/ / I //~' / / / // /~ // / p ~// • /1 "" /' / / / ~/ ·"1:may be gone some time_" ing the moors for all traces of anything that looks like it could have flown." 31 hours with 16000ft ascent. FOLLOWING THE MAP AUCTION initiated on this page last Duggie Gillespie, Paul McClintock (29!7100) and John Coyle time, Charlie Campbell (the Munros in 48 days man) has written (3/9/00): Scottish 4000ers on bike and foot. Attempts to beat to offer "a big thanks" to those who helped raise £129 for the Mark Hartnell's record of 12 hrs 35 mins for the traverse (32 Dreams Come True charity. The old copy of Landranger 9 even- miles / 13400ft on foot, 61 miles / 3600ft pedalling). Both tually went to Paul Kennedy of Carlisle, who commented that attempts came close but just missed out: Gillespie and McClint- "it's in much better condition than my own copy, despite the fact ock by 45 minutes, Coyle by six minutes. All went west-east I've only used ittwice". andtook the "wrong" line atthe start ofthe descent intothe Lairig. Campbell has subsequently given his first slideshow / talk about Dawn Scott: Female record for Tranter's Round. 15 hrs 57 mins the run, atthe excellent John Smith's / Tiso lecture theatre inthe around Glen Nevis on 18-19/7/00 taking in Mamores first. Glasgow Couper Street store, and again he passes on thanks Rick Ansell: South Wales traverse - a 70-mile run across to those who came along (it was packed) and who donated twenty 2000ft summits, then cycling 50 miles back from Llan- another £150 to OCT. "No more gigs for now," he says, but thony next morning. 18 hrs 47 mins total. venues such as the Clachaig, New Heights or Nevisport should Yiannis Tridimas: Even Greater Cuillin round. Extension to Rob maybe think about booking him. The turnout in Glasgow showed Woodall's 1999 Red and Black Cuillin round. Added Sgurr the level of interest in extraordinary feats such as this, especially a'Bhasteir to make 60 summits in 34 miles with 26000ft given how humble Charlie is about it all. ascent. 14-15/6/00. Two hours faster than Woodall (who Early December also saw him pick up this year's Fell Runners' provided support): 21 hrs 22 mins. Association long distance award, having seen off some impress- Barry Johnson and Dave Clarkson: Flodigarry to Elgol. Skye ive opposition. For an idea of the kind of things some hill folk get traverse to mark Johnson's 60th year. Onfoot bar Portree to Slig. upto, here are summaries of the other short-listees: I Kumar limbu: Everest base camp to Kathmandu. New fastest Scott Umpleby and Brian Meakin: Winter Bob Graham round on time (3 days 7 hrs 10 mins) for 188-mile run with 34000ft 19-20/12/99. Temperature dipped to minus 16C at Dunmail Raise. ascent and 50000ft descent. 11-14/5/00. Just four hours' sleep. Glyn Jones: Solo unsupported Southern Upland Way inNov 1999 Beat the 1987 Diamantides/ Wright record by about three hours. - 'toreqoinq all assistance, no purchase, stealing or begging of Helene Diamantides: Solo winner, Western Isles Challenge. food, drink or equipment and no sleeping or sheltering in any Multi-day, multi-sport race held in May. Sea kayaking, cycling structure such as a bus shelter or bothy." Carried a plastic sheet and hill-running from Barra to Butt of Lewis, 160 miles. Diaman- but no sleeping bag. Six days five hours. tides is new to mountain biking and sea kayaking but won in Nigel Jenkins: Winter circumnavigation of Dartmoor, 76 miles 36 hours, 4% hours ahead of the next (male) competitor. and 9000ft in 18 hrs 3 mins on Millennium Eve. "A fine winter Hilary Spenceley: St Cuthbert's Way. Melrose Abbey to run ina nice part ofthe world." Lindisfarne Priory run, 100km with 1710m ascent. 12 hrs 2 mins Mark McDermot: Second overall in Wasatch endurance race, 42 secs on 15/7/00. Utah. Just under 21 hours for the 100 miles and 23000ft. John Kewley: Bob Baxter traverse, Isle of Man. An 8/7/00 Tom Gibbs and Keri James: Four principal summits of Wales, attempt on Colin Donnelly's 11 hour 35 min record for the "36 Pen y Fan, Plynlimon, Cadair Idris and Snowdon. 23 miles of or so" tops higher than 1000ft, over 54 miles starting from running with 8500ft climb, 120 miles of cycling with 7000ft climb. Laxey Beach. Kewley had previously been round in 12hrs 8mins 12 hrs 32 mins summit-to-summit, 14 hrs 26 mins from Storey and missed the record by just two minutes this time, perhaps Arms to Pen-y-Pass. due to "a short navigational error intown". Julian Rank, Andy Shaw: Dark Peak wrecks - 100-mile run Amazing stuff. Thanks to Martin Stone (FRA recorder) and from Marsden linking 63 air-crash sites. "Spent three years search- Rob Woodall for background information. "An obscure hillwalkers' fanzine Scottish outlets - TAC ... I was always under the im- From all Nevisport and Tiso pression that a fanzine ... was (including John Smith in Tiso, supposed to be tongue-in-cheek 50 Couper St, Glasgow) andhumorous" Plus: John Smith, University Ave CameronMcNeish,Strathspey Scotia Bar, 114 Stockwell St and Badenoch Herald, 30/11lOO Cotswold Outdoor, Crow Rd THE ANGRY CORRIE all Glasgow PhoneTAC:01786450047 2 ABBEY ROAD PLACE James Thin, 57 George St Email: [email protected] New Heights, 134 Lothian Rd STIRLING webTAC: http://bubLac.uk/orgltacitltac/ both Edinburgh FK8 1LN Printed by Clydeside Press, 37 High St, Paisley: Summits, 36 Moss St Glasgow G1 1LX, 0141 5525519 Falkirk: Challenge Sports, 25 Bank St Jan - Feb '01 No.48 T-shirts (p13) by Bar-One Ltd Stirling: New Heights, 16 Friars St Perth: James Thin, 176 High St Sada and Sing: Small pic: Inversion on Wood Hill, by Dunfermline: Summits, 5 Bridge St Richard Webb, from www.sub3000.com Dave Hewitt, Perkin Warbeck Peebles: Out-About, 2 Elcho St Brae Available backTACs: TAC4, 5, 8, 9, Wiseguys (and wisegal): Ballater: Lochnagar Leisure, Station 11, 16, 19, 24, 28, 36-39, 41-47. Any Square Alan Blanco, Mick Furey, Val others?Fuhqeddaboudit. Aberdeen: Marshalls, 186 George St Hamilton, Grant Hutchison, Andy £1eachincp&p,£3forthreetoeight, Inverness: Clive Rowland, 9/11 Mayhew, Gordon Smith £4ninetothirteen,£5fourteen plus. Bridge St; James Thin, 29 Union St Friends of ours: Kingussie: Paper Shop Outlets Carlisle: Freetime, 1-2 Market St Craig Smiliie, Chris Tyler Aberfeldy: Munros, 1 Bridgend Keswick: Needle Sports, 56 Main St Married to the mob: M'chester: