My addiction to lumpy things has become so serious that I feel it is time I came out of the closet and declared myself to Marhofn. I am currently living on the outskirts of Oldham, nestling in the south Pennines, am aged 37 and have been bagging hills since the tender age of 11, my first Marilyn being Snowdon in 1980. My tally in 2005 was 45, and I completed England and Wales. For the past two years I have only needed Mickle Fell and I finally managed this at the end of December. It was a very frosty day and I somehow managed to fall into a frozen bog up to my waist. It was a cold trip back to the car with most of my trousers frozen solid. I was surprised to see three other parties on the top, including a couple of men on a quad bike with rifles and combat gear. I thought I was going to be severely GOML'd at that point, but they were very pleasant chaps.
Other highlights of the year included finally getting to Harris and Lewis, and a midsummer day trip to Rum from Manchester, comprising an evening drive straight from work, sleeping on the beach for a few hours near Morar, climbing the complete Rum Cuillin ridge and then driving home, with a few hours kip in Glen Etive on the way.
