I'm going to move into the forecasting business. My piece last year said '...new Marilyns are now rarer than Scottish teams still in Europe after Christmas'. Let's look at the facts: Scottish teams still in Europe after Christmas: 1, new Marilyns 0. And as even a cursory examination of the batting and bowling averages in the last Ashes series will tell you, statistics don't lie. I hardly dare mention it in such company but I'm really not that interested in climbing new Marilyns. There, I've said it.
Despite this, 2001 gave some wonderful outings, with several claimants for inclusion in the top ten of all time. Stunning February days on Stob Coire a'Chearcaill and Cnap Cruinn. Both these had been done in muggy, murky conditions first time round when I got a poor impression of them - how wrong I was, wonderful hills. The Chearcaill day culminated in going up Meall Cumhann to see the sun set. Unfortunately, I chose a horrible loose gully to go up and only just made it - whilst the Mamores turned pink I was otherwise occupied considering what the quick way down to Glen Nevis would have felt like.
Superb June strolls over the lower tops east of Brown Cow Hill and on Carn an Tionail / Beinn Direach. An August trip to the bumps between Inchrory and the Lecht. A noisy party next door saw Breac and I get up at 4am - we were on top of Foal's Crag before seven as the first rays of the sun were hitting the tors on Ben Avon. Just perfect.
A breezy September day at the back of Wyvis (Queen's Cairn / Meall Mor) watching the toffs arrive at the lodge below. Later that day at the road-end I had a chat with an old boy whose forebears had been cleared from the glen in the 1800s. Two weeks later I was on Beinn Dearg Mhor and Mheadhonach watching the cloud and light chase about over the Cuillin.
Carn na Caim in November when I spent seven hours just poking about in various corries and gullies - the very antithesis of dashing about. Another full moon Ben Cleuch with Dave Hewitt rounded off the year nicely.
A couple of memorable rough days too. Little Wyvis in February in deep snow - apart from the summit ridge with the wind screaming out of the eastern corrie. Breac got caked in ice and I could barely stand up or breath. Wouldn't have swapped it though. Also a vile day of horizontal rain and thick mist above Ballachulish where walking south from Creag Ghorm I contrived to miss the 824m west top and landed on the 1001m summit of Dhonuill instead (I still don't know how I did it). But probably the best days of all were in the Monadhliath - lots and lots of time spent between Coignafearn and Carn a'Chuilinn. Wonderful, understated country, well worth fighting for.
