Obsessive - me?
I have to admit, it's true. In the past couple of years I've become obsessed with hillwalking. I've also developed a passion for indoor climbing and bouldering.
I'm not new to hillwalking, and I've always loved mountains, but recently I've found lots of people who are every bit as obsessed as I am, and more so. It's brilliant – we can talk non-stop about the best gear, the mountain weather forecast over the next few days, and our latest strategy for bagging Munros (i.e. Scottish mountains with an altitude of at least 3,000 feet) – without having to bore non-obsessives.
I've met these like-minded people through local walking groups on Meetup.com, one of the few social networks that puts you in touch with real flesh and blood mortals that you can meet face to face.
I love the solitude of solo hillwalking, but I also enjoy having company on walks. Hillwalking can be a fantastic way to meet like-minded people, and when you're out in the fresh air enjoying nature, everyone seems to be in a good mood.
I have even become an event organiser, so I get to choose many of the walks that we do and to some extent, the pace that we go at. I've always been a bit of a control freak.
Autumn is one of the loveliest times of year for walking in Scotland, as the air becomes fresher and sharper, the colours become warmer and the pathways are padded with a carpet of leaves.
Yesterday I organised a walk to a part of Scotland that is particularly beautiful at this time of year – Killiecrankie and the River Garry.
We started by climbing Ben Vrackie, an 841m hill near Pitlochry. There is an excellent path all the way up Ben Vrackie, making it a popular day out for people of all ages.
The views from the top are spectacular on a clear day.
Loch a'Choire, at 520m up, is an attractive spot, but it was exposed to high winds yesterday, so we didn't linger there.
Instead, we headed down to the small village of Killiecrankie, made famous by the Soldier's Leap. This is the spot where, on the 27th July 1689, Donald MacBean, a Redcoat soldier who was fleeing Jacobite pursuers at the Battle of Killiecrankie, leapt over the River Garry – a span of 18 feet.
Near the Soldier's Leap is the Killiecrankie Railway Viaduct, which was constructed in 1863. It's still in use today, for trains on the Perth to Inverness route.
The short walk from Killiecrankie to Garry Bridge is glorious at this time of year.
As you approach Garry Bridge, look out for bungee jumpers…
The views from Garry Bridge, which is more than 20m high, are spectacular in both directions. This is the view looking north, with the mountain Carn Liath, a Munro at 975m, in the distance.
This is a view of the forest below Garry Bridge, looking south.
An obsession that drives you to do strenuous exercise in glorious locations in the fresh air is, in my opinion, a healthy obsession.