Cotswold Outdoor, Oxford Rd Pit/ochry: Munros, Unit 2, Atholl Rd London: Sportspages, Charing Cross Rd Glen Coe: Clachaig Inn Abbey Road Studios Frome: Hunting Raven, 10Cheap St Tyndrum: Green Welly Shop E'ttrR,W t$~ils? % Onthe traiftof Queen Victoris in thl HighlsnCls,by lanR'iitollell LuathPress,2000, xxiii+137pp, ISBN0946487 790,£7.99 Review: Perki" Warbeck This book is part of a Luath Press "On the trail of' series. One therefore assumes that Ian R Mitchell wasn't necessarily desperate to write about Queen Vie but rather, as ajobbing writer, accepted the commission. Which of us apart from Helier, Crompton and Burchill hastheluxuryofwriting onlyaboutwhatwewant? Myown commission from TAC Towers was a double- header: attend the launch and review the book. The former took place in the lecture bittie of Tiso's new multi-experience barn near the M8 in Glasgow and was a very enjoyable evening. Mitchell has a dry wit about himandIleftkeentostartparttwo. On the trail of Queen Victoria is a bit of a curate's egg. Wehave Mitchell the Marxist (it calls him that on The puffin-shooting image is a good one. The blood- the jacket, presumably with his acquiescence) decon- letting of nutters like Clarissa and her countryman is structing "Balmorality" using the tools of the dialectic justified on the basis that the target might end up in the trade. We have Mitchell the Gorms Man suggesting fat lady's pot. Albert at least just kills the beasties walks in the footsteps of Queen Vie, And we have because helikeskilling. Mitchell returns to Albert repeat- Mitchell the hired hand doing his best to pack the book edly. ''Fushionless'', he calls him. I loved this. My dad with Victoriana for those whose bag that is. Whether usesthis wordand Ihaveneverseenitinprintbefore. these three fit together in the one book is doubtful and Mitchell's disdain for Albert is in contrast to Vikki's probably my one misgiving. The deconstruction he cer- unstinting praise for her wee German. But why look to tainly does to good, if predictable effect. TAC readers the lovedonefor sense or objectivity?It is Saturday night are unlikely to need chapter and verse on royalty's in Warbeck's ingle-nook and Gambaccini is on. Oh Yoko annexation of Deeside and the Gorms. What we might by John Lennon is playing. It's the biggest pile of tosh lookfor from Mitchell therefore would be a laugh at it everwritten. Can this really be the man who wroteDont all. This was certainly provided in the slide show and let me down? Of course it can. Critical marbles are talk,whereseveralbellylaughsweredelivered. easily mislaid when it comes to the loved one - be The book is less amusing and more scholarly. The theyJapaneseconceptualartistorGerman piercingartist. clearances, feudalism, blood sports and Victoria's fear Thus it must have been with Vikki. She sees a lion of of chartism are given the expected treatment. Mitchell a man; Mitchell sees a mouse. Mitchell enjoys spec- makesthe casethat this latter fear ofthe mobdroveVikki ulating on the inevitable question- of whether John to invent - and to have played out by her vassals - Brown was ever more than the Noble Servant, and hints the idealised depiction of rural life that became Bal- that feelings for Brown were already aflame while this morality.Works of art of the time are dissected to show gushing overAlbertwasongoing. how the painter has been dragooned into depicting a Hillwalkers will note that Victoria describes Brown's misty-eyedromantic view ofthe nobleHighlander. Some uItraNaismith performance as a "vigorous, light, elastic of us have to live with this still, if the duty ofbest man tread which is astonishing". Five mph was apparently befalls us. The kiltie getup appears to have been invent- reached. edbyVikki,and John Brown isdulyphotographed in the Various other historical snippets have been dug up. full regalia. Coincidentally, Brown's celluloid portrayer Vikki liked a dram. Vikki would by today's standards be Billy Connolly seems happy in real life to camp it up in considered a prescription drug abuser. Vikkiate a sheep's thesametacklewithRobinWilliamsand (sadly)Eric Idle, head and found it "really good". Balmoral was acquired ofwhomonemighthaveexpectedmore. because its owner, Sir Robert Gordon, died from a fish- For those such as myself with a meagre knowledge of bone stuck in his throat. No change there, then. The history and even less of royal lore, Prince Albert is Cairngorm Club was founded by guys celebrating known only for his eponymous piercing. Should the Vikki's jubilee in 1887. The SMC toasted the queen as gaps require filling (ouch - sensitive Ed.), Mitchell recentlyas 1977. doesabit ofajob. Whereas a grudging respect for Vikki Ultimately, Mitchell keeps his republicanism in the fills the book, Albert arouses nothing but disdain. The background, but he doesn't hide it. He finishes by man is described as having been physically less up to offering this take: "the image that will remain with me the strains of the royal peregrinations and, almost in- afterwriting thisbook,isthat ofthe 656horses itrequired evitably for a royal male, obsessed with shooting to take the Royal party to Breadalbane in 1842, for a animals: "Albert was constantly complaining of being piece of neo-feudal nonsense ... 656 horses. The High- tired and it is astonishing that a woman of Victoria's lands were starving and in the Glasgow slums people spirit appeared to worship the ground her husband slept a dozen or more to a room [...] Remember those walked on and hung on his every- usually unmoment- horses, asyouwalkinthefootstepsofQueen Victoria". ous - word. Possibly his desire to kill things was The image that remains for me is one of Mitchell Albert's compensation. He is always disappearing on struggling tofit together the three aspects ofhis commis- walks to hunt some harmless beast and even on the sion, but itwas still agood read and ifyouget the chance royalyacht hebangs awayat innocent seabirds." tocatchhimintheflesh, that's agoodnight. 