A cracking year in the hills overall. In light of the generally unsettled weather all summer long, I enjoyed a surprisingly high proportion of good hill days. April will stay long in the memory with dry, warm weather for several weeks, resulting in parched ground and some spectacular wildfires, one of which, on the side of Loch Shiel, we witnessed from Beinn Resipol.
My main focus continues to be the combined second round of Munros and Corbetts. I've just over 80 remaining so another couple of years should suffice to round things off. In 2011 I revisited a further 45 summits but some of the highlights were routes taken for the first time - such as over A'Chioch to Ben More on Mull, the Short Leachas to Ben Alder, and Ben Macdui via Sron Riach.
Having a helpful driver enabled me to traverse from Roughburn to Glen Roy, combining Beinn Teallach and Carn Dearg, while an already big plan for Bidean a'Choire Sheasgaich and Lurg Mhor from Attadale was made more sporting with the addition of Beinn Dronaig, setting up a rare approach to Meall Mor from the east.
Lurg Mhor (photo: Alan Dawson)
There was still time for 11 new Marilyns, mostly gathered in two blocks. Our summer vacation in the Vale of Neath set up a wonderful day in the Brecon Beacons, featuring my final Welsh Corbetts on Waun Rydd and Pen y Fan. Quite a contrast between the two tops, one deserted and the other mobbed. Following on from the Paps of Jura (1992), Mweelrea (2008) and Coniston Old Man (2010), I have finally completed all of the Corbetts across the British Isles.
In the autumn I helped transport my brother and his wife to various points on the Speyside Way which they walked for charity. In between chauffeuring duties, I was able to climb several of the local high points including Knockan where I stumbled upon the new wind farm in course of construction. The highlight was, however, Hill of the Wangie. For years I had read nightmare tales of scratched and bleeding victims searching for the top on hands and knees, often having to concede defeat. I will admit to a feeling of tense excitement as I followed the track from the west. However forearmed with the 1:25000 map, I kept to the breaks in the trees and found the trig point first time with no difficulty. (AD: I always thought that Hill of the Wangie entailed more metaphorical than literal head scratching, a mental rather than physical challenge. But well done anyway, always good to see it getting a mention.)
Plenty to look forward to in 2012, including an extra four-day bank holiday weekend for the diamond thingummy. I plan to celebrate in the only appropriate fashion in the hills around Durness. (AD again: A recent news story reported that there were applications to local councils to hold a total of three street parties in Scotland to celebrate my 60th thingummy, far more than I had expected.)
