Tania's first Munro

.........and probably last, after having undergone the Hill House Initiation Ceremony last Sunday under Carrie's direction. For those who are not familiar with this ritual, it involves being taken on what might at first appear to be an innocent outdoor expedition to climb a hill. However, there is a secret code that must be translated in order for the initiate to understand what's about to happen to them. Certain words and phrases in Carrie-speak are not quite a true reflection of events, as follows:
a wee scramble = near-vertical slope covered in large rocks and scree
damp underfoot = raging torrent crossed either by hopping perilously from one slimy rock to another or crawling commando-style across a wobbly log
a good path = narrow sheep track through boingy heather and tussocks of grass with treacherous rabbit holes and the odd concealed rock
not far = another five miles
bit of a walk = another ten miles
interesting = dangerous
gentle climb = lung-bursting ascent with your nose level with the person in front's boots
challenging descent = knee-destroying precipitous downward slither over unstable rocks and mud
soft ground = huge quivering boot-sucking bog

Carrie has made several previous attempts to kill me but this was undoubtedly the most elaborate, and having to wade the river in pitch darkness and scramble down that wet slippy rocky path past the sign telling us how many people had fallen off it and died was a nice touch. However it did not succeed, hahaaaaaaaaaa! Tania also proved to be made of extremely stern stuff, bagging not just one but two Munros!