The newsletter has introduced me to a strange new world of Bilbos, Humps, SubMarilyns, Deweys, Nuttalls, Murdos and Hewitts. I guess it all means something! My Marilyn ambition is to complete all the Scottish island hills although, other than Conachair, which I have climbed, St Kilda may present a challenge. As a senior citizen, it is many years since I have done any rock climbing, but I can still scramble, and recently bagged nine 2000m peaks in nine days in the Jotundheim.
After building up my Marilyn list based on Munros, Corbetts, Grahams and Donalds, I have now pored religiously over RHB and found two other wee hills to add - the Knock of Crieff and Arthur's Seat, so I must have started on the Knock in 1960 when I was a schoolboy at Morrison's Academy, but at least Stuc a'Chroin remains as my first Munro. My 600th Marilyn was the Ward of Scousburgh in Shetland on 7 June 2009. Regrettably, this is the worst Marilyn to date, littered with communications masts, buildings, ruins, roads and a scrap car. At Saxa Vord we ignored the dire warning notices, went through the open gate, passed a service van and a parked car, found the cairn, took photos and left without any challenge. But it's quite a high fence if you find the gate locked.
Carn Chois, Ben Chonzie from Knock of Crieff (photo: Alan Dawson)
Of the 80 Marilyns bagged in 2009, 39 were island hills. I was able to complete the Orkney and Shetland hills with the exception of Foula, where thick fog thwarted the plan. This year I plan to finish the Corbetts and attack the remaining Marilyns of Lewis, Uist and the Inner Hebrides.
