I have not submitted my bag log for a year or two, but was inspired to do so for the final Marhofn. I have always been an amateur Marilyn bagger by the standards of most (463 accumulated over 25+ years) but I always look forward to Marhofn arriving each Spring. I enjoy reading the exploits of others and have often been motivated, when reading a favourable report, to locate summits on a map or to research the hill further. I can certainly think of a couple of hills (Hutton Roof Crags and Ysgyryd Fawr) that I subsequently climbed due to this additional motivation; and a family holiday to the Lleyn peninsula was partly inspired by reports in Marhofn. I thank all those who have submitted baglogs in the past and contributed to this virtuous circle of motivation.
Turning to my own bagging exploits, I only bagged eight new Marilyns in the year, all in late April and early May. I much enjoyed a weekend in Beddgelert that gave access to Moel Hebog and the Nantlle ridge on a wet Saturday, followed by an end-to-end traverse of the Snowdon range on a bright sunny, cold Sunday - we bagged everything from Moel Eilio to Yr Aran in sparkling weather. Scotland in May saw similarly mixed conditions. I managed to get to the top of the summit block of The Cobbler in driving rain (nearly exactly 25 years after I first climbed the hill but did not scramble to the summit) but the highlight of the week was a long circuit from Inverie in Knoydart between the first and last ferries of the day. Sgurr Coire Choinnichean was a thrilling summit ridge with extended views in every direction, and the long ridge traverse to Ladhar Bheinn will live long in the memory.
On the off-chance that there is someone reading this with plenty of Marilyns ahead of them and who may be motivated as I have been, I offer three wee gems that I have discovered in the previous few years. They are all hills that I would never have climbed if it were not for Marhofn - Meall an Fheadain (Coigach), Carn Fadryn (Lleyn Peninsula) and Muncaster Fell (Lake District).
