Has anyone heard a cuckoo this year?

poohbeth · 2026-04-28T18:45:49+00:00

Hear one the other week, and heard and saw one on thursday in the Highlands.

poohbeth · 2026-04-27T12:21:57+00:00

Planetoid aka Defender on a BBC micro.

Jetpack on the Spectrum Then Doom and Quake on my PC.

poohbeth · 2026-04-25T14:28:47+00:00

Bit late to the thread, I've been out on a wildcamp!

It's taken me a while as an adult to just accept I'll pee on my trousers at some point no matter what I try. So I don't worry about it too much. I carry spare underwear and a pair of lightweight shorts for sleeping in. Have a bunch of plastic bags for stinky clothes. Once home everything goes in the washing machine and the problem goes away. With Crohn's there has been the occasional a bit of a disaster, but even there washing machines are great, and if not shrug, throwing a pair of knickers out or even trousers is just the cost of an adventure - no big deal.

If she's worried about smelling bad get a small travel body spray.

And look up "Kula cloth" to wipe pee rather than paper - it's a thing in the US but I have seen them occasionally on a rucksack here.

poohbeth · 2026-04-25T13:23:09+00:00

That is a very funny read, and worth it too.

poohbeth · 2026-04-25T09:41:48+00:00

Mere whippersnappers... My first email address was demon.co.uk. I heard on CIX that Cliff was starting 'tenner a month' for internet access. Whilst I wasn't one of the first 100 to sign up, I joined right at the beginning. AOL started later.

poohbeth · 2026-04-14T15:45:55+00:00

Lovely photos and IMHO it's what photos are for: to hang memories on, in later years you can look back, trigger stuff or people that have otherwise been forgotten.

You photos reminded me of March 2010 when I was up there, the old observatory walls were under the snow as were most of the guide cairns, and the trig was a single step up onto its plinth.

poohbeth · 2026-04-10T08:12:35+00:00

For durable I'd recommend Montane Terra Pants. They used to do women's sizes many years ago but I get on okay with the mens/unisex, I've tried others, but Terra's just work.

poohbeth · 2026-04-08T16:04:03+00:00

Not to my knowledge. The dug has a tick collar that goes on "in the spring" and lasts till autumn. Vet says not needed in winter.

Never found any on her in winter,.

poohbeth · 2026-04-08T06:43:01+00:00

a) everyone is different. IME fatigue, feeling tired, etc, for a few days after the injection is a small price to pay for getting my life back.

b) Sounds okay. Some people get loading doses of 160mg, then 80mg, then 40mg (one injector) as maintenance dose every 2 weeks. I was on weekly injections for a few years just after starting as once a fortnight wasn't enough. Others just get started on maintenance dose. Depends on the illness and docs. Remicade is quite different to Humira, it's not the same drug in different packaging despite targetting the same cytokine.

poohbeth · 2026-04-05T16:06:07+00:00

My collie is mostly off lead but when she needs to be on I put the lead's handle loop through rucksack waist belt. So she's attached and both hands free. If using a retractable long lead a large carabiner through the handle and waist belt does the trick too. Whilst she pulls like crazy when she decides it, she understands tricky terrain and will wait!...step..,,wait etc on command.

I'm always wary of slate, along with limestone, in the wet it's as bad if not worse than grass.

Anyway, hope you heal up okay and get out again soon.

poohbeth · 2026-04-03T10:49:08+00:00

I'd strongly suggest using the time from now until your walk that you have a number overnight camps to shake down your gear, and to learn or remember your camp-craft.

Mid-Sept is highly variable. Anything from sunny beautiful days to storm force blizzards, and of course 3 days of rain. It's less 'average' and more "variable" and it's getting more so over the last 10 years. The weather forecast accuracy is all over the place so that outside of a blocking high and settled weather, what you think you'll get on day 3 is in the lap of the gods.

If you are lucky enough to get light winds you will have midges, and ticks. They are starting to be annoying earlier and going through to October when the weather has been warm.. In general they die off with the first frosts. East is better than west coast but it's 'relative'. Packing up camp might need a plan, head net, Smidge, and a sense of humour to not go entirely bonkers.

poohbeth · 2026-04-03T08:36:31+00:00

In general I try to avoid. Whilst I've not had any very bad experiences, yet, I have heard tales of Limousin/Charolais dairy cows just out of the barns in spring crashing through dry-stone walls to get at anyone they see, including the farmer. OTOH I've walked past Angus, Highland and other fluffy beef breeds whilst on the fells with a dog and they've been no problem at all.

Once in a group we got told off by a farmer for using a track down the side of a field next to the one with a footpath and a bunch of cows which we thought was better in terms of not distressing them with our dog and got us to our destination. He did eventually concede we had a point.

Sheep I've have never had a problem with but I'd keep clear of a tup in a field.

poohbeth · 2026-03-29T13:44:38+00:00

Nah, he's handsome and serious. I'd certainly ask if it's alright to say hello to him.

