Vacation

[Muirium]

Scotland really is amazing, there's no way around it.

Aye. I’m doing my best to see it…

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That’s what I was up to yesterday afternoon. The view is from Beinn Narnain, a Munro in the “Arrochar Alps.” Not a bad spot, if I may say.

The big mountain on the left is Ben Lomond, looking over Loch Lomond. The water on the right is Loch Long, which goes all the way to the sea.

The three thousand foot climb all the way up from sea level takes some doing! But who’s complaining with views like that…

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That gnarly mountain is Ben Arthur aka The Cobbler. The place where Scottish rock climbing was born. The cliffs are wild on top. I’m not up for all that!

[mr_a500]

I always knew that side of the world was upside down, but could never prove it - until now.

[depletedvespene]

I always knew that side of the world was upside down, but could never prove it - until now.

What do you mean? This IS how things look in the Southern Hemisphere.

[Muirium]

Ah, the trusty orientation EXIF tag. It all looks fine on my phone, but. Try this panorama instead:

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The original is 20 megabytes and you can see the houses down in Arrochar by the shore. Here’s a crop:

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They’re overshadowed by these mountains, all right.

[adhoc]

I had a 3 week long vacation planned around Scotland this year; rent-a-car and drive around, doing my best to avoid the cities. The plan fell through because I became a dad a few days ago, but I'm realizing that vacation a few years from now for sure. Can't wait.

[Muirium]

Congratulations!

Quite what Scotland will be like in a few years is a real mystery. Hopefully we’ve got our act together by the time of your arrival.

Beyond the cities is were the best stuff lies. Even just the roads are more fun out there, winding along cliff tops faster than seems safe. I’d advise visiting in the summer months, when the days are so much longer. Come autumn, and the darkness is as striking as you can imagine. Then by winter, the sun’s down before 4 o’clock and the ice hardens from the air itself. That’s why we take hard liquor quite so seriously! Summer is easy, winter is hard mode.

[adhoc]

Thanks!

Yeah, that's exactly my plan. Long summer days, driving around, enjoying the nature. I actually have whole itinerary set up and everything ready to go. You see Scotland was the plan last year already, but you lost to Japan, sorry, so you got pushed to this year. This year didn't happen, and it won't for a few years (purely because of the newborn baby), but I am absolutely certain I will drive around your island before I die.

I have a thing for Scotland and keep a permanent bookmark in my weather app on iPhone for Shetland - so when the summer is absolutely bonkers here, I daydream of living in Scotland, where the weather is cool.

What is wrong with Scotland right now, would you say? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks pretty damn impressive - and I'm not talking just about the nature.

[Muirium]

Oh, you can guess…

https://www.thenational.scot/news/17812 ... look-like/

As things stand, Scotland is leaving the EU without an exit agreement on October 31st along with the rest of the UK. (We voted to Remain in the EU by 2:1 in 2016, but that’s not how Britain works.)

Fundamentals like food supply and vital medicine imports have not been worked out. Theresa May wasted three years already and now the real loonies have taken over in London, showing off it’s Brexit “do or die.” The trouble is some people may very well have to die for these fools deeds.

None of this was our doing, but we are not in charge of our own future, in this UK.

What happens when push comes to shove? It’s all up for grabs.

[mr_a500]

I'd visit Scotland if it wasn't for all those damn Scots there.

The land looks great. It reminds me of Newfoundland. (a place I've never been)

[Muirium]

I'd visit Scotland if it wasn't for all those damn Scots there.

I know. All those chippy, opinionated gingers…

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[mr_a500]

Now that is, perhaps, the finest Scot that ever lived.

...and here is one of the greatest Canadians:

[shreya31]

Excellent thread...!!!!

[vometia]

I look forward to doing the City of London tour as a non-financier. Wonder if they’ll let you walk on in from the surrounding country, too.

*shudder* I remember getting on the morning train into Liverpool Street and was dressed like a fairly typical sysadmin (i.e. jeans etc on the basis that the knees wouldn't go when clambering under and over obstacles with the end of a CAT5 clenched between my teeth) and the filthy looks I would get for not being in a proper business suit and showing-off-while-pretending-not-to accessories. Though even I admit that a Tesco bag did not really make a particularly impressive document portfolio: I quickly couldn't be arsed and as much as I loved my job, I absolutely despised commuting into London.

[Muirium]

Another big day up the mountains…

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Pretty busy up there actually…

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The double mountain is a' Beinn Mhòr and Stob Binnein—Ben More and Stob "Binyen"—two of my favourites which I've been up countless times. I'd overlooked their northern neighbours across Glen Dochart until yesterday.

