Last Munro for compleaters

[weaselmaster]

We completed our first round with a full traverse of An Teallach. We’d started as I guess many living in the central belt do, with the hills close to home, for the middle section tackled the further but easy enough hills like the Cairngorms and for the last third did the glamour hills like Skye, Fisherfields etc. An Teallach was chosen because it seemed such a fitting way to end a round, we did it with the assistance of Scoob and Fi. We had already decided to do the Corbetts at that point and continued our day onto Sail Mhor which made it quite a long one.

I finished my second round on Mull, probably because I like islands and knew so many folk had finished there. We continued onto a Marilyn that day It was a miserable day when we went up - we’d camped near the base of the hill and I almost went up again in the evening when I saw how much the weather had improved, but the lure of a whisky or two won the day.

Not sure what it’ll be for round three - An Teallach and Bidean nam Bian are both in the frame at the moment as both have a clutch of Munro Tops that need done again too...

[The fox covert]

My last was Sgurr na Ghreadaidh. It wasn't meant to happen like this as I had a failed attempt in poor weather the previous year. I live in the West Country and I had a long look at the list of Compleaters and I couldn't see anyone else from my neck of the woods who had completed since John Rooke Corbett, a wel-kent Bristol solicitor a long way back when. Then when I went up to Scotland again to do my last one someone called David Bird from Taunton had got in before me! I don't know who he is and he won't know who I am but we must both have been making the long trip north for many years and maybe even crossing paths on occasion.

[rohan]

I hadn't really thought about compleation or what would be my "last" Munro until my father asked me (at around my 100 mark) to hurry up and finish if I was going to. At that stage I started looking at the ones that he hadn't done and what we might be able to get him up. We elected Aonach Mor and finally got there in 2003. He was too frail to go the summit but was able to take the gondola with my brother, sister and my nephew to the cafe. My partner and I approached from Glen Nevis over Aonach Beag, meeting 2 hillwalking friends at the summit in poor weather. We descended to the cafe and the welcoming party. After a celebratory tipple the rest took the gondola down while we ran down the track. My father died 4 days later, probably as a result of this outing. My mother had introduced him to the hills but as an insulin dependant diabetic he didn't really start walking with her until after we were grown up. She developed Alzheimers in her late 60s so their hillwalking was curtailed. To date, I am the only member of my family to compleat much to my siblings amusement as I hated it as a child. They were very pleased that my father saw the compleation and felt that even if it hastened his death he was very happy to be there.
I have been on a few, large compleation parties, all in poor weather, including Slioch, Ben More (Mull) and Creise plus stumbling on a very low key one on Meall Bhuidhe (Knoydart). I think the latter had the right idea.

[Veryhappybunny]

Cairn Toul in late October (combined with Sgor an Lochan Uaine). In the end they were just the two hills that were left. It was a really gorgeous autumnal day, and felt special, with just the two of us compleating together. Clear skies, great Cairngorm views, including to Lochnagar, where it had all started over 31 years before. I didn’t know what munros were when I went up the first one, and it took over a decade to climb my first ten. Despite having been brought up in Scotland I had no interest in hillwalking until moving to the south of England and becoming friends with hillwalkers. Most of the hills were climbed on trips north from there.

Thankfully I’m a lot nearer the hills now, but there won’t be a second Munro round. I am greatly enjoying going up Corbetts though (although I do miss the paths).

[mproudfoot]

I'm still a ways from compleation (still uncomfortable adding that extra 'a' heh) - but I've specifically avoided Ben Chonzie to keep as my last one, just on the chance that some family/friends might want to come up and enjoy my final munro tick with me (although it won't really be my final munro as there's loads I'd love to do again).

[Sgurr]

It's always interesting to hear about the point where people decide on a last Munro. Some don't bother - they just drift along and end up with one semi-randomly - but that's unusual

I'm one of these. I got the final hills down to about 15 and intended finishing on Ben More Mull. I contacted a party consisting of husband, and 3 of his walking friends with whom we had done many fortnights in summer, , and was amazed when they all agreed on a sort of supermarket sweep, on condition we do it the other way round, and on condition that when we got to Skye, they hire a guide for the Inn Pin which I had already done. When it came to it, 3 of us got awful food poisoning coming off Mull, so the Aonach Eagach was binned. When we got to Skye, after having done Sgurr nan Gilean, Am Basteir and Bruach na Frithe, they did the Inn Pin another day and felt too fragile for a third day on the trot for Sgurr Dubh Mor and Sgurr nan Eag. So we did Liathach and various others and then went home. Did the Munros at each end of the AE later and then went to Skye and compleated on Sgurr nan Eag with husband and the only friend who was bagging. So it was very much random.

[LDPWalker]

Simple reason for me - I chose to finish on Slioch because it is such a beautiful mountain in one of the most spectacular parts of Scotland.

Roger

[KeithS]

I now have absolutely no choice in the matter.

It has to be Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill.

Only one left!

Good job it's a cracker

And close to home

[Tam Collie]

I left one that was easily accessible. I have had a lot of companions who joined me on my round and I though it would be nice if they had the opportunity to join me on my last one, make an occasion out of it. Consequently I chose one that was a simple day trip not too far from home and not too arduous either so that those (aged climbers) who wanted too could join me. I did however set the date in stone.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

Are there any similar stats kicking about for Corbetts?

[Sgurr]

Corbetts again were just a matter of fate. Husband had climbed the Innses when I was doing a charity thing on Ben Nevis (he never wanted to do the Tourist Route again) so they were left over. Then we suspected they might change the summit of a twin header, and having only done Sgurr a’ Bhac Chaolais had to go and do Bhuidhe Beinn, which wasn't bad as we were in the area. . Lucky I did as they moved the Corbett to that end. So I still tell people I finished on Sgurr Innse, as that was the last one when I did it. I suspect LOADS of people had to go out again and do Bhuidhe Beinn, so the statistics will be skewed as a result.

Last Graham was similar, as husband had climbed Stac Pollaidh as a young man, so never got around to it while there were other Grahams still to do. Similar with Donalds. None were planned for a nice party.

[jmarkb]

Are there any similar stats kicking about for Corbetts?

Yes, if not quite up to date: http://corbetteers.blogspot.com/

[Sgurr]

Interesting list jmarkb. The most popular, as you would expect are hard to get at ones, Clisham, Ben Loyal, Ben Aden, Ainshval, with a good mx of those chosen for their ease or accessibility for a party, Ben Vrackie and Leum Uilleum (pleasing symmetry with Beinn na Lap)

[rockhopper]

Are there any similar stats kicking about for Corbetts?

Yes, if not quite up to date: http://corbetteers.blogspot.com/

Very interesting - thanks for the link.

I'd hoped to finish this year but wasn't possible due to the virus so, fingers crossed, it looks like it'll need to wait until next year. Just the "two" to go, ie Clisham and Quinag (OK, I know it has three corbetts). It was always planned as Quinag anyway and your list strengthens that view as Cisham is the most popular. Looks as though Sail Gharbh and Sail Gorm each only have one entry as final corbett with Spidean Coinich having none - just need to rethink the route to have Spidean Coinich as the final one now perhaps

[rohan]

Are there any similar stats kicking about for Corbetts?

Yes, if not quite up to date: http://corbetteers.blogspot.com/

I finished a few years ago but I don't think I ever got round to recording it.