In late March 2008 I tallied up my Marilyns and reached a total of 585. With only 15 needed to reach 600, I looked for the nearest cluster. These were in Lancashire. On 4 May I set out and climbed Easington Fell, Longridge Fell, Fair Snape Fell and White Hill. The most direct route between them was navigated on single-track lanes. On White Hill summit a siting tower in a pool was climbed by chimneying up its mossy inside. Sitting on top you were almost at the same height as sitting on the trig point. 589. The next area I located for unclimbed Marilyns was Furness, the old area of north Lancashire, now part of Cumbria. On 10 May I set off and parked south of Hutton Roof Crags. It was not a good start, as on the path through Crag House my arm was tugged by two Rottweilers. Next was Arnside Knott, where I was impressed by the view and the old yew and juniper bushes. The motorway was used to reach Lambrigg Fell, and a GPS was used to confirm the summit location. Whitbarrow, Gummer's How, Claife Heights, Top o'Selside and Lowick High Common (as it got dark), all followed. 597.
I then packed the glasses, champagne, Dundee cake and Jamaica ginger cake. My brother David and his son Kristian were invited to join the celebration on Black Combe, and a waterproof poster was prepared, with two pictures of Marilyn Monroe and a black comb. David had been with me on many caving trips in the 1960s and 70s, when we had descended the deepest caves in the world (at the time); Gouffre Berger and Goufre Piere St Martin. He later led a trip to Mulu in Papua New Guinea, where he spotted the 'clear water' which resulted in the discovery of Clearwater Cave. He now tests equipment and tells me the TOG value of my sleeping bags. On a very windy 25 May we set out and parked near Muncaster Castle. A track and path led to Muncaster Fell. The wind was about 50mph. Next we drove to a high pass from which we climbed Whitfell. Back at the car I picked up the green rucksack with the celebration equipment. The wind was still 50mph as we climbed Black Combe. The champagne cork flew about 100 metres before it hit the ground. 600. Black Combe 600m.
Alan Brook on Black Combe, with poster, cake and nephew
I am now working on Grahams, Graham Tops and Corbett Tops, as well as a third round of Munros, Tops, deleted tops and anything that might get into Munro's Tables.
