Wilderness Journeys - Blog

A Weekend in the Cuillin

2007-08-30 19:17:11

Simply a superb long weekend in the Skye Cuillin to celebrate our business mentor, Neil's, 40th birthday.

Saturday dawned wet and miserable in Kintail but with the drive to Elgol the sun worked its magic and the Cuillin were revealed in all their glory. Of more concern, was the brisk westerly wind which meant the planned sea-kayak in to Loch Coruisk was a paddle too far. However, thanks to David and the superb team at Bella Jane we loaded the kayaks on to their boat and, much to the amusement of the international contingent aboard, hitched a ride through the rising sea. As the winds dropped we enjoyed a fantastic evening paddle among the seals, cormorants and shags and even tried (with varying degrees of commitment and success) to break-in to the whitewater spilling into the sea from the UK's shortest river.

Sunday's plan was to ascend the classic Dubh Ridge, considered to be one of the UK's finest (and longest) low grade rock-climbs. Gearing up at the base of the route in the increasing gloom and rain, the most probable outcome looked like mid-morning coffee back at camp. Fearing the worst but hoping for the best we set off up the dripping gully which provides access to the main ridge. Some 6 hours later we were on the summit of Sgurr Dubh Mor having enjoyed an epic climb in dry and increasingly sunny conditions. The abseil off Sgurr Dubh Beag certainly ups the ante and halfway down must be one of the best situations in the whole of the islands.

For me this was something of a pilgrimage having dreamt of climbing the route in good conditions for many years. The return paddle the following morning in exciting conditions rounded off a superb and unforgettable weekend in the Cuillin. When the weather is good here, it is simply unbeatable.

To read about sea-kayaking holidays in Scotland, click here.

High Winds = High Adventures in Inverpolly

2007-09-27 10:46:08

The term adventure travel appeals to many budding holiday-makers these days, but whilst there are many that can ‘talk the talk’, when poor weather kicks in, there are less people who can actually ‘walk the walk’. Or in this case, ‘Paddle the Canoes!’

acted as Wilderness Chef and Assistant Guide on a tailor made canoe expedition in Assynt in September. This was for a couple who had walked down the aisle just a few days earlier and this was part of their Scottish honeymoon!! Our clients – Nick & Antonia – were great fun and were definitely up for all aspects of this challenge, including the weather!

Assynt is one of the country’s most beautiful areas and in fine weather the lochs can be flat calm with mirrored reflections of purple heather and iconic hills. Not so on this trip!! The storms started as we pushed our canoes off from the shore and into the wind and waves of Loch Veyatie. After 10 minutes of paddling our hearts out, I looked up only to find that the distance we had moved was so little that I wondered if my canoe was still attached to my car! I glanced across to our clients to find them grinning!! “This is what it’s all about” they screamed over the wind, and with that I knew that the next few days would be fine!

Over the next few days we battled against Force 6 winds and enough rain to have turned the Sahara green! However, the weather did abate for one full, magical day. We hiked to the base of Suilven to enjoy one of the most scenic views in Scotland. The wind was to our backs on the canoe journey back to camp and we cruised back with great speed.

Despite the weather, this was an amazing experience – which is usually the case when you go prepared! When I think back, I recall the evening we spent next to a fire on the beach, gazing at the blanket of stars above – as clear as I have ever seen them in this country. And the contrasting night in the storm, when we had dinner, fully decked-out in Gore-tex, sitting on the beach facing into the wind and rain, but laughing away, with stories being told and malt whisky being sipped straight from the bottle!

If you get the chance to visit this area by canoe, go for it! You’ll have a great time, and will almost certainly have better weather than we did!

To read about our canoeing and hiking trips in Inverpolly, click here.

Sleeping in birds� nests in Tanzania!!!

2007-10-02 11:37:00

It’s not every day you get to sleep in a giant man made bird’s nest, on top of a tree, under the stars, overlooking a waterhole, watching in awe as herd upon herd of Elephant come down to drink from Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park. I frequently found myself pinching my arm to see if this was a dream and if I would wake up back at home in Edinburgh!

