A second vertigo incident happened in January 2012 on a small hill in Herefordshire, when I lost consciousness and woke up with a blood-covered face having smashed my face on the rocky track. It looked worse than it was and gave my wife a shock. Three hours in A and E and four stitches on my nose got me back on my feet. It was especially worrying for Patricia.
I made only two trips to Scotland, one cut short, lasting from Sunday to Saturday. Both trips were affected by poor weather - rain, wind and cold. Visits to Muck and Coll kept my Haswell-Smith total moving. The erratic on Ben Hogh with its three feet was delightful - I thought at first that it had been put up as a millennium celebration and I spent some time looking for a plaque on the other side.
Peter Collins on Skipton Moor (photo: Martin Richardson)
A helpful boatman took me across Loch Morar from Braconna, avoiding the long walk in from the A830 to climb Druim a'Chuirn and Meith Bheinn with its now famous OS cement graffiti by the column.
I passed 2000 Humps in 2012 with a select group of other Marhoffers on Skipton Moor. My last Outlying Fell in March was Orrest Head, where it all started for AW. In the setting sun on the horizon I could just make out Great End, our first Lakeland hill many years ago.
A worrying sudden total loss of energy on the ridge to Stob Mhic Bheathain followed in June. This dented my confidence. With only 11 mainland Marilyns left to visit, I will take things as they come in future.
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free.
- Bob Dylan
