Bothy scene (photo: Andrew Fraser)
The year 2012 was much better, despite being told in January that I needed an operation to correct problems arising from my prostatectomy in 2010; an operation which, thanks to NHS Lothian's waiting lists, I am still waiting for a year on.
It was a good year for islands with visits to Skye, Bute, Harris and Lewis, Hoy and, at last, St Kilda. Hirta and Conachair matched my high expectations but the sail round Boreray and the Stacs was gobsmacking. A lot of glorious weather in May and June in the Western Isles allowed me to climb most of the Harris hills as well as to achieve a long-held ambition to walk the postie path to Rhenigadale. However, on Kearnaval the cloud base was at 100m and the compass behaved very erratically.
Boreray (photo: Andrew Fraser)
Hoy in June meant running the bonxie gauntlet but it was worth it to experience the superb bothy at Rackwick. The trips to Hoy and the Western Isles were all done by public transport. The highlight on Skye was a bivvy on Biod an Athair, watching the sun set on The Minch.
The year began and ended in Sutherland, with visits in between to Bens Dreavie and Hutig, Meall a'Chaise where we saw greenshanks, plus a rare plant/hill trip to the Durness area. Points south were not neglected, the best days being on Meall a'Bhainne above Glenfinnan, Deuchary Hill, Crock and Hare Cairn, the latter now much easier thanks to clear-felling on its western flank.
Poor weather in November and December thwarted my aim to reach a total of 970 but I should still manage to reach the Upper Hall in 2013.
