www. stevenfallon .co.uk
Secrets of the ultimate Munro bagger

 Last month Steven Fallon became the only person ever to have completed the Munros ELEVEN times. That's 5.5 million feet (190 Everests) and 14,500 miles. And by the time we tracked him down to his Fife home he was already well into his 12th round! His closest rival, Stewart Logan (65) may not be far behind on 10 completions, but there's no sign of Steven stopping. Ever. We were astounded, and so will you be when you read the answers to the questions YOU put to him.

How old are you?
40 going on 25.

How are your knees?
They're sturdy.

How do you manage a full-time job with your Munro bagging?
I work Monday to Friday, and Friday evening is often spent driving up the A9 or A82. Sunday evening is back to Edinburgh. I'm not the nicest person on Monday morning if I haven't managed to get a Munro or ten over the weekend.

Do you have any other goals besides Munros or are you obsessed beyond all reason?
I just love getting away and outdoors at the weekends. A skiing holiday in France at Easter is the next thing planned, but one of these days I'd like to climb in New Zealand.

How long has it taken to complete each round?
It takes me roughly a year. The last round took under 10 months and my 12th should take less time than that. I keep a note of the distance, ascent and time for each walk and from these figures I can work out if I'm still as fit as I was.

Do you always complete them in the same order?
No, I just take them as the weather and other factors allow.

Do you start or end with a particular Munro?
When starting a Munro round, I don't commence with a particular hill. I do tend to set off bagging the big groups of Munros first - the Mamores, Affric, Kintail and the like. I try to finish a Munro round on one of the superior peaks and a different one each time. This year was 'compleated' on Beinn Alligin and in previous years I've finished on such excellent summits as Slioch, Ladhar Bheinn and Sgurr nan Gillean among others.

What got you started?
Way back in 1988 my folks gave me a Christmas present of the SMC guide to the Munros. I loved what I saw and started walking the routes from Easter 1989 onwards.

Which makes the best first Munro for a new bagger?
Schiehallion on a sunny summer's day. What's needed is a hill that's relatively easy with good views as it'll encourage you back to do more.

Which are the best Munros?
Slioch, An Teallach, Sgurr nan Gillean, Beinn Alligin, Liathach and Sgurr na Ciche: but my overall favourite has to be Ladhar Bheinn. It's in the most beautiful of places with a fantastic long walk-in along the side of Loch Hourn. The character of the hill varies so much as you ascend over the different parts to reach the summit. Once there, the views are spectacular.

What was your worst moment?
Back in 1995, I was attempting to beat the record for the quickest time around the Munros. Prior to setting off on this challenge, I was cajoled into posing for a few photos. In the process I fell and hurt my knee, but decided to continue with my attempt. I managed to tick off 8L1 Munros in 12 days before having to jack it in because of the knee injury. My brother and I were on the Skye ridge at the time; we had superb views and a fantastic sunset, but knowing that I had to give up really gutted me. The doctor suggested rest, and rest I did. What made it worse was I was trying to raise some money for the John MuirTrust Blaven appeal. so there was more than just a record at stake.

How has your choice of gear changed over the years?
Back when I started walking, I went out with what I could afford - the cheapest summer boots in winter, an old works jacket and a small flimsy rucksack. My gear has built up over the years, some of which is replaced regularly (my footwear), plus other stuff I use every year (my ice axe). I tend to travel as light as possible, so weight is a major consideration when buying anything new.

Have you ever walked anywhere else as good as Scotland?
I've been in the Dolomites and Pyrenees. I've done all the Irish and Welsh 3,000 footers, but while I'm away from Scotland, there does seem to be some sort of yearning to get back to the Munros.

When you hang up your boots, what will your epitaph be?
I would like my ashes scattered on Ladhar Bheinn with maybe 'He came, he saw, he conquered ... again and again and again .. '

Do you have to live in a camper van to pull off such a feat?
No! I love driving and I have a couple of 'collectable' cars to zoom up north in. The thought of trudging up in a caravanette holding up all the traffic doesn't appeal at all. That said, being able to pull over wherever you like and not worry about putting up a tent in pouring rain with clouds of midges around does!

How are your feet?
Surprisingly fine! But a bit smelly after a long day on the hills.

