The last two years have been a bit of a contrast, with an above average 31 new Marilyns in 2010 taking me into the Corridor followed by a very slim year in 2011 with only three.
February 2010 saw me in the Arrochar Alps with plenty of ice and some snow. Stob Coire Creagach and Beinn Ime were climbed but The Cobbler once more eluded me, resembling as it did an unscalable ice cube.
In May I was once again in Sutherland, my favourite area of Scotland, where I finally climbed Foinaven, a superb mountain, and Arkle amongst others.
September was the southern Lakes, an interesting bunch of various hills and no crowds, although Hutton Roof Crags escaped, a nightmare of mist and wet limestone clints and grikes.
Finally, in October, a friend and I rented a cottage for a week and enjoyed the friendly Howgills area - only three Marilyns but long ridges with fine views.
During that terrible week of high winds and rain in May 2011, I managed Mullach Mor on Rum and Stob Coire Raineach in Glencoe. Apart from those, the only other success of the year came on Tarn Crag in the Lakes.
I do not consider myself a mad bagger but quite sane as I fill in my RHB book, religiously counting and cross referencing, but never seeming to achieve a tally. However, as I plod slowly along, I reflect that, at this rate, I will never have to endure the pain of bagging involving hills with impenetrable forest urban hills such as some in section 42 and the truly gross GOMLs (had enough of those in Wales).
