Friday 14 November 2014

The truth about Hamish on Stac Pollaidh

Bertie on Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh from Achnahaird beach 
The geographically astute amongst you might have already realised that, in passing by Gruinard Bay last Sunday, we were some distance from our usual Torridon patch.

Yes indeed, after a chilly Saturday night at the cottage (the ancient wood burning stove has been decommissioned and the new and hopefully much more efficient one not yet installed) we headed north along the breathtaking coastline for a wee November mini-break, staying two nights at Gail's favourite hotel, The Ceilidh Place in Ullapool.

Oh I could go on and on about what a smashing and dog-friendly hotel this is, but today, as the title suggests, I want instead to tell you something about my predecessor Hamish the Westie. Something I only learned when Gail and I climbed a renowned Assynt landmark, Stac Pollaidh, on Monday morning. Information that had hitherto been suppressed.
Red arrow points to Stac Pollaidh
Hamish accompanied Gail on her first ever visit to this eerily spectacular part of Scotland. He was still quite young (about my age now in fact). I'm always being told about what a capable hill climber the wee fellow was, despite his short legs and solid body. In fact Gail can be quite boring on the topic of his apparently first rate scrambling skills. Skills which I lack due to my higher centre of gravity.

Fellow pups, have you ever struggled to live up to your human's memories of an earlier pet?

Path up Stac Pollaidh
Well, as you can see from the pictures, Stac Pollaidh, although not high compared with many Scottish peaks, is steep and rocky towards the summit. Just the sort of scramble at which Hamish reputedly excelled.
Near the summit - Gail in camouflage
So it was only when we descended that Gail let slip, as if it were a minor detail, how she was quite relieved at not having to carry me down. And how it had always been hard to keep her balance while holding Hamish's ten plus kilograms against her hip on a precipitous descent.

Yes you read that right. Hamish the world famous mountaineering Westie had to be carried down from the summit of Stac Pollaidh. And from many other summits apparently. He was only ever any good at going uphill. He would just get to the top, sit down and refuse to budge, in his stubborn Westie way.

Oh you have no idea how much better I feel, having learned this.

Not that I'm competitive or anything….

View north towards Suilven (worth biggifying!)

26 comments:

  1. The secret's out....carried down. We were waiting to hear that he had to be collected from the police station....

    We know you'd NEVER have to be carried down from anywhere, Bertie.

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  2. Carried down eh ? Secrets out now Bertie !
    Maybe he wanted to stay and admire that amazing scenery though, wow it is stunning !
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  3. Oh bottom!! I bigifyed your pic and lost my comment!! What the heck did I say? I've struggled BIG TIME to live up to our Harri and Our Lucy's memories. Thanks for giving me hope. I'm sure THEY had faults too, aye?? Crikey those pics are beautiful. You sure live in a beautiful place!! Gail was in that photo????? Where??????? I couldn't see her .... only you ..... with a rock holding your leash!! who knew rocks could do that?????

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  4. At least she didn't have to call search and rescue - that would of been embarrassing. That was amazing the last photo - but not quite how one pictures Scotland with its rolling green hills and heather covered mountains - where are the guys in kilts offering free whiskey and shortbread...oh wait - it's Scotland - they wouldn't be giving free stuff away would they - see that is what happen to stereo types.....every dog to himself we say :) :) :) :)

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    1. Bertie has been given free shortbread on a Scotrail train more than once!

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  5. Hari OM
    OMD OMD OMD OMD OMD............see what you've done to aunty??? You KNOW how dear Achnahaird and Suilven are to me!!! I had a suspicion when Gruinard appeared that other day... sigh......... will have to whisper in the Little Ren's whear to see if she's ready for a bit of an adventure.

    Hamish sounds a bit like me... going up Uluru and not so good at the coming down!!! Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  6. Ha ha uphill only. That was funny now Bertie. Stunning views there my fine friend. Have a fabulous Friday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  7. Bertie that silly Gail you are clearly a mountain climber exrodinaire! And we do know how you feel or at least Weasley does Mom often compares his non-stellar puzzle solving skils to an earlier pug, Bingo Little (see same as your namesakes friend), who was a puzzle whiz.
    Retro Rover
    PS That place is so lovely mom was drooling it looks like middle earth

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  8. Tht was my first thought too, now you feel much much better after that secret is unveiled :o) Butt it was great to climb with you and your Gail (and with Hamish of course) to the summit of Stac Pollaidh, many thanks for this fabulous tour!

