The year's bagging began with a superb long weekend at Osthmotherley in February, enjoying the North York Moors in the snow. We walked the coast-to-coast path over Cringle Moor and back to the hostel from Clay Bank on our first day. The next morning we did a pre-breakfast ascent of Urra Moor in mist before driving on to a lovely walk near Rievaulx Abbey. Lastly, I walked up Gisborough Moor on a lovely sunny morning with my friend Jeff, and celebrated with superb fish and chips in a Whitby restaurant, before a freezing cold beach walk.
On Urra Moor (photo: Phil Dant)
On Easter Monday I climbed my favourite rubbish Marilyn - Bardon Hill. I loved it. Why do people hate it? I parked in a nice middle-class housing estate to the north of the hill, walked through a lane across a nice stream and then along only a slightly muddy track into a lovely wood. I then ascended the hill and was rewarded with great views of Leicestershire. The best bit was the summit 'ridge' with loads of boulders to scramble on if so desired, and then, finally, the summit with its fantastic steep drops into the quarry. As it was a bank holiday, there were no trucks thundering about. It was very nice, the thrill of the tick and a favourable footie result only adding to the pleasure (AD: The approach from Coalville through the quarry itself didn't have much going for it in 1995, and I don't expect it has improved much since).
I had a fantastic summer holiday with Jeff in Scotland. Six new Munros were done so that's 269 completed and only 14 to go. Firstly, we had a long walk into Culra bothy to do Carn Dearg, Beinn Bheoil and Ben Alder. We got soaked on the walk back to Dalwhinnie but soon recovered, courtesy of £1 bacon rolls at the cafe. We then climbed Braeriach from Whitwell via the gorgeous Rothiemurchus forest. The purple moors, the scent of the old Caledonian pine, the green lushness with the brown sculptured bark of the trees, the late evening blue skies and sun, with distant sounds of tumbling streams, were a heavenly combination. One of my favourites.
Phil Dant on Braeriach (photo: Jeff Beckett)
After walking into A'Chuil, the bothy mouse rustling around made for a sleepless night. We failed to get up Sgurr na Ciche again, this time due to heavy rain - it's my most elusive Munro to date. My most elusive Marilyn is Carnmenellis - on countless Cornish holidays I've chickened out. I don't like dogs and I have a deep-rooted fear of being told off (CW: I've told you how to do it - no more excuses). We finished the holiday with an exhausting bike ride from Blair Atholl to a bothy and walked up and down Beinn Dearg. Great fun cycling back.
I took my two youngest children for a day's bagging on View Edge and High Vinnalls in October. Laura and James loved the steep muddy ascent up through thick woods by the barbed-wire fence. Oddly it was easier going down, alternating between tree trunks and trekking poles for support. That was fun, especially approaching from Stokesay Castle. View Edge should really be called 'No View Edge', with the summit surrounded by so many trees. We drove to Ludlow and ascended High Vinnalls from near the castle, a road walk most of the way, but the last bit through the forest was delightful, with great views. The only disappointment was the mass of stinging nettles and an old broken-down wooden look-out tower surrounded by barbed wire at the top. The delicious pork casserole back at my father-in-law's in Wolverhampton made it a perfect day.
