UP TO THE CHALLENGE!

I don’t know if the 7 Summits Challenge is over or not, but I just wanted to say “Thank you!” and “What a year!”

I climbed Goatfell on Arran – at night with the ‘Munro moonwalker’ Alan Rowan.

I scaled Buachaille Etive Mor – not once, but twice! The weather on the first attempt was so bad we only managed Stob Dearg, so I went back to tick off Stob na Broige (and Stob Dearg again) a few weeks later.

I did admittedly break your one rule [UK hills only]. I’d set my sights on Knockmealdown, an Arderin (an Irish mountain over 500m, with a 30m prominence). However that didn’t work out due the weather, but I did climb two other Arderins: Musheramore, and Carrauntoohil on a stag do.

I didn’t manage Kinder Scout, but I did take my kids up their first ever hill – Mam Tor. Despite complaining at the top, they keep asking when we’ll go again (even though we live in Glasgow!). I was also able to take them up Conic Hill.

In my eagerness to bag The Cobbler before the end of the year, I unwittingly joined a hillwalking group for gay and bisexual men called the OutdoorLads!

Pairing off Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh, I finally bagged the first Munros I’d ever set foot on but not summited (previously we’d made only it to the bealach).

Here are some of the photos I took on this remarkable journey you guys inspired me to undertake. Thanks again! John O’Brien, Glasgow

Ed – Well done John, and to all who gave it a go. If you missed out, the 7 Summits form is still available on LFTO.com!

Taking a breather on Arran’s Goatfell.

John climbed Conic Hill in the company of his kids.