I was on a recce trip in Tanzania, helping to put together an extraordinary trip through Tanzania’s beautiful north. Tarangire is more off the beaten track than many of its northern neighbours – Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, but time spent here gives you more of a feeling of the true African wilderness, reminiscent of days of old. Our days were filled with fascinating walks through the landscape where we learned how to read the spoor (the footprints left by passing animals) and spotting beautifully coloured birds. We climbed Oldonyo Sambu hill, where we gazed over incredible sweeping views. And we enjoyed a long peaceful morning spent next to a waterhole where we watched the daily ritual of the brave animals who nervously make their way down to drink at the water’s edge – one eye always on the lookout for approaching predators.

The highlight for me though was the night we spent atop a tree at the edge of a large waterhole. I clambered up this tree at dusk, half expecting this to be part of an elaborate joke, but upon reaching the top, I found to my astonishment a flattened out area filled with twigs and braches and big enough for 8 of us to sleep. Once we had our sleeping mats and bags in place (and the odd bottle of wine!), we settled down for the night. Too excited to sleep, we watched over the waterhole, lit by the brightness of the moon, as a variety of antelope quietly made their way down to the water’s edge to drink.

All of a sudden, the tranquillity of the night was shattered as herd upon herd of elephant came crashing through the undergrowth and on into the water. In all, there must have been at least 200 elephant and we watched, in awe, from the safety of our bird’s nest with the animals totally unaware of our presence. For me, this was a once in a life time experience and one I shall remember for many a year to come.

To read about options for tailor-made trips to Tanzania, click here.

All aboard for Adventure!

2007-10-08 11:59:09

I had the fantastic opportunity to join our Sailing & Walking – Knoydart, Skye and the Small Isles trip in September. The experience was wonderful right from the outset. The train journey to the trip meeting point went along the scenic line from Glasgow to Mallaig, including the section near Loch Shiel and Moidart made famous by the Harry Potter films. At the Glenfinnan viaduct the driver even paused to let passengers take photos!

The group was met at Mallaig station by our guide, the very knowledgeable and fun Steve. We were then welcomed aboard the Eda Fransden, the beautiful 65-year old gaff cutter which was to be our home for the next week. After a nice cup of tea and an explanation of how things worked onboard from our skipper, Richard, we motored out of Mallaig harbour.

Our first anchorage was in Loch Nevis which is south of the Knoydart Peninsula. We got a glimpse of a golden eagle soaring high above a hill and then were lucky to be invited to a wee gathering where we were able to meet some of the colourful local characters!

Our first walking expedition took us along the north shore of Loch Morar and back. Then we set sail up the Sound of Sleat to Isleornsay on Skye. Although all members of our group were novice sailors, everyone was willing to help hoist sails and so on – having to “tack” five or six times to get out of Loch Nevis was quite challenging, though!

From Skye, we sailed down past the Sound of Arisaig to a wee island called Eilean Shona. Here we had a good trek across the island followed by a visit to the ruined Castle Tioram. From Eilean Shona we sailed to the Isle of Rum where we anchored in Loch Scresort, had a nice walk in Kinloch Glen and also visited the eclectic Kinloch Castle. Then we motored round to the north-west coast of the island and saw loads of red deer hanging around on the beach and viewing us with some curiosity! We also managed to see a white-tailed sea eagle – an incredible sight which we would not have spotted without our guide. On the journey back up to Loch Hourn, north of Knoydart, we saw a minke whale, as well as some harbour porpoise and the usual guillemots, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes (we seemed to grow used to seeing these!).

Our last walk of the trip was the most challenging and satisfying. We landed on the north side of Knoydart at Barrisdale and then walked up a long, steep pass. After coming down past Loch an Dubh Lochan, we stopped to eat our much-needed packed lunch. We started off again and after trudging through bogs and spotting badger prints, we reached the south side of the peninsula and the community of Inverie – home of the remotest pub on the British mainland! We had a well-deserved drink there and then went back to the Eda for our last night onboard.

I had a fantastic time on the trip and cannot speak highly enough of Richard, Rachel (the wonderfully talented cook), Karen (the very able first mate) and, of course, Steve the guide (who really is very good at what he does!).

You can read about this trip by clicking here.

Ireland's Champion Yak Wrestler!

2007-11-11 18:27:57

Well it's been a bit odd readjusting to UK life after another fantastic trip to magical Bhutan. This was my second visit to the country and our first biking group for the "Trails in the Himalayan Kingdom" itinerary.

