All in all, 2010 was a good year, with loads of good weather from April to June. I had no wet hill days at all in June, even during two trips to Knoydart (CW: you obviously didn't come to Ullapool. AD: He told me he usually lives there). My best day would probably be Griomabhal in Lewis on a stunningly clear day, finishing on the gorgeous Mangurstadh beach. The best week was a run of cloud seas and Brocken spectres in October, the Alligin and Cruachan ones being particularly good. My worst week was in July in Coigach and Assynt; the only group in 24 years of guiding who did not have a good day of weather in a whole week. Best new Marilyn would be either S'Airde Beinn on Mull, with a lovely unexpected lochan on the summit surrounded by clifflets, or Beinn Duirinish above Loch Etive; rough, pointy, beautifully poised above the loch, a superb view and loads of scrambly, granite outcrops to play on.
There were a few epics: Quinag in 70mph winds during that July week; Great Gully Buttress on the Buachaille in even windier and wetter conditions; an April white-out on the Drumochter hills which gave one of those fantastic moments when mist clears in seconds to blazing sunshine - half an hour between blizzard and baking.
Other highlights: Sgurr nan Clach Geala as my 1000th Munro; seeing two capercaillies in Glen Tanar (my second and third ever); getting up my first 4000m peak since problems with Lyme Disease - only The Mönch from the top of the railway, but I was pleased not to feel any more knackered at that height than I normally do at sea level.
