A Look Back on 2014

After having a bit of a break through December I thought, as today is the 31st, I'd do a quick look back on this year and reflect on some of the things that have been really awesome in 2014. I've also included some of my aims for 2015 and things that I'm looking forward to. What have some of your highlights of the year been?

1. In June this year I started my blog. After reading blogs for years and talking about starting one for such a long time I thought I should just do it! Although I don't have the time to commit to a regular posting schedule I'm so glad I have managed to keep it up. At the start of December Charlie from Little Red nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award. At this time I was having a bit of a blogging break but I am so grateful to Charlie for the thought and mention! It really means a lot to me. Thank you also to all my new Bloglovin followers. It really means so much to me that people take some of their time to check out my blog. In the Autumn my boyfriend very generously got me a DSLR camera which has encouraged me to try and improve on the quality of the pictures here and learn a bit more about photography.
Aim for 2015- Experiment more with my camera and learn a bit more about what all the fancy buttons do!

2. This is the year that I really started to go regular, longer walks. I'm glad I have managed to record a lot of these on On a Wild Hunt so I can look back at all the day trips, forests and hills my mum and I have stumbled and climbed. Before I started my blog we climbed Ben A'an which is one of my highlights of the year. It was a beautiful sunny day and the climb was one of the hardest we have done, but I also felt such a sense of achievement. Maybe we'll try it again in 2015... I also loved our day trip to the Isle of May and I can't believe we saw a whale. For our long weekend in November we explored Perthshire, an area that I had never been before and would love to visit again. So many beautiful forest and hill walks in that area!
Aim for 2015- Continue to go regular walks and maybe try some more hills/ baby mountains?

3. In 2014 we went on two foreign holidays to European cities- Prague and Porto. Both were amazing trips and I have some really happy memories of both locations. We went to Prague in February and spent a lot of time exploring the city, dining in restaurants and keeping cosy in our spa hotel. For my birthday in Prague we watched the Superbowl in to the early hours of the morning and walked back to the hotel in the snow. It really is a beautiful city and I've been told the elaborate architecture of the castle inspired the Disney castle. In June we went to Porto where we wandered round the stunning sundrenched streets and relaxed at Porto Primavera music festival. I also discovered Port wine and had a great time dining in some really nice restaurants and cafes. (My first 2 blog posts were on Porto if you're interested in reading a bit more).
Aim for 2015- I can't wait to go to New York in February! It is somewhere I have wanted to go for years! If you have any recommendations please let me know.

4. Work wise 2014 has been a busy year for me. After 3 interviews I finally got a new job in October this year and am really glad to be on to a new challenge. I have also done 42 Saturday shifts at my volunteer placement and in September I started a new volunteer role on Monday evenings. After years of avoidance I have also started swimming lessons and have learned the basics so far!
Aims for 2015- I'm looking forward to continuing my volunteer roles and hopefully mastering breathing for my swim lessons!

Altogether, I have had a great 2014 and am really grateful for all I have been able to do. Let me know the things you've enjoyed this year and I hope 2015 brings with it even better stuff!

Alasdair Gray Exhibition

Living in Glasgow it is easy to find the work of Scottish artist and writer Alasdair Gray dotted around the city, but it is the current exhibition From the Personal to the Universal at Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery that really shows Gray's artistic range. As a fan of Gray's literature and artwork for a number of years I loved this exhibition and was very close to purchasing one of his limited edition prints (I may have to start a kickstarter for £600). Today I thought I'd share a couple of snaps from the exhibition, some of the postcards that I picked up and some images from Gray's autobiography A Life in Pictures to give you an idea of Gray's style and range if you are not familiar. The exhibition at Kelvingrove Art Gallery is running until 22nd February 2015 and I think I might take a second trip. If you're not from the city or nearby I highly suggest A Life in Pictures which is available here. I got this as a Christmas present and I love it; so much inspiration and a bit of a look at a very talented and interesting man's life. If you're interested in discovering more there is a leaflet handed out at the exhibition that pinpoints a number of Gray's murals around the city, some of my favourites being the ceiling in Oran Mor and the image of the West End at Hillhead subway station.

