This post has been on my mind for quite some time...probably due to the fact that 2013 was simply packed full of amazing moments and highlights. It is incredible for me to read back my post of
January 2nd, 2013 and to comprehend that indeed, a year has gone by. And it has gone by very quickly!
I look back on 2013 as a year of numerous personal achievements and happy moments. It would be very easy to look back with rose-tinted spectacles and to claim that it was all good. However, there were some very testing times, so many doubts, much anxiety, a lot of questioning of myself. Only by realising - and reliving - the achievements do I allow myself some credit. I did manage to beat some personal demons, and to reach summits - literally - I may never have thought possible.
I hope I can allow myself a small pat on the back for getting to where I am now. 2013 was a pivotal year for me, and it really is a joy to reflect on that here.
The year began quite quietly actually, given all the plans I had. It began in West Linton, with my parents and Dave, and Robbie the dog barking all the way through Auld Lang Syne. It began with a good nights sleep, a clear head, and a walk.
The walking continued, as Dave and I walked the Water of Leith, and from South Queensferry to Inverkeithing and back.
January was fresh, crisp, cold. It brought snow too - perfect for a winter skills course in Glenshee, and the unexpected bagging of
Munro number 11, Carn Aosda!
January can often be a difficult, depressing month. However with lots of outdoor activity - despite the weather, and sometimes because of it - January turned out to be just fine, with numerous more achievements than I could have expected.
I had also decided, and begun to firm up plans, to attempt my first ever long-distance trail in 2013. I picked the West Highland Way, surely the quintessential long-distance walk, and a rite of passage.Thus,
February was very much a training month for me, with every weekend spent walking
somewhere. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge I set myself to walk from Harlaw Reservoir, across the Pentlands, to West Linton. It turned out to be a snowy day, and a challenge indeed. The following weekend, Dave joined me as I made this walk even tougher - starting from the front door of our flat in Polwarth, and
walking all the way to West Linton! There was no snow this time around, just blue skies and a cold, crisp breeze. It was fantastic!
I was like an excited child on Christmas Eve when February rolled into March.
March, what a month, promised so many highlights. I completed my penultimate stage of the Borders Abbeys Way, from
Jedburgh to Hawick. I watched my Dad play a very convincing John Knox in West Linton's performance of 'Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off'. Dave and I travelled over to the Isle of Arran, our second visit to this magical island, and this time
we conquered Goatfell. We took advantage of a short weather window, and had the most amazing experience in the snow!
The snow was to be a major concern of mine during March, but it turned out to be an absolute godsend for what came next...it never occured to me that I'd trek through snow, up and over snowy hills, and slip my way along the West Highland Way. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get so lucky with the weather so as to enjoy blue sky white snow days on the
best long-distance trail out there!
My week on the West Highland Way was without a doubt the highlight of 2013 for me. The freedom, the views, the company, the
achievement.
I loved it so much; it was difficult to get back to 'reality'. I yearned to walk it again, to walk other trails, to just...walk. To wake up in the morning and know that the only thing I had to do that day was walk. It brings an immense feeling of freedom, and I've well and truly got the bug now!
April was a quieter month. I did manage to complete my final stage of the Borders Abbeys Way, from
Hawick to Selkirk, on a beautiful spring day. I was very pleased to have completed this delightful circular trail - a true gem. I turned 27. I enjoyed a great day in Fife with my Fifer friend Amy. I did shorter walks, and enjoyed a quieter pace than the month before!
I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of
May, however, as first and foremost it brought a trip to Ashtead to see my youngest brother Ross. We enjoyed sightseeing in London, watching Susan Calman perform at the Udderbelly (so strange seeing it on the South Bank rather than in Bristo Square in Edinburgh!), and best of all, a
fantastic walk on the South Downs Way on a glorious day. Before I left, we also walked up Boxhill, a challenge on a very hot day! I returned to Edinburgh sunburnt, my horizons broadened once again.
May also brought a wee jaunt to
Glengoyne and Balmaha; my heart ached to be back on the West Highland Way. I know how to wallow in nostalgia! It brought a
navigational skills course in the Ochils with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland - an extremely wet but rewarding day! It brought
my 12th Munro, Carn Dearg, which was an absolutely incredible day! Taking the train from Rannoch to Corrour, eating venison burgers, then beginning the Munro at 5.40pm, seeing the super moon, a 2am arrival back at the car, and a 4.45am arrival home - phenomenal!
Another great month, another one flying by. At the end of May I got a promotion - nice!
June arrived, and with it brought the Elie Chain Walk, and another Munro! I ventured
up Ben Chonzie on my own, and had a superb day! Dave and I travelled
to St. Abb's Head with our friend Heather, and had a great walk in un-Scotland-like heat! Sunburnt again, that night we went to see Calum's Road in Edinburgh; a humbling, emotional and thoroughly delightful play. The following day, I may have slightly overdone it...I bagged another two Munros! This time, I wasn't alone, brother Ross home for the weekend and delighted to join - despite his partying the night before! It was a hot, muggy day as we conquered
Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime...I suffered dehydration and learnt a valuable lesson about taking enough water! Munros 14 and 15 were under my belt.
As if June couldn't get any better, the end of the month brought a work
trip to the Outer Hebrides - another amazing highlight of 2013! It was a wonderful adventure...Dave and I started in Barra (after an extremely choppy 5 hour crossing from Oban!) and enjoyed glorious sunshine and our first taste of the beaches on offer. Vatersay was a delight. Watching the plane land on the beach on Barra was incredible. Onwards to Eriskay, and the Uists and Benbecula. And Berneray. Wonderful! From there we made our way to Harris, a place where dreams do come true. Swimming in the sea at Luskentyre beach was a very special moment for me. Lewis was also fantastic; we sampled Spirit of Lewis from Abhainn Dearg distillery (the most north-westerly distillery in Scotland), stood in awe at the standing stones of Callanish, and stumbled upon yet more unbelievable beaches.
