Hi everyone well earlier i said i was popping up to keswick to do something about my merrells . Well the story goes i bought a pair about 6 years ago and wow what a pair of shoes / boots they were so much so i went and bought another pair six months later in the sales . I wore them till the black foam was showing through and the second pair are on my feet now as i write . So when it came time to buy another pair of intermediate cross shoes/boots i was right into merrell . Checked out the merrell site found that they had changed the sole but hey the last 2 pairs were great so you'd expext these to be the same . HOW WRONG WAS I , 5 months after buying them i was up keswick for acouple of days walk catbells and got the bus back took off my boots and one fell on its side and i saw 2 rips in the sole under further inspection they had ripped not cut just ripped . So i popped into MR FISHERS were i had bought them with not a second breath they exchanged them for me ,pleased as punch i went on my way . SO I GOT A NEW PAIR OF BOOTS GREAT . Now i broke them in walking every week on parlick and fairsnape did the yorkshire 3 peaks checking the sole all the time no problems not even any real wear tear . Then we went upto do ben nevis and still everything was ok , the day after i was walking about up glen nevis and i got wet feet no i hadn't fell off the rope bridge . so had a look underneath and bang it had happened again . DEFFINATLEY NOT A CUT BUT A RIP IN THE SOLE ON THE SAME SHOE IN APPROX:THE SAME SPOT . I have just sent a note to merrell and yesterday i rang MR FISHER AGAIN . The guys there were fantasic i told them what i had been upto and they told me to pop up and get another pair .

So they offered me another pair or a different manufaturer i've gone for merrells again cos i love them , but i'm hoping for some comment from merrell themselves . Its been a pain in the arse as i have had to spend 30 quid travelling up and down to keswick but i feel good that these guys have been so helpfull . i'm gona put a thread up asking if anyone else has had the same issues .

        I'M WELL CHUFFED NEW BOOTS BEN NEVIS AND I WON A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY

              WHEN WE WENT ON THE JACOBITE TO MALLAIG THIS IS A GOOD WEEK

Jules wrote (see)

I was interested in the pics that someone put up as I've never seen the summit plateau snowless. Does look well rocky!

Hi Jules, I posted the pictures, I've got loads from my trip.  Excellent views I had then.

I love Scotland but can't afford the money or time like others I'm sure.  I've got a holiday next year up there with the family and am going to Arran so will do one walk.

Looking forward to that.

I THOUGHT THE TOP OF NEVIS WAS PRETTY REASONABLE NOT, TOO ROCKY .

I 've been in worse spots anywere there's slate under foot it cuts ya boots up like mad .Its a great place and i can now understand why people want to be up it so much . Iwould like to spend a lot of time doin all the walking routes and even let someone lead me up a gully or 2 .....

Simon yeah the money thing is a bummer , we should all be doin the lottery or somthin like . Its been so long since i went up to the west coast and i remember so much from those times . I've known for ages that the hills were the place i wanted to be but my trip to keswick this morning was still fantasic just driving through the lakes having it rain on me over thirlmere then sunshine and blue skies on the other side . I know i'll always love the hills and i know there'll never be enough time to do the hills and mountains i want to climb . I hope you get some great weather for your hols and no matter wether you get one hill day or several you'll feel happy inside . sorry this is getting to soulfull we all sound like hippies or worse surfers dude ......lol . i think its somthing to do with all that lack of oxygene i know we dont all do massive mountains but its the pleasure we get from showing other people what we love . everyone has somthing jules has her ice climbing paddy d has his love of route finding and writting if we all get just one day on a hill or crag that we come away wanting more we've had a good day i think .......

BY THE WAY DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN ITS GONNA STOP RAINING AS ITS DOIN MY BONCE IN .....

I BOUGHT MY KERRY A PREZZIE FOR GETTIN TO THE TOP BY THE WAY HERE IT IS LOL, She was getting her wedding ring but we sorted that out before we went so i thought choccy instead .