Have you been to the exhibition or read any of Gray's novels?

Balmore Cottage and Dunalastair Estate

Recently my mum and I went away for a long weekend to relax, do some walks, climb a hill and relax in front of the fire. Our destination was Balmore Cottage on the Dunalastair Estate near Aberfeldy and Pitlochry. I had never been to this area of Scotland before but after seeing images of the cute cottages and nearby forests and hills I was convinced.

We were given a map of the estate and a guide to getting to the cottage prior to arrival which made it simple to find where to go. Thankfully, we arrived just before the sun set so no need for my mum to drive in the dark on that night! The cottage was beautiful. Being two traditional stone cottages joined together, it was far bigger than I had expected. We had parking off the road and a nice sized garden which looked over the fields, hills and brooks. There was also a log hut and outdoor dining set which I imagine being lovely for evening meals in the Summertime. Inside the cottage there was a utility/ toilet as we entered the back door, a good sized kitchen, 2 bedrooms (one with en-suite, the other had a four-poster bed), bathroom and a welcoming living/ dining room with a wood burning stove. The cottage had everything we needed; towels, shampoos, hairdryer, utensils, internet... In the morning I looked out my window to see sheep in the field opposite and from the kitchen window we spotted Schiehallion shrouded in morning mist.

I am so impressed with the cottage and could have easily stayed there a week (or for ever...). I got a good sleep despite a pheasant waking me in the early hours of the morning and the bedrooms were really warm and cosy. The livingroom has a storage heater which I am generally not a fan of but because there is a wood burning stove I had no need to complain. Altogether I really loved the cottage and would happily go back for future trips. Oh, and did I mention it has a window seat?

The cottage is part of the Dunalastair Estate which my mum and I spent some time exploring. From the cottage we walked along the road, then to the left and at the corner we entered a rough track towards Dunalastair Water. We passed some sheep munching on turnips who were surprisingly friendly and posed for our pictures! We continued on the track to find an old stone building that looked like it had been destroyed by fire. The exterior of the building still looks fresh with the clear coat of arms at the entrance and the shutters still intact. From the windows we could look in and see the fallen wooden floors and overgrown weeds. Its a creepy yet enchanting sight and reminded me of Jane Eyre.

As we continued to wander round the grounds of the estate the gothic theme continued as we stumbled on an old burial site, the gate to which was chained and locked. This point offers a stunning view over Dunalastair Water and the surrounding mountains. It also felt like quite a secluded spot and a view that only a few will see. While looking round this area we also found a stone Celtic Cross which was mounted on the top of a grassy hill. It's exciting to explore an area and find such large ruins left by the people who once lived there.

I feel there is a lot more to the estate than we managed to find in our brief stay and I'm sure every season will bring with it new views and scenic spots. I'd highly recommend a stay on the estate and hope I'll return in the future. Did I mention that one of the holiday houses is an actual castle? I may have my eye on that one...

For more information on the estate and the cottages you can visit their website here.

Craig Varr, Kinloch Rannoch

As dawn broke on this November Sunday morning my mum and I set off to climb Craig Varr which overlooks the Perthshire village of Kinloch Rannoch. Although not as challenging as Schiehallion we were still looking for a good walk and a beautiful view. Craig Varr did not disappoint.

We set off from the car park on the Pitlochry side of Kinloch Rannoch which has a signpost across road pointing to the "Craig Varr Path". In hindsight we could have parked in the village itself and followed a shorter and clearer route but we got a couple of extra miles walk out of this mishap. I also think this might be a good spot to park in the Summer when the village is really busy. The path almost immediately turns left and climbs gently through a woodland path. Around half way to Kinloch Rannoch there is another sign pointing straight ahead. We ignored this and started to climb upwards to the path on the right. I enjoyed this part of the walk with the rust coloured ferns, gentle brooks and autumnal leaves. We also spotted a deer prancing through the trees ahead of us.

