Fiona Outdoors

17/08/2024

Today, I am proud of my perseverance to cut many pieces of insulation board to exactly the right size to fit between joists in the living room. None of the joist gaps are uniform and I needed to make sure the board fitted neatly. It was a tough learning curve.

I am not so proud of the moment when I stepped back and fell through an open joist and on to my rib cage. I think I am ok although I am still sore and the pain when it happened left me shaking, white and nauseous.

Meanwhile, Hubby Gordon Lacey continued to insulate and plasterboard the bedroom. He is much faster and far more skilled than me thank goodness.

Our aim is to bring a 1970s house into the modern era.

15/08/2024

Just catching up on this fabulous Corbett bagging adventure.

Walk of five Tyndrum Corbetts in one day. Beinn Odhar, Beinn Chaorach, Cam Chreag, Beinn nam Fuaran and Beinn a' Chaisteil. The total ascent was over 2100m and the distance was more than 24km.

14/08/2024

New bike shorts and top arrived… so I decided to take them for an outing on a beautiful summer’s evening. I love the cycling on the Black Isle.

13/08/2024

This amazing woman Lorraine Mccall has faced a truly difficult Scottish “summer” as she aims to become the first person to complete a continuous round of Scottish mountains known as Grahams (also Fionas).

She has seemingly been chased by rain for much of the round but she has kept going - and she is still smiling. As she closes in on a tally of 200 (of 231 summits) let’s give her a boost by donating to her fundraiser. The end isn’t far away but it will take a big effort yet.

Lorraine’s 231 Grahams Adventure

Help Clare Beeston raise money to support Alzheimer Scotland

11/08/2024

It was so very lovely to catch up with my university friends Ashley Gilliland and Rachel Suckling when they visited this weekend. Great to meet the fast-growing children Noah and Izzie, too. And, oh, I fell in love with doggie Maple!

Let’s not leave it so long next time.

11/08/2024

Find out more, give support, donate... do whatever you can, if you can, to support this courageous charity fundraiser. Tracey Howe plans to walk the entire coast of Britain in memory of her wife.

I know Tracey – and I knew Angela – and they both offered lovely friendship back when I'd just moved to Bearsden, near Glasgow, some 20 years ago.

Their story is both wonderful and sad. I very much admire what Tracey is planning to do to raise funds for various charities and as she copes with the grief of losing a longterm love.

If you only share this post that will be a great support.


TraceysTrek

Tracey Howe is planning to walk the entire coast of mainland Britain in memory of her wife. Tracey Howe, 60, has set herself the 5000-mile challenge following the untimely death of Angela White last September. Find out more in this article.

07/08/2024

And for my final activity in Verbier, I had a great day on a road bike with Valérie Pellissier of Val-Bike.

Have a read of my blog:

After two days of active fun in Verbier, including a guided hike and a guide […]

07/08/2024

I also enjoyed a superb trail run in Verbier with Emily Vaudan.

Have a read of my blog:

Verbier in summer: Trail running to Six Blanc, Mont Brulé & Col de Mille with a guide. Find out about the many great running trails in the Verbier area of Switzerland.

07/08/2024

I went on a brilliant guided walk in Verbier with Marie Berazategui. Have a red of my blog:

Verbier Switzerland



--

A summer hike at Verbier in the Swiss Alps. The guided walk to Le Feu is one of many great walking routes in the area.

06/08/2024

A great man. Chris Bonington celebrates his 90th birthday today with a pledge to support a Himalayan community project started by his late friend Doug Scott. Find out more:
Berghaus

Sir Chris Bonington celebrates 90th birthday with promise to late friend Doug Scott.

03/08/2024

I love it when a friend comes up with a random adventure.
D: “Do you fancy bagging five Munro Tops in the Cairngorms?”
Me: “Yes. Absolutely… er, how far will that be?!”

It turns out the run-hike to the five high summits around Derry Cairngorm and Ben MacDui was 22km with some 1700m of ascent.

There were some amazing paths and also some heathery, tussocky, rocky hellishness, too. But throughout we chatted, plodded, climbed, descended, laughed and thoroughly enjoyed the outing.

FLANCI FLANCI skort action!

01/08/2024

What a wonderful day of walking and talking with my lovely friend Sarah as we bagged Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers.

It was very overcast to start with but then the clouds dispersed and the sun came out.

I love that we always slip right back into easy conversation even when we haven’t seen each other for a year.

31/07/2024

More old ‘hood running and this time with lovely Lynsey Munro.

Part of the run in the Kilpatricks is known as “Fi’s route” by my pals! I have been lucky with the sunshine, too, during this van tour.

31/07/2024

Back in the old ‘hood on a very enjoyable and familiar running route around Burncrooks Reservoir from St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour at Carbeth, Stirlingshire. This is a section of the The John Muir Way.

It was fantastic to be running again with David Venables, who has made an incredible comeback after suffering multiple injuries during a fall in the Strathfarrar mountains.

