original aim was to climb 60 summits through the year after turning 60, but with everything else going on it's clear this is going to be a longer project. The twist is I'm happy to introduce my own interpretation as to what counts as a summit. Also, I fully intend to double count with some of the other sixtieths!
1. Shutlingsloe - the Cheshire Matterhorn 22 May. It's taken a surprisingly long time to get going on peaks, but a glorious spring day in the Peak District and we're off!
2 Mam Tor, Derbyshire - later on the same day, as part of the BMC Mend our Mountains photoshoot, picked up peaks 2 and 3. With a group of other volunteers I had never met before we crossed Mam Tor on the way to a cold but fun night shining our torches on Lose Hill.
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3. Lose Hill, Derbyshire - selfie of Team 1 thanks to Andy Adkin, the BMC volunteer leader. In the picture is the new president of the British Mountaineering Council, Lynn Robinson,(elected soon after) - wonder if this counts as a another picture with a celebrity?
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4 Harrison Stickle - one of the Langdale Pikes in the English Lake District. After a hot climb up via Stickle Tarn and over Pavey Ark, the rain started just as we reached the top, on 10 June 2018
5 Pike of Stickle - further along the plateau, and a top worthy of striking a classic climber pose.
6 Kinder Scout as part of a great day of mixed weather with adventure daughter, stretching our legs and warming up for the Himalayan trek and the attempt on Stok Kangri. 28 July 2018 and on to 7 Brown Knot
8 Kongmara La, Ladakh, India- on the principle that I get to define a summit, the practice that crossing passes is often the high point of Himalayan trekking and because I didn't manage to get up Stok Kangri as planned, I'm counting a couple of the passes crossed during the trek! The first is the Kongmara La (5100m) above the Nimaling Plain and on the Markha Valley trekking route. We crossed it on a day (15 August 2018) that started cold and with drizzle but ended in glorious sunshine. The crossing of this pass and the descent through the gorge down to Chuskyurmo is a great walk by any world standard.
9 Mato La, Ladakh, India - a 4860m pass en route from Gangpoche to Smankarmo which we crossed on 19 August 2018. From the pass there were great views of Stok Kangri and we spotted a very athletic herd of blue sheep dashing down the precipitous slopes.
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10-16 As a part of the South Downs Way off road cycling 60at60 which takes the upland track over the whale back downs and includes a number of summits reached by bike and others that I "nipped up" on foot. The summits were Beacon Hill Exton, Old Winchester Hill and Butser Hill on 25 September 2018; Beacon Hill Harting on 26 September; Ditching Beacon on 27 September; Firle Beacon and Wilmington Hill on 28 September.
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17 Y LLiwedd - after a course at Plas Y Brenin which involved lots of micro navigation I was rewarded with a great day on the Snowdon massif starting with a crossing of Lliwedd via the Miners track on 15 November 2018
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18 Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon - continued on to join the Watkins Path steeply up to the Snowdon summit, and the unusual occurrence of views from the top.
19 Moel Cynghorion - dropped down the Snowdon Ranger path and up the less well known Moel for brilliant views of the sunset over the Nantlle ridge and colourful reflections on the Snowdon Massif.
20 Marjery Hill - a 546 metre top in the Peak District. Started from the Fairholmes car park at the Derwent Valley reservoirs then along Howden Edge. The reservoirs were very low on water, as a result of the dry hot summer and the demand from adjacent urban conurbations - the ruins of the original village of Derwent made a rare emergence from the water. The weather was "challenging" with strong winds brought by Storm Diana, to the extent that staying on my feet was an achievement, but as on many days when you wonder whether it is worth heading out on to the hills, patches of sun broke through to provide some great vistas. The weather did mean that I had the moors to myself.