Keith Salmon did his first hill skills course for the visually impaire ( Vi) in 2000 here at Glenmore Lodge. It was supported by the MC of S. Keith had been struggling with guilt about whether he should even be walking in the hills, but the fact that two organisations were putting their name to such a course made him feel for the first time he had just as much right to be in the hills as fully sighted people. That one week course changed his life because it wasn't a walking holiday for visually impaired, it was a practical course to learn skills for the hills that was adapted for visually impaired people.

This year Keith came back to do a talk to the (Vi) course and this is an email we received after the event:

''It was fantastic speaking to some of the group and it made me realise just why I'd got so much out of the two Vi courses (summer and winter) that I did at Glenmore. Even though I'm visually impaired myself, hearing everyone talk about their first two days on the course made me realise that it really doesn't matter that someone has little or no sight, the average group of Vi people will have the same amount of determination, the same amount of enthusiasm and the same amount of 'bottle' as any average group of fully sighted folk. Glenmore Lodge is the right place for this course and in supporting it as you have since 2000 you have, I'm sure, made a great deal of difference to a lot of people ....keep up the good work.''

Finally, to coincide with Keith's painting exhibition - yes painting! - he has just launched a new website dedicated to the Scottish Hill paintings he is doing. It contains around 80 of the paintings and drawings which show well on screen. They are really worth a look The address is:

www.keithsalmon.org

posted by glenmore @ 9:36 am