Meet Our Supporters – Lynne’s Last Munro
Meet Our Supporters – Lynne’s Last Munro
This weekend, Lynne Eshelby-Allan plans to ‘compleate’ her round of Munros when she summits Braeriach in the Cairngorms. Lynne has generously chosen this occasion to fundraise for Scottish Mountain Rescue, and has successfully raised over £1300 so far!
We got in touch with Lynne to hear all about her journey to date, and find out why she chose to fundraise for Scottish Mountain Rescue.
Lynne writes:
“In my mid twenties, a mad pal took me up my first munro, Ben Lomond. These were the days before social media and fancy navigation gadgets! I was clueless and looking back now I’m embarrassed to say I was more than ill-prepared, with flimsy clothing, a wee kagool, no lunch and just a small bottle of water. That was my introduction to the hills!
In Jan 2013 I joined a hill walking club and this would be the true start of my Munro quest. My navigation skills were worse than dreadful at this time so joining a club was perfect for me. In Dec 2013 I received the SMC Munro book as a Christmas present, I went through it and ticked off the 26 hills I had done…never in a million years thinking I would one day compleat.
In May 2014 we had a club weekend to the Fisherfields. Based at Shenevall Bothy and with an early start we headed off to bag Beinn Tarsuinn, Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair and Sgurr Ban. Unfortunately the weather turned after the first Munro and what can only be described as biblical rain started at lunch time and didn’t stop.
We were unable to cross back over the Abhainn na Strath Sealga on our route back and were stranded on the wrong side of the river. We were MIA at the bothy and, with no phone reception, we were unable to let anyone know we were okay. A walker arrived at the bothy that night with an emergency beacon which he duly set off on hearing about missing walkers. At around 01:30 an RAF search & rescue helicopter came to our assistance. We were very cold, soaked to the skin and very grateful for being rescued.
This incident prompted our club to invest in an emergency beacon and since then we regularly review our safety procedures. Since this incident, I carry a lot of extra kit, multiple jackets and layers, gloves, bivvy bag, head torch, extra food etc…just in case.
“Help can take hours to get to you, and you will never realise this quite as much until it happens to you, and you are the one needing help or rescued, often very cold and wet.”
In 2019 I changed jobs, giving me a weekday off plus weekends. A cheeky weekday Munro was on the cards if I could get my navigation skills up, so I went on a navigation course and literally threw myself into the hills. COVID hit the UK in March 2020 and at this point in time I had done 154 Munros. The world came to a standstill and I missed the hills terribly. When our first lockdown ended, I took off back into the hills and at this point realised they were getting further away and it was easier doing overnights for early starts. I decided to sell my car and get a campervan and this opened up a whole new world of adventure. Hill days were my sanctuary from a busy job and I described them as my “system reboot” days. In Sep 2021 I hit Munro number 200 and realised I was on the final stretch and gave myself the goal of compleating by the age of 50 (I’ve now beaten that goal by 18 months!).
I have done many of my Munro days, and overnight mountain camping adventures, either on my own or with my dog. Going solo doesn’t phase me, in fact it’s one of my favourite things to do. I do love to have my loyal companion with me, and my last dog (Willow) did the majority of my hills with me. She is scattered in the hills. Now I have Flo (my Spinone) with me most of the time. My other hill days are spent with friends, the hubby or with the club, it’s fantastic to introduce new people to the hills and watch them thrive up high.
I have more hill stories than you can shake a stick at! My pals think I should write a book (maybe one day!). Folk often ask me what my favourite hill is and this is a really difficult question as I have had a ridiculous amount of the most glorious days of my life up high! Perhaps up there in my faves would be my solo ascent of Beinn Eighe (with an RAF Typhoon flyover whilst in Coire Mhic Fhearchair) on a beautiful Monday in September 2021. In May this year I took my tent and Flo to Loch Choire Mhoir, climbing Seana Bhraigh and we summited above a cloud inversion and spent a stunning evening at our camp watching the sunset without any midges.
I could wax lyrical about hill days and nights! I’ve met many interesting folks in the hills and in bothies, I’ve shared whisky, exchanged stories, fought off the intrepid midge, trembled in the Cuillins and watched sunrises and sunsets. We are truly spoiled in Scotland with our right to roam and our beautiful mountains. I feel very lucky to have seen them all.
Supporting SMR is an easy choice, not only because I have needed them myself but because of the incredible work they do on a voluntary basis. I am in awe of their dedication.
“My hope is for many others to enjoy the mountains and stay safe in our beautiful country.”
What’s next for me? I will continue to roam our hills, returning to the ones I have loved and going back to many that I never quite got a view on and trying different routes and lesser trodden areas. I want to spend more nights in the mountains under canvas, immersing myself in nature. I won’t stop exploring until my body stops me.”
Thank you, Lynne, for sharing with us the beautifully written account of your journey and your relationship with Scotland’s mountains. We wish you all the very best for your last Munro on the weekend and for many more adventures still to come!
