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Top Man

Top Man


Postby mynthdd2 » Mon Aug 15, 2022 8:17 am

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Re: Top Man

Postby prog99 » Mon Aug 15, 2022 9:42 am

Great achievement and deserves the publicity.

One error in the article. ‘The former physics teacher had never climbed a Munro previously.’ He was actually pretty experienced as can be gathered from an interview here https://www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/features/nick_gardner_aiming_for_all_the_munros_at_81-13548
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Re: Top Man

Postby CharlesT » Mon Aug 15, 2022 11:17 am

Yes, well done. I had resigned myself to not completing them, advancing years and Covid conspiring to make the possibility ever more remote. Now, as of next Tuesday I will be five years his junior, maybe it's possible after all. Do regret not doing the Inn Pinn when I was a young sprog relatively speaking and may need to be roped up it if I ever get there now.
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Re: Top Man

Postby Alex W » Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:42 pm

I was aiming to do all of them within a 50 year span, which means finishing a year from now at age 64. A weather wash out on Skye followed by missing a couple of trips due to catching Covid then missing July with the after effects of Covid meant that I was giving up on making it within 50 years. Having seen this, I'm wondering whether I'll actually have time to get a second round in before I'm too old and decrepit. :lol:
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Re: Top Man

Postby simon-b » Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:59 pm

A great achievement. The impressive thing isn't so much the age at which he compleated but when he started, only about 25 months ago.
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Re: Top Man

Postby Dave Hewitt » Mon Aug 15, 2022 3:44 pm

simon-b wrote:A great achievement. The impressive thing isn't so much the age at which he compleated but when he started, only about 25 months ago.

It is a very fine achievement - having got up all the Munros in less than two and a half years after turning 80 - but the curious idea doing the rounds that he didn't have any prior hill experience is nonsense. Three Cuillin ridge traverses, 100 An Teallach ascents, lots of other stuff...
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Re: Top Man

Postby Sgurr » Mon Aug 15, 2022 4:16 pm

simon-b wrote:A great achievement. The impressive thing isn't so much the age at which he compleated but when he started, only about 25 months ago.
Absolutely. But it does feel better (given how I really struggled to get up A'Mhaighdean for my 80th) that he was already experienced. Amazing achievement on his part.
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Re: Top Man

Postby The Rec » Mon Aug 15, 2022 4:44 pm

I met him last November on the summit of Beinn Sgulaird. He immediately told me how old he was and what he was up to, and asked if I'd walk with him back down, as his daughter didn't like him out on his own. I must confess my first reaction was "yikes, this is going to take ages!" but I was well wrong!! (note to self... don't be ageist)

We chatted all the way back to the road. Impressive chap, and as others have said, he's got a wealth of experience in the mountains and is an incredibly strong walker. His achievement needs no embellishment so not sure why the journalist added the "never climbed a Munro before" line!

Was really chuffed to see him finish. Must have been incredibly emotional for him, especially given the reason he started out.
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Re: Top Man

Postby al78 » Mon Aug 15, 2022 5:26 pm

simon-b wrote:A great achievement. The impressive thing isn't so much the age at which he compleated but when he started, only about 25 months ago.


I think the age is more impressive than the time to complete. Given the fitness, being retired makes it a lot easier.
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Re: Top Man

Postby Dave Hewitt » Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:07 pm

al78 wrote:I think the age is more impressive than the time to complete. Given the fitness, being retired makes it a lot easier.

Agreed, although there are a lot of not-young people around who are very active on substantial hills. Eighty and above is certainly getting to the unusual end of the spectrum, but I know of some, and about half the people I climb hills with now seem to be to the "wrong" side of 70. One of my main sidekicks is based in Cumbria and routinely gets up 500 Wainwrights per year. He also likes to have a few Scottish raids, including a recent one when he had 12 consecutive Munro days. He's less than two months away from turning 78.
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Re: Top Man

Postby simon-b » Mon Aug 15, 2022 6:36 pm

al78 wrote:
simon-b wrote:A great achievement. The impressive thing isn't so much the age at which he compleated but when he started, only about 25 months ago.


