After an extremely wet new year, 2008 improved dramatically with a splendid ski-tour on Lochnagar on 12 January - my fourth ascent and in quite exceptional conditions. Mind you, it rained again the next day. The Corbetts received undue attention in 2008, and I was lucky enough to complete them all on a superb day in November, on Beinn Bhuidhe in Knoydart. This was actually my second attempt, as the first trip three weeks earlier was thwarted by force ten gales that resulted in the cancellation of all boats to Inverie.
Other highlights of the year included another magnificent trip to Knoydart in April, with conditions almost unbelievably dry and with good snow high up. Only one new hill (Slat Bheinn) but several old favourites, with the traverse of Luinne Bheinn and Meall Buidhe being very fine. Equally good were a trip to Glen Strathfarrar in March, with splendid winter conditions on Sgurr na Lapaich (12B) and An Riabhachan, a trip to the far north in May, when the ascent of Ben Loyal was especially memorable, and two excellent outings on the Skye ridge in June and August.
At the opposite end of the scale, finding the summit of Claife Heights (34D) through soaking wet, head-high bracken proved an interesting challenge (a GPS is very handy).
An Socach from An Riabhachan (photo: Tony Kinghorn)
