My eternal gratitude goes to the drug carbimazole, without which there would have been little action on the bagging front. This is thanks to an overactive thyroid, first diagnosed in January 2015. The operation to have it removed seems popular.
I did not envisage such a successful year, but Eric Young had other ideas. After numerous revisits to old unfavourite wee shites, he could finally see light at the end of the tunnel. This tunnel was often wet, overgrown and midge infested.
Serious bagging started in March, with a week spent on the Isle of Man. Actually we had the stay extended by one night, courtesy of mechanical failure on the ferry. 2014's theme repeating itself perhaps? Bagging culminated on Gamallt in November, during the get-together near Porthmadog in Wales.
Sandwiched in between were various locations, from Cape Wrath to Cornwall and Aberystwyth to Deeside. There are so many highlights and too little space to mention them all. I have therefore decided on a sample menu.
The starter is a hot and spicy (sunny) April week at Marble Lodge in Glen Tilt with Iain B and Alan D. As there were no new Marilyns here for me, Eric taught me the many virtues of both Simms and Subsimms. We visited some fine examples, proving there is a life after the Marilyns.
I decided on three main courses:
The first involved the hiring of a boat to take us to Oban bothy, at the head of Loch Morar. The objectives were An Stac, Meith Bheinn and Druim a'Chuirn. The sun shone all day and the location was so grand and remote. I do remember however taking a slightly too direct descent from the summit of Druim a'Chuirn. Ended up descending a steep gully, slowly. We were late for the boatman, but he seemed not to mind too much.
The sun also shone all day on the second of my main courses. A group of us spent a day visiting the Garvellach islands, during the Marhof dinner week. A different day out, with one of the highlights being taken to a sea cliff with an eagle's nest on it. There were two adult birds in residence and we think a chick was in the nest. During the day, Eric and I were briefly given control steering the boat, whilst the skipper made the tea. Control in the loosest possible sense. Sorry Andy.
Last of the main courses occurred during a poor weather week in August whilst at Poolewe. There was a ten-hour long ridge of high pressure, which we took full advantage of on Beinn Dearg Bheag and Beinn Dearg Mor. Two fine peaks when you eventually get to them.
Owl and the great wilderness (photo: Eric Young)
The dessert involved my completions. I had hoped to complete either the Corbetts or the Grahams during 2015. Thankfully, the weather just held out long enough for both lists to be put to bed My final Corbett was Sgurr an Utha, on a bright sunny day in September. We were joined by Martin R and Tony S, celebrating on the summit with Lorna's homemade ginger biscuits, washed down with Cava. Afterwards we had a few pints at the Glenfinnan hotel and a bar meal.
The Grahams were completed on Slat Bheinn in October, from south Loch Quoich. This route is not to be recommended to non-swimmers. Even after a dry spell, much of the old stalkers' track was under a few inches of wet bog, interspersed with even wetter bog. We finished in the dark, dodging roaring stags. Celebratory tipple just tea.
Final icing on the cake has to be on Gamallt. Forecast was appalling, which is how the day started on Lorna's 600th Marilyn Foel Offrwm. Unexpectedly, later that day the rain stopped just long enough for 14 of us to get to the summit and have a couple of drams in the dry.
I am now looking forward to spending more time higher up. Also, I have some unfinished business with 64 Munro Tops inadvertently missed out. Not to mention the deleted ones too.
