A pretty minimal Marilyn haul in 2014, as most of my free time got taken up with the SMC southern scrambling guide, and the Sims filled the rest (21 left in Scotland, one in England and eight in Ireland). Even the calendar rounds game did not progress, as I was out of the country for the one remaining climbing day. Work plus an evening blizzard put paid to a Sim round. One list that did get finished was the 400m summits in the Peak District (i.e. all the tops higher than my house).
Best new Marilyn was Beinn a'Chuirn above Glenelg, which has a surprisingly complex summit area scattered with craglets and lochans, as well as a terrific view. Honourable mentions go to Cairnharrow in Galloway for its archaeology and the lovely little peaklet of Knockdolian in Ayrshire. Best new summit has to be Sgurr Mheadhoin at the back of Rois-Bheinn, a cracking rock knuckle in a great wild area, while the masochism award goes to grovelling up through the forestry on Sgorach Mor in Cowal after picking the wrong break.
Sgorach Mor (photo: Alan Dawson)
I had lots of great days on the usual suspects, including 300m of granite slabs on the south side of Ben Starav; a long wild day on Ben Aden from Loch Quoich; two stunning scrambling days on Braeriach and Cairn Toul, and a group trip up Griomabhal in Lewis with the clearest view of St Kilda I have ever had, finishing with a paddle at the wonderful beach of Traigh Mangurstadh (sometimes I can not believe I get paid for days like this). Even though I had just come back from the Dolomites, these little peaks in the Western Isles were not upstaged. Amazing little hills in an unbeatable setting.