There was a certain sense of trepidation - would I be able to remember the trails I rode some 18 months previous? Bhutan is hardly the "beaten track" but the itinerary includes rides which leave the country's main highway and tourist trail far behind. Experience showed that the wrong route selection could end up in a 10 hour epic which would test the patience of even our most adventurous clients!

Anyhow, it all worked out great and we have an amazing two weeks. For the full trip report including details of the Yak wrestling incident, please see our Bhutan trip pages.

You can read about our mountain biking trip to Bhutan by clicking here.

The Haute Route goes live

2007-11-11 20:33:16

It was with a certain sense of eagerness and excitement that our recent Haute Route film project received its "Scottish Premiere" at our recent staff training event.

It's fair to say that we're all pretty chuffed with the result. The production team did a great job and there is some epic footage from parts of the route including great stuff on the summit of the Pigne d'Arolla.

Our guide Robbie Fenlon and presetner Zay Harding are clearly the stars of the programme, although the supporting cast shouldn't go without a mention. Paul's fleeting cameo (one word - "Pizza??!!") was a stroke of genius and it is surely only a matter of time before such natural ability comes under the gaze of Attenborough, Dimbleby and others!

The programme, titled 'Ice Trekking in the Alps', is currently being screened as part of the Globetrekker series on the Travel Channel and Discovery throughout the world. All very exciting stuff!!

You can read about our Haute Route Ski Touring trips by clicking here.

Extreme Dreaming in Venezuela

2007-11-26 11:03:19

Following on from our work on the Haute Route film project, we were asked to provide the logistics for an episode of 'Extreme Dreams', a TV series which runs on BBC2 and is presented by Ben Fogle. After designing a challenging itinerary for the programme, I was lucky enough to be tasked with going to Venezuela with the cast and crew to oversee the project.

I spent just over 2 weeks in Venezuela, trekking through the savanna and jungle landscapes before arriving at our eventual goal, the mystical plateau mountain of Roraima.

This mountain was made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle and provided the inspiration for his book, 'The Lost World'. It's certainly an amazing place, where bizarre rock formations make for a rather spooky summit. Incredibly, around 50% of the plants and animals found on the summit plateau are found nowhere else in the world, making this a truly unique environment.

We had lots of adventures along the way, many of which I am sure won't make it into the final edit (!), which is due to be screened in February 2008 on BBC2.

Having experienced the magic of trekking on Roraima and the wonderfully friendly nature of Venezuela, I can certainly recommend it. You can read about our private Roraima trekking holidays by clicking here. We also run small group trips to the region around Angel Falls which you can read about by clicking here.

Ecotourism in Bolivia

2008-01-24 12:12:37

Having just returned from a recent research trip to the high Andes, I am looking forward to the various wilderness adventures scheduled for 2008.

The main purpose of my visit was to look at the scope for greater integration between adventure / ecotourism in South America and nature conservation efforts in many of the fragile and threatened ecosystems of the Andes. Wilderness Journeys has established relationships with several leading nature conservation organizations which are actively seeking to harness the benefits that sensitively planned ecotourism can bring to remote and important areas.

In poor countries such as Bolivia, the primary focus of the local people is to earn a living and provide for their families. As the world’s human population increases and the climate warms, the pressure to find farmland and water increases exponentially. The result is often deforestation for firewood and to clear-fell land for farming. Water courses are diverted to provide irrigation and with the erosion caused by deforestation, the water often fails to reach the communities further downstream. Poaching of rare wildlife, such as the Andean Bear and the puma, is a major issue, exacerbated by the fact the government has little funds for wildlife protection staff and many of the National Parks are severely under-funded.

The role of ecotourism and environmentally-focused adventure travel such as the experiences offered by Wilderness Journeys is to provide an alternative livelihood for local people, which serves to place a value on wild nature, intact habitats and ecosystems. A forest or Andean grassland must be of more value to the local people pristine and intact. A bear or a puma must be of more value as a subject for sensitive photographic tourism than as a carcass or a skin.