3 There havebeen no new TACit Tables in 2000 ("I only In each listing it will be seen that not all "new" names dothem in odd-numbered years" - Alan Blanco), but are in fact new. several have been uncovered from days readers will recall that 1999 saw two well received book- gone by, and further information on early completions lets. First came the revised edition of The Grahams and remains particularly welcome. Beneath each listing come the New Donalds (GraND2), followed by the spanking brief notes followed by a section of amendments to the new Corbel! Tops and Corbetteers (CTaC). Both primar- earlier data. In some cases this involves correcting way- ilyconsisted of hill lists compiled by Alan, but both were ward details, while more precise dates and locations are bolsteredby people data collated byTAC's editor. For all also given - most notably for the remarkable Anne thatthere isasquad ofwell over2000 listedMunroists, no Littlejohn, whose Corbett completion, previously dated attempt had been made to compile coherent completion simply" 1960s",hasnowbeennailed,date-perfect. listsforthe lower Scottish categories. Hence much corres- It's a neat irony that no list of completionists should pondenceandarchive-rummaging ensued,leading toinitial ever make any pretence at completeness. People will listsoffiveGraharnists,55Donaldistsand 114Corbetteers. always be absent - through choice, or simply through Information has continued to come in over the succeed- being unaware of the list - but TACit Press remains ing year or so, and the numbers have increased consider- keen to hear of non-Munro completions. Please submit ably. So it's (relatively) high time for an update. In the details via 2 Abbey Road Place, Stirling, FK8 1LN,or sectionswhich follow,the table of Graharnists is complete 01786450047, or [email protected] insofar as is currently known - the initial famous five aregiven,plusten latecomers. ForDonaldists and Corbett- Word of a name from years ago by has a habit of eers, onlyadditions are given here- the original batches making your editor's day,and hopefully more such days ofbaggerscanbefound inthe published booklets. lieahead.Expectanother setofupdates in ayearorso. Grahams: Scottish hills 61Om- 761minclusive; 150mof drop onall sides. 15known completions. FirslGraham Laii Griham ColinDodgson Grasmere Stac Pollaidh 15/10/35 Beinn a'Mhuinidh 4fl/84 Anonymous FormerlyRhu 1994 AndrewTempleton DalgetyBay Creagan a'Chaise 8/85 Carn a'Ghille Chearr 21/6/97 AndrewAllum Rickmansworth Beinn Bharrain 3/96 Scaraben 7/97 Andrew Dempster Forgandenny Tinto 1975 Cauldcleuch Head 30/10/97 Peter Lincoln Mold EttrickPen 9/89 Creag Bhalg 25/6/98 AnnBowker Portinscale Sgurr an Fhidhleir 1970 Trallval 12/5/99 Bert Barnett Rattray MountBlair 1965 Hartaval 23/4/00 Brian Curie Linlithgow Green Lowther 1990 Marsco 18/5/00 DonSmithies Leeds Stac Pollaidh 12154 Beinn Mheadhoin (18C) 14/6/00 James Gordon Aberarder Stac Pollaidh 7/91 Beinn Ghobhlach 25/6/00 Graham lIIing Montrose Stac Pollaidh 8/82 Blackcraig Hill 8/7/00 KenWhyte FortWilliam Cat Law 1968 Beinn Bharrain 11rt/00 JimTeesdale Ardersier Marsco 6/57 Carn a'Chaochain 24/9/00 Stuart Benn Culloden BenVenue 1976 Suilven 5/11/00 What is notable here, apart from the small number of werebelievedtobe outwith the 2000-2499ft height range I completions, is that everyone finished on different hills. (Corwharn, Ladylea Hill, Ben Aslak and Creag Dhubh Quite how long this happy trend will continue remains to Mor). The one hill which Docharty appears to have be seen, but a ratio of 224:224 seems unlikely. Recent missed was Biod an Fhithich. So, with these tables in finishers have primarily used Alan Blanco's list, whether circulation from 1962 onwards (admittedly only in 300 in RHB, TACit or SMC form. In the pre-Graham era (ie privately printed copies), there was plenty of scope for before 1992), various hillgoers maintained their own, pre-Graham Grahamists. Thus far the only confirmed often very accurate, lists: the anonymous 1994 completer person is the late Colin Dodgson, but further names didthis, for instance. As wasdiscussed in GraND2, Willie might emergein due course. It is likely,for instance, that Docharty's 1962 supplement to his hill tables detailed Ann Bowker was not the first female completer - almostthesamesetofhillsaslaterloggedbyAlan,theonly although at present, in the absence of watertight data to substantive differences relating to hills which at the time the contrary, sheshould continue tobe regarded assuch. New Donalds: Scottish non-Highland hills over610m; 30mdrop. 76known completers, 21listed here. First Donald Last Donald WillieNicoll Ayr Benyellary 31/5/61 WindyGyle 20/10/89 WilliamShand CrookofDevon The Law 1933 Knee ofCairnsmore 20fl/91 ColinCrawford Biggar WhiteCoomb 4/84 Millfore 1/96 AndrewAllum Rickmansworth Merrick 9/94 Caerloch Dhu 3/96 Gordon Barbour Blackcraig Hill 23/5/96 AndrewSmith Dollar King'sSeat Hill late 1950s Scaw'd Law 2/10/96 Eddie Dealtry Killearn Swatte Fell 3/2/93 Millfore 22/11/97 PeterWilson Portstewart,NI Benyellary 30fl/81 Beinnnan Eun 1/8/99 Frances Wilson Portstewart,NI Benyellary 30fl/81 Cauldcleuch Head 3/8/99 Waiter Baxter Galashiels Broad Law 17/8/93 MeallClachach 19/9/99 MikeSmith Earlston Cairnsmore ofFleet 26fl/82 Knee of Cairnsmore 6/10/99 BobFowler Edinburgh Bow 13flfl4 Notman Law 30/10/99 Ken Stewart Coatbridge Ben Cleuch 30/5/83 Comb Law 22111/99 WillieWaugh Edinburgh Benyellary 20/6/59 Knee of Cairnsmore 20/5/00 4 Bruce Smith Broxburn Tinto 1990 Knee of Cairnsmore 31/5/00 Graham lIIing Montrose Benyellary 29/5/88 Blackcraig Hill 8n/OO Rhona Fraser Turriff Corserine 20nn9 Meikle Mulltaggart 18/8/00 Ken Whyte Fort William Innerdownie 1971 King's Seat Hill 25/8/00 David Hoyle Buxton Meikle Millyea 27/10/00 Rounds have also been completed by Rae Graham and the late Alec Westwood (both Edinburgh), although details are not known. Both completed Corbetts (Graham in 1994, Westwood date unknown) and Graham completed Munros in 1976. Westwood's rounds pre-date 12n/80, when he died on the hills above Glen Finnan. (See CTaC p42, SMCJ32 p184.) He is believed to have finished Donalds before Corbetts. Both Ptarmigan Club; Graham ex-LSCC. -------------------------------------- Andrew Allum madea remarkableexpedition.During 1995-7,with onlyfour short breaks,he meanderedround Welshand English 2000ers(W+E),Donalds,Grahams(G),Corbetts(C),Munros(M)andTops.M94,97; C97; G97; E+W (yearu/k).New Donalds. Gordon Barbour usedthe 1953list.M73.Waiter Baxter, M99,writes:"LivingintheBorders,Ifeelathome onmanyofthesehills, buthaveto saythat the Gallowayhillswereatrue