My initial delight on receiving the latest edition of Marhofn last May soon evaporated when I discovered that the removal of Raw Head and the replacement of Thorpe Fell Top meant that I had slipped back down into the Cellar. Furthermore, the addition of Mynydd y Cwm meant that instead of finishing the Welsh Marilyns with a pleasant hill, Drosgol, I had another one to bag. Thanks to a long weekend in Chester I managed to do this, but I thought it an uninspiring hill. Nearby Moel Hiraddug looked much more interesting.
Eventually, the forecast in mid-September promised a dry spell, so I headed north to Cracoe Fell (from where, of course, Thorpe Fell Top looks higher), then on to Ward's Stone, Burnhope Seat and a trio in west Cumbria. Muncaster Fell was my final one so, unless the goalposts have been moved again, I have completed all the English and Welsh Marilyns. This expedition meant a round trip of nearly 1000 miles. With my nearest unclimbed Marilyn now over 400 miles away, I am mindful of my carbon footprint and think that the time has come to stop serious bagging and settle in the Corridor to that unattainable Hall of Fame. I still hope to venture up to Scotland occasionally as there are a number of hills that I would eventually love to visit.
David Rawden completes the English Marilyns on Muncaster Fell