As we followed the path out of the trees the route took us away from the peak we thought we were heading to and towards a larger hill, which we then realised was Craig Varr. At this point the path continues over more moor land, past a cairn and towards a bridge over a small waterfall. This is a beautiful spot offering views down to the village below and across to Schiehallion. As we had set off early the sun was now rising further in to the sky and sending rays over the mountains and lochs around us. A really stunning sight!

We continued over the bridge and turned to the left. Once we got to a rough old stone dyke (keep your eyes peeled for this- we missed it the first time!) we started to head across the rough moorland and up the hill. There is no path at this point so we tried to roughly go up and leftwards avoiding swampy patches. As it had been raining that weekend the ground was very squelchy at some points and there were small streams running from the top of the hill.

As we climbed upwards another rough path emerged which was covered with fern and heather roots. We carefully followed this until we got to a stone dyke which we followed up to the top of the hill. From here we were rewarded with captivating views of Kinloch Rannoch, Loch Rannoch, Dunalastair Water, Schiehallion and the mountains all the way to Glen Coe. We spent some time taking in these views and the peaceful isolation that can be found at the top of hills.

After this pause we set back off on our way down the hill, this time heading towards the village following the river and waterfall. Most of this path had turned in to a stream. We were able to walk through it but in bad weather this may be a more difficult route. This took us out at the waterfall in the centre of Kinloch Rannoch. We then continued along the woodland path beside the road which completed our circular route and took us back to the car park.

Altogether this route took us longer than we had expected but if you were wanting a shorter walk I suggest parking in Kinloch Rannoch and climbing up the route we climbed down from as this did not take long. I think this is a great walk for all abilities at any time of the year, especially if the weather is clear to take full advantage of the view!

The Facts on climbing Craig Varr:

• We started from the park park around 1 mile before Kinloch Rannoch, however you could also park in the village for free.
• I believe there are public toilets in Kinloch Rannoch.
• Climbing Craig Varr from the further car park took us around 3 hours.
• Distance is around 7k.
• Difficult points: Some of the paths had turned in to streams which could be slippy and there was no path once you got near the top of the hill.
• Wear: Hiking/ hill walking boots and trousers that you don't mind getting a bit muddy.
• Perfect for those who enjoy finding their own path and being rewarded with amazing views of the lower Highlands.

Further Reading:

• Another guide to climbing Craig Varr, this time starting from the village.

Autumnal Brogues

Autumn is my favourite season for clothing; cold enough to wear layers but not so cold that I need to start wearing my hiking gear for a trip to the corner shop. For this inbetween time I think brogues are perfect, but the search for the just right pair can be a tough one (firstworldproblems...). The ones I want to share today are my recent favourites and I think they look great for smarter occasions (I wear them to work and dinners out) aswell as casual strolls on the high street or through the park.

We don't have a Massimo Dutti shop in Scotland and although I love looking round their shops abroad I had never purchased anything before. But when I saw their Brogued Brown Bluchers online I couldn't resist! I think it is worth spending a little bit more on shoes and the quality of these is instantly noticeable. The soles are sturdy and can withstand a damp Autumn stroll, as well as looking polished enough for a nice meal out. I've also had a few compliments on the shoes remarking how comfortable and smart chic they look.

When I buy shoes I always expect there to be a wearing in period and I'll admit I did get a couple of blisters with these shoes, but nothing a plaster and a think pair of socks can't handle! After about a week they were worn in and comfortable.
I think it has been a couple of years since I have had brown shoes and I am really enjoying it. They go really well with navy trousers or jeans and work well with skirts and dresses during Autumn. Also, they break up my shoe-drobe of black boots! I like to wear them with striped tops and tartan scarves for a casual weekend outfit.

I'm really happy with these brogues and am now eyeing up some other shoes on the Massimo Dutti site. I'm always on the look out for the perfect brogues/ smart shoe so if there are any places you always go I'd love to hear about them!

Massimo Dutti's Brogued Brown Bluchers are available on their website for £89.95. 

PS I'm now on twitter @onawildhunt Come say hi.