Despite a couple of early trips to the Lakes and a January cross-border raid for a couple of hills, the first half of 2001 is best forgotten. FMD and the panic closing of the countryside put paid to that. Apart from a couple of days in hotspots in the second half of the year, I have never seen the hills so quiet. Even allowing for the fact that many of the hills I visit these days could be regarded as obscure by some, I only saw other walkers on or around the tops on a couple of days. Where did everyone go in 2001?
Anyway, the best two trips of the year were to Scotland, again in mostly good weather. The most satisfying day of the first visit was on Baosbheinn and Beinn an Eoin - big open country and seemingly untouched but, if the plans for the area are approved, not for long. My second visit was to Jura, where the quartzite underfoot seemed even worse than usual but where the remoteness, views and scenery more than made up for it.
