GLASGOW TO BEN NEVIS: Okay, it's taken 15 years to get to this point, but here I am. I finally decide to walk the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William. However, to up the ante a little, I decide to make it more difficult, by starting the walk on the banks of the River Clyde and finishing on the summit of Ben Nevis, over 7 stages, covering 187km or 116 miles. I'll be brutally honest, it was harder than I expected, and even the parts walked before still had their challenges:
Stage 1 - Glasgow to Milngavie
Stage 2 - Milngavie to Balmaha
Stage 3 - Balmaha to Inverarnan
Stage 4 - Inverarnan to Bridge of Orchy
Stage 5 - Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven
Stage 6 - Kinlochleven to Fort william
Stage 7 - Fort william to Ben Nevis
SCOTLAND'S ULURU: You can't climb Uluru in Australia's Northern Territory as it is now under the control of indigenous Australians, but you can climb Scotland's answer - the Greendykes Bing by Broxburn, west of Edinburgh, made up of millions of tons of shale from a former shale oil mining site.
THE FORTH & CLYDE CANAL: The length of the Forth & Clyde Canal is 35 miles, and if you're keen enough it's possible to walk its entire length - but not be me and not today. 9 miles was enough, from Bowling to Maryhill. I passed by 23 locks and have a close look at the Kelvin Aqueduct.
26 MILES TO THE BEACH: (Part 1) - Against my better judgement, I decided to go for a walk, from my home near Glasgow to the nearest beach at Stevenston, North Ayrshire. I hadn't walked long distances for many years, so I thought this would be a tester to see if the old legs were still up to the task. I made it half way, and then I had a small disaster which was to end the walk.
26 MILES TO THE BEACH: (Part 2) - After a moment of inspiration, I was able to avoid disaster at the half-way point of this marathon-length walk. I had walked, run and cycled parts of this route, but never thought about walking it. I wanted to see if my legs still had the power to complete long didtance walks, and was relieved to see they did.
ISLE OF ARRAN: It had taken almost two decades, but I finally caught the train and connecting ferry to the Isle of Arran. From here I would just follow the other hikers to the summit of Goat Fell. What could possibly go wrong? On the way up, nothing much, but on the way down I managed to get lost. How is this possible when there's only one way up and one way down to Brodick?
THE OLD LARGS ROAD: With the 1981 film American Werewolf in London' in my mind, I walked 15 miles/25km from Largs north to Gourock along the Old Largs Road. This road passes inland through the moors, and the scenery was magnificent. I was attached by a cloud of flies, perhaps attracted by the countless sheep, cattle and horses.
EDINBURGH - Arthur's Seat: When you have the time, and you enjoy fresh air in your lungs, a walk to the top of Arthur's Seat is a must-do. It takes around 2 hours round trip, and the views of Edinburgh, Holyrood Park and the Firth of Forth make the climb worth while.
NIGHT HIKING - I walked this road during the summer and decided this would make a good walk, but in reverse, and overnight. I walked over the moors, at midnight, on a full moon. There hadn't been reports of werewolves for weeks, so what could possibly go wrong. This was to be my first night hike and my first solo attempt. I passed creepy woods, heard weird noises, but it was an amazing experience.
WEST HIGHLAND WAY - The Police Stop Me!: The walk along the West Highland Way shouldn't have been a challenge. Catch a train to Bridge of Orchy, walk 10km to Tyndrum, and go home. Simple. Apart from the scenery and fresh air, I wanted to see one thing in particular - a giant horseshoe. The police intercepted me at the half-way point and told me I was not allowed to deviate from the main track, but didn't explain why. The scenery was beautiful, but bleak in places. The track deteriorated the further I walked, and eventually became dangerous.