I have been enjoying the sunshine wherever I drive on my current

FLANCI Wellhouse Adventures

31/07/2024

It is the stories of human endeavour, passion and spirit that most inspire and excite me in the great outdoors.

Jeev Singh’s journey of celebration, community, healing and joy as he takes on the iconic Bob Graham Round in England is a perfect example of the stories I want to hear about.

Please do support - if you can - the talented duo Summit Fever Media as they bid to make a film about Singh’s uplifting tale.

Discover the Bob Graham Round from a new perspective with Ultra Runner and Green Runner co-founder, Jeev Singh.

28/07/2024

FIVE Corbetts in one day! The summits of Beinn Odhar, Beinn Chaorach, Cam Chreag, Beinn nam Fuaran and Beinn a' Chaisteil near Tyndrum make for a long day with some 2200m of ascent and descent over 24km.
Some of the slopes are extremely steep.

My friend Ben and I picked a superb day for the round. This walk has been on our list for years so we are very pleased to have finally found the time to enjoy it.

Thank goodness for The Real Food Cafe just along the road for refuelling afterwards!

25/07/2024

A lovely chilled morning of ashtanga yoga with Marie Nouk Yoga then a Black Isle bike ride with Tim Brand. Stopped mid-cycle to look at the fields of purple flowers. I think it's a kind of borage. Does anyone know why farmers plant this, or what it is used for?

24/07/2024

The first time I have seen these amazing wall plants flower like this. I had no idea I would love my garden so much.

24/07/2024

A beautiful sky and a flat sea view on tonight’s easy run with the very lovely Claire Piper (although she will say it was too fast!). Then a swim in the local loch with Claire and Katy Boocock, who had “accidentally” cycled too far today for an evening run but she was very happy to swim!

23/07/2024

Many thanks to the wonderful Matt Gemmell for writing this very comprehensive guide to walking Scotland's Rob Roy Way. Please do share if you think other walkers might enjoy this.

My guest writer Matt Gemmell recently set out to complete one of Scotland’s long-distance walking […]

22/07/2024

In case this appeals to any women working in journalism / comms…

20/07/2024

I won’t bore you with the details of my chaotic journey back from Verbier - issues caused mostly by and also unusually hot weather - except to say it took a lot, lot longer than expected.

However, there was a silver lining of a few hours spent in sunny and vibrant Amsterdam city. It reminds me of past trips and one when my daughter Havana Russell was much smaller.

I loved my time in Verbier and despite the travel problems, I hope to return for more amazing times in the mountains.

20/07/2024

Unexpected bonus of the FLANCI skort…

I do not have my hold luggage, I was stuck overnight in Amsterdam after just making my Geneva flight by seconds (and only because it was delayed and they let me run with my hold luggage to the gate), but I can ditch my pants and wear the skort sans knicks! Thank goodness for that! 😂😂

I am caught in f**kage but thankfully I was able to book a hotel room (the cost per hour of this room being used is shocking) and the flight home should happen later today.

Amsterdam is sunny and warm, so that is consolation, too.

16/07/2024

This is Switzerland and, of course, the mountain slopes above Verbier in the Val de Bagnes, were high, steep and stunningly beautiful. It was a delight, too, to hear cow bells in the valleys and the rushing cascades of ice-cold waterfalls, tumbling from crystal clear lakes.

What took me by surprise was the sighting of a marmotte mum and young within 10 minutes of starting my walk and the amazingly impressive array of wild flowers. Yes, I know, wild flowers in the Swiss mountains is to be expected but even my guide, Marie, of Wild Alps, commented on the vast variety of different flowers at this time of year. Apparently, the rain has been a godsend for the flora and now that the sun is out, the flowers create a spectacular kaleidoscope of colour. I lost count of the number of different flowers identified by the very knowledgeable Marie.

The walking route of around 14km took us high to the summit of Le Fou at 2609m (we started at 1500m in Verbie and reduced some ascent by using a gondola) and on well signposted trails, which had a few steep-sided drop offs. I felt a bit out of breath at this altitude but that meant I walked a bit slower and enjoyed the scenery for longer.

The circuit was aided by the use of two gondolas and a handy shuttle bus back to Verbier. All transport is free thanks to the VIP pass, which all Verbier hotel guests receive.

14/07/2024

I went in search of much-needed blue sky and sunshine. The Munro Fionn Bheinn, from Achnasheen, might not be the most interesting mountain but the views over Torridon are superb. I added the neighbouring mountain, the Fiona Meall a' Chaorainn, to make a great circuit.

11/07/2024

She tells us she loves helping people 'create amazing memories'.

10/07/2024

A solo walk of a couple of mountains in Kintail.

My description of a walking route to reach the summits of the Corbett Sgùrr Mhic Bharraich and the Fiona Biod an Fhithich in Kintail, Scottish Highlands.