Marilyns are now becoming more of a challenge as those that remain unclimbed by me increasingly become more remote. Nonetheless, I have now managed to complete everything south of the Great Glen including, finally, the Isle of Man. This includes all revisions.
The year 2015 started at the end of March with a ten-day trip to Orkney, where I climbed all the Marilyns and Humps, with the exception of the Old Man of Hoy. This involved some early starts to catch ferries to Eaday and Westray. We were told that it hardly ever snows on Orkney. This proved to be untrue as we had several falls over the ten days although cover did not last long. Orkney for me was a bit too agricultural and lacked the wild character of Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, but each to their own.
We travelled down from Orkney and straight on to the new CalMac ferry bound for Lewis, where I finished the Pairc hills - Beinn Mhor, Gormol and Uisenis. This is beautifully wild country with little evidence of civilisation. However, I bumped into the gamekeeper, Chris McRae, who gave me a lift back on his boat to Eisgein from the west end of Loch Sealg, during which he pointed out all the abandoned settlements including a school on the south side of the loch.
In May we rented a house on the south shore of Loch Torridon and I climbed some superb hills in the area including an outstanding day on Beinn Lair and Meall Mheinnidh with the help of Mat Webster's bike.
In June I attended my first Marhof dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially putting faces to so many names. During the week after the meeting the weather was brilliant and I enjoyed some great days out in Argyll. A particularly good day was climbing everything (including a nothing) on Scarba, in the good company of Andy Hyams. I also used the bike to good effect to cycle along the east shore of Loch Etive to climb Beinn nan Lus. Another perfect day's weather enabled me to complete Meall Tairbh, Beinn a'Chuirn and Beinn Suidhe from Victoria Bridge.
The Isle of Man was different. Some straightforward Marilyns but I was frustrated at being unable to get over to the Calf for its Hump. However, I was lucky to be walking at all, after Barbara had tipped a cup of boiling water over my groin on the ferry on the way out. She claims it was an accident but I am not so sure. On board, first aid was applied to my bits by a burly seaman and I made sure that I recovered quickly.
I finished my Marilyn year in late October, after the stag season was over, by finishing the hills in Strathconon, Glen Cannich and Glen Strathfarrar. I also climbed Meall a'Chaorain from Achnasheen and was rewarded with stunning views over Fisherfield and Torridon on one of those crisp sunny autumnal afternoons where the low sun emphasises shade and light, the rich blue sky, autumn russets and sprinklings of fresh snow. I had enquired about hill access at the estate lodge in Strathconon and the gamekeeper, a Danish fellow, was intrigued about bagging and helpful. The estate is owned by the Lego owners.
As uncompleted Marilyns become fewer, I have become interested in Humps and Tumps. My goal was 2000 Humps by the year end, but my daughter, Jemma, suggested that seeing as it was 2015 then I should reach 2015 Humps as a unique achievement. Barbara was not enthralled with the idea as I set off for the Borders, with Alan Whatley, to achieve 2015. In order to round matters off, I also climbed exactly 300 more Tumps than Humps making my tally 2315. Does this mean that my objective this year should be to climb only one Hump?
Finally, I discovered and used the hill-bagging website at length during the year. What a superb resource this is and how much enjoyment it has given me in planning and recording throughout the year.