I think the age is more impressive than the time to complete. Given the fitness, being retired makes it a lot easier.

It's both factors. What I meant is the age at which he started this round. Someone else might compleat at 82, but having done a lot of their round when they were much younger, still an achievement, of course. But doing it all in his 80s in about 25 months is what I was on about.
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Re: Top Man

Postby Chris Henshall » Mon Aug 15, 2022 7:11 pm

Alex W wrote:I was aiming to do all of them within a 50 year span, which means finishing a year from now at age 64. A weather wash out on Skye followed by missing a couple of trips due to catching Covid then missing July with the after effects of Covid meant that I was giving up on making it within 50 years. Having seen this, I'm wondering whether I'll actually have time to get a second round in before I'm too old and decrepit. :lol:
The challenges which we set ourselves are interesting, aren't they?
I'm hoping to take more or less 50 years to tick off the Munros as well. For me, that'll mean finishing in 2025 or thereabouts at the age of 65... though, quite honestly, it wouldn't be so much of a challenge if I didn't live in Kent. Still, I've only got four left to the north / west of the Great Glen and, really, the majority of those remaining are more good tramping and less challenging than, say, the hills on Skye!
I took the liberty at looking at your "Munro Map" and you've still got quite a lot to do - but I think that you live a little further north than I do! Good luck!
In the meantime, respect to Mr. Gardner...
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Re: Top Man

Postby Alex W » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:38 pm

.
Last edited by Alex W on Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Top Man

Postby Alex W » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:45 pm

Chris Henshall wrote:
Alex W wrote:I was aiming to do all of them within a 50 year span, which means finishing a year from now at age 64. A weather wash out on Skye followed by missing a couple of trips due to catching Covid then missing July with the after effects of Covid meant that I was giving up on making it within 50 years. Having seen this, I'm wondering whether I'll actually have time to get a second round in before I'm too old and decrepit. :lol:
The challenges which we set ourselves are interesting, aren't they?
I'm hoping to take more or less 50 years to tick off the Munros as well. For me, that'll mean finishing in 2025 or thereabouts at the age of 65... though, quite honestly, it wouldn't be so much of a challenge if I didn't live in Kent. Still, I've only got four left to the north / west of the Great Glen and, really, the majority of those remaining are more good tramping and less challenging than, say, the hills on Skye!
I took the liberty at looking at your "Munro Map" and you've still got quite a lot to do - but I think that you live a little further north than I do! Good luck!
In the meantime, respect to Mr. Gardner...

Yes. My bagging pattern will change from day and weekend trips to week long trips. Not many day trips left without a way too long drive. I'm now in Edinburgh, but was previously in Surrey.

My pattern is maybe unusual in that I spent a lot of time in the hills in my teens and twenties, but then had a huge hiatus when I moved to Surrey. I came back to Scotland 5 years ago and had two serious injuries and Covid lockdown to contend with so I only resumed bagging in earnest in the last couple of years.

I still work and spend a lot of time onsite with customers in south of England. Work really can get in the way :lol:

My only hope of making compleation in a fifty year span is to get some favourable weather for the rest of this year and then take a few months off work next year.

It's a challenge which gets me out of the house when I might otherwise have festered and in that respect is a good thing, but if I don't make it I won't be overly upset. I'll just plod on until I finish. It's primarily about getting into the hills and enjoying this wonderful country - ticking things on a list is just a fun means to an end.
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Re: Top Man

Postby gammy leg walker » Wed Aug 17, 2022 10:52 am

It’s an incredible achievement no matter if he had previous walking/climbing experience or not, my age of 63 years & 8 months pails into insignificance, I am however chuffed that I will compleat soon
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