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Rounsfell Mountaineer


Joined: Oct 02, 2011 Posts: 1573 Location: Walthamstow
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:30 pm Post subject: Two Marilyns near Fort William |
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TRIP REPORT: Show trip details MORE REPORTS: View all trip reports by this author When: Mon 5 Oct, 2020
Time: 6hrs 31mins
Who: Me
After a rainy weekend in Torridon, I was driving south with a lot of very wet clothes one evening, planning to sleep in the van somewhere and grab a Marilyn or two the next morning. After consulting my WhatsApp personal meteorological team (Malky and Jackie) I knew there was a chance that a couple of p150 hills near Fort Bill might enjoy a break in low cloud the next day – so I pulled into the North Face car park near Torlundy. It was already dark.
Despite new signs from the FC asserting that ‘Sorry, this not a stay-the-night car park!’ there were around 10 vans, campervans or cars parked up. I decided to join them in ignoring the signs because a) I could rely on myself not to leave waste or litter lying around and b) I wanted to climb the hills the car park serves, surely what it’s intended for.
I set off just after dawn the next morning, thinking I might well be the first on the path. Two minutes up the forestry trail I was passed by a double-poleing man who looked like he might pop a blood vessel or strain a groin at any second. As I slogged boggily up the first of the hills, I passed two pairs of earlybird walkers.
Fort Bill in the early morning light
The two Marilyns
I was in solid clag from about 750m upwards. Consulting the map at a small cairn around the 1200m mark, I decided this was just a sub-top and I would have to go down a little before I climbed up to the first summit of the day, Carn Mor Dearg. After about 30m descent, there was a choice between a jumble of rocks or a bypass path. I opted to stay on top of the ridge, thinking it would be good practice for the rocky arete which I knew I would have to cross after the first Marilyn.
After another five minutes clambering gently downhill – still surrounded by mist – I twigged that this was the arete and I had already been to the summit of the first hill, mistaking it for something smaller. Whoops. Just as well I chose against the bypass path.
The way ahead
It was now 9.30am. My plan had been to wait on top of the first Marilyn to see if the promised break in the cloud would appear. Instead I sat down to wait on the arete itself, putting some layers on. After fifteen minutes I was close to moving on – but then, as if by magic…
The next summit
The CIC hut
Looking back
Looking back from the lowest point of the ridge
I punctiliously stayed on top of the arete all the way across. The bits that were 1100m or higher were a mite slippy, with the lower central section dry. The only wibbly moment came on the re-ascent at around 1130m where I crossed a slab with exposure on the right-hand (NW) side. This could easily have been bypassed to the SE.
As I paused by the well-built cairn at 1140m, the clag came creeping up the valley – and the two hills were enveloped again as I strained up to the 1344m top.
Summit of the second Marilyn - busy for some reason
I had reached the top of the second and last Marilyn of the day – and was startled to find about 30 other people milling around – and a steady flow of others arriving. I don’t know why this round-topped hill was so popular that day. Perhaps Marilyn-bagging is really catching on – or maybe the walkers were meteorological nerds intent on seeing the ruined weather observatory at the top.
After poking around a bit, I took the obvious route W down the hill. This was straining under a serious viral load, with hundreds of visitors. Snatches of conversation suggested many were here on day trips from distant urban centres.
I passed this guy, sitting down on a folding chair having a rest, the slacker. At 625m, I was able to leave the hordes and make a solitary descent to the North Face car park, including a pathless section between the lochan and the Allt a’ Mhuilinn.
Back at the van I dried yesterday’s soaking clothes and enjoyed some sunshine before the long drive home.
Clothes rack
Last edited by Rounsfell on Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:11 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Squiz Sir Hugh


Joined: Jun 20, 2008 Posts: 11481 Location: Fife
Logged: Munros: 55 (2nd round) Corbetts: 3 (2nd round) Grahams: 1 (2nd round) Donalds: 89 New Donalds: 118 Sub 2000s: 570
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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These pesky Marilyns can sometimes give you an unexpected work out. Love the brocken spectres. In fact thought the whole TR was pretty good.
Maybe there is a geocache or something on the rounded one. Had you considered that? _________________ The mountains will always be there, the trick is to make sure you are too. |
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peterb Mountaineer


Joined: Apr 10, 2009 Posts: 1141 Location: Montgomery
Logged: Munros: 70 (2nd round) Corbetts: 7 (2nd round) Grahams: 112 Donalds: 10 New Donalds: 14 Sub 2000s: 134
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Some of these Marilyns are getting popular
The Broken spectre is excellent and the alien type fog picture. |
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highlandhillwalker Mountaineer


Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 1964
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:04 am Post subject: |
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I'm not too sure what a Marilyn is (I think that's an English list?) but if I look at this obviously unfrequented pair in your TR I see some vaguely interesting bits. So one of them is Carn Mor Dearg, I'll look it up, what's the other one?
A good TR nonetheless.
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Squiz Sir Hugh


Joined: Jun 20, 2008 Posts: 11481 Location: Fife
Logged: Munros: 55 (2nd round) Corbetts: 3 (2nd round) Grahams: 1 (2nd round) Donalds: 89 New Donalds: 118 Sub 2000s: 570
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:11 am Post subject: |
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highlandhillwalker wrote: | I'm not too sure what a Marilyn is (I think that's an English list?) but if I look at this obviously unfrequented pair in your TR I see some vaguely interesting bits. So one of them is Carn Mor Dearg, I'll look it up, what's the other one?
A good TR nonetheless.
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Marilyns are defined as peaks with a prominence of 150 metres (490 ft) or more, regardless of height or any other merit in the United Kingdom. So a lot are in England or Wales, but more in Scotland. Rounsfell could have stumbled across the highest. _________________ The mountains will always be there, the trick is to make sure you are too. |
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Rounsfell Mountaineer


Joined: Oct 02, 2011 Posts: 1573 Location: Walthamstow
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:34 am Post subject: |
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highlandhillwalker wrote: | I'm not too sure what a Marilyn is (I think that's an English |
Well, you know about Wainwrights, yeah? This was his wife, Marilyn Wainwright. Made her own list. Most of them are in Scotland - I think she was trying to get away from Alf as much as she could...
highlandhillwalker wrote: | what's the other one?
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Sorry, I didn't get the name. Maybe somebody in Fort William would know?
Squiz wrote: | Rounsfell could have stumbled across the highest. |
Should I notify the Royal Geographic Society? |
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highlandhillwalker Mountaineer


Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 1964
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:47 am Post subject: |
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No, I've never heard of Wainwrights either, fair play though, one of them invents this hill list you're talking about and the other invents the spinning jenny. Impressive stuff. |
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MKG Big Grey Man


Joined: May 25, 2010 Posts: 4596 Location: Holmfirth & Lismore
Logged: Munros: 93 (2nd round) Corbetts: 22 (2nd round) Grahams: 9 (2nd round) Donalds: 11 (2nd round) New Donalds: 14 (2nd round) Sub 2000s: 59
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Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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Love the autumn mists in the photos. Your Marilyn numbers must be ticking along nicely.
Thanks for posting. _________________ Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far. |
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goth_angel Monarch Of The Glen


Joined: Jan 31, 2008 Posts: 7962 Location: Too far away from Scotland (Kent)
Logged: Munros: 101 Corbetts: 9 Grahams: 4 Donalds: 1 New Donalds: 1 Sub 2000s: 14
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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So that's what the views look like up there! Some great photos. _________________
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Rounsfell Mountaineer


Joined: Oct 02, 2011 Posts: 1573 Location: Walthamstow
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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MKG wrote: | Your Marilyn numbers must be ticking along nicely. |
I'm on 535, which is just over one third. Lockdown slowed me a bit! |
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malky_c Big Grey Man


Joined: Jul 10, 2010 Posts: 4054 Location: Glasgow/Inverness
Logged: Munros: 183 (2nd round) Corbetts: 71 (2nd round) Grahams: 72 (2nd round) Donalds: 74 New Donalds: 96 Sub 2000s: 288
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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Nah, wasn't envious of that at the time at all. Of course not....
Looked great - I think the first time I went over the arete there was a similar amount of the N face peeking out of the cloud like that. |
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rockhopper63 Yeti


Joined: Sep 01, 2011 Posts: 3352 Location: Glasgow
Logged: Munros: 7 (2nd round) Corbetts: 1 (2nd round) Grahams: 82 Donalds: 89 New Donalds: 104 Sub 2000s: 15
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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Nice atmospheric shots once the cloud lifted. Can well remember thinking when at the summit of the higher of your two marilyns that I never really wanted to return - it was just far too busy for me - cheers  _________________ You pick the place and I'll choose the time....and I'll climb the hill in my own way |
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Byrdman Mountaineer


Joined: Dec 17, 2012 Posts: 1288 Location: Ilkley
Logged: Munros: 276 (2nd round) Corbetts: 84 Grahams: 0 Donalds: 6 New Donalds: 6 Sub 2000s: 0
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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Brilliant! A potential award-winning TR there, I think. |
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