The first Munro of 2009

My first Munro of 2009 is Carn a' Mhaim in the Cairngorm Mountains which I climbed on the 7th March 2009 with Jill. This now takes me to 108 Munroes out of 284.

Carn a' Mhaim lies to the south of Ben Macdui and makes a natural loop including Derry Cairngorm, both of which I climbed in 2003 with Jill. Neither Jill nor I know how we missed Carn a' Mhaim the first time round, maybe it was something to do with shying away from a 30 km to bag all 3.

For those who don't know what a Munro is, it is a mountain in Scotland over 3000ft (914m) of which there are 284. The mountains are named after Sir Hugh Munro of Lindertis who first compiled the list in 1891. Since then there have been a number of adaptations to the list as methods for measuring the heights of mountains have become more sophisticated and also due to an ongoing debate as to what exactly determines a top. The last change took place in 1997 when 8 tops were added to the list and 1 removed.

For me, my challenge is to stand at the top of at least 10 Munroes every year. The rules are strict, if I fail to reach my target then I must make them up the following year and if I get more than my target of 10 then they cannot be carried over. If I succeed in my challenge then I should get my 285 peaks bagged by the year 2026 - taking me to a grand old age of 52! In the meantime I'll continue to enjoy exploring all corners of Scotland, having quality time in the wilderness, spending time w good friends and keeping in shape.

Thanks for my Uncle Jack for introducing them to me in 1997.