With two grandchildren under three I am currently spending a lot of time walking 'horizontal prominences' of just a few feet, which is leaving me with less time in the hills. As I have progressed towards the Wall, I have found a reluctance to get there too soon. I have had so much pleasure over the last eight years in getting to new areas to climb the Marilyns that I want it to continue without having to start on some enormous new list. Perhaps I shall move on to the SubMarilyns, which are reasonably manageable.
However, during 2008 I completed the Marilyns north of Ullapool and Inverness, as well as my outstanding ones in Skye. A quick trip to Shetland got me Fair Isle and Noss - the latter must be one of the most sensational situations in the UK. I then had a fortnight in Wales in late August and early September to complete my Welsh Marilyns. The weather got progressively worse and my last one, Moel Siabod, was done in non-stop rain, gales and thick mist. I think it was a nice hill. It rained non-stop all day so, instead of diverting to the new summit on Cracoe Fell, I swam home.
My hardest trip was probably to Meith Bheinn and Druim a'Chuirn north of Loch Eilt (10D), in scorching weather. What made it hard was the thought all through the walk of the re-ascent of 250m through thick bracken, where the path was non-existent, to get back over a ridge to the car at the end of the day. I was so knackered that I abandoned camping and drove down the road and into the Lochailort Hotel for the night. By the end of 2008 I had 22 hills left, including five St Kildan ones, plus Cracoe Fell and Sail Chalmadale on Arran. The remaining ones are all in a relatively small area between the Road to the Isles and Ullapool, so should be achieved in the Spring. All going well, I hope to finish the last two (all but The Wall), on the Saturday of the annual meeting at Strontian. Any company on that trip would be very welcome.
Meith Bheinn (photo: Alan Dawson)
