Film maker, mountaineer and musician Kevin Woods has announced the Scottish cinema launch of “Winter 282”, which follows his journey around all 282 Munros in one winter.
The film discusses the challenge, conditions and legacy left by those who have previously walked a non-stop round of the Scottish mountains with a height of 3000ft (914.4m) or more. In the film, Kevin reveals his own attempt in late 2019 and early 2020, in what transpired to be a very stormy winter.
So far, there are four screenings (and more to be announced).
Thursday April 27: Las Cinema, Portree, Isle of Skye
Tuesday May 9: Glasgow Film Theatre
Wednesday May 17: Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre
Thursday September 7: Birks Cinema, Aberfeldy.
- Kevin has funded the 90-minute film himself. To book see Kevin Woods.
The idea for a winter Munros round
Kevin completed a continuous round of Munros in 98 days in the summer of 2013 and also turned it into a film. He says: “That summer was a massive learning curve, although I had a great time.
“The winter round, as completed by the likes of Martin Moran and Steve Perry, felt like a natural horizon to aim for.
“It takes the physicality of a three-month period on the hills, and lays down all kinds of extra challenges, the likes of which make it incredibly difficult to plan for. All you can do is be reflexive to the weather, put in as much effort as possible and see where you end up.”
100 days on a winter Munro round
Kevin does not claim any records for his round and while he would have liked to have done it in a quickest time, he described the winter as “one of the stormiest I can remember”.
He says: “By two-thirds of the way through, I was actually a little bit ahead of Martin Moran’s pace and all done in stormy westerly winds, as well as almost all self-supported.
“But February 2020 was one of the worst months of weather I’ve ever seen, which, combined with the landscape of the Northwest Highlands, made time slip away in ways that you can’t make back.
“Regardless, I was totally over-awed by the whole challenge before starting it. To get to the end in one piece was the goal and any record would have been good luck with weather.”
Challenges of a winter Munros round
The challenge was to cross all the Munros in one winter and this extends to 2000km of mountain terrain, with all the challenges that entails.
Kevin says: “It goes without saying you essentially don’t get a day off, so regardless of what conditions do, you have to draw a straight line of progress through some wild situations where things are changing all the time.
“The winter round is a blend of the endurance challenge, with the calculated risk-taking of mountaineering and climbing. This puts the final result in a space between physical potential, appetite for risk, opportunity and luck.”
Highlights of Kevin’s winter round
He describes “two profound levels of enjoyment”. He says: “Firstly, the tactical, conscious setting of a plan, and – hopefully – its successful completion.
“The second was much more visceral and felt: The moonlit nights spent on winter summits – there were many – the knot in the gut of the incoming storm and the need to keep moving on to safety.
“Added to this was the startling calm of a single day of perfection following weeks of wind and snow.”
Covid and Kevin’s winter Munros round
Kevin could not have predicted when he set out for his winter round in December 2019 that Covid would blight the end of his challenge.
He sys: “Covid, which had not even been a thing when I started, was ballooning in seriousness in the UK as fast as I could make progress toward the end.
“I could not believe that having come through some crazy conditions for three months, I was about to be denied the end. It was as close to the bone as you could make it and I accepted I would not finish.
“This is dealt with in the film in full.”
The making of a film: Winter 282
While Kevin’s Munros round took place a few years ago, the film is only released this month. He explains: “I could have released a film two years ago, but the time was never quite right. Of course nobody was going to the cinemas and I didn’t want an online-only release.
“It is also the culmination of a working relationship with many people who joined the effort. They made the film something far more than just my personal winter round, or anything I would have made alone.
“Some meetings were just amazing coincidences. I met musician Jarlath Henderson in Glasgow last January, whose music I’ve been listening to for years. Having met by chance, he was kind enough to offer his catalogue of music to the film, which really completed the whole arc.
“These opportunities take time and consistent effort to show and I’m glad I didn’t push for a release any sooner.
“I really hope that through the film people will appreciate the whole scope of the winter environment to the depths that I could myself.”
As well as the cinema screenings, Kevin plans to release an on-line version. You can keep an eye on his website – and I will aim to announce this on social media once it happens.
Who is Kevin Woods?
Kevin has been active in the mountains for more than 15 years. He grew up in Glasgow and started walking on the local Highland hills, gradually expanding his experience to rock and winter climbing.
Although he has done some guiding in the Scottish hills, he had had parallel careers in television and film, as a drummer and as a musician.
He says: “My view on the outdoors is to always enjoy it, even if (to quote Mark Twight) it doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.
“Getting involved in the mountains also gave me an ultimate way to learn about my home country, for which I’ll always be grateful.”