Little did I know, in July 1959, when I took a bus-load of teenagers up Cleeve Hill, that in 2001 I would be planning number 600. First thoughts had been to return to Yorkshire, my adopted county before moving to Scotland in 1972. But all summits in the dales were closed, whereas I was assured the relative hills of Islay and Jura would be accessible. So, on 6 June 2001, the following was entered in the recording book on Beinn Shiantaidh: 'Ken Butcher, Relative Hill 599, going on to Beinn an Oir for number 600. Sunny, 9:25am.' The day was concluded with Beinn a'Chaolais whilst my wife Mary was being eaten alive by the Jura midge as she recorded Three Arch Bridge in gouache paints.
