Johnny Walker Mountain Leading

Home
United Kingdom
Stirling
Johnny Walker Mountain Leading

I am a very experienced Summer and Winter Mountain Leader, providing guided walking and scrambling

20/06/2026

For our last day of this trip we decided to leave the horrendous rain in the North West and head to Glen Tromie in the Eastern Cairngorm area.
The forecast suggested that the strong SW wind would lessen as the day progressed, but I sure struggled cycling into it, despite Orion trying to give me a draft on his Ebike.
We then took to the very heathery and overgrown slopes of Meallach Mhor as the heavens opened, and Orion stepped on an adder at one point!
It was proper Scottish summer - soaked on the outside, broiled on the inside 🙄😥
But it dried up as we summited, and the warm front brought even warmer air that felt like a hairdryer up there. Weird.
We got a good view of the Gaick Corbetts that I had 'enjoyed' in the snow with Caroline Larkman earlier this year 😉
The descent was through some of the deepest and consistently covered heather slopes I have ever walked, testament to good deer management, complete with lots of rowan, birch and pine saplings.
The ride back was easier with the tail wind, and I almost dried out.
A great week, lots of challenge, lots of satisfaction.

18/06/2026

A proper wet day's cycling into Flowerdale, and getting to the summit of the iconic Baosbheinn with Orion.
It's a really, really rough track, bordering on proper mountain biking, and there was a fair bit of pushing done on the way up.
And as for the ground conditions on the approach, otter's pockets come to mind. Then we had the 40mph gusts of wind on the ridge to really keep us on our toes.
It's not all beer n' skittles as my pal Paul Bonson always says!
Still grand when you get some dry clothes on though. 🙂

17/06/2026

Not a lot of photos from our walk up Beinn Damh from the Torridon hotel today as it was gusting enough to blow one of us over, as well as hosing it down most of the day.
Very Scottish conditions unfortunately, and one better enjoyed over a cuppa and a slice of cake once we got back and dried off.
Still, I did get some pics of the beautiful forest start and finish 🙂

16/06/2026

I am lucky in this work that I get to visit some very special places quite often, and the superlative mountain that is An Teallach is one of these.
Today was my 14th ascent and traverse of the Corrag Bhiudhe pinnacles, and we had a much better day than forecast. I do love it when the forecasters get it wrong in our favour!
Okay, the cloud held on for the majority of our morning, but we still managed to get some of the famous views as we summited the final peak.
Orion and his daughter Katherine thoroughly enjoyed the day, and even had a peek into the abyss atop Lord Berkeley's Seat, a truly exposed position, requiring sure-footedness and a head for heights.

15/06/2026

A very pleasant first day back on the hills after my two weeks away.
Beinn Airigh Charr from Poolewe, using the bikes for the first 7k on the good quality track.
Then it was a surprisingly good condition old stalker's path up into the coire, before a steep pull up on scree to the summit.
But then, wow! What views! Everything from the Outer Hebrides, the Summer Isles, Fisherfield, Torridon and a fair bit more. And the weather was warm enough to just sit there on the top and soak it all in.
The forecast isn't looking too good for the rest of the week, but we're certainly made hay whilst this sun shone 👍🙂

28/05/2026

My last mountain post for a couple of weeks, as I am off to Austria for my holidays, (and will be concentrating on my two-wheel steed rather than walking or climbing for once).
But what a glorious day it was. The wind was a little warmer than yesterday, and the sun shone continuously. The shade of the trees was welcome on the ascent, and doubly so on the descent. The bluebells were so pretty.
The shy retiring Corbett of Beinn Stacath was our goal from Inverlochlarig, having had to turn back earlier in the year due to swollen burns which were difficult to cross safely.
Our route has a bridge shown on the OS map, but it is long gone, so armed with the knowledge of our previous visit, we made short work of the ascent.
The summit isn't the most inspiring, despite it's trig point, (and the abandoned fencing wire adds to its mundane feel), but the views were great, and we spent a good while debating exactly what we could see, a favourite summit pass time.
Thanks to Orion for pressing me to go out today, and I am looking forward to our Torridon trip when I return.

27/05/2026

The last day of my trip with Joyce, and whilst not as warm as yesterday, we were still blessed with mainly blue skies and a light breeze. Mind, coming from the East, it had a wee nip in it at times.
We drove over the thankfully re-surfaced Bridge of Balgie road, and through the scenic upper Glen Lyon onto Meggernie and Lochs estate before parking near the Giorra dam on Loch Daimh.
It was then a comparatively dry ascent up the dreadfully eroded path that leads steeply up onto Creag an Fheadain. Every time I visit this hill, the path gets worse, and is a real eyesore unfortunately.
Once on the 887m summit we got the first view of our target, Stuchd an Lochain, sat majestically over its eponymous wee lochan. There is another little descent and re-ascent before the final pull up to the summit, and it was certainly worth it for the views.
Thank you Joyce for bringing the weather from overseas, it was much appreciated 👍🙂

26/05/2026

Plan, plan, but be flexible.
A motto that certainly holds true in our pursuit, usually due to weather considerations. Today however, for the second time in as many months, it was due to a second road closure to our chosen hills 🙄
So instead of Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean, we did the splendid Tarmachan ridge instead, not bad as a substitute day eh?!
The weather was hot for Scotland, with 21c on the summit, so we sweated and puffed as we scrambled up the loose Bad Step, but the views were extensive, and made up for the effort.
Well done to Joyce, getting your hill-legs going having only flown into the UK at the weekend from Afghanistan.
A respectable 5.5hrs including many photo stops and a long rest chatting on the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan.

21/05/2026

Just dropped off a lovely bunch of folks at the railway station in Aviemore, after our High Points of the Cairngorms National Park week.
We had some unseasonably cold weather initially, with a lot of lying snow on the higher summits, but the team took it all in their stride, despite being shod quite lightly, as is the wont of the average U.S. based walker.
The snow was soft enough to allow safe travel, and with some judicious planning around the weather, we achieved all of our objectives.
Thanks to Kim, Helen, Dave, Paula, Erika and Jessica from the States, and Elaine fae Embra for your company and great attitude 🙂👍

Working for Wilderness Scotland

13/05/2026

Our last day in Fisherfield/Dundonnell today, and we were lucky with the weather again. After some biblical rain overnight, (which made the waterfalls nice, but the river crossings less so 😉😏), we had a mainly dry but very cold ascent of Sail Mhor.
It was surprising to see fresh snow on An Teallach down as low as maybe 700m, and a reminder that this winter is most definitely still here. It was also surprising to see Little Loch Broom so turquoise blue with the cloud levels.
Ardessie falls were a delight, and a new sight for us both, and in spate, were very impressive.
Thanks to Chris for his company, and hope to see you again soon.

Address

Stirling
FK79QV

Telephone

+447967002260

Website

http://www.johnnywalker.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Johnny Walker Mountain Leading posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Gym/sports Facility in Stirling?