June was a joy.
July also brought some interesting times. Andy Murray winning Wimbledon. Dave and I deciding that it was time to start house-hunting. T in the Park with Amy. My Uncle's 60th. Meeting a very special person called Amanda. Getting a mortgage. Putting in an offer on a house. Buying that house!
I think I matured a bit in July! It flew by, and
August arrived suddenly. A trip to the Military Tattoo with my Aunty Mary. A baking day at the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School (I can make macaroons now!). Dave's dad's 70th birthday. And THREE more Munros - all in a one-er!! It was a great day out in Glen Isla, bagging Glas Maol, Cairn of Claise, and Creag Leacach.
Three Munros in one day was a wonderful achievement!
August was also remarkable for Dave's achievement - completing the insane Tough Mudder course in Dalkeith Country Park - to raise money for
Bobath Scotland.
The end of August brought the beginning of
my second long-distance trail, the East Highland Way. This walk was done as a research trip for work, and thus felt entirely different to my self-planned 'holiday' on the West Highland Way. An unmarked trail, it also brought concerns over navigation - although in the end I did manage to make it from Fort William to Aviemore!
On the 1st of
September I found myself walking from Fersit to Feagour, and bumping into one of my former Rabbies colleagues at the end of the stage! On the 2nd of September I found myself wandering through the wilderness of Glen Banchor, almost underneath a rainbow, and stumbling upon two of my brothers lurking near the trail! It was undoubtedly the best surprise of 2013 - a truly astonishing moment!
I found the East Highland Way an entirely different challenge to the West Highland Way, but with a very similar sense of achievement upon completion! What an addictive feeling. It is incredible.
The rest of the month was slightly more relaxing; a night in the Balmoral Hotel,
a gliding experience (although I have to say I didn't find this very relaxing!), an inspiring day in Stirling hearing about the highlights of 2014, and....a flight to the States!
Dave and I jetted off on the 27th of September, spending the first few days of our holiday in New York with our dear friends
Susannah and Sunjay. It was remarkably warm, and we soaked up the sun and the sights.
I found myself on another flight on the 1st of
October, as we made our way to North Carolina. 2013 brought Kelsey and Eddie's wedding! It turned out to be a 31 degree day on the 5th of October, and I was delighted to be a bridesmaid (my first time!) for a stunning bride!
Following the wedding, my amazing friend Emily and her partner Blair took us on a road trip to North Carolina's incredible mountains! We contended with the government shutdown, and made the most of the delightful autumnal weather. From mountains to coast, Emily, Dave and I then went from west to east in a day!
Cramming as much into October as we possibly could, once we got back to Scotland we fitted in a trip to see the Lion King (what a show!) and...got the keys to our new house in the Borders! 2013 was already notable for so many things, but becoming homeowners was one of the biggest! What a scary, exciting, rewarding and happy time.
Since the 25th of October, our weekends have mostly been spent moving stuff, buying stuff, building stuff, cleaning stuff, painting, shopping, tidying...it has been fairly exhausting! However we are indebted to our families, who have been amazing. We've had to get used to the commute, which has been a struggle! It hasn't left us much time for anything else...but yet we managed to fit in a wee trip to Skye at the beginning of November!
November. I could feel the year starting to wind down, so
our trip west was a great reminder that 2013 still had so much to offer. And who would have thought we'd camp, in November! It was an amazing weekend spent with our good friends Bill and Line, and discovering new parts of Skye - like Rubha Hanish - that we'd never been afore. After leaving Skye we treated ourselves to a night at
Ardtorna B&B, near Oban (well, we needed a treat after two nights in a tent!) and found ourselves in luxury.
November also brought a
fantastic walk in the Pentlands, a trip to historic Traquair House to watch my mum sing with
InChorus, and a sunny St. Andrew's Day spent at Holyrood Palace.
My walking boots were at the back of the cupboard by the time
December arrived. I should have known there was more to come! I'm indebted to Alun for enabling me to bag three - three! - more Munros before 2013 came to an end. This was completely unexpected, and therefore even more brilliant! The first wee adventure was on the 1st of December - a stunning day.
Munros number 19 and 20 were conquered, Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a' Chreachain. It proved to be a very testing day, for various reasons, but very rewarding. The after effects - extremely sore muscles and coming down with a cold - were not so welcome!
The final Munro of the year, my 11th of 2013 and my 21st overall, was another incredible day. This time the shortest day of the year, complete with lots of snow but an amazing walk
to bag Meall Buidhe.
I couldn't believe my luck, bagging these three stunning mountains in the last month of the year. But I think it is very fitting; 2013 was all about fortune favouring the brave.
The last week of December was spent with family; a fantastic Christmas with all the usual delights and festivities, including lots of food, Christmas day golf with my brothers, board games, and wine.
I haven't done a lot since Christmas - it is always a strange week between Christmas and New Year, and I always find myself very reflective. I was - and am - sad to say goodbye to 2013. It was a year of incredible highlights, and some major personal achievements. I know where and when it had been extremely testing too, and I hope I have learnt lessons from these times.
There is no point looking back, wistfully. 2013 has been and gone. As phenomenal as it was, it is now time to look forward. To build on the achievements of 2013, and to feel excited about what 2014 will bring. And it is exciting! It is a very exciting time to be in Scotland, with so many events going on this year. It is very exciting to think of the 261 Munros that still await me, and to wonder how many I can bag this year, and where the adventures will take me. It is very exciting to think of the long-distance trails waiting to be walked. Starting a new year is a fresh start, a blank canvas.
I look forward to the adventures of 2014 and the continuing journey of the Anxious Ambler...
