I accumulated a very good collection of Marilyns during 2007, from Somerset to the north of the Western Isles. Often I bagged them as detours whilst on other adventures. In May, Beryl and I cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats and on the way I took in Dundry Down near Bristol (why did I bother?) and Burrow on the way to Bishops Castle (an interesting hour exploring a fine hill fort). I doubt that there are many Marilyn baggers who have cycled over a thousand miles to pick up just two Marilyns. In August in mid-Wales I was not after Marilyns primarily, but picked up three, my first in Wales for ten years, whilst walking the 135-mile Glyndwr's Way, one of Britain's finest official national trails, but probably the least walked. My season finished with another trail at the end of September, the new Kintyre Way, from which I made a short detour to bag Cnoc Moy near the southern end of the peninsula: an 87-mile walk to claim one new Marilyn.
But there were other trips during the summer where the principal aim was to climb new Corbetts, Grahams and lower Marilyns. In June, when much of the rest of the country was under a deluge of rain, the far north-west was experiencing rather warm, dry and sunny weather, and I was fortunate enough to enjoy a fair bit of this. There were several memorable days here including a superb round of Beinn Dearg Mor and Beinn Dearg Bheag above Shenavall bothy and a magical day on Baosbheinn and Beinn an Eoin in the Flowerdale Forest. A second trip was to the Loch Rannoch area, which included a 13-hour trek in immaculate weather to bag the Graham of Creag a'Mhadaidh together with the Corbetts of Beinn Mholach and Stob an Aonaich Mhoir, taking in several Corbett and Graham Tops on the way.
For the last four years Beryl and I have been taking an annual summer trip to one of the Scottish islands or island groups to walk, collect Marilyns and generally explore. This year was the turn of the Western Isles, hitherto unvisited by us. With 71 Marilyns to chose from I had a field day picking off some gems, including the Clisham horseshoe and all four Grahams. Harris in particular has some marvellous hill country; the hills may not be particularly high, but as estate agents often say 'location, location, location'. A 300m hill here may have all the character of much higher mountains elsewhere. We will be back to sample more that these islands have to offer.
