MARHOFN 58.03 - MAY 2001

Corridor Corner

Those with 400-600 Marilyns march stealthily along the Corridor...

Dave Hughes (549)

One new-year resolution for 2000 was to do more local Marilyns in the Yorkshire Dales, south Pennines and Lake District. So a sunny new year's day saw me driving over from Leeds to Todmorden to be met by a wall of fog. Freeholds Top (36) was thus ascended with the sun always threatening to burn the mist away but never succeeding. A very agreeable start to the millennium nevertheless. Similarly Hail Storm Hill (36) on a clear and blowy day in April was equally invigorating, squelching across the boggy plateau deciding which bit was highest. The year finished locally with a fine ascent of Grayrigg Forest (34C) - a three-hour window of sunshine snatched from a very wet October - a superb complete double rainbow on Claife Heights (34D) on a showery Sunday in November (the walk being chosen because of ample tree cover), and a blustery day on Muncaster Fell (34D) when the Wasdale fells were locked in mist with gale force winds forecast.

The rest of the year's highlights have been in Scotland, where Beinn a'Chearcaill (13A) at Easter provided a summit consisting of a massive table of almost level sandstone nearly the size of a football pitch, with fine views over to the triple buttress of Coire Mhic Fhearchair, whilst Carnan Cruithneachd (11A) gave stupendous views up Glen Elchaig to the Mullardoch giants. What a fantastic summit! Interestingly, neither of these are Munros or Corbetts. Having completed the Munros in 1995, I have realised that I last went up a Munro in October 1997. In a way I'm glad I got them out of the way to leave time for quieter, pathless hills which are just as good.

A summer visit to Barra, South Uist and North Uist yielded some excellent lower hills and wild walking, with substantial drops between each summit. On the four Marilyns just north of Lochboisdale not only did I not see anyone else, I did not come across a single footprint on the hills. An afternoon of sunny weather after morning rain gave an excellent ascent of Beinn Mhor (24C), with an eagle soaring up onto the main ridge as I approached from the south. I should have included Ben Corodale and Hecla while the weather kept fair, but missing them out gives me an excuse to make a return visit.

Low points? Well none really - most hills are good hills. Mind you, Meall nan Tairneachan and Farragon Hill (2A) were particularly unappealing in fairly dismal weather during the spring bank holiday week. I managed to avoid all of the bulldozed track to the barytes mine by starting at Tomphubil, about 2km south of where the track meets the B846, but it cannot be avoided if one carries on to bag Farragon Hill as I did. The mine is a strange, unearthly and depressing place to come across, especially in dreich weather. I'm sure it is far better to do Farragon Hill separately from the south.

Helen McLaren (552)

This was definitely year of the Marilyn for me, with 87 new hills climbed. However, instead of sticking mostly to Corbetts and Grahams, this year I made a conscious effort to seek out more of the smaller, more obscure hills. I guess I just had to find out for myself what all the fuss was about. So I have had a good crack at Section 19A, completed Section 23, driven to the top of a hill, which is a great way to bag, and, much as I hate being predictable, become firmly hooked.

As always there have been a lot of good times, and a few lows too. The worst days were all due to bad weather. On Knap of Trowieglen on Hoy the bonxies weren't even interested in playing dive bombers - they just looked at me as if I was plain daft - and by the time I'd got round to Cuilags anything with more sense than a bagger, in other words absolutely everything, had gone into hiding.

But it is the best days that really stay with you, and two in particular stick in my mind from this year. They can happen in the most unpromising and unlikely places too - though maybe they catch you all the better for being unexpected and, therefore, unsought. Sitting alone in the middle of the peat bog which is the summit of Mid Tooin (23), listening to a plover's plaintive cry, was so incredibly peaceful I wanted it to go on forever. My other memorable day of the year came with sunshine, good company, a glass of Bowmore plus a golden eagle laid on for entertainment. Heaven! Thank you, Rob, for sharing your last Graham with us.

Jon Metcalf (584)

Millennial highlights:

Dun Caan (17A): The crown jewel of a must-visit island. Fine approach via a black beach-fringed lochan to summit cliffs from which to reccy future coastal plans.

Seatallan (34B): Excellent waterfalls on the way up, and wonderful views over Wasdale from the top half.

Goat Fell (20C): The ascent holds the interest all the way. The views on to A'Chir grip the imagination for future visits.

Cellar Field

Suggestions continue to trickle in from baggers who seek some form of recognition for those unlikely to reach the Hall in the foreseeable future. David Rawden proposes a cellar of fame for those who, for reason of age and location, are never likely to reach the gates of the hall, while Gary Westwood suggests 'a bivvy bag of fame for 100, tent of fame for 200, and caravan of fame for 300, then at 400 you're into the corridor.' Not wishing to be too elitist about all this, a cellar field has been opened up for those whose totals may be low but still have interesting things to report...

Mark Trengove (115)

I'm afraid distance from Alba, job and young family keep me from prolonged and sustained bouts of bagging, but I have managed 60 Marilyns this year, ranging from Cornwall to Skye. I may not be wolfing them down, but they've certainly been tasty morsels. Highlights have been too many to mention, but sunrise over the Scafells during a wild camp on Hard Knott stays in the memory, as does watching a thunderstorm over the Cuillin from the (relative) safety of Glamaig.

My own dear Welsh hills have of course featured much too. A day to myself on and around Pumlumon remains fresh in my memory. Lowlights have included losing map and map case in a sudden gust of wind in the dark during a snowstorm on the summit of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn on a solo trip last December. It was a good thing I'd memorised the route and carried spare batteries for my head torch. In their own way, such incidents stick in the memory as exhilarating adventures.

The beauty of Marilyn bagging is how you can mix family walks with solo and group outings. My walking companions have covered many Marilyns, although they are not the type to tick lists (apart from the Munros). It's the very esoteric nature of the pursuit which makes it so attractive.

David Rawden (131)

Even if I climbed all the English Marilyns (quite possible) and Welsh ones (possible but unlikely) I'm never going to get many Scottish ones. But for a trip to Arran last August my 'score' would be even more lop-sided than it is: 8-5-31-87. Anyway, I'm enjoying getting round GB and finding new places stimulated by RHB. I'm also doing the English county tops (28 out of 37). I wonder if the Countryside Act is going to make it easier to reach some of the 'Get Off My Land' Marilyns? I'm still peeved about getting turned away from Carmenellis and will have to have another shot at it.