2014 was more of a year for doing long-distance walks than bagging Marilyns. However, having reached 1000 in the previous year, I always knew that my bagging rate would decrease markedly.
Linda and I did the South Downs Way at Easter, which enabled me to make a mark on region 42. The walk was very pleasant and much hillier than anticipated. We renamed it the Ups and Downs Way. It was an excellent way to do some fairly unremarkable summits. The Gritstone Trail enabled Linda to reach her 100th Marilyn on The Cloud, whilst the Cleveland Way in September, despite re-visiting old hills, proved to be the best walk of the year, combining heather moors in full bloom, a lovely coastline and fantastic weather.
North Wales was once again a popular venue for us. A variety of hills both old and new were ascended, ranging from the sublime - Mynydd Enlli on Bardsey Island, on a beautiful sunny day - to the ridiculous - Carneddol in low cloud and heavy rain, although I am sure the latter is a fine viewpoint. Mynydd Enlli was probably the best hill of the year, despite its low stature. The island situation, the boat trip (with tractor launch), the variety of bird life and the seals basking in the sun on the coastal rocks all combined to make the day memorable.
My only visit to Scotland was a four-day sailing trip in the vicinity of Islay and Jura. A day's sailing from Gigha to Loch Tarbet on the west coast of Jura took us to an anchorage in the bay opposite Glenbatrick Lodge. We landed a dinghy on the fantastic white sands and made a quick ascent of Beinn Bhreac in the late afternoon and early evening sun. Thus I managed to fulfil my ambition of climbing a hill from a boat.
Since retiring in 2013 I have much more leisure time and thus more opportunity to go hillwalking. I do not think my Marilyn total will increase much faster in 2015, but new areas like the Brecon Beacons, combining a completion of my third round of Wainwrights with Linda's first round, and making significant inroads into finishing the Grahams and Donalds are on the to-do list.
Mynydd Enlli (photo: David Hughes)
