The year was a disappointing one as, following my 2012 retirement from work, I was making extensive plans for trips away. Unfortunately the unexpected return of a serious health problem, that I thought that I had overcome years ago, meant that much of the year was spent at home unable to hill-walk. April to July were the worst months, but the problem is still with me now and the future uncertain.
In March, Ann and I took a trip to Kintyre via Bute and climbed the Marilyns in these areas, but as we were getting our teeth into Knapdale with a view to a return via Arran, the weather broke in spectacular style with deep snow - as well-publicised in the media. Fortunately we heard the warnings and got out just in time.
The only other holiday was in north-east Grampian where we spent two weeks collecting the gentle lower tops in dull but dry weather during September. The totally unexpected appearance of three new hills in the seemingly timeless British landscape, which I assume is due to some form of seismic activity, possibly fracking, made me realise that living near Lancaster I am virtually equidistant from them all, so during the summer as I began to recover from my health problems, plans were hatched. Initially a trip to Northumberland was undertaken, where the appearance of a mega-rare bridled tern on the Farne Islands was linked with Lamberton Hill and some flower hunting on Lindisfarne.
Later, the discovery that Mynydd Anelog was at the tip of the Lleyn peninsula, adjacent to Bardsey Island, led to a pleasant two-day trip to this attractive area. This completed my Welsh Marilyn set following an earlier trip to Clwyd when Mynydd y Cwm was linked to a stretch of Offa's Dyke. Finally, Killyleoch Hill was added on the way back from the holiday in Grampian.
Other than this, time has been spent picking off Wainwrights en route to a fourteenth round. The best day of the year was a crisp winter ascent of Helvellyn via Striding Edge in perfect snow and ice. The worst, apart from the health issues, was a shoulder problem in the Lairig Ghru forcing the abandonment of a trip up Cairn Toul and Braeriach in early October, with the first snows of winter glistening on the tops. Irritatingly, by the time I got back to the car, carrying the rucksack on one shoulder only, the problem had cleared up.
Obviously, given the aforementioned problems, 2014 is shrouded in uncertainty, but I live in hope.