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The reason for that is these mountains—Sgiath Chùil, Meall Glas and Beinn nan Imirean—are all separated by steep valleys, so make up a lot of work. Going down…

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Then back up the next bugger…

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Ben More just commands them throughout. Its name is Gaelic for "Big Mountain", and there's nothing taller on Britain or Ireland anywhere to its south.

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A climbing rich environment up here…

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[Muirium]

That was just the first half. The boggy moorland mentioned in the guide I linked wasn't so bad. Only got completely submerged in it once, all day! Quite a pretty scene, in the làirig.

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The two Munros weren't so bad, so the way back was up again via Beinn nan Imirean, a fair sized wee mountain all its own, with a particularly nice view over Glen Lochay to Beinn Challuim.

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Believe it or not, right as I was taking this picture, without a farmhouse let alone a village in sight—there is no road that high in Glen Lochay—my phone pinged and I had internet again. Strange world we live in.

Right, that's it, boots aff!

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Anyway, all three mountains done, it was time to go back down. Which involves a lot of walking straight towards this guy. Big Mountain. Big Showoff.

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Looking back all these tough bastirts I'd just hauled. 6000 feet ascent between them. I need a drink!

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[Go-Kart]

Killer stuff. Puts my weekend stumbling about in The Lakes to shame. But then Scotland's peaks put all to shame!

[TNT]

That is amazing!

[-Space-NATO-]

Trae alfajores!

[dcopellino]

What a wonderful world!

[dcopellino]

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are you staring at me?

[XMIT]

That looks a lot prettier than my vacation, which consists of doing non-keyboard things at home for a little while. Apologies to anyone waiting on a PM from me, it will be a few days longer.

[Burton]

I have not yet made a plan for what I want to do on vacation. I do not know what is wrong with me, but my plans are always disrupted due to some unforeseen circumstances. I prefer to plan shortly before departure.

[adhoc]

Beautiful Mu. Thanks for posting.

[tinnie]

Another big day up the mountains…

IMG_1851.jpg

Pretty busy up there actually…
IMG_1863.jpg

The double mountain is a' Beinn Mhòr and Stob Binnein—Ben More and Stob "Binyen"—two of my favourites which I've been up countless times. I'd overlooked their northern neighbours across Glen Dochart until yesterday.
IMG_1875.jpg

The reason for that is these mountains—Sgiath Chùil, Meall Glas and Beinn nan Imirean—are all separated by steep valleys, so make up a lot of work. Going down…
IMG_1904.jpg

Then back up the next bugger…
IMG_1933.jpg

Ben More just commands them throughout. Its name is Gaelic for "Big Mountain", and there's nothing taller on Britain or Ireland anywhere to its south.
IMG_1949.jpg

A climbing rich environment up here…
IMG_1955.jpg

Did you shag any of the sheep?

[Go-Kart]

Another big day up the mountains…

IMG_1851.jpg

Pretty busy up there actually…
IMG_1863.jpg

The double mountain is a' Beinn Mhòr and Stob Binnein—Ben More and Stob "Binyen"—two of my favourites which I've been up countless times. I'd overlooked their northern neighbours across Glen Dochart until yesterday.
IMG_1875.jpg

The reason for that is these mountains—Sgiath Chùil, Meall Glas and Beinn nan Imirean—are all separated by steep valleys, so make up a lot of work. Going down…
IMG_1904.jpg

Then back up the next bugger…
IMG_1933.jpg

Ben More just commands them throughout. Its name is Gaelic for "Big Mountain", and there's nothing taller on Britain or Ireland anywhere to its south.
IMG_1949.jpg

A climbing rich environment up here…
IMG_1955.jpg

Did you shag any of the sheep?

He's Scottish, not Welsh.

[Muirium]

Seen the horns on those things, laddie? They're Scots. They'll headbutt you! And at just the worst height. Also: those horns have sharp edges… So if you fancy a quick and dirty castration up in the hills, feel free to try it!

[Burton]

I would like to go on vacation to the ocean. Unfortunately, because of COVID, one can only dream. Over the past year, it was not possible to set aside the required amount of money for holidays. Well, nothing, next year we will rest for 2 years.

[Bjerrk]

Here, it's mostly the slow vaccine rollout which prevents me from going abroad. On a more positive note, I am already by the sea (Copenhagen), so it could be worse.

[wobbled]

Scotland is gorgeous, it's just a shame that all some Scots seem to do lately is bitch about Brexit and wanting a second independence referendum despite losing the first one. That's not how democracy works - revoting until you get your own way and ignoring the will of the people. Tiresome.
Nicola sturgeon is also a complete and utter tool, if they truly want independence then they're going to need someone more capable than wee Krankie.
And thats my rant concluded. I'll go back to drinking tea and angrily chewing on some crumpets while moaning about the countries borders.

[an_achronism]

Tiresome

Also tiresome: this patter