16/02/2012 by admin.

Starting a few days after the battle of Culloden in 1747, this book follows the fortunes and experiences of a young Scot called Ewan thrown upon uncertain times along with his mum, after his dad and brothers fell at the battle. The tale follows Ewan as he tackles untold trials and tribulations, as he learns the lessons he must to survive and which he was destined to use as he heads unwittingly towards a prophecy that he was destined to fulfil, a prophecy that foretold the awakeningof the Fingalians, the Ancients, under his leadership. Whom Ewan has to unite in order to use their combined power to aid the clans during this time of distress, A distress not from the feeble greed’s and needs of man, but rather from those who lead and posses them. Those of a higher unearthly evil who relish and bloat on the souls of all men, women and children of the Highlands, But first Ewan must tackle untold beast and foul creatures before he can Raise the Ancients.

Published and now avaliable from - http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-rise-of-the-ancients/18883493.

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16/02/2012 by admin.

‘So where are you going tomorrow’ my wife asked, to which I replied with the usual showing on a spare map plus the assortment of grid ref’s, etc, etc, along with the promise of a phone call which I have to admit I sometimes forget until I’m back in the car and surrounded by the phenomenon of ‘no reception’.

The map I produced was a very tattered OS 33, spare due to the areas on it that constant soaks have turned it into a blotted mess, particularly around the five sisters to glen Affric area where I have failed miserably to forget the ‘the monsoon day’. Unfortunately, it is joined by three other occasions where similar conditions did test my waterproofs to their limits. But they are but a mere easily cured itch compared to the numerous grand days I have had around kintail.

For a start the drive down the A 87 is a magical experience, especially past the clunie hotel, to which I have ferried many a hitch hiker. As you descend down through the steep sides where the rived delves into a short tunnel before tumbling in a series of astonishing water falls to the battle site. But your eyes will not be on the river, but the high mountains that tower either side of you, and especially of the pyramid shape of the saddle to your front. For here it is the Munros that dominate the scene like alpine secrets where light threads it tentative rays into the deep glen, over the rippling waters of the river and the heather that cling’s to the rocky slopes for dear life. All of this will, if you allow it, allure you into a false sense. No a real sense of mellow beauty where your eyes are seldom on the road (and perhaps the reason for the many lay-bys and numerous Car Parks) where time slows as your swept on the gentle current down the long straight to the lay-by conveniently positioned opposite the one series of mountains that had thus far always been covered in cloud for me.

read more here.

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11/12/2011 by admin.

After a drive through blizzards, then under clear skies lit up by a full moon, I finally arrived at the cairngorms to be greeted by a traffic jam. Not a traffic jam as southerners experience around London on the largest toll free car park in Europe but more of a wait for the hard working park staff to clear the roads. Did not have to wait long before our line of cars slide and slided up the steep road leaving a few stragglers along the way until we all parked in a nice long line beside the ski centre underneath the glow of sunrise with the bright moon hovering over Aviemore, both it and the sun starting to cast the grey oranges over the skies cloud. carry on reading about my trip here.

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11/12/2011 by admin.

carrying on from the short story about ewan and the fire beacon. I continued writing a series of shorts about the adventures of this lad until it got so big that as of last week, I combined all these stories into one - called the Rise of the Ancients it is about the lads growth over the years and a vairety of problems he had to over come as he headed unknowingly towards a prophecy that he was destined to fullfill - learn more on my book page here .

Here’s an image of the front cover

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17/11/2011 by admin.

The Moray Book is finally published quite a few months eariler then expected. As discussed in eariler post this book about two long distance hikes within Moray, Scotland. It contains maps, loads of photos plus loads of infomation about the routes and Morays history, not forgetting details about the superb landscape the walks take you through - from pristine beaches, fertile lowlands, rivers jumping with salmon to high breas full of illicit whisky lore and finally onto some of the highest mountains in the UK.

Not avaliable from amazon yet - it is from my publisher here, or look on my book web page here and click on the ‘Moray way’ icon for more details.

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17/11/2011 by admin.

Do not know why but as I drove down the A9 on a -5 cold early Sunday morning to atholl, unheeded by any cars (a miracle) I was feeling guilty. Guilty of nothing in particular, just the usual married man stuff , of me going off for some fun while the family are stuck at home sort of guilty. It could be that just because today was the first in many months when it did not rain or was very windy but then again my days of taking them places does seem to be over, as they would rather ‘hang’ with mates then parents now. It is the ‘Can’t live the parent’s day’ I am really waiting for, feels like it will never arrive. But back to the guilt stuff, don’t know if anyone else ever feels it, but if today was guilty day for all walkers then I saw at least another 20 odd cars around parked in the going munroing places, so I guess I’m not totally alone. To read and see more photos click here.

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17/11/2011 by admin.

Lochnagar – it is quite a funny name when you look into it, for a start, reading it as it is you get the impression that perhaps the name came from an old Giza who once lived in a wee cottage by loch Muick, who was perhaps feared due to having an ability to moan people to death or nag. Whereas if you look at its Gaelic meaning ‘Hill of laughter or noise’  you get the impression of an old Giza who lived in a wee cottage by Loch Muick who was perhaps a bit of a comedian and had the ability to lighten the hardiest of moments. To read more and see more photo click here.

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26/10/2011 by admin.

Another walk I did a few weeks ago, had planned to do this walk purly to verify if you could see the moray firth from its summit, but found a heck of alot more then that - read on here. 

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22/10/2011 by admin.

The A4 size leather and wood craft book I released a few months ago is full of various crafty things I have made or got upto in the last decade. It is full of things to make such as bows, quivers, armour, bullwhips etc, etc. I have had recommendations that it would also be good to publish some chapters within their own book, making them cheaper and enabling potential hobbyist to read about just one subject and not many, so I have just created four new books from various chapter and they are A5 size making them easier to handle and stuff in the pocket. Please follow link to find out more about them - http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/paul2610.

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22/10/2011 by admin.

A few weeks ago before the nights started to close in and it stopped raining, I had planned a fair trip upto Ben Alder, but due to stuff happening I never got round to it, instead I wrote a story about a kid living in the area around the time of Culloden. Follow link to read all about his adventure to Ben Alder - http://mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/Ewan%20and%20the%20fire%20beacons.pdf

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