Kevin Woods on the Winter Munros - Progress Report One Month In

© Dan Bailey

Kevin Woods is now one month in to his attempt to climb all 282 Munros in a single winter season. Over the last few weeks the hills have gone undergone a series of snowfalls and thaws, with the prevailing theme being windy and wild - but pretty much whatever the weather, Kev has still been churning out multiple-Munro days, back to back...

Starting on Mull's Ben More on the morning of 22nd December, Kevin then worked through the southern highlands, before latterly turning his attention eastwards.

Just today, he has posted a photo from Braeriach, Munro number 101 of the round...

"Everything has been going really well" he told us.

"It's certainly not been without its challenges, but if completing every day you set yourself is a measure of progress then I feel I'm on the right track."

Like Martin Moran, the first person to complete a winter round, Kevin is using a vehicle to travel between hill groups - and for accommodation. A mountain bike is proving useful too, for the longer hill approaches.

"In the southwest areas you are never far from a road; so that was a good place to begin and get in the groove" he said.

A weather-beating night time ascent of Schiehallion  © Kevin Woods
A weather-beating night time ascent of Schiehallion
© Kevin Woods

"I had a couple hiccups at the start which set me back, the van had some problems, and I rolled my ankle on Christmas Day which I can still sometimes feel. Ultimately these only cost time, a day here and there. No real barriers. Beyond that, everything has been great and I've had many days walking from dawn until dusk. Daily ascents are often well past 2000m, again just where I wanted it to be."

"Just over a week ago I was busy with the summits of Loch Tay and Glen Lyon and some big weather fronts moved through. I hadn't the desire - or the energy, frankly - to battle through really high winds. So I'd wait until the weather had passed, by which time it was dark. I had a couple stunning moonlit evenings walking in complete solitude: Meall Ghaordaidh and Schiehallion; both turned magic with a dusting of snow and that moonlight."

"At the same time I completed the summits south of Loch Leven and Rannoch Moor, the Southern Highlands and Glen Coe. I then moved to Glen Shee."

On Ben Avon, 19th January  © Kevin Woods
On Ben Avon, 19th January
© Kevin Woods

Kevin is now on an extended foray into the Cairngorms, which he's hoping to mop up over several days and nights.

"You could say I'm perma-shattered but more importantly feeling fit and enjoying it..."


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