delight".Colin Crawford addedNDs, 8/97; completeda 2000-milewalk around Britainwith 300,000ft of ascent. Eddie Dealtry addedNDs, 14/3/98.M95. Aimsto finish Corbetts+Grahamsoverthe samew/ein 2001.Bob Fowler thoughthe had completedonMillfore,6/6/99, buthad beenusingoldtables.AddedNDs, 8/3/99.M97.Highways HillwalkingClub,butclimbedmostDonaldsalone.M97. Rhona Fraser, adoubleCorbetteer(seeCTaC)isalsoM84,94,00. David Hoyle has visitedall 50ft contours above 2000ft in Britain outwith the Highlands and Islands.M92. Graham lIIing - a jointGrahamsIDonaldscompletion.M98; C98.Willie Nicoll, SMC,M66,89. Willie Shand, M68,diedin 1999.HebuiltacairninhisgardenusingastonefromeachMunro,withachunkofInPinngabbroontop. Andrew Smith usedthe 1984list"includingtheTopsandRingsandCheviotstobesure... UndoubtedlythebestweretheDungeonHills andtheworstDundreichtoBlackhopeScar."ClimbedtheArtneyNDs,2717/94, "whichIhavelongbelievedshouldhavebeenincluded". Bruce Smith completedwithhisfriendPeter Shaw,plusTAC's editorandproof-reader.Aswillbe seen, Mike Smith had acurious start/finish:"ittook me over 17yearsto covertheinterveningmilebetweenthesetwo tops". Ken Stewart, M94, qualifiedfour times for the Scottishamateur golfchampionship between 1974-9 and finished secondequalin the 1967 Scottishchess championship.Willie Waugh's lastmain summitwas I-IST CONTI(()~~~ LargHill,30/4/00. Ken Whyte has gone hill-madthese past coupleof years, , v -~ • '''-..It .' r z-, ~ '. rackingup401 Marilynsinside12monthsduring 1999-2000.M84, COO,GOO. '/ ~ Pet~r an~ Fra~ces .Wilson, both M90, are overseas completers: every ~J",- Scottishtnp requues ajourney acrossthe North Channel. _g """4v •• Amendments to earlier Donaldist data (see GraND2, pp24-27): Kevan Aitken livedin Auchinleckatthetimeofhisround. Phil Cooper completedon6/1179,notthenextdayasgiven.SubsequentlycompletedNewDonaldsonUarnhBheag,23/8/99. Gavin Corbett lived in Auchinleck but later moved to Edinburgh. Stood as a Green candidate for the Scottish parliament. First Donald:CorranofPortmark, 917/80, "part ofafour-dayhikearoundGalloway.Iwas 14andhad aborrowedframe rucksackthat split. I ateallmy dinners onthe first night and starved forthe remainingthree days."Last Donald: Cauldcleuch Head, 18/8/85, "Cycled downfromSnootandclimbedthehillin constantrainin mysannies.Notanauspiciousoccasion." Dane Love is awriter on Scottish history, rather than just on Scottish castlesas previously stated. Clearer detail has emerged of Matthew Moulton's round, thanks due to his son Stewart who kindlyloaned his late father's Munro's Tables. MM's first noted Donaldwas either WhiteCoomb orFirthhopeRig, 7/12/68, buthe was born in 1911, sowas almostcertainlyclimbingDonaldspre- 1968. His round seems to have been completed on the Corserine group, possibly Meikle Millyea, 24/6179 (not 1980 as given, althoughMillforeisnottickedand couldhaveprovideda 1980finish). Elizabeth Pilling isnot amemberofGrampianClubbutwas formerlywithEdinburghMC. Matthew Shaw has alsocompletedNDs. Hisgrandfatherwas GrahamMacphee,notGraemeasgiven. David Purchase has completedNew Donalds.AlsoW96 and E99. CompletedEnglishMarilynson Whemside, 3/6/99, and Welsh MarilynsonCoetyMountain, 3117/99.Ken Telfer has subsequentlycompletedNew Donalds. Maurice Watson livesin Falkirk. Rob Woodall shouldalsobeW85andE96:"thereasonforthelongEnglishdelaybeingthatI'd forgottenaboutSnaefell!" John Wyllie startedhisDonaldswithLochcraigHead,3115/82,andcompletedonCurleywee,8/8/94(not 1987asgiven). Corbetts: Scottish hills 2500ft-2999ft (762m-914m); 500ft of drop. 146known completers, 34listed here. First Corbett Last Corbett Kenny Robb Edinburgh Ben Vrackie early 1960s Corserine 30/9/90 Alec Keith Inverness Morrone 23nJ80 Beinn an Oir 5/5/91 Goff Cantley Edinburgh Meall Tairneachan 211/80 Meall a'Phubuill 14/6/94 Judy Cantley Edinburgh Meall Tairneachan 211/80 Meall a'Phubuill 14/6/94 Terry MacDonough Inverness Quinag Ben Loyal 20/5/95 Anne McGeachie Gatehouse of Fleet The Cobbler 1983 Askival 17nJ96 George McGeachie Gatehouse of Fleet The Cobbler 1968 Askival 17nJ96 Bud Campbell 1954 Ben Aden 3/5/98 DonaldWatt Fort William Merrick 6/98 George Bruce Merrick 6/98 Geoff Walker Muirof Ord Rois-bheinn 8/84 Clisham 24nJ98 Ivan Smith Berwick upon Tweed Goat Fell 1946 Morrone 216/99 Julian Ridal East Kilbride Beinn Mheadhonach 14/8/92 Ben Aden 17nJ99 Gordon Adshead Wilmslow Sail Gorm, Quinag 8/62 Ben Aden 21nJ99 Jennifer Thomson Methven Farragon Hill early 1960s Ainshval 8/8/99 Les Cunningham Inverness Goat Fell 1959 or 60 Clisham 24/8/99 Nigel Morters Edinburgh Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais 16/5/87 Merrick 23/10/99 Ron Payne Perth Beinn an Oir 24/10/99 lain Price Aberdeen Morrone 8/4/90 Meallach Mhor 5/12/99 Gordon Keir Glasgow Dun da Ghaoithe 19/12/99 5 First Corbett Last Corbett Ken Whyte Fort William Mount Battock 12/1/69 Clisham 26/4/00 Alex MacLean Caol Beinn Bhan 1985 Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais 1/5/00 Brenda Griffin Edinburgh The Cobbler 15/9fl9 Bidein a'Chabair 3/6/00 Mervyn Griffin Edinburgh The Cobbler 15/9fl9 Bidein a'Chabair 3/6/00 Brian McDaid Glasgow The Cobbler 1969 Meal! Lighiche 10/6/00 Colin Wilson Perth Ben Vrackie 9/2/91 Breabag 10/6/00 Joan Wilson Perth Ben Vrackie 9/2/91 Breabag 10/6/00 Hedley Horsier Glasgow Morrone 8fl8 Garbh Bheinn (3A) 26/8/00 Val Horsier Glasgow Morrone 8fl8 Garbh Bheinn (3A) 26/8/00 Michael Curtis Edgware Goat Fell 1983 Braigh nan Uamhachan 27/8/00 Ken Oakley Clackmannan Ben Ledi 1955 Beinn Lair 2/9/00 Jim Waterton Glasgow Beinn an Lochain 6fl9 Mam na Gualainn 17/9/00 David Claymore Chester Merrick 7/56 Beinn an Oir 23/9/00 Graham Jackson Chester Sgurr Cos na Breachd-Iaoigh 31/3/90 Beinn an Oir 23/9/00 Stephen Ramsden of Helensburgh became the fourth known repeat Corbetteer when he climbed Ben Vrackie, 3fl/99. --------------------------------------- Gordon Adshead is a stalwart of Rooke Corbett's own club, the Rucksack - and, like Corbett, collects hills across the British Isles. Had abigfinish: "Ended up walking for 18 hours a day for four days on 2Y. days' food in thick mist, pouring rain and raging rivers. Spent one night in the telephone box at Inverie." M87. Bya curious coincidence, GA completed four days later than and on the same hill as Julian Ridal, M94, ofthe Scottish Christian Hill Walking and