The quest to reach the Upper Hall by year end was quashed by a series of back and shoulder problems that blighted my autumn campaign, and I only managed Marilyn visits to the revised tops of Cracoe Fell and Botley Hill during this period. Much of the early months were taken up with the lesser heights of 21B, but longer spring days saw action in the Corbetts around Braemar and a week's worth of clearing up on Skye. Macleod's Tables were hills I'd had an eye on since my first Skye trip in the mid 1980s, so it was pleasing to finally explore this part of the island, even though the hills themselves felt unexceptional in the overcast conditions.
I'm still picking off the odd new Welsh Marilyn, and the most satisfying trip of the year involved a day out on the Mynydd Eppynt range, trying to keep a low profile when any military vehicles appeared. The formal listing of Humps has given me a new impetus towards English trips and fresh visits to areas formerly regarded as bagged out, hence the Night Riviera sleeper has seen a fair amount of my patronage of late (although the price of tea doesn't compare with the excellent value on the Scottish sleepers).
