

A big red fishing boat looked like my big red fishing boat and in my excitment i claimed it for a blog story. Sorry me bad.

So here we are standing looking in awe the Cairngorm vista.
Eminently more grown up and much more sensible.
well lets hope so anyway.

I have decided to try and pay back something of my debt to society and have volunteered to join the local coastguard team, my role as a trainee search and rescue officer, so far has been very interesting and the lads in the team are great--i hope i can grow to be as warm hearted and generous as some of the men on the team, some of whom have been at it for 20+ years.

As a rock climber some of their systems seem way to much to be fast and efficient but boy oh boy are they safe-

- il get used to it though and its all ways good to learn new systems.

Its been a great experience so far, and hopefully il do my 20+ .

Ratho Bouldering comp

Dylan wanted to go and compete at the Ratho bouldering comp last weekend , so we set off in proper nasty weather and after a few arse clenching moments we made it to the comp.

Ellen Macascall was going well and spanked me good on this problem, she is getting really strong-- keep it up Ellen !

Ruairdh Macrascal always strong and getting very very gifted with it, love his attitude always a laugh. Just take your time Ruairidh !

All the north Scotland team climbed really well and its so good to watch them really cranking but still being very encouraging towards all the other climbers, and still managing to have a load of fun and just be kids.

young Jamie is turning into a real machine a pure delight to watch, Keep at it Jamie and eat more veggies.

You can eat what you like it seems and how can you boulder wearing a buffalo shirt. Must have roasted yer ass.

Jamie with his surprised to have caught that hold face on, believe in your abilities Jamie -- you are strong !

Cairngorm at its best -- cracking days soloing -- ending with a cracking sunset.

Solo climbing with someone you really love hmmmmmmmmm

Not for the faint hearted i suppose but if your going to winter climb for real- you need to be able to climb grade 2 easily and unroped-especially if you are planning the Cuilins - my personal opinion - not a recommendation to anyone.

Go have fun -- do what you want to do - but don't be stupid- be careful- We are !

Tooling comps and Hope for a great 2009 for you all

2009-01-02T14:33:00.014Z

Penny mac

Happy new year to you all my vertically enlightened Friends, Team mack hope you have a trully great year.

he loves it dont he

Poser at the team trials

Dylan makes British squad and more or less guarantees his first word cup 2010 at ratho.

man il be real proud if they both make it to compete it an international together---bring it on

Dry tooling comps took over most of nov and dec

Nicki Addison climbing real well at Scots and just showing us adults up as usual.

These kids are awesome to watch at comps just wish i was their age again sigh

Extreme Dream routes as usual were the best of the series, awesome job by the route setters

Dylan power boy locking off and cruzing this route made it look easy

Some oldish guy making this one look easy

Young and foolish -- loved watching the kids on the real rock having never been on rock with tools they wewre funny as watching them get baffled by a real scottish winter move was pleasing for an old vet-- hey its just nice to able to whoop their buts them at something

Miss burns about to jump for the finishing holds on the chimney route

Do not feed before climbing

I give up

Iv got no idea

Veteran mixed master - Great fun - lets all have a good year.

Winter Walk @ Beinn Eighe

2008-11-11T23:18:00.012Z

Beinn Eighe a monster hill --- get up onto the top of this bad boy and tell me your not impressed by its sheer bulk -- its a big hill

Abosolutly stunning remote feel when you walk round to coire micfeachair

My bro Mart lovin it as usual

plane parts from the famous crash

As a walking day highly recommended - long but easy and proper awesome situations

Best wishes for 2009

ITS NOT WHERE WE ARE IN LIFE BUT IN WHAT DIRECTION WE ARE MOVING

2008-10-21T23:05:00.006+01:00

Summer 2008 - The stuff of nightmares and yet still "Ce la vie"

This is a cruize liner berthed at Invergordon taken from the boat as we returned from a night fishing trip.

