My interest in Marilyns began... after having climbed all the Munros, Corbetts and Grahams, climbing the Marilyns gave me a carrot to dangle in front of Grumpy (Eddie Wilkinson) to stop him reverting back to type, i.e. a couch potato.
My favourite Marilyn is... Stac Pollaidh. This short walk has a bit of everything. Beautiful views in a stunning part of the country and the final scramble nearly being a step too far for my short legs.
My least favourite Marilyn is... Beinn Ruadh. Being only 1.5m tall, it was a hot, humid slog through the more than head-high bracken before breaking through onto the open hillside. So we looked for an alternative descent route but ended up again thrashing through bracken and undergrowth. A hard slog for a wee hill.
Do I keep Marilyn bagging a secret? No.
I... think my greatest achievement was getting Grumpy from being a couch potato to being a dedicated, hillwalking, healthy living specimen of a man, even if he still moans about every ascent. I also played rugby and football for Scotland.
