The 26 Grahams remaining last year were duly completed on Sgiath a'Chaise (1B) in September. I was accompanied by five friends, who included most of the few who had done earlier Grahams with me, and we had a warm, dry day. In addition, in Scotland I bagged 12 lower Marilyns, plus Wendover Woods in England. I was not convinced that the cairn and plaque marking the highest point of the Chilterns was actually the top, but I covered the surrounding area thoroughly.
It is a sign that collecting hills below Munro height is getting more popular that I was Corbett completer number 20, but I am trailing at 63rd among the Grahamists. I went to check my Corbett number and was amazed to find the web listing removed for what seems a strange reason. Doing The Cobbler summit is surely sine qua non for a Corbetteer.
My best trip of the year was by bicycle from Beauly, riding up Strathglass and Glen Strathfarrar. I noticed with smug satisfaction that the glen was closed to vehicles on that day. The ride was into a gale and frequent heavy showers, and once out of the forested lower part of the glen it was pretty grim. Fortunately the weather improved overnight. Only one Graham up there, but four Munros (third ascents) and two other Marilyns. The four nights out made this my longest cycling / hillwalking trip without resupplying. I then moved to Tomintoul hostel, by train via Beauly to Carrbridge. While at the hostel I heard about the Heather Hopper bus, which runs between Strathspey and Pitlochry via Grantown, Tomintoul, Ballater and Braemar, and pulls a bicycle trailer. This was very welcome for getting back to Aviemore for the train home, especially as my front gear changer had broken.
Another memorable expedition took me from Balquhidder to Inverarnan over three Grahams and two Corbetts, with two nights camping. The drops between the hills are large, forestry extends further than shown on the map, and the going west of Meall Mor is very rough, so this was a tough trip. I think it was the only part of Scotland to get no rain for the three days.
Meall Mor near Balquhidder (photo: Alan Dawson)
So what next? I have mentioned that I might go for the Scottish 500m Marilyns (39 done out of 175), or perhaps those over 1500 feet (4 out of another 76). I think I will actually return to bigger hills while I have the strength for them, picking up the small ones in passing where convenient. This will mean my Marilyn bag will now increase very slowly, while I am trying for third ascents of Munros (12 to go, including the In Pinn), and second ascents of Corbetts (84 left). I am also contemplating a round of Munros after age 60. At 62 years I am up to only 52, but with the Grahams now out of the way, progress should speed up.
