Thursday May 16th 2019

Adrian from The Garvault Hotel offered to drive me to the eastern side of the two Ben Giram peaks, so that I could walk across them and back to Garvault which is to the west.

The first 2k was one good estate track but once past a very solitary cottage, the route was pathless.  Both peaks are Marilyns. Both are remote.  In between them sit two small high level lochs. All around them is moorland and hills empty of people but not of wildlife.

Marilyns climbed 2. Total Marilyns 597

Distance walked 16k

Height climbed 815m

Totals for trip

Distance walked 251.5k

Height climbed 13850m

Distance biked 70k

Wednesday May 15th 2019

Ben Armine is one of the most remote mountains in Scotland being many miles from a public road in any direction. It lies deep in the heart of Sutherland surrounded by open moors and vast lochs. It has long appealed to me especially as it is accessible using a mountain bike on a well maintained estate road.

In superb weather I biked about 8 miles along the track before locking the bike and following an excellent stalkers path to the high point on the col between the 2 Ben Armine summits, both of which are Marilyns. The final ascent was pathless but relatively easy.

In the middle of the emptiness I came across this sign.

Marilyns climbed 2.  Total Marilyns 595
Distance walked 16k
Height climbed 1040m
Distance biked 35k

Total distance walked on trip 235.5k
Total height climbed 13035m
Total distance biked 70k

Tuesday May 14th 2019

Another glorious day with wall to wall sunshine. It was only marred by Fiona having to leave in the afternoon to return to London.

In the morning we climbed another Ben Loyal outlier, Cnoc nan Cuilean, which is also a Marilyn.  In the above picture, Fiona is sitting at the summit looking north east.

Fiona then drove me and the bike to Garvault House, which claims to be the most remote hotel on the British mainland.  We dropped off my gear and I then continued with her to Helmsdale, leaving her to drive to Inverness and the overnight sleeper, while I caught the train back to Kinbrace and biked onto Garvault. While away the whole Glen had been engulfed by smoke from a nearby moorland fire, a further sign of the exceptionally dry conditions.

Distance walked 8k
Height climbed 560m
Distance biked 12k
Marilyns climbed 1

Totals for the trip
Distance walked 219.5k
Height climbed 11995m
Distance biked 35k
Total Marilyns 593

Monday May 13th 2019.
Another day and another Marilyn, Ben Stumanadh which is one of the smaller peaks which surrounds  Ben Loyal. This leaves me with 8 to go to reach the 600 target.

I am currently having a few quieter days in preparation for the big challenges due in a day or two when I tackle the remote hills of the Flow Country.  We (Fiona and I) made good use of this quieter period by spending the afternoon visiting the summits of  6 easy hills along the north coast.

Sadly Fiona returns to London on the sleeper train on Tuesday evening.

I have enjoyed my few days in the hills of the Far North.   Good weather helps.  Pictured is Ben Loyal seen across The Kyle of Tongue.

Marilyns climbed 1

Total Marilyns 592

Height climbed 995m

Distance walked  22k

Totals for trip

Height climbed 11435m

Distance walked 211.5k

Distance biked 23k

As I was having a rest day from climbing Marilyns, I climbed a Munro instead.  Fiona was with me.  The weather was perfect.  The top was snow capped and the picture below shows Fiona at the summit of Ben Hope with Ben Loyal in the distance.

Fine weather is a fickle thing so rather than waste a good day in a coffee shop eating cake, we drove to  Ben Hutig in the afternoon and did bag a Marilyn after all.

Statistics for the day:-
Marilyns climbed. 1
Distance walked 19k
Height climbed 1440m

Overall statisics for the ttrip (May 3rd to today)

Marilyns climbed 21
Distance walked 189.50k
Height climbed 10440m
Distance biked 23k
Total Marilyns 591

Sometimes things don't go well!  This was the case on Saturday morning As Fiona and I struggled across rough ground trying to locate the summit of An Lean Charn which is a 521m high Marilyn near the North Coast of Scotland.  Eventually we made it but neither of us enjoyed the struggle.

The afternoon brought an improvement as, revived by coffee and cake from an excellent coffee shop near the tiny village of Tongue, we ticked off one more Marilyn in brilliant sunshine and also climbed a few other nearby tops.  Thankfully the weather continues to be outstanding.

Marilyns climbed 2, total Marilyns 590, height climbed 965m, distance walked 20k

Overall statistics for trip
Marilyns climbed 20, height climbed 9000m, distance walked 170.5k, distance biked 23k

This was my 8th consecutive day on the hills, out of the planned total of 26 days. Some quieter days are built in to the plan but with the current good weather forecast to continue, I need to be on the hills.

Our targets for day 8 included Beinn Spionnaidh, which is the most northerly mountain in Mainland Britain, plus the wonderfully named Cranstackie. Both hills have rough summits, with unstable loose rocks to be negotiated. Both are set in breathtaking scenary overlooking a wild snow capped landscape, beyond which lies the seas to the north and west of Britain.

Fiona was with me to give vital support with her usual bubbling enthusiasm and her can do attitude.  To complete a perfect day a golden eagle glided overhead, riding on thermals, and slipping away into the distance without any sign of effort or wing beat.

Marilyns climbed 3

Total Marilyns 588

Distance walked 20k

Height climbed 1390m

Overall statistics for the trip after 8 days

Marilyns climbed 18

Distance walked 150.5k

Distance biked 23k

Height climbed 8035m