Articles, Ads Aonach Mor and Admin

I've had a couple of things appear in publications recently:
My photo of Lou (far from a beginner) on Secretaries Direct at Polldubh made it into 'Get Into Climbing' The BMC's Special Edition Magazine for beginners.

 Lou on Secretaries Direct

BMC's Climbing For Beginners

Simon Birch and I did the Skye Cuillin Traverse over 2 glorious days last year and his article on the trip is in the latest Scotland Outdoors. (My film is here).

Simon Birch nearing An Dorus and our bivvy site

Scotland Outdoors' Article on our Cuillin traverse

On a less happy note I received this email from Bauer Media for Trail Magazine.

"The greatest mountains in the UK, according to Trail readers, are…

1.Tryfan

2. Helvellyn

3. Snowdon

4. An Teallach

5. Buachaille Etive Mor

6. Great Gable

7. Blencathra

8. Ben Nevis

9. Suilven

10. Liathach

Do you want to be known as the best Mountain Guide to go when challenging these mountains?

 Here at Trail we are currently working on our July issue, in which we are including  a special feature page in our directory for the ‘Top Peaks and the Top guides for them’.  We have a special offer on so that you can get in front of our readers and tell them exactly what you have to offer and be known as the best!

The special offer is:

A 6x2 Ad for just £150+VAT

Or

A 3x2 Ad for just £75+VAT

(We can even create the Ad for you) 

Don’t miss out on this chance to reach our readership of 68,000  that do not know about you yet!

There is very limited space available so let me know ASAP if you would like to showcase on this feature page.  The July issue goes on sale on the 12^th June and the closing date is the 21^st May."

 So all I have to do to be known as the 'best Mountain Guide (sic)' for a peak is to pay Trail. Qualifications, experience, local knowledge, reputation, customer service, flexibility none of these matter by comparison. So when you read a copy of Trail (and there ARE some very good Instructors mentioned in their pages) just bear in mind that there is zero quality control on some of their adverts recommending 'Top guides'. All you have to do is pay up!! Like lots of businesses I get calls and emails offering me these 'special rates'. Sometimes I'm on the end of a hard sell… until I tell them my annual marketing budget is less the £100 and that I'm turning work away!!

Good to see the Aonach More weather station giving readings again. Its been out of action since the lightning strike last December 19th but its back up and running as you can see here.

Today I was doing some admin. Publicising some Scottish CPD for the MTA, answering endless emails, writing a report on yesterday's TA work and prepping for a CWA Training in Orkney at the weekend. I also had a meeting with an established provider about some long term scrambling work locally. It will be great to get out even more on the fine scrambling that Lochaber has to offer and to trade on my reputation rather than advertising in Trail.

Scrambling in Lochaber