Are weather patterns becoming less predictable in Scotland? I think so. The year 2012 started with a bang, literally, as we were chased off Beinn Donn on 1 January by a tremendous thunderstorm that continued for about eight hours and shook the very foundations of our rental house in Appin. I can recall the odd brief thunderstorm at that time of year before, but never one with such persistence and violence.
Overall, the year was one largely given over to my newly adopted quest of completing the Grahams and New Donalds following the completion of the Corbetts with my wife, Julie, in 2010 and rounds of the Munros in previous years.
I added over fifty Grahams, with the remainder of my tally consisting of Scottish sub-2000ft hills and a few new hills in the southern Lake District and Yorkshire as well as some repeat hills for my third round of Munros. On many of the hills this year, my experience was considerably enlivened by the company of our new Australian Labradoodle, Otis. His teenage enthusiasm for bounding up hills is only matched by his incredible ability and excitement at scenting deer. Hill training remains a work in progress.
There was much grumbling in my home village of Gargunnock about the quality of the weather this year, however, I seem to have struck it lucky in my wanderings. Whilst the waterproof jacket was a constant feature at home, it seldom came out of my rucksack on any trip away. In particular, we had numerous dry, sunny days on the Grahams in Argyll and in the Borders. A mountain-bike trip in March cross-country from Spean Bridge to Bridge of Orchy via Rannoch Station gave temperatures of 23C, apparently a record for the area at that time of year and only narrowly exceeded by 0.6C at Aboyne, which took the Scottish record. In the glens it felt considerably hotter and indeed even the deer became lethargic and less wary of us and continued to cool their heels in the streams just metres away as we cycled by. The plan had been to climb Stob na Cruaiche en route, but this was quickly dropped due to the heat and the fact that a sole had inconveniently detached itself from one of my shoes. A week spent at Kylesku, in early September, finished off the Sutherland Grahams, but an undoubted highlight was a day walk into Sandwood Bay and then inland to An Grianan and Creag Riabhach and back via Strathan bothy. Whilst Sutherland has always been my favourite part of the country, it was particularly nice this time to share our days out with some old friends who had until recently actively resisted the draw of the hills. Their fervour now just about matches that of the dog. I will need to up my game.
Meall an Fheur Loch with Meallan a'Chuail (photo: Martin Cole)
A November long weekend with my brother based at Moffat brought very cold but sunny weather and a host of new hills along the Ettrick valley and Tweeddale. Our customary New Year's week with a group of friends was based at Kilmorack near Beauly and again we seemed just to escape the worse weather to the west. A clutch of Grahams in Glen Affric and Strathconon and some sub-2000ft hills were climbed including the much-maligned Torr Achilty which I actually found to be quite pleasurable - certainly compared to Woodhead Hill which I fought my way up for some Christmas Day entertainment. Plans for 2013 include some of the more remote Grahams and multi-day trips with Otis, who will by that time be carrying his own mini rucksack.
