Have you ever heard of a Full Home? In summit bagging circles, this achievement extends to all of the hills in classes recorded by the Scottish Mountaineering Membership (SMC), together with the Munros, Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams and Donalds. A Full Home additionally lists the Furths, that are outlined as mountains which might be Munro top in England, Eire and Wales. 

It’s an awfully lengthy listing with 2248 hill summits and to finish it appears mind-boggling for most individuals.

But one devoted – many may say, obsessed! – walker has lately ticked off not one, however two Full Homes.

On September 15, Anne Butler reached the highest of the Graham, Meall Tairbh, close to Bridge of Orchy, and have become the primary identified feminine – and the fourth identified individual – to stroll to all of the summits in a Full Home twice.

She mentioned: “I’m actually delighted to have completed a second Full Home. It seems like a tremendous private achievement.” 

Anne’s double Full Home feat

Anne’s exceptional accomplishment has taken her 25 years in whole and 1095 walks. She has coated 18,241km on foot, which is the equal distance from Edinburgh to London 30 instances, and ascended 1,093km, or 123 instances the peak of Everest.

But the 58-year-old retired nurse doesn’t consider herself as match and he or she dismisses any point out of her feat being athletic. She says: “I’m not sporty in any respect and I don’t run or cycle. I’m only a fairly podgy middle-aged lady who likes to go strolling.

“I’ve additionally been scuffling with ache from my knees lately. My household has a historical past of joint illness and it appears possible I’ll want a knee substitute. I simply attempt to hold going at my very own tempo and I take pleasure in being outside and within the hills.”

The beginning of the Full Homes

Anne reveals that her quest to finish her first Full Home, which she completed on the identical date 5 years earlier, then a second, happened as a result of, as she places it, “the Munros turned a bit monotonous”. 

Anne, of Aviemore, within the Highlands, says: “Once I began strolling Munros in 1998, I might by no means think about I’d end a spherical of them. That first one, Ben Lomond, appeared so laborious however I used to be all of a sudden very motivated to succeed in all of the Munro summits. 

“In the long run, it took me seven years to take action, though I used to be residing and dealing in Devon on the time and that made it extra time-consuming.”

Since then, Anne has walked an additional 4 Munro rounds however she says she began getting a bit bored of the identical mountains. She explains: “I knew the Munros so properly that they turned routine and whereas they’re nonetheless nice mountains, I used to be extra motivated to stroll to different summits. That’s after I started to concentrate on the hill lists of the Full Home.”

Retirement, after a profession as an NHS nurse, provides Anne loads of freedom to pursue her bagging ardour. As well as, a transfer north to Aviemore within the Scottish Highlands together with her husband Invoice in 2008 introduced the mountains nearer to dwelling.

Obsessive about the mountains

Anne seems to reside and breathe mountains and strolling days. She says: “I don’t assume I can deny my obsession and I’m all the time maps and planning walks to succeed in summits. I take pleasure in discovering new methods to succeed in totally different peaks and linking hills collectively.

“When contemplating the lists general, I most benefit from the Grahams and the Corbetts. I just like the problem of those hills, in comparison with the Munros, as a result of there are fewer paths and that you must do extra navigating.

“I discover the strolling on rougher floor and over vegetation simpler on my physique in comparison with the well-trodden paths of the Munros. I suppose that may sound odd nevertheless it’s the downhills on hard-packed traisl that actually damage my knees.

“Away from the busier Munros, you additionally get an actual sense of being by yourself or with only a few different individuals and infrequently in splendidly distant landscapes.

“I believe the views from the Grahams and Corbetts, particularly of the encircling Munros, are often so spectacular.”

Anne’s highs and lows within the mountains

Anne lists quite a few favorite summits, together with the 2 Munros of Beinn Alligin,  the three Corbetts of the Quinag and in addition Arkle, in addition to the 2 Corbetts and Graham on the Rum Cuillin traverse.

Different “excellent” Grahams she names as Beinn Ghobhlach, Ben Stack and Marsco, plus a collection of Donalds and a Graham on the Glensax Horseshoe close to Peebles. 

Her least favorite hills are the Donalds in Dumfries and Galloway. She says: “I haven’t had so many nice days strolling the hills on this space and, sadly, the climate hasn’t all the time been form to me within the south.

“I’m additionally not a fan of the publicity of the summits situated on a few of Scotland’s ridges. For instance, that is the explanation I left the 4 Munro Tops on Skye’s Cuillin, in addition to the Munro Tops on Liathach and An Teallach, in my latest Full Home to final.”

Anne, who’s a former president of The Munro Society, a Munroist membership group, has eight common strolling pals however usually climbs mountains solo, accompanied by her border collies. 

She says: “Sadly, my first two canine, Meg and Molly, are now not with me, however Ralph is often there. I’ve climbed 95 per cent of my hills accompanied by my canine.

“A few of my greatest recollections are on the summit of a hill with solely my canine, looking at a beautiful view in good climate. It’s after I really feel most that every one is properly with the world.”

What’s subsequent for Anne?

Anne is taking a while out to have an operation on her painful knee and to get well within the coming months. However, she reviews, her hill strolling days are removed from over.

She says: “I’ll positively be again strolling hills. I nonetheless have numerous rounds to tidy up, together with a sixth spherical of Munros and a 3rd Corbett spherical.

“Seven-year-old Ralph has accomplished a spherical of Donalds and Grahams thus far and is 60 summits wanting a Corbett spherical so we’ve a lot to maintain us busy. 

“I don’t assume I’ve but dedicated to a 3rd Full Home, however that’s primarily due to these 4 Munro Tops on Skye, which I’ve a psychological block about. Though, I ought to say, I by no means say by no means!”