My number one trip in 2012 was a visit to Rum at the end of April. While large parts of England were getting very wet, the west coast of Scotland was enjoying plenty of sunshine as we completed all of the Marilyns and several other things during our stay. Tacked on to this trip was a bit of backpacking in the Cona Glen which made for a very satisfactory visit. Earlier in February the Munros, Stuchd an Lochain and Meall Greigh, had been done, but again that was the only occasion I needed to deploy my crampons during the whole year.
May and June were largely devoted to bird watching, however while on my first visit to Uist it was too much of a temptation not to take in the excellent Graham, Beinn Mhor. On the way north I did a bit of Corbett bagging with Ben Vrackie, The Fara, Beinn Bhan and Torridon's very fine Beinn Dearg. In October there were Munros, Corbetts and Grahams from Kinloch Rannoch and again we got the best of the weather.
Two milestones were completing the Welsh 2000ft tops on Mynydd Mawr in April and the English 2000ft tops on Birks Fell in November. I suppose I could have conjured a shapelier peak than Yorkshire's Birks Fell but that is just the way it turned out. In between there were the Brecons, Wasdale, a wet and windy solstice night on Cadair Idris, the Cheviots, Snowdonia and various bits and pieces.
June saw a particularly significant milestone for me. I finally got copped fair and square by an indignant GOML bod. It makes one proud to be a Marilyn bagger.
