A winter’s tale as climber sets out to top all 284 Munros
A climber has begun scaling all 282 Munros in winter, reports Ken Mactaggart
FOR some, simply reaching the top of one of Scotland’s Munros at the height of summer is quite enough and bagging all 282 Munros can take some walkers and climbers years of uphill struggling.
However, climber Kevin Woods has set off on a remarkable challenge that he hopes will see him defy the three months of winter’s chilly blast to conquer all the Munros in one continuous trip.
The 28-year-old from Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, is travelling between Munros in a converted van that also serves as his accommodation. He plans to adjust his route as he goes, depending on the weather.
If successful, he will have emulated a feat achieved only twice before. Expert climbers Martin Moran, of Lochcarron, and Steve Perry, from Inverness, who both died in unconnected mountain accidents last year, tackled all Munros over the course of separate winters.
Mr Woods, who over the course of 2019 summited 215 peaks, set off on his trek at Ben More on Mull on December 22, the day of the winter solstice. The following day he climbed the four Munros around Ben Cruachan, covering over 20 miles and 2,450 metres of ascent.
He spent Christmas Day around the Crianlarich hills, and on Hogmanay he finally got clear weather and dazzling summit views from the mountains of Glen Coe.
He traversed six peaks from Buachaille Etive Mor to the glen’s highest, Bidean nam Bian, in nine hours to bring his tally to 26 Munros.
“For the first time in a week and a half, I’ve had views from the tops of the mountains. I felt brilliant, no tiredness even toward the end. Pulling out this amount of ascent makes me really hopeful for the rest of the winter,” he said at the Clachaig Inn on Hogmanay.
“Stunning to be up on Bidean nam Bian at the end of it all, with the sun turning every mountain red. It won’t always be this good, but when it is, I’m so glad I made the time to come and do this.”
While some of the nation nursed a hangover at Ne’erday, Mr Woods was bagging three more peaks from Beinn Sgulaird in Appin to Sgurr na h-ulaidh in Glen Coe.
By day 12 on Thursday he was being blown uphill on Sgurr nam Fiannaidh in Glen Coe and having to reassess his plans to take on the Aoanach Eagach.
Writing on his Facebook page, Winter 282, he said: “Mega windy, warm and wet today. Over the last bit to the summit trig, I was getting blown up the hill, which is good for speed but not so good for moving along the pinnacles with any margin of safety. As if to confirm the choice, I did then get blown off my feet and on to the summit rocks. Good fun.”
He climbed Meall Derg in darkness and a raging storm, but opted to leave the Anoach Eagach for another time and head next day for the Southern Highlands instead.
Mr Woods is being supported by friends and relatives who are delivering food and other supplies, but normally he climbs alone because he is too fast for most to keep up. He says he may, however, seek a climbing partner to accompany him on the more difficult icy ridges later in the winter.
With no fixed route map in mind, he plans to stay flexible, moving west or east depending on the prevailing weather systems. However, his general plan is to work north and first deal with the 72 Munros that lie south of the line from Loch Leven to Pitlochry.
The notorious Cuillin ridge on Skye will be among his final challenges; kept until last for the snows to harden up and to offer longer daylight hours.
He also plans to bypass the easier slopes of Ben Lomond, where he hopes to finish about the end of March.
The first person to bag all Munros in a single winter season was mountain guide Martin Moran in 1984-85. His classic book The Munros In Winter describes more than 1,000 miles of walking and 410,000 feet of ascent, completing the trek in 83 days, with support from his wife Joy.
During his challenge, he survived an avalanche and the terrifying descent of a mountain in a black night during a howling gale. However, at that time there were only 277 Munros recorded – five short of the current tally.
Mr Moran died last May with seven fellow climbers in the Nada Devi region of the Himalayas while leading the ascent of an unclimbed 21,250ft mountain. Although his companions’ bodies were all recovered, the search for Mr Moran was abandoned in July.
It took 21 years for Mr Moran’s winter Munro feat to be repeated, by Steve Perry in 2005-06. He did the round continuously on foot, back-packing without vehicle assistance between the hills – regarded as a considerably tougher expedition.
Inevitably he took longer, starting out at the beginning of December rather than towards the end. Mr Perry also died last year after falling with his climbing companion Andy Nisbet off a new climbing route on Ben Hope, Sutherland, in February.
Stunning to be up on Bidean nam Bian with the sun turning every mountain red. It won’t always be this good, but when it is, I’m so glad I made the time to come and do this