MEET THE ARRAN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL WALK LEADERS

ANDY WALKER

What do you do when you don’t lead walks for the Arran Mountain Festival?

Work for The Forestry Commission on Arran, keep bees, play the pipes in Arran Pipe Band, learn Gaelic, sit on committees.

Why do you volunteer as an Arran Mountain Festival walk leader?

I like walking the hills & watching the wildlife so it’s an opportunity to pass on some of what I know.

Tell us about a favourite mountain moment.

Up on Sgurr Alasdair & Inaccessible Pinnacle on a blistering hot day about 6 years ago, the sea was a millpond & every island & hill for miles around was in sight – hard to beat!

What is your favourite Arran walk?

Walking down onto the ridge leading to Cioch na h-Oighe from Mullach Buidhe looking up Loch Fyne & Kyles of Bute to the Cowal & Argyll hills. The ridge looks so narrow & dramatic. Then onto the ridge itself which rises in narrow twisting steps to the summit where the drop all around plunges down into Glen Sannox & to the sea.

Which piece of kit would you not head into the hills without?

Map – I love looking at the features & their names; there is so much history, culture & terrain information in them. And useful for navigation too.

What is your favourite breakfast before a long day out in the mountains?

I don’t have anything special, just my usual cereal & toast.

Andy is leading the Whitebeams & wildlife of the western hills walk on Friday and the Witch's Step & Castles walk on Monday.

MEET THE ARRAN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL WALK LEADERS

JOSE NAVARRO

www.josenavarro.co.uk

What do you do when you don’t lead walks for the Arran Mountain Festival?

I run NNAS outdoor navigation courses, write about mountain and outdoor photography, teach photography and lead outdoor photography workshops in Iceland.

Why do you volunteer as an Arran Mountain Festival walk leader?

To share my passion for wild places with other people, to enthuse and encourage them to go out there. It is also an opportunity for me to get to know Arran better.

Tell us about a favourite mountain moment.

Last year up in the Carneddau of Snowdonia. Glorious winter day. Good, consolidated snow underfoot. Beautiful, crisp winter light. Ideal conditions for photography. I was so busy looking out, down and ahead of me, photographing the landscape, that I forgot to look up. My partner did. Just as well because otherwise we would have missed an incredible solar halo right above us - see attached pic. Memorable.

What is your favourite Arran walk?

I look forward to doing the Three Beinns Horseshoe. Awesome terrain with far-reaching panoramic views over the mountains of Arran.

Which piece of kit would you not head into the hills without?

A spare copy of my map. Have you ever seen your (only) map fly away in the wind?

What is your favourite breakfast before a long day out in the mountains?

Can't beat traditional Scottish porridge... with custard.

Jose is co-leading the Castles & Witch's Step walk, The Three Beinns walk and the Through the Glens walk.

MEET THE ARRAN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL WALK LEADERS

The next in our series of volunteer walk leaders profiles is Alistair Hume.

Ali (on the right) co-leading last year's Mountain Festival A'Chir walk

ALISTAIR HUME

What do you do when you don’t lead walks for the Arran Mountain Festival?


For relaxation, I play the bagpipes with the Isle of Arran pipe band, I am also a keen sea kayaker and try to play golf as often as I can.

I also work part time for World Challenge, a company that specialises in taking groups of teenagers to mainly third world countries for up to five weeks at a time to experience other cultures and assist in project work such as toilet block construction.

I have also been a member of the Arran Mountain Rescue Team since 1976 and a lot of my time is spent training with them and being on call 24/7.


Why do you volunteer as an Arran Mountain Festival walk leader?

I like to try and help others experience the wonderful mountains of Arran and pass on any local knowledge and history and ensure that they have a memorable time.


Tell us about a favourite mountain moment.

There have been many favorite moments!!! But for feel good factor it must be a time in Northern Peru while descending from a high 4.500 meter pass and at -10 I came across a young local lad, his face full of snot and minus some fingers and toes from frostbite - he was wearing shorts and sandals.


I will never forget the way his face changed when I gave him my cosy warm mountain rescue buffalo jacket that I had cherished for some 20 years.


What is your favourite Arran walk?

Don't really have one, I love them all!!!


Which piece of kit would you not head into the hills without?

A whistle.


What is your favourite breakfast before a long day out in the mountains?

Anyone I can persuade my wife to make!!!


Ali is co-leading the A'Chir ridge traverse.

MEET THE ARRAN MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL WALK LEADERS

In our next few posts, we'd like to introduce you to some of the people without whom the Arran Mountain Festival would not be possible - our fabulous walk leaders.

All Arran Mountain Festival walk leaders volunteer their time and expertise, often taking time off from their day jobs to do so. All walks are led by qualified Summer Mountain Leaders, assisted by experienced co-leaders. With maximum group sizes of only 6-10 walkers, we are proud to have some of the best leader-participant ratios for such an event.

So you can get to know your walk leaders a wee bit better, we got them to answer a few questions about themselves. Of course you'll have the chance to ask many more on your walk!

First up is Lucy Wallace. Enjoy!

LUCY WALLACE

What do you do when you don’t lead walks for the Arran Mountain Festival?

I’m lucky as I get to do this every day. I have my own walking and wildlife watching business based on Arran.
www.arranwildwalks.co.uk

Why do you volunteer as an Arran Mountain Festival walk leader?

I volunteer for the COAST Holy Isle walk as community driven conservation is a subject that is very close to my heart. I’m very inspired by what COAST have won for the wildlife and people of Lamlash Bay and what they aspire to achieve for the future.

Tell us about a favourite mountain moment.
Watching a golden eagle float past at eye level from the summit of Sgurr Alasdair on the Isle of Skye. I could see the wind ruffling its feathers, and the sunshine twinkling the back of its head.

What is your favourite Arran walk?
Its got the be the Three Beinns, a fabulous ridge walk, with stunning views, wildlife and lots of interest along the way and a wild and remote feel.

Which piece of kit would you not head into the hills without?
Can I have two please? It would be my map and compass.

What is your favourite breakfast before a long day out in the mountains?
Tattie scones, roast tomatoes, poached eggs, beans and buttery mushrooms.

Lucy is leading the Holy Isle mountain walk.