Tom Weir

Thomas Weir MBE, better known as Tom (December 29 1914 - July 6 2006) was a Scottish climber, author and broadcaster. He was best known for his long-running television series "Weir's Way".

Early life and career

Weir was born in Springburn, Glasgow, and was the younger brother of actress Molly Weir. After service in the Royal Artillery during World War II, he worked as a surveyor for the Ordnance Survey before commencing a full-time career as a climber, writer and photographer. In 1950 he was a member of the first post-war Himalayan expedition and, in 1952, was one of the first to explore the previously closed mountain ranges of Nepal, east of Kathmandu.

Media career and later life

Weir became a pioneering campaigner for the protection of the Scottish environment, and wrote a column for "The Scots Magazine" for over 50 years. From 1976, he hosted the Scottish Television series "Weir's Way", meeting the people of Scotland, exploring the landscape and its natural history. The show has recently been aired again on STV, and is now available on DVD in the UK. He won the Scottish Television 'Personality of the Year Award' in 1978. He was appointed MBE in 1976.

Weir lived in Gartocharn and in 2000 he was awarded the inaugural John Muir Lifetime Achievement Award by the John Muir Trust in recognition of his environmental work. [cite web| url=http://www.jmt.org/news.asp?s=2&cat=Latest%20News&nid=JMT-N10203| title=Top award for Scotland's best-loved "mountain man"| publisher=John Muir Trust website| accessdate=2007-02-11] He is also celebrated in the song [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zyRo6lvPlQY "Tom Weir"] written by Edinburgh musician Sandy Wright and performed by the band Aberfeldy. More recently, L. Pierre wrote an ambient instrumental song, "Weir's Way", featured on his album, "Dip".

Weir was buried on 17 July 2006 in Kilmaronock Parish Church, near Drymen at 2pm. He was buried in the same plot as his sister Molly.

DVD Release

A collection of some of Tom Weir's best walks is currently available on DVD.

External links

* [http://www.stv.tv/archive/news/20060703/Tributes_paid_to_veteran_Scottish_Broadc Story on Weir's death] at stv.tv
* [http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/video.html?vxSiteId=60fdd544-9c52-4e17-be7e-57a2a2d76992&vxChannel=SeeScot%20Weirs%20Way&vxClipId=1380_SMG928&vxBitrate=300 STV's broadcast obituary] (Scotland on TV)
* [http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/discover/weirs_way.html Episodes of "Weir's Way"] (Scotland on TV)
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/5157692.stm BBC - Veteran broadcaster Tom Weir dies]
* [http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/people/famousfirst892.html Tom Weir in the Gazeteer for Scotland]
* [http://www.scotsindependent.org/brown/tom_weir.htm Tom Weir Biography]
* [http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/TAC/tac69/tac69weirsawa.htm A personal recollection of Tom Weir]

References