The big plan for 2013 was to finish off my last 18 Grahams and although I came very close, there was no cigar. The year started well in January when I headed over to Mull with Andy Lawson to complete some of my remaining six there. Despite the snow and strong winds we managed to do Sgurr Dearg, Ben Buie, Cruach Choireadail and two sub-600m Marilyns, Carn Ban and the delightful 'S Airde Beinn. I waited for better spring weather to finish the other three Grahams; Creach Beinn, Corra-bheinn and Beinn Talaidh, and sure enough in early April the weather was superb. Despite advice in the guide book to combine some of these hills, it was a lot easier to just do them individually. The Grahams on Mull were excellent hills and I would thoroughly recommend them to those who may not have had a chance to do them yet.
Beinn Talaidh (photo: John Henderson)
Andy Lawson suggested tackling all the Shetland Marilyns in May, so after careful planning we set off, with Derrick Harman, to catch the overnight ferry from Aberdeen. Picking up a hire car at Lerwick, we headed straight for Bray to do four hills on the first day, to stay on our schedule. The weather was not good on each of the first five days, with low cloud and wind; however we carried on via Fetlar to Saxa Vord, walking across from Skaw (the most northerly inhabited place in Britain). We arranged to meet the very friendly MoD guard at the gate of Saxa Vord radar station and from the open gate it was less than 100 metres to the trigpoint pillar. Travelling back down the country and staying at the Islesburgh House hostel in Lerwick, the weather started to improve although, due to high winds, we had to delay our visit to Foula. Eventually we did the best three hills, on Noss, Foula and Fair Isle, on clear, virtually windless days. I did not find Shetland as impressive as I expected and would say it probably is just a place with small hills and small horses. The logistics of this trip included eleven ferries, four flights, eight islands and 19 Marilyns.
My next trip in early June was to the five heavily forested Grahams around Loch Eck and just north of Dunoon. Research via various recent trip reports was helpful in deciding the best approach, which was to pick a route and go for it. It is only a hill, get over it. Unfortunately all this slogging up awkward hills gave me a very stiff back which lasted until the end of July. Apparently this type of back trouble can be caused by leaning forward and charging up hills. I know, hard to believe.
Anyway, by August I had recovered and was able to finish off the last of my three Grahams in the Borders - Cauldcleuch Head, Queensberry and Dun Rig.
In September, another spell of good weather gave me the opportunity to travel to Arran for Beinn Bharrain and to Jura for Beinn a'Chaolais. Both were done in good conditions even if I had to stay at the very expensive Jura Hotel when the camp site was closed. On the way home I did Ben Lora at Benderloch, which is the only place (on the car park notice board) I have seen the word Marilyn mentioned when referring to the hill walk.
The next challenge was to tackle the real summit of Stac Pollaidh, which I had not attempted before despite being on the easier lower end many times. So, in early September Andy Lawson very kindly agreed to take a rope and help me get to the top of this iconic mountain. The weather was kind to us and the rope very reassuring in climbing the awkward rock tower to the summit. I would certainly not have attempted it in wet slippery conditions. Congratulations to Margaret Squires who completed her round of Grahams a month later on this hill.
My last trip was to Skye in late November to polish off all the sub-600m Marilyns around the Glen Brittle area. In very mild and clear conditions it was a pleasure to walk over these smaller hills, with great views across to the Cuillin ridge. I also managed to get up north to Ben Geary and back to Ben Lee for a total of eight sub-600m hills.
So, the no cigar bit? I was left with Beinn Mhor on South Uist to complete a round of the Grahams, but ran out of good weather and time. It is probably not a hill to be rushed, so I will pick a good day in spring and include the classic round of Hecla and Ben Choradail. I was hoping to finish the Grahams before Hamish Brown, but congratulations to him also for completing these sometimes awkward and remote hills at the age of 78. Well done.
Anyway, a fairly good year of hill bashing, which could have been much better if I had not missed six weeks of the best summer for many years. In 2014 I am hoping to make a big dent in my last forty or so New Donalds, finish off the last nine Irish O'Munros and hopefully squeeze into the Upper Hall. Still many new hills to do, so at least for now I will not be singing... Lochaber no more... Sutherland no more... Lewis no more... Skye no more.
