I am not sure how many Munros I have walked this year as part of my first round, but I know I have walked quite a few of my husband Gordie’s second round of Munros.
(I have also walked quite a few Corbetts with my friend Rob, who has only recently confessed to being a Corbett bagger. He finished his first round of Munros earlier the year. Also read: When do you become an official bagger?
My husband, the Munro banker
Do you know the difference between a Munro banker and a Munro golfer?
A Munro golfer is one that walks “pure” rounds. They walk every round from start to finish, one Munro after another. They start at Munro one in each round and finish when they have bagged all 282.
A Munro banker walks multiple rounds at once. So while walking round number one they also bag Munros for their next round or even their third round.
People are divided on the golfer and banker argument but I suspect that most people are bankers. This is because many people walk favourite or nearby Munros multiple times over the course of “compleating” a full round.
I am not sure what I think but it is great fun ribbing Gordie about his “banker” status. I call it “banker wanker”!
Gordie finished his first round of Munros in 2011 and in the process of doing that he kept a tally of the Munro summits he had walked twice (and in some cases, three or four times).
So, when he finished his first round he already had dozens of Munros banked for a future round.
This has allowed him to reach a total of more than 170 Munros in his second round far quicker than if he’d stared at zero again.
At the same time, while I am still 42 Munros shy of my first round, I am walking second and third Munros because I often walk with Gordie.
Walking two ‘second’ Munros in the Mamores
For example, we recently enjoyed a walk from the newly revamped Glen Nevis Hostel to two Mamores Munros. It was a second time for both of us on Stob Ban (3277ft) and Mullach nan Coirean (3080ft).
Glen Tilt ‘second’ Munro
And on Gordie’s birthday, we walked Carn a’ Chlamain in beautiful Glen Tilt.
Now, when we are planning a weekend of walking we will discuss whether we might walk a new Munro in my first round, or a second Munro in Gordie’s round. Sometimes it feels frustrating that I am not ticking off my last Munros in my first round but mostly I am happy simply to be out walking.
I also enjoy waling many Munros again. Sometimes the weather is better or, in many cases, I had forgotten what the route was like the first time and so I can enjoy it again a second time.
In addition, many of the Munros I am yet to walk are in the far north-west and require a lot more planning than many of Gordie’s second Munros closer to home. So if we want to walk together on a spontaneous outing we need to walk Munros with easier access.
I haven’t yet decided whether I will bank the “second” Munros for a future round (I can’t imagine even finishing my first round so I don’t have to think about this too soon). Just now, I prefer to think I will be more of a purist Munro golfer.
It is an interesting topic, however, and goes alongside the other Munro chat about whether it’s okay to cycle to Munros. We do this regularly!
Hazel Strachan on Ben Challum summit as she compleated her ninth Munro round.
Top Munro bagger Hazel’s change of heart
Hazel Strachan is a record-breaking Munro bagger having walked 10 Munro rounds so far. Only Steve Fallon has walked more rounds.
For the first nine rounds Hazel was a Munro golfer.
Last year, it took a charity challenge – and bad weather – for Hazel to change her view.
While walking her ninth round in 2017, Hazel also completed a charity challenge to walk 100 Munros in one month in aid of Scottish Mountain Rescue.
In doing so, she “banked” 125 Munros.
Hazel said: “I decided during my ninth round to include another challenge. I walked 100 Munros in June and I raised almost £2500 for the outstanding and vital rescue service.”
However, because of bad weather conditions Hazel was forced to walk some Munros twice.
She said at the time: “I had planned to walk the 100 mountains as part of my ninth round but in the end my plans were dictated by where the weather was better.
“As a result I have 125 Munros that I walked twice and which will now count towards my 10th round.”
As she started her 10th round, she had 125 already walked.
Hazel said: “I think I have now proven that it’s possible to do multiple rounds and start from zero each time.
“Now, for my 10th round, I have decided I will start with the 125 already walked during my ninth round.”
I don’t blame her, to be honest. I imagine she is now pursuing her 11th round, although I am not sure if it’s as a banker or a golfer.
Hazel walks a round every year and sometimes in just nine months. At this rate it will only be another five years before she passes Steve’s incredible record of 15 rounds.
On the same topic: