Red Light Ray » Martyn Bennett http://www.redlightray.com Misha Somerville'S blog Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:42:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 As old as the Hills http://www.redlightray.com/out-and-about-in-scotland/as-old-as-the-hills/ http://www.redlightray.com/out-and-about-in-scotland/as-old-as-the-hills/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:22:05 +0000 redlightray http://www.redlightray.com/?p=537 After ten years of living an almost completely urban life in the city of Glasgow, 2009, for me, was the year that I emerged from the cocoon to discover the majestic Scottish wilderness.  Perhaps it could be same for any of the world’s great wildernesses, I don’t know any of them well enough to know if they have the same depth, but something of the way the landscape and people have woven together through time,  is truly magnificent.  It is said that the Scottish mountains are amongst the oldest in the world, and the poetry, the music and the people, even to this day, move forward with echos of this ancient history.  It might be foolish to try and convey this – like describing the taste of one of the finest single malt whiskies – but here are a few things that speak to me the loudest against this backdrop.   I’ll let you peel back the layers:

Sounds

‘Walts for Hector’ from Bothy Culture by Martyn Bennett

‘Why’ on Grit by Martyn Bennett ‘

‘Blackbird’ on Grit, by Martyn Bennett

’4 Notes’ from Bothy Culture by Martyn Bennett

more info | buy Grit | buy Bothy Culture

Words

A Man In Assynt_Norman Maccaig

more info | book available here

Pictures

1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Misha somerville_arran ]]> http://www.redlightray.com/out-and-about-in-scotland/as-old-as-the-hills/feed/ 3 Dave Macleod http://www.redlightray.com/out-in-the-wilds/dave-macleod/ http://www.redlightray.com/out-in-the-wilds/dave-macleod/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:14:29 +0000 redlightray http://www.redlightray.com/?p=179 I have recently been in touch with the Scottish climber Dave Macleod to congratulate him and his wife Claire on their success with their latest film – Echo Wall – which has won a string of awards at film festivals and most recently at the Scottish Baftas.  Dave is one of the world’s very best climbers and his success has galvanised a new wave of enthusiasm in the sport is Scotland.  Echo Wall might well be the most difficult trad climb ever done, and full respect to Dave for continuing to pursue his goals, and push boundaries in world climbing, on home soil.  As it turns out Dave and Claire had looked into using some Croft No. Five’s music on the film, but attempts to get in touch with the band got lost in cyberspace (more our fault than theirs I’m sure) but as there’s some of Martyn Bennett‘s music on there they certainly go didn’t go too far wrong!  Rest assured I’ll be sending them some tracks in case they have a similar inclination any time in the future!!

dontdiewide The Cobbler, ice bouldering achemine3

Dave Macleod pictured (L>R) climbing ‘Dont Die of Ignorance’ [Ben Nevis], solo on The Cobbler, and on Achemine [Dumbarton Rock].

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