Late Starter

[Cams]

Hi folks, I'm 46 and live on the Isle of Arran. I've been up Goatfell many times, but never any of the island's other corbetts.

Back in 1989 I was in the British Army and fell off a cliff whilst scrambling on Grasmoor in the Lakes. I fell 40 feet and suffered multiple fractures of my tibia and fibula, shoulder and a few teeth. That led to 13 surgeries and counting and my ultimate discharge from HM Forces.

Understandably I think, that event put paid to any desires I might have had to get into the hills for fun. Until now. It's strange, but the desire has stemmed from watching YouTube videos of millennials documenting the outdoors, most notably fellow Scot Dan Bell. If you haven't seen his videos, take a look!

I'm a very keen photographer and it's through that that I've found a desire to get out into Arran and see the parts of it I've not seen before. In many respects it seems like a ridiculous waste to have all that right there on my doorstep and not go and take a look.

So, I've been researching gear for the past couple of weeks and bought a tent and sleeping mat and plan to go out for overnighters with my daughter (14). This site has been great for looking up gear reviews and also for walks on Arran. I did the Caisteal Abhail walk today, though not all of it because we want to build up to it.

Nice to meet you all!

[jmarkb]

Welcome to WH!

That's great to hear that you have re-discovered a love for the hills after such an awful accident, and it sounds like you will be able to give your daughter a great introduction to the outdoors. I wish you both well in your adventures!

[Coop]

All the best pal and sorry to hear your army career didn't pan out.

It took me a few years but the best thing I did after I left was to get on the hills.

Enjoy pal. And good luck to you both . Hope you get the views

[Chris Mac]

Welcome to Walkhighlands Cams, i'm an Arranite too although based in Glasgow now and like you I was a bit of a late starter, now 41, also a keen photographer. I'll be down for a long weekend from the 2nd to 6th August for the Highland games and plan to try and finish my main Arran hills with Tighvein and Mullach Mor of Holy Isle. I'm also itching to do some of the Corbett and Graham tops i've not been up yet and there are plenty of Humps and Tumps i've still to visit... If you fancy meeting up for a walk just PM me and we can maybe sort something out, i'll be staying at home in Brodick but will have the car over.

Sorry to hear about your accident, no wonder that put you off for so long but at least you've got the bug again, you'll not regret that decision. Happy walking and exploring with the camera, looking forward to seeing some walk reports and photos...

[Caberfeidh]

Rememeber it's not all about climbing up steep hills; there are long glens and forests, lochs and rivers, islands and shores to be explored. From Arran you can easily explore into Argyll and Kintyre, with Knapdale now a haunt of the elusive beaver, just calling out to be photographed. Good luck !

Beaver-gnawed tree

Beaver-felled tree

Beaver lodge, Knapdale

Beaver lodge close up

Glens and forests to explore

Wildlife to sneak up on and photograph

And all Scotland lies before you...