This summer i lost a bit of the drive required to go climbing a lot,

We still manged to climb a few routes but took more relaxing trips away exploring the fabulous playground called Scotland.

Towing the boat to ullapool is just about as scary as climbing and setting of for a jolly round the summer isles whith everything you need for a few day exploring is totally priceless,

Usually blessed with the weather enough to get awesome veiws of hills, hills iv been on but take ages and ages to recognise because iv never seen them from that angle - ok it may be my age.

Did a few walks and lots of fishing, few summers will ever be remembered like this one will be.

A very rude young trainee SPA Instructor was seen a cummingston, climbing on a rockface she was, i was impressed.

Then i realised it was Anna

We went to Reiff for a weekend out to the Bay of pigs and got midged to death even while climbing.

Robert did battle on (walk like an Egyptian E4 6a) pumpy as

Simply awesome when you get it right and we left ullapool one fri eve and ended up here at the anchorage at Tannera mhor, Summer Isles.

This stunning archipelago has some proper climbing on it not very high but very very nice place to climb, if you have a boat to get there.

You dont have a boat do you ! "Ha i bloody do"

OK so im not the first to climb here but next summer il be one of the first to climb this bad boy.

May even have some DWS potential at hightide and calm seas.

That drive that we climbers require to want to go to remote places and climb and climb and shit my fingers are bleeding.

The force is strong within me :-)

Bring on next Summer --- --- Bring on the dry tooling comps !

My friends

2008-07-20T14:06:00.028+01:00

Those of you who know-Know i write this blog post with a heavy heart.

I'm truly blessed in my life to have the friends i have, and sadly one of the my closest friends is gone.

I loved Craig's attitude to life and other people and his enthusiasm for anything outdoors and wilderness orientated.

My friends and i have lost someone so so special, its totally crushed me, I'm humbled by the whole traumatic incident.

However the late Mr Hutchison would kick my ass- if thought we were all going to give up all the things he liked doing.

We are dealt the card.-------Now get on with it!

So the blog --Always with fond Memories of Craig Hutchison.

The Hutch had about 10 face plants this day, most mere mortals are back in the boat after 1 or 2, not Craig and he was mastering the board damned quickly.

Our last Cullin's trip, think i did brake him a little that day, i know he was hurting after the 5.600ft of assent on the day but managed a smile and general good humor as always.

Loved the cave day, great banter,great mud fight at the end.

Shelley and Ben seemed to enjoy the troglodyte life and we all pissed our selves at Shelly's spotless white caving jumper and Mhairi flashing her tits at the 20+ bikers.

After the Assynt weekend---- Team mack headed south for Sheffield and well i drove until i couldn't drive no more and asked a kind farmer if we could camp on his land,

We hid ourselves away in the woods and Dylan who we now call activity boy, managed to boost moral amongst the team--

i was just hoping for a bikers rally on the way to Sheffield!

Cliffhanger ---- Sheffield's extreme sports festival-- Organised by a clever chap from the BMC

British Bouldering Championships 2008 dry under a big circus tent thing top.

We entered the Guinness world record dyno competition

Robert and myself managed 2.10m and the world record was set at 2.65 by an American who had flown in specially.!!!!!

Dylan made !.7m and it just looked insane.

Dylan Placed 13th overall and was happy with his day.

Now Activity boy was free to roam.

Mhairi entered the pull up contest and the bouldering, and im not sure which one she liked the best, but the bruises went away quite quickly.

The snow from the extreme skiing jump brought the swelling down enough, for Mhairi to continue with the game of, hunt the Activity boy.

The qualifiers were thus---- 10 problems three attempts at each, 8 out 10 were the kids finals from the day before, i manged one -- i hear by officially retire from competitive national bouldering comps.

We left the 23rd place Gangsta, at hathersage to climb at Stanage and he never took his camera.

Dylan gets the triple---joint 1st at Ratho

British champion for his third year running

The sun feeling blue!
I hope the sun shines for you and all your days are happy and that you laugh with friends.