Five things to do this week

THE DOCKYARD SOCIAL

Bringing together some of the best street food traders in Scotland, the Dockyard Social has reopened. Although having reduced the number of traders to give more space, there’s still the same award winning food, drinks and music. Bookings are made online and they’ve taken off the entry fee.

25-27 September (2.5 hour booking slots can be made online) Entry is free but must be booked online. The Dockyard Social, Haugh Road, Glasgow, West End, G3. www. dockyardsocial.com/#Ticket-Section

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

The Scotia Gallery is showcasing the photography of Scottish artist David Gilliver. Take a trip into miniature worlds featuring many recognisable characters from the Marvel Universe and Star Wars in a whimsical and playful exhibition. 21-25 September from 9am-5pm. Free. Scotia Gallery, 7-9 Derby Street, Glasgow, G3 7TJ. 01415308857 (bookings must be made in advance and can be taken over the phone)

ISLAND DREAMS

This exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from Gavin Francis examines our fascination with maps and islands. The exhibition features four centuries of cartography from Scotland and the rest of the world. The maps are presented alongside excerpts from the book of the same name.

22-27 September from 10am-6pm. Free (tickets can be booked online). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR www.scottishstorytellingcentre

TOXIC MASK-ULINITY

The Classic Grand has reopened its doors and welcomes comedian Scott Gibson for his Toxic Mask-ulinity show. Join Gibson for a family-friendly walk down memory lane of the last six months, featuring new bits, old bits, some rants and a few stories. 20 September at 4pm. Tickets from £13.75. The Classic Grand, 18 Jamaica Street, Glasgow, G1 4QD www.seetickets.com

UP IN SMOKE

Using a combination of art, literature, advertising and movies, this exhibition looks at how the perception of smoking has shifted drastically over the years. 21-26 September from 10.30am-4pm. Free. St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, KY16 9DP. www.onfife.com

and flooding had wiped out any traces of it. A landslide of boulders had diverted the corrie’s burns and the main track looked as though it had taken the brunt of it.

A couple of yellow JCBs stood by the side of the newly-repaired track, but the corrie footpath had gone, vanished under a tumult of water-washed boulders and scree.

Instead we continued north on the old drovers road towards its high point, the Bealach nam Meirleach or the robbers’ pass, and just before the path descended to Loch an Tuim Bhuidhe we took to the heather and climbed steeply up to the 582m summit of Sail Garbh, Ben Hee’s western outlier.

A broad, pleasant ridge took us on to the summit slopes and as we climbed our hopes for better weather rose correspondingly. Breaks in the cloud and bursts of sunlight revealed Ben Hope and Ben Loyal to the north, rising from a sun-glinting, sparkling bed, and our descent route, over Meallan Liath Mor, was revealed as a broad, easy-angled ridge that dropped towards the drove road. The rest of our walk was spent playing peek-a-boo with the views as the mist and clouds came and went. We weren’t too sorry to eventually drop below the clouds, buoyed by the fact that we had accepted the day’s watery gauntlet and had enjoyed one of the north’s lesser-known Corbetts.

ROUTE PLANNER

Map: OS 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 16 (Lairg & Loch Shin)

Distance: About 8 miles/13km

Approx Time: 5-7 hours

Start/Finish: West Merkland, on the A838 (GR: NC384330)

Route: From the A838 take the private road N past a locked gate. Follow this track to its high point just above Loch an Tuim Bhuidhe. Leave the track and climb the steep N flanks of Sail Garbh to its summit. Descend to a col at the head of a steep-sided corrie before climbing a steeper ridge that leads to the summit slopes of Ben Hee. Climb the slopes in an E direction to reach the summit ridge. The trig point summit is at the S end of the ridge. Descend via the head of Coire nam Mang and Meallan Liath Mor and back to West Merkland.