2013 was a poor year for Marilyn bagging. The year started badly with me slipping and fracturing my wrist whilst climbing Illgill Head. I was in plaster for nearly seven weeks and could not drive for three months, which meant that it was mid-April before I took to the hills again. The other reason for my low total was that I lost focus and spent too much time bagging Humps and Tumps.
My first hill after my fracture was a Hump, Great Hameldon, and the first full day's hill walk was Lord's Seat and the nearby Deweys at the end of April. This was a wonderful day; sunshine, clear visibility and fine hills. James surprised me by walking about ten kilometres, including seven kilometres from the summit of Whinlatter Top back to the car. James put in some big kilometres in May and June in the Lake District, on Grey Friar, Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How with Mark Trengove at the end of May. James climbed almost all the way from the Wrynose Pass to Grey Friar and the Old Man and it was really only the ascent to Swirl How where he needed any help. High Street and Harter Fell followed at the beginning of June on another sunny day and James again excelled himself. The longest that James walked in a day was 13km, on a day in July bagging 400m Tumps in the south Pennines. For a three-year-old boy, I thought that was amazing.
High Street from Caudale Moor (photo: Jim Fothergill)
The highlight of the bagging year was a four-day trip to the Highlands with Mark Trengove, with a focus on the Glen Affric Munros. We were joined by Jonathan de Ferranti and Edward Earle, from the US, and enjoyed a fantastic day on Carn Eige and Mam Sodhail. Edward and I decided to bag Beinn Fhionnlaidh, whilst Mark and Jonathan carried on to Sgurr na Lapaich. We made good going on the ascent but it seemed a very long way back to Carn Eige. The weather was good and at that time of year daylight was not a problem, but when we reached Mam Sodhail I realised just how far we still had to go. We passed over the Murdo of Mullach Cadha Rainich, where we saw Mark and Jonathan on the summit of Sgurr na Lapaich. When we got to this summit, our last of the day, they were gone. The descent and walk out seemed a long way and we reached the road not long before 10pm, twelve hours after setting out. Mark was driving by in the car, looking for us as we reached the road, which was good timing. This was an excellent bagging day, the best of the year. The next day Mark and I made heavy weather of Toll Creagach and Tom a'Choinich, with legs that were still aching from the long day before. Toll Creagach was my 100th Munro, a milestone I reached twenty-one years after passing fifty. Our last day was spent on Stac na Cathaig and Stac Gorm, two pleasant hills near Loch Ness.
View north from Toll Creagach (photo: Alan Dawson)
Later in July, James and I bagged Pike o'Blisco and Cold Pike. On the summit of the Marilyn we found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of fell runners. I found this unpleasant and intrusive and could not wait to get off the hill. At the end of July, fourteen-month-old Holly was introduced to the world of bagging on a family walk on Ashurst's Beacon, our local Tump. A few days later, in early August, we had a family walk up Dufton Pike. Holly was confused by this and had a look on her face which seemed to say 'why have you brought me, there's nothing here'. James and I left Holly asleep with my wife Sarah and climbed the Dewey, Brownber Hill. This was very steep and I ended up putting James on my shoulders, which half-killed me.
There were other days bagging Humps and Tumps in Wales, the South Downs and the south and central Pennines, including the very enjoyable dinner weekend at Giggleswick. In September, James and I bagged Lingmoor Fell, where we found ourselves in the middle of another fell race, and Loughrigg Fell. This was on a humid day with the mist almost down to our boots. The only Marilyn bagged in October was Mynydd Anelog, with James and Mark Trengove. We were hit by a fierce rainstorm on the summit, which James found quite distressing. Later that day we enjoyed much more pleasant weather on an ascent of the Hump, Mynydd Cilan from Hell's Mouth. James enjoyed himself no end playing on the sand and he did himself proud by walking all the way up and down with very little help from me.
In early November James and I had a very enjoyable day out in mid Wales on Beacon Hill and the nearby Deweys, Stanky Hill and Pool Hill. James did not quite make it all the way round before asking to go in the carrier but he walked a good few kilometres. Later in the month, James and I joined Mark Trengove on Cairnkinna Hill, where James walked almost to the top, before I carried him. The lack of daylight meant that James was in the carrier for the ascent of the Tump, Merkland Hill, but I was pleased that he was comfortable walking off piste and made relatively light work of the main ascent of the day. The bagging year ended at the end of November on the Submarilyn of Beacon Hill near Penrith, Burnhope Seat and the Hewitt, Flinty Fell. Burnhope Seat was easy, as all the bogs and standing water were frozen, although it was a cold day.
I ended the year 62 Marilyns from the Hall of Fame and with 15 Marilyns left in Wales and 29 in England. My hope for 2014 is that I will make substantial progress towards the Hall of Fame and mop up as many of the remaining Marilyns in England and Wales as possible.
