However, it was by now April (1997) and I was deep in training for a hill marathon in the Derbyshire Peak district, and this was absorbing much of my spare time... unperturbed, I decided to still have a go at completing the Top 100 before January 1st 1998.

Well, with pressure from work, domestic strife and the loss of my car, I only managed to notch up 86 of the hills before New Year. Disappointed, I decided I would have another go in 1998 and on New Years Day, despite snow and high winds, my brother-in-law and I bagged Grisedale Pike. The year was off to a flying start!

By mid February, I had managed 14 of the Top 100 (and of course, a handful of lesser peaks) when disaster struck! I have been doing karate for over ten years now, and in all that time I've had no more than bruised ribs, a cut lip etc. Until now... At a training weekend I managed to break a toe clean in half whilst sparring. Well, besides being in absolute agony, there was no way I was going to do any hill walking for a while. It took about six weeks to heal and then, out of the blue, I decided to go to spend some time with a lady friend of mine in New Zealand.

I enjoyed six super weeks exploring that magnificent country, hill walking, and even climbing the odd volcano or two... Returning at the middle of June I knew I had to get cracking if I was going to complete the Top 100. Wistfully reading Mr Drew’s book I decided I could make up some lost time by combining three of his walks in a single day! By linking 'The Bowfell Ridge', 'The Scafell Massif', and 'The Langdale Pikes' walks I could bag 17 of the Top 100 in a single mighty bound!

As soon as the idea popped into my head (in my defence, I was recovering from jet-lag after a 36 hour non-stop flight from NZ.), I knew I was going to do it, and on 24th June 1998 I set off. I managed to sleep in and didn't get to the car park at the New Dungeon Ghyll hotel until 10 am. The weather was unkind and Pike O' Blisco and Bow Fell were hidden in cloud. I got out of the car and it was surprisingly chilly (or not, this IS the Lake District we're talking about!) so I set off at a cracking pace to get warmed up. Before long I was steaming up the Oxendale Beck path and was not amused to note the cloud base had dropped even lower. By the time I reached Browney Ghyll visibility was down to about 100 metres and closing.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, so I stuck to my plan and headed off left up Pike O'Blisco. Soon visibility was down to about 50 metres and from the summit I could see....not a lot!

I headed down to the junction of paths at the top of Browney Ghyll and trudged up towards Crinkle Crags (photo - 27k). Great Knott is just off the path to your right at this point, and although, like Pike O' Blisco, it's not in the Top 100 it seemed churlish not to pay respects to it so I took a quick jog up, stood on the summit then traversed to the right heading for the junction of paths south of Great Cove, where I had intended to head south to do Little stand, the first of the Top 100 on my route.

However, when I got to the point where I would normally have gone south, I realised it would be pointless - the path is non-existent and with the best will in the world there was no way I was going to find the summit cairn on what is a broad fairly featureless plateau in zero visibility. Well, no point worrying about it - I would just have to come back another day to do that one, so I walked on.

Now, I must just take this opportunity to say I do seem to be rather dogged by bad weather whilst on Crinkle Crags, so I'm very familiar with each and every rock on this route (whilst most people are familiar with the view of the surrounding hills) so I had no problem making good progress bagging Flesk, Long Top, Shelter Crags, Shelter Crags North Top and doing 'The Bad Step' (photo - 26k) on the way.

I dropped down to and ran past Three Tarns, a ghostly panting figure in the mist as I hurtled past some surprised ramblers taking their refreshments.

I climbed up Bow Fell into thicker cloud. I hoped it wasn't going to be like this all day. Then I came across a middle-aged couple who were starting to get a little uneasy about the cloud. I showed them exactly where they were on the map (the path is very hard to see at this point because you just have to cross huge rocks) and walked up to the summit with them to make them feel more at ease. We were taking our lunch on the cold, claggy summit when a brisk breeze appeared as if from no-where and the cloud was blown away to the East leaving us basking in glorious sunshine with a perfect, cloudless cyan sky. We parted company and I headed off and bagged Bow Fell North Top before rejoining the main path to Esk Pike, where I was rewarded with a superb view of the whole of Lakeland. Paradise, and nary a soul in sight. I de-layered as it was now getting really hot. This was more like walking should be like in the summer.

