Salutations all.

[Pedropony]

Hello everyone.

My name is Pete I'm 35 and live in Buckinghamshire. I'd say I'm a keen walker, though, do not get out as much as I'd like. I've explored The Lakes, Snowdonia, Exmoor, Dartmoor (close to my heart as born in Devon and friends nearby) The South Coast, Breacon Beacons and I even walked the Sudetes (raising money for charity). I'm yet to venture into Scotland (don't laugh) I have 4 kids and only recently married, so time to spare is next to non-existent. My new aunty in-law lives in Austria, a great excuse to visit the Alps perhaps. I was taken walking at a very young age with my siblings a lot with my parents, maybe that's where my hunger for that sense of freedom spurs from or maybe it's because I work in Central London every day earning what is called a living.... not ideal but pays the bills and puts food in the table, I long for escape to the outdoors, wether hills, mountains, fells or falls I feel totally my self. I studied the Russian language in order to travel West to East (I will one day!) Exploring the vast wilderness. Anyhow, that's me. My intentions here are to meet like minded people, make friends and gain more knowledge of our favourite past times.

I'm doing a ice wall climb on Saturday, gift from my wife as birthday present. Be my first experience with an ice axe and crampons!

Best wishes, Pete

[Caberfeidh]

Greetings. I am a salty old sea-dog, though there is a rumour that I may be a fifty-stone Fijian woman. No need to enter the Realm of All The Russias or Austria to seek high altitude icy mountains; lift up thine eyes to the Scottish Highlands!

Wintry Cuillin Hills, Isle of Skye

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

Welcome Pedropony!

This website is a brilliant source of info and advice. And there is always armchair walking in the form of reading other people's reports...

A personal view - from someone who lives in the English Midlands and has spent many years on all-too-brief visits to Scotland and other locations. For me, Scotland is unbeatable.

I have done a number of Alpine trips and been lucky enough to reach the tops of several 4000m peaks. The Alps win on full-on spiky mountain scenery. But it's expensive, highly organised (and mechanised!) and any route of PD or less is really popular. So you lose that sense of wildness that you can get by just parking on a verge and stepping off the road in Scotland.

In winter, the Scottish hills can look Alpine in size, and the western ones have the additional benefit of views over the sea.

Several individual peaks in North Wales and to a lesser extent the Lakes are as dramatic as most Scottish mainland hills. The Glyders and Tryfan, for example, are five-star hills, no doubt about it. But it is the long views from Scottish summits, range upon range of ridges and peaks stretching into the far distance, that make walking in Scotland feel on a bigger, grander scale.

I am not a Munro-bagger - but for many, the number and difficulty of the Munros is just about right as a lifetime objective. I think it was Hamish Brown who said that it is a big challenge - but not so big that normal people can't have a go at it. There is a recent report on here about Tom Buidhe (which up until then I'd thought was the dullest of all hills) which shows that even the flat-topped Munros can offer inspiring views.

So do enjoy the Alps - and Russia, when you get there! But most of all, I hope you have a great time out on the Scottish hills.

Tim