This happened about 18 months ago. I was hoping it would appear in a Newsletter but that hasn’t happened so I thought it might be nice to recognise Neil’s achievement here. Better late than never.
A Last Munro, A long Time in the Making
Ben More, Mull
27 April 2024
It was a slightly underwhelming Wednesday afternoon when the phone rang. Only 3 days before the main event. It was the Compleater-To-Be’s wing man. Back from 2 weeks in Kalymnos and sounding a bit jet lagged. Some less charitable would say that is what he usually sounds like. Niceties over, I could hear the Compleater-To-Be muttering in the background – “Ask him how many people are going.” “Do you know how many people are going to Mull?” I did but there was no way I was telling him. “I’m not sure. I think it was in an email (it was in an email). Didn’t you read the email” “Aye right enough, it must be about 24.” It was about 24 but I knew a gentle push would help. “That sounds about right.” Again, I hear in the background – “Ask him about the Prosecco.” “Do you think we should get some Prosecco?” “Sounds like a plan.” “Do you think 4 bottles would be enough?” FFS! “What do you think?” No immediate response. Another gentle push is required. “Well, if there’s 24 going, what’s 24 into 4? About a sixth? One glass. I don’t think that’ll go down well with the troops.” Silence. I can hear some discussion on the other side of the phone – “We can always phone the President and see what he thinks”. Then to me “Aye right enough. OK, see you on Friday then. Bye.”
Three days later I’m posing with 23 others and a dog for a group photo at the start of the Ben More tourist route. Some cloud is sitting on the top but at least it’s dry and fairly still. A marked contrast to the last gathering we had here in 2011 when we celebrated another member’s compleation. The tail end of Hurricane Katia had come all the way over from the States, uninvited, to help us celebrate this big day. Several tents were shredded on the Friday night and it was a very wet, windy and brief celebration on the summit. Prosecco corks took horizontal trajectories rather than vertical ones disappearing into the mist.
This way up Ben More is very straight forward and quite gentle giving ample opportunities for refreshment stops and socialising. Halfway up, a flurry of snow had us all scurrying for water proofs and fearing a deterioration in the weather. Fortunately, it was short lived and the clouds lifted revealing 360° views from Arran in the South to Skye in the North. The party reached the top and welcomed the Compleater-To-Be (hereafter referred to as the Compleater) to the summit in the traditional way with a guard of honour, a few drinks and some eats. A pleasant hour or so was spent on the top enjoying the views and the craic.
His compleation was a long time coming. Back in the day myself, and a few others knocked around the hills a lot together. There was a kind of unwritten agreement that it might be nice to compleate together and at the time Ben More on Mull looked like an obvious venue for a Sim Com. The Engineer was the first to break ranks and had a sneaky family do to coincide with his 30th. The weather was “minging” (Serves him right!) To be fair he was a bit ahead of the rest of us. Fast forward 5 years to 1997. Myself, the Compleater and his wing man only had Ben More left. Despite herculean efforts to get the Compleater to join us it would just be the 2 of us compleating on Ben More on a scorchio May bank Holiday coinciding with my 40th. That weekend has been documented in full elsewhere[1]. So the Compleater has been sitting on 1 Munro for some 30 years which in itself must be some sort of record. It would probably have been longer if left to his own devices but fortunately the President stepped up to the plate and called time on his inertia.
The Compleater was duly presented with the Trig Point Trophy (travel edition) and the party made its leisurely way back to the cars on the shores of Loch na Keal and then to the hostel at Craignure for some pre-dinner refreshments and nibbles.
The group retired to the Craignure Inn for what turned out to be a somewhat surreal dining experience. The whole show (including quite a busy public bar) was being run by only two stressed out young men. All in all it worked out fine in the end except for the Bean Counter taking the humpf. He ate there the previous night and was none too pleased at getting scampi when he ordered fish. This evening he ordered fish and got scampi! Most folk would take this as the universe just putting things in order but he thought the hotel was singling him out and taking the piss.
After the meal, the President said a few words and presented the Compleater with the proper TPT and urged him to say a few words. The Compleater is a man of few words and we were not to be disappointed on this occasion. He started with “I’m a man of few words” and finished with “Thank you.” I don’t remember there being much in-between these 2 statements.
The party then retired to the hostel for drams and craic. Everyone was in bed by 11:30! Rock and roll!
Sunday dawned fine. The hostel was tidied and everyone shot off in different directions. The latter usually happens on JM meets at the top of hills when precision navigation is required but on this occasion it was solely due to the wide variety of things to do on offer on Mull. Some went home, some went wildlife spotting (white tailed sea eagle, golden eagle, buzzard, sandpipers getting amorous, otter and a crab – the latter being part of the otter’s lunch), Some went climbing/swimming, some went to check out the cafe scene on Mull and some went Corbett bagging on Dun da Ghoaithe.
All in all a very successful and fun weekend with a new Compleater, the JMCS and friends. Many thanks to all who attended, those who organised things and for the man of the moment. We look forward to his last Corbett and hope it doesn’t take another 30 years.
Niel Craig
May 2024
[1] Glasgow JMCS Newsletter, Sept – Dec 1997, pp.5-8.