Christian Rock and Mountain clubs. Ivan Smith, M91, is also with the SCHWC. The completions of George Bruce and Donald Watt are noted on p223 of SMCJ 1999. Both JMCS. GB (M87) is evidently busy with Grahams: on 22/3/00 the editor found aredjarjammed into the Beinn Bhalgairean cairn containing anote, signed byGB,telling ofhis having climbed this and the neighbouring Meall nan Gabhar on 21/11/99. GB guided William Hague up Ben Nevis during his stagweekend, 11/97. Bud Campbell, M94. Stonehaven Mountaineering and Hillwalking Club. Other SMHCers may have completed, no details atpresent. Goff and Judy Cantley finished and probably started together, although GF says he "possibly climbed the Cobbler in his teens". Both M84. David Claymore, M95, first climbed Merrick as aBoy Scout. Reclimbed it 1911/91. Completed, in arising gale and with abottle of Jura malt,with Graham Jackson (M95). Both ICI MC, asare Corbetteers John Bamard, Ian Henderson and Laurence Rudkin (see CTaC). Les Cunningham, Glasgow Univ MC and Gay Outdoor Club, has completed two Munro rounds and has "70 Corbetts left to do for a second round and 81 Grahams for afirst round My target is to complete these [plus third Munros] with the In Pinn, Glamaig and Hartaval on consecutive days." His friend Alex MacLean planned to complete on 5/5/00, his birthday, but good weather prompted an early finish. Michael Curtis lived in Aberdeen during much of his round. M98. Mervyn and Brenda Griffin (both M85,94) and Hedley and Val Horsier (both M92) are among 11couples to have completed Corbetts together - sixlisted in CTaC and afurther five here. Gordon Keir: M91. Alec Keith, SMC, has been remarkably active in the hills for many years and is only 30 Corbetts away from a repeat round Among his many achievements was a 24-Munro Ramsay round in 23 hours 50 minutes, 16-17/7/94. Brian McDaid, of Glasgow Glenmore Club, reached his last summit at 1:20pm, 70 minutes before Colin and Joan Wilson topped out on Breabag - a unique Corbett coincidence as far as is known. The Wilsons completed Munros in 1993, CW in May (Bidean nam Bian), JWinDecember (Buachaille Etive Mor). For Breabag they had "a clear dayand aparty of 12onthe summit - never saw another soul allday." Terry MacDonough, M89,97, Highland Hillwalking Club, writes: "Actually prefer the Corbetts - gets you to parts of Scotland you don't otherwise see, like the Borders and Ardgour." Anne and George McGeachie completed Munros (1980) and Corbetts together and George (a footballer with Dundee some years before Claudio Caniggia) writes: "We continue to climb Munros, Corbetts and anything that takes our fancy. Werecently bought the Grahams book which Ifind have more appeal (like the Corbetts) in that there is aproper definition - the Munros are not satisfactory in this regard." Nigel Morters is a rep for Jack Wolfskin. M94. Ken Oakley is with the Ochils MC and the Scottish Midweek MC. M89. The com- pletion of Ron Payne, M85, Perth MC, is mentioned on p462 of SMCJ 2000. lain Price, along with earlier Corbetteer Peter Dawes, isa member ofthe Aberdeen BP Excel club. M97. Kenny Robb, a "stalwart of Edinburgh MC" (Martin Hulme), stillhas one eastem Cairngorms Munro Top to climb. Reckons his second Corbett was Ben Ledi in the early 1970s. Jennifer Thomson, M96, didn't seriously take to the hills until 1992. Perth Hillwalking Club. Geoff Walker reclimbed his first Corbett, Rois-bheinn, in 9/96 "just for the crack". Highland Hillwalking Club. Jim Waterton lives in the same street asCorbetteer Donald Smith (see CTaC). For Ken Whyte, see alsop5. Reached 1000 Marilyns on Beinn Ghobhlach, 4/7/00. c'tec, Amendments to earlier Corbetteer data (see pp33-43): David Foster has added a second round of Munros, so should be M79,99. Similarly, James Gordon should read M92,96,99. More details of Anne Littlejohn's completion have been established. She lived in Weyhridge at the time and her first Corbett was Beinn Dearg (l3A), 31/3/56. Her last was Stob an Aonaich Mhoir, 2/1/65. This makes her the third known Corbetteer (assuming Corbett himself finished) and means that two early completions came onthis rather remote hill. Information from the 57th LSCC Annual Record, 1964/5, p39. The Garbh Bheinn given as the final Corbett for Mike Milmoe was the Ardgour one. He's a member ofthe RAF Mountaineering Assn. David Smith, M89,99, is David G Smith, not David A Smith as stated in an earlier botched attempt to resolve confusion. Apologies. Alison Wilson fell victim to inadvertant duplication in CTaC, being listed in the main table while also being one of the five anonymous Corbetteers. This (and Alec Keith agreeing to be "outed") resolves the apparent discrepancy in the number of Corbetteers between this update and the original listing. Although other names are vaguely known, there are currently only three anonymous completions. The latter- day AWregards the first Corbett ofher actual round ashaving been Sgor Mor, 8/2/81. Finally, and before anyone else asks, note that despite being one of only three people (the others being Hamish Brown and Craig Caldwell) to have written a book specifically on the Corbetts, Cameron McNeish is not included among the completers here. He surely must have been round, as The Corbett Almanac (first published 1994) credits no co-authors and includes, on page 7, the statement "The route descriptions [are meant] to give a rough outline of what I have found to be the best line of ascent and descent." But despite having been contacted as part of the research (as were Brown and Caldwell and many other completers), McNeish has thus far declined to supply any details. So, in the absence of any direct information, he is excluded Acknowledgements (and apologies to anyone omitted): Jill Adam, Ken Andrew, Hamish Brown, Ken Crocket, Gordon Downs, Martin Hulme, Chris Huntley, James Lamb, Jon Metcalf, Rob Milne, Stewart Moulton, June Peterson, Tom Rix, 6 Willie Shand, Peter Shaw, Richard Webb. Socks, belays and videotape Safety on mountains - British Mountaineering Council BMC,2000, ISBN 0 903908 271 Video +book package £15 (BMC members £12.50), booklet £4(£2.50) Review: Val Hamilton ALTHOUGH this booklet and video are described The booklet ends with a brief bibliography including as a package, they do not seem connected, phys- a list of magazines which