The year 2012 was a memorable one - the main event being my completion of the Munros - and I made steady progress with lists of Marilyns and lesser hills.
In the spring, a couple of big days were designed to advance my Marilyn total and to add other listed hills. Firstly a day in north Wales was productive - with blizzards on a round of the Berwyns including Cadair Berwyn and torrential rain and hail on the pair of Marilyns above Horseshoe Pass later in the day. In May, I liked the variety of the four Dorset Marilyns including the verdant woods on Lewesdon Hill, the dramatic coast to Swyre Head and interesting views inland from Nine Barrow Down. This meant I had tidied up several lists before my trip to the Highlands.
I had chosen the Jubilee bank holiday at the beginning of June to climb my final Munro with friends. A group of 19 enjoyed Beinn Chabhair on a warm sunny day and it was a super walk in the company of good friends and their families. Most baggers keep tallies against more than one list, but the choice of lists is a personal one and sometimes seems completely arbitrary. For example, I collect Wainwrights, but not Birketts; and monitor Submarilyns, but not Humps. As well as being my final Munro, Beinn Chabhair was also my one thousandth British hill when I combined all the lists that I keep track of. As you would expect, my friends at the summit were either (a) impressed at this feat of bagging or (b) stunned that anyone could be so sad as to be aware of this milestone. We had a good evening of celebration followed the next day by the traditional pair of Corbetts, Beinn Udlaidh and Beinn Bhreac-liath in warm sunshine.
Later in 2012, I added a few Marilyns in south Wales, never my favourite area for hillwalking if I am honest, and found Coety Mountain to be pleasant on a grey day. I did the Original Mountain Marathon event in late October, based at Sedbergh in 2012, but my route did not take in the summit of Tarn Rigg Hill so I returned a couple of weeks later to put this right.
