Ewan

It did take a while to get used them, particularly the high instep arch, but I found them comfortable to wear in my old Inov8 trail shoes. If you’re looking to buy a new pair of shoes or boots to use with Solestar insoles I therefore suggest you take the insoles into the shop with you to make sure they’re a good fit in combination. While at first I noticed the glass fibre core giving extra stability I soon felt the high arch digging in to my right foot. Everyone’s feet are different (I may be flat-footed, for example) and I can only put this down to the shape of my right foot in combination with my walking boot.

These were all great fun of course but with a finite amount of ‘spare’ time, a focus on new stuff inevitably meant time away from my existing passions. I’ve challenged myself to read 10 books this year using my new Kindle. While I’m thinking about tackling a couple of classic routes that I haven’t yet had the time for – including walking the West Highland Way and cycling the Hebridean Way – I’ll probably also include simpler trips such as bagging a summit or having a wild camp overnight somewhere. I’m sure family life and work will take up just as much time as they have last year

The previous day saw me ascend from a mundane, brown winter’s morning, through a carpeted wonderland of powdery snow on Beinn Creachan’s ridge, to the sublime experience of crunching across the icy crust towards the Corbett’s summit. It’s not uncommon for hill-baggers to get drenched and see very little from mist-shrouded hills; the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, for example, are notorious for being in cloud for around 75% of the time and receive 225 days annual rainfall. From the top there’s a marvellous view south to the Dingle Peninsular but the highlight of the Pilgrim’s Path is the fantastic view north across Tralee Bay as you descend. Fine weather meant that I climbed Ireland’s highest hills in double-quick time, leaving a couple of days to explore before returning home.

The coast is exposed to the Atlantic ocean and weather in a more dramatic way than I had experienced (“Wild and Windy” is a better translation of WAW). After a tipple at one distillery, I take the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Kennacraig and cycle in glorious weather to Oban, using the Crinan canal route along NCN Route 78. The geological abnormalities of Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Canisp and Quinag are unreal and cycling through this landscape is perhaps one of the greatest cycling experiences. The geological abnormalities of Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Canisp and Quinag are unreal and cycling through this landscape is perhaps one of the greatest cycling experiences The journey now to John o’Groats seems trivial and the final marker post is deserted on a dreary day.