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  9. We have it really easy. The parents have always had dogs that did stupid and weird things. There was the time that Toby attacked the Jumping Cholla on his first hike in Arizona and had to be carried to the car and rushed to the emergency vet, resulting in large bills for the humans. There was Nigel, the ESS who stole two turkey sandwiches in a row from the same lovely aunt (in the space of about 7 minutes) and who ate the chocolates she was hiding in her suitcase (no bad results). Compared to these dogs, we are golden.

    Love
    Gus and Teka

    ps...we find out much of this ephemera from our sissies and the photo books.

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    1. Hamish once ate a whole box of expensive dark chocolates. And on a snowy winter's day he once stole the last remaining sandwich from a hiker who was enjoying his lunch at a remote spot about two hours walk into the hills. Fortunately the hiker had a sense of humour…
      Cheers! Gail.

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  10. We are RELIEVED to hear that Hamish was not TOTALLY PAWfect. That news gives you a bit of ... WIGGLE ROOM.

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  11. We have a feeling Hamish is not thrilled about you telling all his secrets about being carried down the mountain. You on the other paw would never be carried
    Lily & Edward

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  12. Beautiful pictures....yes I angus feel like I have to be like Sammer J. Simpson....sometimes it is hard.
    Angus

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  13. ROLLING ON THE FLOOR HERE IN THE SOUTHERN US OF A. HAMISH MIGHT HAVE HAD ONE TOO MANY SCONES FOR A DOWN HILL JAUNT! MOL

    I HAVE OFTEN BEEN COMPARED TO MILKY-WAY THE LAP LOVING, LAID BACK GENT WHO WAS B.M.(BEFORE MADI). IT IS A RATHER TIRING TALE TOO. HOWEVER, IT ALWAYS ENDS WITH MW WAS NOT FOND OF COMPANY..MANY FOLKS NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A CAT HERE. MOL MOL ANTI SOCIAL HE WAS. I, MADI, AM OF THE OPINION EVERYONE WHO ENTERS MY ABODE HAS COME TO SEE ME AND THE MOST WANT MY FURS ON THEIR LEGS
    SINCERELY MADI YOUR BFFF

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  14. PS GAIL,
    THE PHOTOS ARE BREATHTAKING!!
    hUGS CECILIA

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  15. BOL! The secret is out, Gail! I bet she was just trying to inspire you to do better because she knows how competitive you are. But you have your OWN strengths, just like Hamish did.

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  16. Gorgeous photos! Love the new header!

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  17. OMD, Bertie! Those photos of you and that Stac thingy are stunning. It looks like moonscape - or the American West. Really, really beautiful. And yes, it's really good to learn that one's predecessors (Gizmo) were not pawfect!!

    -Otto

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  18. Now thats something...you are a true mountain climber.......as for that vie....it' slike magnificent...but your presents makes it a true masterpiece! One could just sit and get lost in that!

    The Mad Scots

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  19. Oh stars --- I am always compared to the "Westie Who Came Before Me". I totally feel your pain!!!

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  20. Beautiful! We were laughing cuz we didn't see Gail in that photo until you said she was in camouflage! Me and Stanley are "best dogs ever" at our house so we're in a good pawsition.

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  21. I think we know the Hamish story! We also know that Gail loves you beyond the beyond, dear dog-god-son Bertie. We do, too.

    Pawsonward.
    xox
    Tootsie and her humans

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    1. And we meant also to write -- that country is phenomenally gorgeous. How Dachshund Daddy would love to scamper there! Thanks for the pawsome photographs.

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  22. Stac Pollaidh sounds like a weird name. How do you pronounce it?

    We're not mountaineering peepz, but I'm sure the dog would have loved the view like you.

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    1. It's a Gaelic name (like many landmarks in this part of the world). The Anglicised version is "Stack Polly". Gaelic words always contain a few gratuitous vowels and consonants!

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