Mark Horrell's Blog, page 9

The Scottish coastline and the secret village across the loch

I’d never previously considered the far north of Scotland as a Christmas and New Year holiday destination. According to the daylight indicator on my Garmin watch, the sun rises at 9.07am on the summit of Ben Hope, Scotland’s most northerly Munro, and goes down again at 3.31pm. That doesn’t give you much opportunity for serious hill walking, unless you don’t mind walking in the dark.

And then there’s the weather. I’ve discovered from various trips to Skye that when it rains in north-west Scotland...

Special offer: Sherpa Hospitality at a super low price

With COVID Christmas II hitting our high streets and much of the planet waiting eagerly to see what new restrictions will be put in place over the festive season, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands and give you all something to smile about.

Yes, that’s right I’ve made the ebook version of my new book Sherpa Hospitality as a Cure for Frostbite available for less than a pound/dollar/euro on all the main online bookstores. This offer will only be available for a few days, so head on ove...

Kilimanjaro cable car: is it a good idea? That depends on its purpose

It was widely reported earlier this month that the Tanzanian Minister for Tourism has announced that work will begin soon on a cable car up Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.

There have been various announcements about this cable car over the last 2½ years, since it was first reported by Reuters in 2019. All of them have been light on detail, resulting in an avalanche of speculation each time, mostly negative. Whether it will actually happen is anyone’s guess, but it’s a while since I’ve ha...

My new book is out! Sherpa Hospitality as a Cure for Frostbite

‘It’s out!’ said the umpire Dickie Bird as he lifted his finger.

‘But what’s this got to do with mountaineering?’ I hear you asking.

Absolutely nothing, but just like the sheepish cricketer making his way back to the pavilion, something else is out, and it’s much more exciting.

Sherpa Hospitality as a Cure for Frostbite: out now as an ebook!

It seems like donkeys years since I last published a book, and I’m very excited about my latest one.

In last week’s post, I explained how I’ve been working ...

The story of Sherpa mountaineers from early expeditions to the present day

It seems like ages since I released a new book. In fact, it’s barely 18 months since I published the revised edition of The Baruntse Adventure in April 2020. Since then I’ve produced audiobook versions of three of my biggest-selling books, in between holding down a full-time job and doing lots of gardening in our (no longer so) new place in the countryside.

So I’m super excited to make two big announcements in today’s post.

Big Announcement 1

Yes, I have a brand new book out (well sort of). It’s...

Review: The Farthest Shore by Alex Roddie – hiking the Cape Wrath Trail

A short post-script to my trip report about the Ben Lawers Five last week. The day after that memorable Munro-bagging extravaganza, my editor Alex Roddie was launching his book The Farthest Shore at the Highland Bookshop in Fort William, just 90 minutes across Rannoch Moor from where we were staying in Killin.

Alex has edited all of my books since Seven Steps from Snowdon to Everest in 2015, but he’s better known to most people in the outdoor community for his work on magazines such as Sidetrack...

The Ben Lawers Five: peak-bagging perfection

Now the clocks have gone back and the long dark nights of winter are approaching, it seems like a good time to look back on a day just two months gone when the sun burned brightly and it seemed like things couldn’t get any better.

It’s been two years since I last left these shores, and while I know many people are champing at the bit to travel further afield – if they haven’t already started – I’ve surprised myself by patiently waiting with no great urge to travel.

One reason for this is that I’...

Review: The Last Mountain – the last days of Tom Ballard

A short review for the benefit of those of you in the UK, or who have access to the BBC iPlayer.

There is currently an unmissable 1 hr 45 min documentary film, The Last Mountain, available for the next year. The film follows the last climb of elite mountaineer Tom Ballard, who died on Nanga Parbat in 2019.

Tom Ballard surveys the route up Nanga Parbat (Photo: BBC iPlayer / The Last Mountain)

Many of you will be familiar with the story. Tom was the son of Alison Hargreaves, Britain’s greatest fem...

Amazing drone photos of the summit of Manaslu help to set the record straight

On Monday last week, Mingma Gyalje Sherpa (known as ‘Mingma G’) and his team from mountaineering operator Imagine Nepal made what has been described as an historic ascent of 8,163m Manaslu.

Here’s a nice video of the moment that Mingma stood on the summit.

Vídeo de cumbre en #Manaslu del equipo de Mingma G – @14peaks, el 27 de septiembre, 9:38 amhttps://t.co/24l83ru96nhttps://t.co/6SYOiQZdMT pic.twitter.com/bi8SWBctq4

— L. Carlos Garranzo (@CarlosGarranzo) September 28, 2021

Now, if you’re a ...

The weirdness of a Highland heatwave: 3 strange incidents on Beinn Liath Mhor

Edita stood atop a pile of rocks, waving her trekking pole frantically in celebration.

But I was in no position to celebrate. Between us lay about 100m of unspeakable, ankle-twisting boulder field. But it was the summit, and in a few short seconds I would be able to flop down in exhaustion.

But just before I got there, Edita came running back towards me.

‘Quickly, give me your camera so that I can take your photo before this lady arrives?’

Edita waves from the summit of Beinn Liath Mhor

I reache...