Ice climber.

Early to Carluke to catch the train to Glasgow. There's snow lying - it's cold. I don't envy Angus, who will be redoing a day's walking near Melrose for his D of E.

I'm working with Matt and Lucy in a warm meeting room in the Merchant City. Plans and numbers, grants and strategy. Not sure that I'm cut out for running a serious business.

I'm meeting Megan on Woodlands Road for tea. She's off to Kincraig to go climbing, but not till 7:00, so she can spare me an hour or so. In the end she's a bit late (so I get to have a pint) and her lift is also late (flat battery) so we get a leisurely dinner at Chillies West End.

She has hired B2 boots, crampons and ice axe from Tisos - a frightening sight walking through the city gloom. She's also found a great fleece in the mountaineering club 2nd hand stock, which fits no one else. What she appears to have forgotten is a jumper, so she takes mine. I wonder if I'll see that again.

I leave her and Ian waiting for their lift and trudge back to Central. I call Owen, but there's no answer. At Carluke my car has refrozen, so I start it up and dig out the scraper for the first time this winter.