It's not that I was absent from the hills in 2004, rather that I didn't do much new stuff. I seemed to be going over old ground in Scotland by repeating Munros (14), Corbetts (2) and the Pap of Glencoe. High points of the year included a visit to the mountains in Norway (virtually unbroken sunshine for two weeks at the beginning of August), my 100th ascent of Rombalds Moor (35B) in early May (it is only an hour's walk from my front door), and my 200th Corbett - Sgurr an Fhuarain (10B) - in late May. Bidein a'Chabair, the Corbett at the head of Glen Dessary, stands out in the memory as feeling very remote, after spending what seemed like hours threading my way along the long, rocky and convoluted ridge. Mullach Mor on Holy Island, off the coast of Arran, was the best summit of the year (in Britain at least). So close to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, yet somehow so peaceful, tranquil and isolated.
