As another snow-spotting season draws to a close, it’s worth mentioning an important point. All the trips we do, all the gear we buy, all the fuel we need, all the sandwiches we buy to keep us going, all the sacrifices of time and effort, is done entirely at our own expense. Though we appear regularly in the media, and the results of our work are becoming well known, (and cited) only one educational or governmental institution* in Scotland has ever shown the slightest bit of interest in collaborating with us. Why is this, I wonder. Lack of funds? Lack of interest? Despite what many people think, I don’t do this for a living. It’s very much an amateur interest. In fact, none of us do it for a living. We do it for the pure love of it. This isn’t a moan, incidentally, it’s just an observation. * The National Museum of Scotland is an honourable exception. They have an exhibit dedicated to it.