I spent as much time in the Southern Uplands as I did in the Highlands during 2010, so I now have only 25 Donalds left to do. I have a similar number of Grahams left, but I suspect that I will finish the Donalds first.
The highlight of my year was a cross-country tramp to connect Carn Mhic an Toisich and Carn a'Chaochain (11B) at Easter - sunshine, snow, sparkling lochans and brilliant views of the Glen Affric giants.
The worst day was limping down the innocuous See Morris Hill (27B) with what later transpired to be a torn cartilage in my left knee. I did not know it at the time but my hillwalking was to be severely restricted for the rest of the year. I suspect that See Morris Hill was not to blame, but rather the descent of Craignaw, after a walk over Mullwharchar and Dungeon Hill,. which was one of the worse walk-outs I have done in a long while. Once off the granite slabs, I suffered what seemed like miles of ankle-wrenching, knee-twisting, tussocky grass, before arriving at the Loch Neldricken path. I thought the going would get better, but the path turned out to be a swamp in its upper reaches and a wade through chest-high bracken lower down. The day had started so well after I chose to approach Loch Enoch via Buchan Hill and Rig of Loch Enoch - a delightful route starting with a bracken-avoiding track from Buchan Bridge, followed by a snaking trod that wound its way over many minor tops before dropping gently down to the loch. Knee-wise, things are improving, so hopefully I will be able to limp my way past the 1000 mark sometime soon.
Craignaw (photo: David Hughes)