Heartened by the improvement in the weather I scampered down to Esk Hause. Arrghh! Tourists in their droves! Hundreds of squealing school children! From here on in the path to Ill Crag, Broad Crag and Scafell Pike was teeming, detracting somewhat from my solitude/enjoyment. Also, my feet were getting tired (I had a heavy pack), so I was not in the best of moods as I descended into Mickledore. However, there are few more dramatic places in the British Isles and my spirits soon revived.

I quickly bagged Symonds Knott and Scafell (horrific, hundreds of people milling about like ants) before setting a steadier pace back towards Great End. Great End. At 910 metres one of the highest tops in the Top 100 (ninth to be precise) and for me, one of the best hills in the Lake District. I am always transfixed with the view. If you've never been there, make the effort sometime - it really is worth a visit.

After a brief break (It was still very hot) I jogged down to the junction at Esk Hause, went straight across and up Allen Crags, which leads north to Glaramara. From here I had to retrace my steps to rejoin the path which leads away to Angle Tarn. I was sweating cobs and beginning to feel really dehydrated.

I threaded my way amongst the rocks and claimed Rossett Pike before heading across to Martcrag Moor. Now, without doubt, 1998 was one of the wettest years we've ever had in Cumbria. Martcrag Moor can be a tad damp underfoot at the best of times, but now it was like the Norfolk fens! Well, being a true Cumbrian, I had come prepared for any eventuality (having suffered snow in August before!) and donned my Berghaus Yeti Atak gaiters before even attempting to cross the morass before me. At one point the mud/peat/bog was up to the top of my gaiters, and that was the shallow bit! There was a real danger of being sucked under in what I can only describe as quick-sand like conditions. I trudged on to emerge at the other side caked in peaty mud. Who says you don't need gaiters in the middle of summer?

After a brief pause to get my breath back and drink the last of my energy drink I wearily set off up to another favourite hill of mine, Pike O'Stickle. I just love that last scrambly ascent of the summit and from there I took the time to take a long look over the route I'd been over. Bloody Hell! Had I done all that! The enormity of the distance I'd covered (and the amount of ascent and descent) struck home and I suddenly felt very tired indeed. Wanting now to press on, if only to get to the pub at the end of the walk, I trotted over to Loft Crag and Harrison stickle, before dragging myself over to Thunacar Knott (which I can never somehow get excited about), the last of the Top 100 on my route. At least it was quiet; there was hardly a soul about, though as I crossed over to and bagged Pavey Ark (photo - 30k) I saw some walkers far below, heading down. I wearily made my way down past Stickle Tarn and willed myself to pay attention - most accidents seem to occur when people are tired and at the end of walks... I thankfully reached my car at 7.10pm, got in and drove to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel (Best pub in the Langdales) and sank a pint of orange juice in record time before collapsing to enjoy a well-earned pint of hand-pulled bitter.

Try it if you dare! Andy Young's Full Monty!

THE ROUTE
Park your car at the New Dungeon Ghyll car park. It's at the finish of the walk and believe you me, you won't want to walk a mile along the road to get back to your car which is what you'd have to do if you parked further up the valley at the car park next to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. (But which is where you should go for a pint.)

1. Pike O'Blisco 705m *
2. Great Knott 696m *
3. Little Stand 740m (82)
4. Flesk (Crinkle Crags South Top) 834m (33)
5. Long Top (Crinkle Crags) 859m (23)
6. Shelter Crags (Crinkle Crags) 815m (39)
7. Shelter Crag North Top 775m (64)
8. Bow Fell 902m (10)
9. Bowfell North Top 866m (19)
10. Esk Pike 885m (15)
11. Ill Crag 935m (5)
12. Broad Crag 934m (6)
13. Scafell Pike 978 m (1)
14. Symonds Knott 959 m (3)
15. Scafell 964m (2)
16. Great End 910m (9)
17. Allen Crags 785m 54)
18. Rossett Pike 650m *
19. Pike O'Stickle 709m *
20. Loft Crag 680m *
21. Harrison Stickle 736m (85)
22. Thunacar Knott 723m (95)
23. Pavey Ark 700m *

To qualify as a mountain or subsidiary top a peak must be at least 610 metres (2000 ft) above sea level, and have an ascent of at least 15 metres (50 ft) from surrounding ground. The 15 metre height difference above surrounding ground must increase on a sliding scale if two peaks are within three kilometres of each other. The scale increases to 120 metres if the peaks are only 0.5 kilometres apart.