My first Marilyn was Snaefell in 2015.
I was saddened to be told that Marhofn would be publishing its final edition and that there would not be any further editions published.
As I was only born in September 2014, it was impossible for me to physically bag 600 Marilyns before the end of 2015 and before Marhofn became part of mountaineering history. My parents were encouraging me to learn to walk in early 2015 and this meant that I was able to start my hill-bagging career during 2015.
From an early age I have enjoyed being outdoors in the fresh air. I suppose with my parents enjoying the outdoors I have had no choice in this matter. As I live in Scotland, I have had to get used to midges and blowy conditions. During 2015 I am pleased to report that I was able to start my Marilyn bagging career before I had even turned one year old.
Seumas Kerr on Snaefell (photo: Bob Kerr)
Even though I had been carried up a few hills, my dad had told me that I could not claim these as I had not had to work for them. So whilst we were over on the Isle of Man, to let my mummy bag lighthouses there and let my dad finish off his region 29 Humps, we went for a train ride up Snaefell. It is evident on the hill-bagging website that numerous people have claimed a summit of Snaefell after walking from the uppermost train station, so I agreed with my dad that this would be a good first Marilyn for me to do.
On 3 August 2015, aged only 326 days, I walked all of the way from the top railway station to the summit of Snaefell, holding on to one of my parent's hands all of the way. It was blustery and it was my first experience of walking in the clouds. Unfortunately, I did not get any views from the summit but I enjoyed the outing and particularly enjoyed my warm milk that I had in the tea room back at the top railway station. With the ascent of this one hill, when I had it logged in the hill-bagging website I was pleased to hear that not only was Snaefell my first Marilyn but it was also my first Hump, Tump, P600, P500 and the first hill on many other lists. Having done 20% of the Isle of Man Marilyns, it means that I am making particularly good progress in region 29 already.
At the end of December 2015 my Marilyn total was one (+1 for the year) and my Hump total stood at two (+2 for the year). My other Hump, Dunnet Head, was bagged a couple of weeks before my first birthday. Although I had been up to the summit of Dunnet Head before, on 28 August 2015, I walked from the top car park all of the way to the summit and back via the trigpoint pillar whilst holding on to my dad's hands. This Hump gave good views of Dunnet Head lighthouse and was a nice little outing for me.
I have been continuing to work on perfecting my walking / toddling as my dad has told me that he will be taking me out to bag other hills in the future. What is the smallest size of crampons that I can get, so I can start doing some winter mountaineering too?