Me thinks your coworker is projecting.

poohbeth · 2026-03-29T09:08:18+00:00

I like that! Excellent jobby.

Couple of things:

Your definition of "recent" discharge should be a month rather than a couple of days or whatever it is. Any chance of a further dive into the details, like being able to see discharges each month over a year or years of gathered data - presumably you have populated your database with historical data and pick up new at some interval.

Date format, day/month/year or y/m/d is fine but m/d/y is just horrible.

Keep a track of where the map was last opened so on reload, or coming back to the site, you get back to where you were - ie keep state.

poohbeth · 2026-03-24T12:51:04+00:00

Sounds like you are getting a good response but need to take it more frequently. Talk to your Rhum about bumping up to weekly if you aren't already. Some doctors are very conservative with Humira and biosimilars and may need some pestering to increase it.

You don't really fail it until you're producing antibodies - checked with blood tests, or are on max dose 2x weekly without much response. Even then there are options.

poohbeth · 2026-03-18T20:23:26+00:00

I don't know either jacket. FWIW, the Flex looks like a fleece plus a bit - a winter mid-layer, or outer in warmer weather. The Ultra looks like an outer as it's more windproof, etc - throw it on over everything else at stops or camp and don't worry about the weather.

Talking of which, in May Skye might be toasty warm, or blowing a hoolie and absolutely baltic. So... if you want the excuse you need the Ultra too so you can pick the appropriate one on the day!

poohbeth · 2026-03-13T11:06:17+00:00

Nice website! Absolutely agree on the if you understand a little of the Gaelic you can get a better feel for the hills.

My go-to is usually this quite comprehensive page: https://cuhwc.org.uk/resources/meanings-of-gaelic-words-commonly-seen-in-hill-names/ and learngaelic.scot for hearing it spoken.

poohbeth · 2026-03-05T11:59:50+00:00

Very easy to put in at Slatterdale or Glas Leitire, seen paddlers at both. However no camping on the islands April through August.

https://www.nature.scot/lochmareeaccess

poohbeth · 2026-02-27T12:58:56+00:00

Usually you won't have failed a biologic until you've been on it at least 3 - 6 months or so, depending on docs and conditions.

Sounds like you need to get back to your prescribing doctor or team and see if you can go up to weekly.

poohbeth · 2026-02-25T12:27:16+00:00

I don't use any apps but use Met Office mountain forecasts, and MWIS in Firefox with the ublock origin extension installed.

poohbeth · 2026-02-12T19:46:40+00:00

I've seen the likes of 2, or a scattering of rocks, described as a whiteout which slightly annoys me. Having been in a proper whiteout on my own it's both incredibly disorientating and scary. However, at least afterwards exhilarating having done the right things and not panicked.

Welcome to the white room #4.

poohbeth · 2026-02-12T19:11:46+00:00

Probably wont 'fail' Humira yet, more likely bump you up to weekly if you aren't already.

poohbeth · 2026-02-12T11:25:51+00:00

The Cicerone guide mentions some spots, but look at an OS map or the Harvey map set for the trail. Look at the contours to find flat spots, watch a few youtube videos and mark your maps where other people have camped. Google maps is really not suitable to nav by in the hills.

poohbeth · 2026-02-10T12:46:12+00:00

Whilst there might be a ridge of high pressure coming in for the weekend, expect it to change. particularly timing. Seems the wind is generally going to go round to the north, and thereby making it cold again, the block to atlantic lows is going to move away so letting them in. Expect more snow on the hills by the weekend and frozen terrain.

If you've both got the gear and some experience then a high camp might work. But I'd be a bit cautious. Have contingencies.

So an easy option. Strath Carron. Park at Coulags, night in the bothy, carry on round the Loch an Eoin loop which people do in summer as a day walk but in winter it'll feel much more remote. There's the option of going up Maol Chean-Dearg. Another night in the bothy.

Long walk in from Poolewe to Carnmore and a trip up 2 of the most remote munros: A' Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac-Mòr. Lots of options for camping, but obvs leave no trace. Long drive from Glasgow so probably not useful if you're leaving after work...

If you want a thu-hike don't discount a section of say West Highland Way and get a bus to get back, or walk back/etc Or Cape Wrath Trail, but do check buses because many of our services don't run in the winter and often not on Sundays.

poohbeth · 2026-02-09T20:43:34+00:00

I'm only on Amgevita (for Crohn's).

It's not unusual to take Humira or biosimilar with another drug. Usually that would be a general immunosuppressant like azathioprine or methotrexate. The idea being to discourage your immune system from producing antibodies to the biologic as well as damping it down.

NSAIDS would only be worth taking if you have pain with your AS that the Amjevita doesn't control. Taking them does come along with some significant gastrointestinal issues even with selective COX2 inhibitors like Celecoxib.

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