A busy yet productive year, with no less than nine visits to Scotland, seven of which were RHB related. We were at Errogie, east of Loch Ness, for the hurricane week, and we escaped lightly with a power loss for just 36 hours. Others weren't so fortunate. I managed Ord Ban (8A) just before the storm arrived and saw a red squirrel and a wildcat (though I nearly ran over the latter). Some fine wee hills in 9B, with a late summit visit to Stac Gorm being a favourite.
Dewey bagging continued; Whimble's fine shape in early April put to shame the nearby Radnor relatives (31B). It took me two attempts to reach Gorsedd Bran, with hundreds of pine needles stuck to my back. Another bagging trip in mid Wales in April produced the most impressive electrical storm imaginable, from behind a car windscreen at 1am, while Sophie (Dalmatian) slept throughout on the back seat.
The Tremadog meet was superb - lots of new faces and some not so new. Everything went to plan, save for the low mist on Mynydd Enlli, but it was still a great island day out. Another wonderful, lazy day on Mynydd Anelog and Bwlch Mawr, two fine hills, despite mere SubMarilyn status. The day after the meet, on Snowdon via Crib Goch with Alison Richardson and Alan Dawson, was particularly fine.
Garn Boduan from Carn Fadryn, a popular excursion from Tremadoc (photo: Bert Barnett)
Good inroads were made into regions 27 and 28. Parked below Bennan (27C), cattle managed to wake me at 2am as they licked the rear window for moisture. The following day a local farmer told me how everyone seems to leave the gates open these days. I removed two ticks from nether regions on Kirkland Hill (27C), but one later had to be extracted from my waist. Attained Benbeoch (27C) the hard way (thanks Fraser) but all was worthwhile for the great summit view to Ailsa Craig. In region 26 I avoided the electric fences of Turin Hill but failed to drive up to Craigowl as hoped (some summits are just made for driving).
We managed one boat out of two to Ailsa Craig in September, and enjoyed fine weather at the summit just as England were about to claim the Ashes. The boatless day was not so bad though, as it took in some new summits along the Ayrshire coast with Jennifer Thomson and Tony Whitehead. All in all, a fine weekend. Other highlights:
The year ended in style on Mull with no new summits, just a recce for future visits, but great to see golden eagles, a hen harrier, a pair of playful otters on the west coast and meeting the local film man, Gordon Buchanan. Sophie's final hillwalk was over the north-west Berwyns on her 12th birthday. Arthritic front legs have now taken their toll, so retirement around the back lanes of Atcham beckons. After six and a half years of canine company on many memorable hill days, including no end of relative hills, I'm going to miss her badly.