Got a favourite moment?
The first time I walked through an inversion and looked down on the cloud with the peaks of the hills poking through. It's only happened a few times and only once while I've had my camera.



Do you go out in all weather?
Depends! I won't go into Knoydart if the forecast is for heavy rain - that would be such a waste. I won't go to the high Cairngorm peaks iF blizzards are Forecast. But I will try to Find somewhere to go, no matter how small - and not necessarily a Munro.

How do you entertain yourself during long trudges?
Long trudges are okay; it's the walking in mist and the false summits that get to me. I'll get up one false summit, thinking it's the top, then more ascent will appear, then more, then more ... and I think I'll never reach the cairn. I've got round this now by buying an altimeter.

What's the best way to do the Munros as quickly as possible?
Don't do it! I know that sounds rich coming From me, but you really want time to enjoy the mountains. But if you are determined, make sure you're fit, know the weather, and trust the map. Do the long walks in summer and don't plan to finish on a difficult peak in Skye as you can wait for weeks or even months for decent conditions.

For how long do you recuperate between each completion?
I don't. If I've finished a round on the Saturday, you can bet I'll be in the hills on the Sunday too!

If you could choose anybody to walk with you, who would it be?
Lorna Ticehurst. She finished all the Munros before I was born and walked at a mad pace. She was the seventh woman to 'compleat'. She walked mainly alone, leaving everyone behind, because she walked so fast. She is now in her 90s and sounds like a wonderfully eccentric British character.

Are you married, and if so can I swap you for my husband who whinges at the thought of hills?
I'm not married and my partner, Keith, would have something to say if I went off with a woman!

How much do you carry on a wild camping trip?
I hate to say it, but I don't really like back-packing! I'm fortunate in that I can get in and out of the Munro areas within the day. Yes, I know what you're thinking - but what about Knoyart, FisherField and Affric? Well, I can cover up to 17,000Ft and 40 miles or more within a day. That's provided I keep the weight down. I've backpacked a few times when walking with other folk; but even paring down the stuff to a minimum, the pack always seems to be too heavy. Better to run light instead!

What type of kit do you use?
In summer - T-shirt, running shorts or tracksters, Merrell trainers and a belt-pack which contains a compass, lightweight windproof, mobile phone, some food and water bottles. In winter it's fleece, waterproof, Scarpa winter boots, Platypus water bladder, gloves, ice axe, crampons ... and the kitchen sink all stuffed into my faithful Vango rucksack.

How do you keep your food weight down?
I'm a vegetarian, so you won't Find any ham sandwiches in my pack. I prefer to eat muesli bars and take a Quorn roll or two if on a really long walk. Chocolate is a no-no - it either goes soggy in the summer or is too hard to break in winter. At the end of the walk I like to finish on an apple and have some Irn-Bru waiting for me back at the car.

Do you walk alone?
Depends on the day and your mood. The hills are great For clearing your mind and straightening out your thoughts when walking solo. But they're also fabulous to enjoy shared!

Ever made a stupid mistake?
Many years ago, I was doing the Monadhliath range near Newtonmore, east to west, and after the second Munro I got following the line of fence-posts as you do. A small detour south to bag the third Munro (Carn Dearg), then back to the fence posts to aim for the fourth (Geal Charn). I blindly followed the fence For ages. Then I started checking the compass and map, but didn't believe the readings as I kept coming across cairns. I ended up doing a round detour of around eight miles, beFore getting to Geal Charn.

Are you doing the Corbetts, Grahams and Marllyns, too?
I've done around half the Corbetts - I started doing them after my first round of Munros. But every time I went up a Corbett, I always seemed to be hankering after being on the summit of the nearest Munro ...






For more on all things bagging, check out The Angry Corrie at www.bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/tac!

THANKS TO this lot for the questions:
David Knight, Pete Sinciair, Frank Yates, Dave Potter, Andy Shaw, Gill Williams, Pete Wallace, Sandra Davison, John Lee, Freddie Fellows, Alan Sanger, Tom Bowley, Sian Williams, Robert Edridge, Sarah Sweeney, Toby Muirhead, Jane Hicks, Les Richards. Donna Macintyre, Triss Maxwell and Gareth Whiteland
Trail, October 2003