Our adventure in Bolivia’s Cordillera Apolobamba is a superb example of sustainable ecotourism in practice. The vast Apolobamba National Park, Ulla Ulla Vicuña Reserve and Madidi National Park together form one huge protected area which covers all of the ecological zones in the Andes and the Amazon: from the high glaciated mountains down to the Amazon rain forest. Wildlife you may encounter include condors, puma and the rare spectacled or Andean Bear. This trekking holiday has been designed to ensure you experience this region in all its splendour, and that your visit contributes to the financial resources required to protect this area and to benefit the local communities, who are its custodians and guardians.

But surely, you might ask, flying across the globe to visits such areas contributes to climate change, which in turn will increase the problems? Having spent the past 10 years working in ecotourism and on conservation related initiatives, I firmly believe that the overall effect of visiting such special wild regions far outweighs the negatives of flying. There is no question that we must all fly less. However, 20% of global emissions are caused by deforestation and habitat destruction. Ecotourism plays a vital role in providing an economic and practical counter solution.

We also believe that you can only love what you know. If you love something, you will want to protect it. Our journeys are designed to inspire our clients. We want you to have an amazing holiday, to get away from it all, to enjoy yourselves in incredible parts of the world. We want our visits to support the conservation of the ecosystems through which we journey. We want you to return invigorated, inspired and rejuvenated. We sincerely hope that having visited these areas, you will feel motivated to support their preservation in the future. This completes the circle of adventure, knowledge, understanding and motivation for future protection of the earth’s precious wilderness areas.

Pre Haute Route Practising!

2008-02-06 14:49:42

With my April Haute Route trip just around the corner now, I convinced myself that the best training that can be done for the trip, would be a week long, fully catered, chalet based ski trip in the Alps! I have just returned from France and the beautiful village of St Foy - with a handful of quiet runs, but located close to the resorts of Val D'Isere, Tignes and Les Arcs.

We enjoyed some fabulous weather which offered some incredible panoramas of the Alps and wonderful snow conditions which in turn, allowed me to practice my off piste technique and work on my fitness.

The Haute Route is a six day high altitude journey through the spectacular scenery of the Alps, from Chamonix to Zermatt and I am very much looking forward to joining a small group of our Wilderness Journeys Clients on the trip. We still have one place available on the trip and if you are keen to join us on this very special journey, please contact the office as soon as possible.

You can read about our Haute Route Ski Touring trips by clicking here.

Under Blue Skies in the Alps

2008-02-12 15:09:40

With our busiest spring yet of off-piste skiing and ski touring just around the corner, I took the opportunity to catch up with Robbie, Derek, Claire and the team in Chamonix at the weekend. Conditions are just great out there at the moment with the weather more like spring than early February.

The Vallee Blanche and all the variants are in good condition with the brilliant blue skies forecast to last well into the week. It was suprisingly quiet on Sunday and we had much of the route to ourself, skiing some nice windpacked snow around the Gros Rognon.

Yesterday was an absolute "belter" (Tim's ever enthusiastic words!) in terms of the weather and we finished the trip with a nice short tour around Les Contamines. This is a quiet family resort at a dead end valley. However, it also serves a fantastic range of ski touring terrain with amazing views of the Mont Blanc Massif. As such, it has become a favourite wee excursion on our intro backcountry skiing weeks. We opted for the Col de la Cicle which offers a gentle skin up with an exciting ski down into the forest and a run out through the beautiful nature reserve. It's a really special quiet corner of the Alps.

For any aspiring backcountry skiers out there, we still have places on our late March/early April introductory week and good availability on our new Zermatt Off-Piste week.

Paul

India's Shivling - the most beautiful mountain in the world?

2008-03-19 17:00:54

The wonderful mountain of Shivling, "the phallus of Shiva", may be the most stunning peak of the Garhwal region. Many consider it to be the most beautiful mountain in the world!

Its spectacular form is often compared to that of the Matterhorn as it rises as a sheer pyramid above the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. After British exploration of the Gangotri Glacier in 1933, a German expedition undertook a reconnaissance of Shivling in 1938. They reported "no feasible route" on the mountain due to its steepness and the threat of falling séracs.

Shivling was however first climbed on June 3, 1974 via the west ridge, by a team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, led by Hukam Singh.

Our trekking adventure this September to the remote Kalindi Pass affords wonderful views of this mystic peak and entails a journey into a seldom visited and incredibly beautiful region of India. This pass was first crossed by Shipton and Tillman in 1934 and the route was only recently opened to visitors. There is a genuine feeling of mountaineering exploration and adventure.

