With two Corbetts remaining, completion was my obvious main task for the year. This first involved the long and pleasant walk up Gleann Mor to reach Carn Ban (15A). On the way down I met some of the steepest-slope bog I've found, above the Bodach Beag - An Socach col. A fine July evening then saw me in pleasant company (including the landowner) as I made my first ascent of Ben Vrackie. This also brought my Marilyn total to 700. After three years of adding a mere five Grahams per year, I managed ten this year, passing the overall halfway mark between the Argyll pair of Beinn Lochain and Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn, and getting down just before a big downpour. Best new Graham was Oireabhal on Harris, where the much lower Ceapabhal also gave a memorable mix of far-out hill and huge beach. Another island trip took me to Windy Hill on Bute - more boggy than windy, with a moat round the trig pillar. On descending I had to scramble quickly over an awkward fence to escape a pack of six dogs which barred my approach to the tourism-promoted 'West Island Way'. September saw a trip to Aberdeenshire to add seven, including the fine Tap o'Noth and Bennachie. The year ended with an evening walk up Birnam Hill where we were fortunate to have moonlight from the only non-clouded part of the sky.