inexplicably omits TAC ically or otherwise. There are no references in the (so they're the Bastarding MC - Ed.) and a list of booklet to the video or vice versa, and the booklet organisations. These are given only as unex- does not fit in the video box. panded abbreviations and the novice reader The booklet is pretty standard fare. I have a copy may have some difficulty guessing what MCofS of a 1974 BMC publication with the same title in stands for, let alone IMTB (MOS). A6 format and priced 40p - cheap and cheerful, The video is not an instructional guide in the illustrated with passable cartoons. The (unnamed) same mode, and this may be wise given the dull- editors of the current booklet, however, do not see ness of the section where classroom shots at Plas it as having this lineage as their text begins with the y Brenin link to outdoor practice. Instead it follows statement that "ten years have passed since the the exploits of four yuppie, 20-something walkers booklet Safety on mountains was first published." as they get lost on a beautiful autumn day in the Strange. The current A5 format has colour photos Peak District, get taken up Cnicht without getting and adverts rather than cartoons and lacks any hint lost, get lost in the claggy Lake District, and of humour or levity. finally see the light and make a sensible decision in The coverage is similar to my 1974 example but the Cairngorms, where they experience typical has moved on to include mobile phones and GPSs. winter (ie September to May) conditions in the Checking out our household's hobby horses, I found corries. a good section on angle of slope, no mention of the There is not much human interest except ice-axe-as-ornament issue (see TAC13), but sens- perhaps wondering if the beardy guy with a silly ible comment about putting on crampons before hat is wearing it because he's bald (he is), but neither things get too scary. There is nothing about snow is there anything objectionable about it. I can- shovels and only a passing reference to the alti- not imagine that anyone would- watch it more than meter as a "potentially useful aid". Trekking poles once and its main purpose must be as a time- are in there with ambivalent comment, but there's a filler for outdoor centres who run navigation photo of a couple of women with single poles cap- courses. For a second opinion, I lent the video to tioned, "research suggests that using two is better a colleague who is an experienced walker but than one, especially with a heavy sack." TAC's pro- a novice navigator. She too was surprised at the polers will no doubt be able to provide the full refer- lack of "this is how you do it" type instruction, ence to this research. Someone else's hobby horse pointing out that that you do not even have close- is ridden in a paragraph entitled "Insulation: To layer ups of the maps when they are being used outdoors. or not to layer?" I thought this debate only applied But it did get across the messages that hills can to propagating heathers. be dangerous and that walking with a map or even a compass in your hand is not navigating: you need to switch your brain on too. And the spindrift-swept Scottish scenes do give a sense of the power of wind and cold which is rarely created in words alone. So, the book's fine but don't bother with the video. If you ever go on an organised course you're (outward) bound to see itthen. 2001will see arevisededitionofthe SMC's Corbetts and Thanks to our Deeside correspondent for news of the other Scottish hills, and Hamish Brown has been landed annual friendly match between Braemar and Aberdeen with the task of tracking down publishable-quality photo- mountain rescue teams, held on 1 act. The losing team graphs of the various lumps and bumps. Most hills have collects the Jacqueline Greaves Perpetually Lost Trophy. alreadybeencovered, butthe following areprovingtricky: (Forprevious results,seeTAC39,p2 andTAC43,p11.) Corbetts - Merrick ("and other Section 0 hills could be At BallaterSanSiro:Braemar MRT4- Aberdeen MRT5 better", Hamish says), Meall Fhudair, Beinn Each, Meal! "Disappointment for Braemar after a 3-1 half-time lead na Fearna, Beinn Mholach, Glas Bheinn (Kinlochleven), with BMRT's Lindsay "the cat" Smith saving a cannonball Maol Creag an Loch / An Dun, Beinn Bhreac, Morrone, penalty The second half saw Aberdeen bending the rules Carn Mor (Lecht), Corryhabbie Hill, Carn na Saobhaidhe by calling on the help of a ringer, and the final blow for ("the biggest challenge of all"), Geal-charn Mor, Meall Braemar came when disgraced captain and BMRT secre- Dubh, Beinn Resipol, Carn Mor (Dessarry), Bac an Eich, tary Graham McDonald was shown the red card for Beinn a'Chaisgean Mor,Breabag, Glas Bheinn (Assynt) handling balls. Braemar were graceful in defeat and Celr) Lower hills - Creag Dhubh (Newtonmore), BenCorodale, accepted the trophy from last year's custodians." Cracaval "andreally any ofthe finer Outer Hebrides". Oh, and six months after the Scotsman debacle, TAC's 0" So if any readers have high-quality shots of any of editor isback inthe land of editorial deadlines. Check out "'U these, Hamish would be keen to cast an eye: 26 Kirk- hiscolumn on scotlandonline.com andfire off queriesto ~ caldy Rd,Burntisland, Fife, KY39HQ,or01592873546. edrenalin.com; ChrisTylerisaround,too - good-o. fb 7 ...., Back intheir mid-1990s prime, Barbara Brodie and Stuart Benn won TAC's Christmas Quiz three times infour tU years, but noperson orteam has yet won three times insuccession. The pairing ofJim Willsher and Wendy Mann .c has the chance of a hat-trick this year however, and can anyone or anything stop them? Can Wolf Gruellich or ~ca Barbara Jones top-out their recent steady rise upthe rankings? Will some dark horse gallop from a mysterious stable? Only the following 64 questions will provide the answers. "C As ever, excellent TACshop prizes will be awarded for the first three places (we haven't as yet decided quite C what the prizes will be, but they'll be damn good, believe us). And the tailgunner will of course receive tU the traditional booby bag, this year featuring the dreadful religion/tourism video The Wonder of Creation, CCD; Volume 3: The Majesty of Scotland (poorly-shot Highland roadside views strung together over a soundtrack of dire "inspirational" tunes). ~ Maximum score 100, although points might beadded for evidence of lateral genius. Deadline: 3rd February 2001. Postto TAC, 2Abbey Road Place, Stirling, FK8 1LN or email [email protected] by9pm that day. 1In2000 1a Who planned to see inthe new year by "going to the top of asmall mountain in Donegal with my wife, at midnight. And with my children ifthey come, which is unlikely"? (1) 1b What were Cyril and Martti taken to see in Macgillycuddy's Reeks and on Slieve Bloom? (1) ~c 1c What was the significance of the phrase: "Nevis rangers? OK, son"? (1) --------., 1d Which female alpinist just failed to reach an All-England summit? (1) _ ~- _ 1e Which Munro put inaceremonial appearance inNorth Queensferry? (1) ~ 1f What linked Dunfermline, Ben Nevis and AER on 24 April? (1) 19 Which Munro was discovered near the Falls of Shin? (1) 1h What word connected awest-of-Scotland mount and a US summit squabble? (1) 1i Where didthe loss of a Donald cause a Munro to be rejected? (1) 1j Where inthe eastern fells could you raise a million? (1) =-... 1k Which disputed Graham had aflag lowered onto itssub-zero summit? (1) 11 Which Ben was most likely to have been climbed by Ben Fogle? (1) 1m "One hill is losing seven metres and the second two metres, and [...]athird small rise called Norris Hill was also 'being scalped'."Why, and name the first pair of hills. (1+YZ+YZ) 2 Titles and deeds 2a Which one ofthe following has completed a Ramsay Round (23 or 24 Lochaber Munros inside 24 hours): (i) Malcolm Allison, (ii) Brian Clough, (iii) Don Revie, (iv)Terry Venables? (2) 2b Which one ofthe following joined the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club in 1954: (i) Polly Stack, (ii) Molly Cobbler, (iii)Suilven Graham, (iv) Mona Gowan? (2) 2c What caused Hamish Brown to interrupt his "engrossing lecture" to the Ladies Scottish Climbing Club annual dinner inGlasgow on 17/1/76: (i)power failure, (H)bomb scare, (Hi)heckler, (iv) losing hisslides of Hecla? (2) 2d Which Ben suffers from "an obsessive compulsive personality disorder inthe form of acollection mania"? (2) 2e IsBen Sheets: (i)ahill in New Caledonia, (ii)a new project aimed at producing independent maps of Scottish hills, (iii)an American baseball player, (iv) Christo's new "high altitude wrapping artwork", planned for 2001?(1) 2f What feat have both Amy Davis and Richard Gilbert performed, and what was the most obvious difference in how they did it? (1+1) 3 Ale.•. 3a Which duff distillery map fails to measure up, and why? (1+1) 3b What whisky isfound on top of Arenig Fawr? (2) 4 •••and arty 4a Whose ten-month walking tour in 1986 ledto acitation in2000? (2) 4b Which recent four-letter CD has some unlikely looking summits on its sleeve? (1) 4c Which place and which novel by athespian author: "Bikes it has to be and mountain bikes - in the flattest region of Britain, where adog-turd excites the attentions ofthe Mountaineering Soc"? (1+1) 4d Which prizewinning book includes a poem ending: "Our Welshman composed it- still deaf 1 Tothe white noise of the elegy 1That would fill his mouth and ear 1Worlds later, on Cader Idris, Inthe wind and snow of your final climb"? (2) 4e Inwhich Scottish novel does acharacter with sores on his scrotum mistake atrig point for "a woman inawhite dress waving and beckoning"? (2) 8 5, Sa In which list does Ben Nevis come bottom, with 55 marks out of a possible 100? (2) 5b Odd one out, and why: (i) Charles, (ii) Harry, (iii) Hazel, (iv) Joe, (v) Stuart, (vi) Vernon, (vii) William? (1+ 1) Se Fill inthe gaps: Carter Fell 579m, --, Lamb Hill 511m, --, King's Seat 531m. (1+ 1) 5d Fillinthe gaps: Lady Isle 6m, Ceann lar 19m, --, Eilean Garave 22m, Orsay 24m, --, Eilean nan Coinein 27m, Muckle Green Holm 28m, Pabay 28m, Glims Holm 32m (1+1) Se What isthe significance of Scalpay in relation to 5d? (1) Sf Odd one out, and why: (i) Big Scare, (ii) Blaster Hole, (iii) Frank Lockwood's Island, (iv) Humla, (v) Ingale Skerry, (vi) Sgeir Charrach? (1+1) naBr ,,6, 6a Fill inthe gaps: 101m, -, 217m, -, 376m, 418m (1+1) 6b According to Landranger maps, what isthe largest Scottish island without any public toilets? (1) 6c And what isthe smallest Scottish island to have some? (1) 6d What goes with Dubh Sgeir and Skerryvore? (2) 6e What is mis-spelt in Dawson's The Relative Hills of Britain, in Brook and Hinchliffe's North to the Cape and on early versions of Landranger 14? (2) 6f Of what is Binnein Mor the highest Scottish example? (2) 6g Fill inthe gaps: 42m, 42m, 43m, -, 63m, 70m, 74m, 76m, -, 111m (1+1) 6h What istrue of Landrangers 45,47,62,64,74 and 83 and no other Scottish sheets? (2) 6i What does Dull Wood share with Collin Hags? (2) 7 Hlltifball'Spec(jJl' , -.--., --.~-. ··,':;"",-:,-.-,"8':,; "".-"-.'.', 7a Which team's recent European performances involved aWainwright, aStac, a Felle and numerous Hewitts? (1) 7b Which Scottish Marilyn comprises three Englishmen: a current international, a current under-21 international and arecent managerial casualty? (1) IfBen Nevis is Pat Nevin's favourite hill, which current Premiership players might name these as their spiritual homes: 7e Ben Venue 7d Ben Tee 7e An Stac 7f Beinn Lagan 79 Ben Lui? (1each) Which hills fit these footballing clues: 7h Costa Rican gave up Switzerland in favour of Germany 7i Seventh leader went down inthe box and down with the Rovers 7j Israeli and Spanish supporter (2each) 8 Overseasoned Sa Maps of which British overseas territory include Where Dan Fall, Where Freddie Fall,and Where Tom Off? (2) 8b Which Ordnance Survey International map shows Down Where The Minister Land His Things and has a key indicating "Economically important potato patches"? (2) Se Which island ina French overseas territory has topographical features that translate as "The Big Cooking Pot", "The Big Balcony" and "Ravine of the Late-Night Revellers"? (2) 8d Which island inan Australian overseas territory has topographical features called Dar Tomato Bay and Valley onTopNiggers Hoof? (2) Se Inwhich country would you find Iztok Cop and Luka Spik, and how high are they? (1+ 1) 9 Mixedbag 9a What mountain range connects Prestwick golf course, afarm in Furness and Bob Geldof? (1) 9b Which society believes there are 19 "Holy Mountains Charged by The Master Jesus", nine of them in Britain including YesTor in"Devonshire" (''the