Yes, you've guessed it from the title of today's blog - I'm stuck indoors, grumpy as a grumpy thing with a sore head and yearning to be oot an aboot with the wind in my face (would've said 'In my hair' but I ain't got much). Sometimes I think that the desire for adventure is a yearning to get back to the home fires, but on a day like today the home fires aren't quite as appealing. I want to get away from the fire!
John Muir famously summed up the desire for nature thus:
"Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
And, sitting in this armchair reading an outdoor magazine to compensate for my inactivity, while the rain trickles down the window opposite, another Muir quote pierces the gloom:
"One day's exposure to mountains is better than cartloads of books. See how willingly nature poses herself upon photographers' plates. No earthly chemicals are so sensitive as those of the human soul."
Couldn't say it better myself. So, with this in mind, here are the top ten things I miss about the great outdoors when weather-bound, in no particular order:
- Having a great new piece of kit and not being able to use it. This involves wearing/using it around the house whilst staring into the middle distance. Hugely frustrating!
- Having already planned a great new route and then being forced to ponder it indefinitely, when all you want to do is get outside and use it! Usually, this will have involved loads of thought and research, over the course of many days. In fact, the thought process for the next journey often takes root while on the current one.
- Getting to a decent level of winter fitness and then not being able to consolidate/advance. Mountaineering in winter requires a specific muscle set. Evidence of this can be found in aching calf muscles and sore shins. The more time spent, the fitter you are and the more you can manage.
- The camaraderie of good company and shared adversity. Bonds forged in arctic terrain, poor visibility and challenging topography, stand the test of time.
- There's nothing quite like the thrill of a crisp, clear winter's morning, blue skies (fleeting at best in Scotland) and hard compacted snow. There's nowhere else I'd rather be!
- Eating as much as I like - with no consequences! Jelly Babies, Mars Bars, peanuts, Whole Nut chocolate bars, barley sugars, energy gels etc etc. Stop it! This is silly!
- Praying time - nearer my God to Thee. Surrounded by the absolute awesomeness of His handiwork, I am nearer to my Maker and feel a closeness that's tangible.
- Thinking time. I've solved many problems and righted a thousand wrongs on the hill.
- Getting back to basics, I appreciate life's simplicity: I need fuel for my body to produce energy. This heats me and enables me to travel further and in more comfort. I clothe myself in multiple, thin, wicking, warm layers, which I adjust as I go along. I pay close attention to what the weather's doing and where it's coming from. I hydrate my body regularly, often with some sort of isotonic drink. I respect the wilderness and try to leave no trace, taking out what I take in. No, that's wrong - I take out a whole lot more than I take in! It's all these simple, basic things that I appreciate.
- Exploration - seeing and travelling through a wide variety of unfamiliar landscapes and revisiting different spots at different times of year and in different seasons and weather conditions - there's always something new to experience and learn. I feel connected to and enjoy an affinity with the mountains. I also feel a Woody Guthrie song coming on..."This land is your land, this land is my land..."
Finally, in photographic form, here's what I'm dreaming of when the weather improves:
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| Carn Mor Dearg Arrete and Ben Nevis |
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| Aonach Eagach |
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| Buachaille Etive Mor |
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