Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorich
Thursday, 4 February 2010
A Post Script to 'Munro: Mountain Man'
It is often said that Munro never completed (compleated) his round of the Munros and Tops, but this is not strictly accurate. He did in fact do so, posthumously, on 10 July 1992 on the In. Pinn in the company of Robin N Campbell, Helen Ross and passing climber James Kenyon. This was of course in the form a full-sized effigy constructed by Robin himself. The resemblance to Munro was remarkable! The full story, recounted by Campbell at the Centenary Dinner in 1991 (he had yet to do the In. Pinn of course), was hilarious and can be found in 'The Munroist's Companion', edited by Campbell and published by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust.
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4 comments:
When I first saw Nick Crane on television I knew nothing about him echoing other people’s belief that the helicopter was waiting in the background and he was not the hard man portrayed – then I read Clear Waters Rising, and then Two Degrees West.
Crane’s epic walk from Cape Finisterre to Istanbul puts him amongst the greats of all time in walking history, but more than that he is one of the few travellers who can write well. His prolific activities in youth with serious European cycle rides and many other camping and walking trips obviously laid a solid foundation promoted and encouraged by parents who seem to have had enviable parenting skills. Crane’s humour and the affectionate anecdotes about his father are particularly memorable.
As an old friend of mine would have said, “I reckon he is a proper person.”
Sir Hugh - Thank you for this very informative comment. Since I am not, I hope, normally prone to irrational behaviour, I cannot explain my previous reluctance to watch programmes presented by Nicholas Crane. It has certainly been my loss.
I was aware of his epic walks but had never been tempted to read of them, something which I will put right today by ordering both books you mention.
"I reckon he is a proper person." I think your old friend would have been right.
Hi, I was introduced to your great blog by Sir Hugh. At the moment I am undergoing a period of enforced rest (off work on the sick) and have had a bit of time on my hands. I have just read Nick Crane's book 'Clear Waters Rising' and would echo Sir Hugh. The book is a wonderful and inspiring account! He describes spending many a night in just a bivvi bag and his time in the hills during the winter demonstrated that he certainly is not just a TV presenter. Well worth a read.
Thanks for the compliment re the blog. When we arrived home yesterday from a day on the local hills, Nick Crane's books 'Clear Waters Rising' and 'Great British Journeys' had arrived from Amazon.
I started reading the former immediatley and am enjoying it immensely.
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