The 3-week itinerary is a journey to some of the holiest places on the planet. Shiva, after whom the peak is named, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. The magic of India, for me, is the connection that the Indian people retain with nature. Were it not for their tradition of worshipping deities which take a natural form, it is arguable that many of their incredible wild places and species such as the tiger, would have been lost a long time ago.

India is however changing rapidly and as the population strives towards the material possessions and lifestyle of the West, some of these ancient and mystical traditions and natural wonders will inevitably come under threat. There is no better time to visit India than just now and we hope that this journey will inspire you to value and protect our wild and beautiful places for future generations. Please click here for the full itinerary.

Into the Wild - Alaska

2008-04-25 11:23:15

I've just finished reading 'Into the Wild', the story of a young man and his journey into the wilderness of Alaska. Although the book tells the sad tale of how young Chris McCandless died on his adventure, it is a fascinating read and one which certainly makes me want to return to Alaska.

The book's author, Jon Krakauer, asks some interesting questions about why McCandless - and other people over the past few years - have given up their regular lives and ventured into the wilderness. There are no real conclusions - how can there be? - but one thing which is clear is that wilderness can have a great effect on people and should be valued as such.

It makes me think back to my last visit to Alaska and how I felt at the time. With some friends, I trekked into a National Park on a multi-day expedition. It was spring and the ranger told us that we were the only hikers in the entire park! It was a magical trip with lots of adventures - finding fresh grizzly tracks, coping with rivers in flood with snow-melt, not getting lost!

But an overwhelming memory was of the stillness. Being alone (except for each other) in a massive wilderness. Watching nature carry on, unaffected by our presence, and realising how small we were in this wilderness. The experience cleared my mind, refreshed my spirit and made me feel privileged to be there. The quotation by John Muir:

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” - suddenly made sense to me as we sat around our small campfire one evening.

If you enjoy exploring true wilderness regions, there are few better places to visit than Alaska. Our trip to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes is a wonderful trekking holiday in Alaska, backpacking through the wilderness and climbing some peaks too.

If you would like to read 'Into the Wild', you can buy a copy of the book by clicking here. A DVD of the film is also available.

Alpine Season 2009

2008-05-15 20:59:17

Greetings from the Alps where Robbie, Claire and I have been making the most of the inter-season to make grand plans for Winter 2009.

2008 was a busy season for us and thanks to all our new and returning clients for making it a memorable one. There were many highlights and it's difficult to choose. The definite low point was Tim (from the office) blowing his medial knee ligament on a Haute Route warm-up day. Probably the first and last time that he will follow the Fenlon at "guide-speed" in a white-out.

New plans for 2009 include a new itinerary in Norway offering the special experience of skiing from summit to sea and a new tour in the Gran Paradiso. I went there just last month and loved the solitude of the place with no lifts and few people. Added to that are some of the best huts in the Alps. On eating the Tiramisu at the Benevolo Hut I seriously had to contain a "mamma mia!" it was so good. This might be the only ski tour in the Alps where you could actually put on weight.

All 2009 dates and prices will be fully live on the website by the end of June. In the interim, please do give us a call if you would like to make an advance booking or discuss the new itineraries for next year.

Serengeti walking safaris!

2008-07-23 11:37:48

Wilderness Journeys are thrilled to offer an exciting new range of walking safaris in the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania. A little known fact is that only 15% of the Serengeti is currently accessible by tourists and the remaining 85% consists of a vast, pristine wilderness. Wilderness Journeys, in partnership with skilled local guides, are one of only a small selection of operators who have been invited to offer these fascinating experiences.

Our Serengeti walking safaris explore this undiscovered and enchanting region and we urge you to join us on one of these pioneering adventures as the great migration winds its way across the plains. The migration is generally in the northern part of the Serengeti from July to October and in the period from November onwards the great herds make their way south to the calving grounds of the south-east Serengeti where they remain from December to March. As the rain clouds gather, the herds being to stir and in April the journey north and west begins once again.

Our walking safaris operate from lightweight mobile camps, where delicious meals are served under the stars around a blazing camp fire. Every bush comfort is catered for, with hot showers and real mattresses and bed-linen, however this is still a true wilderness adventure which will remain with you for the rest of your days.

For details of our new walking safaris in the Serengeti please click here.