route to this Holy Spot goes through a military firing range")? (1) 9c Two of the society's holy mountains are in Scotland. One contains "some of the most powerful energies" while the other "became a Retreat ofThe Great White Brotherhood". Name the hills. (~+~) 9d Which infrequently changing sporting list could be represented as follows: Hungry Law, Broom Hill, Auchtertyre Hill, Bellybought Hill, Meall nan Con, Kilmein Hill, Ord Ban, East Lomond, Cromlet? (2) ge And which of the following is next in line: (i) Doughnot Hill, (ii)Tairlaw Ring, (iii) Glas Bheinn? (1) 9f "The last observations for the retriangulation of Great Britain were made at this triangulation station by Mr EA PJoyce on the 4th June 1962. There are 11678 such stations and the first observations were made at -- -- in Northamptonshire on 18th April 1936." Name this Cumbrian trig (clue: it's on two Land- rangers) and its companion "first" trig down south. (1+ 1) 9g Sir Ranulph Fiennes unveiled BT's 1OO,OOOthpayphone inDunsop Bridge on 29/6/92. Why there? (2) 9h Which high mountaineering record was achieved in 1016? (2) 9 s With the recent strange episode of the torching of Cameron Mackintosh cottage, Knoydart has returned to the news pages after a quiet spell as the 1999 land deal bedded down. But quiet or not, Knoydart remains shaped by the twin forces of bitter, lingering politics and afierce, dominating climate. Across s the page, Mick Furey discusses one aspect of this in his review of Denis Rixson recent book on the history of the peninsula. First, though, comes a reminder of the scale and seriousness of the place. Back in 1989, Andy Mayhew undertook a long walkjrom Aviemore to Cape Wrath via Knoydart. Here, in an extractjrom his account of that trip, he recalls the harshness of the wet west coast. Tales from a long roam: storming through Knoydart THE WALKBEGAN again in earnest on January 26th. It was as well I had such a (comparatively) comfort- My heel had healed and I was eager for the off. The able refuge, as the storms continued for the next three weather was finally perfect: a dusting of snow on the days. If there was a lull it was always at night. I man- hills and the skyblue. No wind, a frost in the shadows. aged to crawl up Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe, the nearly- An ideal day So I spent it in the Fort, shopping. And Munro, but otherwise it was an increasingly familiar nextdaythestormsreturned. routine of eat, drink, read and eat some more. Not For a week it rained, and when it wasn't raining it surprising, then, that cabin fever - or bothy fever - was pouring. When it was neither raining nor pouring I began to set in. Knoydart was meant to be something was hurrying from one bothy to another before the rain special, a place I'd dreamt of exploring for years. Now started again. Then a calm day- overcastbut dry- to here I was and I could hardly see the hills through push on to Loch Nevis. I was so pleased to be moving the incessant rain. The frustration was acute- as was again that I popped up Sgurr na Ciche and the Garbh thedesiretomoveon. Chiochsfor the afternoon, returning to base only after a Eventually, on the Sunday,the wind and rain eased. scarydescentdownvegetatious crags inthe near dark. A few patches of blue broke through the mono- Next morning I stood by the tidal flats, gazing across chromesky.Timetogo. at misty hills, serenaded by an oystercatcher's call. Did There is a fine path along Loch Hourn, most fjord- I dare cross the Rubicon? The moat of the fabled like of sea lochs. A desolate, empty path that once Knoydart, home of the storm? Now, more than ever, I joined thriving communities. The loch was once filled needed a change in the weather. And change it did. For with herring boats. There were kirks and inns, there theworse. was laughter and song. Now only a couple of holiday Iclimbedintothe mist, zigzagging overMamMeadail, cottages remain. A sobering landscape. Knoydart was downtoTorcuileainn, back upto the Mam Barrisdale. A long regarded as Britain's "last wilderness", but it tortuous route of height gained and lost, but necessary never has been, never can be. It is only empty because in the steadily worsening conditions. Rain swept the wemadeitso. For all that, it isn't empty any more, at I RUBICON? 1-001(5 MOfl.E. least not in summer when 40 or more tents liKe IlM;!ZoAj.COJV1TvME.' pitched at Barrisdale is quite usual. My J I" having passed through alone, barely seeing o / another person, was, I realised in retro- spect,analmostuniqueexperience. An ugly scar of electricity pylons led west up the brae from Kinloch Hourn. I had followed the same pylons, the same scoured track, on Skye two years before. A scar, but used, and thankfully. Unfortun- ately,itledstraightintoanambush. , ( When the rains came on again I decided to pitch mytent for lunch - and then, with no let-up in sight, stayed put for the night. glens, wind strengthened, cloud vanquished the peaks I was exposed, but the wind was light, the rain merely to lonely obscurity.The direct route over Meall Buidhe annoying.Until,thatis,itgotdark... and Luinne Bheinn was not an option. Near Torcuil- An earlier storm by Loch Ericht had been a lullaby eainn, aLand Roverpassed. Awavefrom the driver: the in comparison, the "hurricane" that ravaged southern firsthumanI'd seeninoveraweek. England in 1987just a squall. I never slept. The wind Knoydart is a place of rock. There is little soil to would bounce up the glen, ricocheting from crag to absorb the rain, which gushes down over the stark, crag, until it found what was left of my tent. Then it grey ribsofthe earth. A land of mountain and flood. By would pounce, pummelling me into the sodden ground. the time I reached Mam Barrisdale I was soaked, but There were puddles in my sleeping bag as the torrent the well-made paths - for which Knoydart is justly soaked through the collapsed folds of the flysheet. famous - allowed progress to be bearable, if not The burn, so placid earlier, roared angrily as it surged pleasant. And at the end of the journey was an estate by,devouring the ground, creeping evercloser towhere bothyboasting the twin delights of electric lighting and I cowered. The elements were uniting in an all-out anindoorflushtoilet. assault to finish the walk once and for all. For the 10