Meet Glen – the four-year-old cocker spaniel who loves a challenge.
The pooch only began scaling Scotland’s tallest peaks three years ago, but has now racked up more than 200 of the 282 on offer.
The loveable canine is a bundle of energy and keeps his owner George Creighton on his toes when scaling the famed peaks.
Man’s best friend
Mr Creighton, a retired offshore worker, only began bagging Munros himself during his retirement.
On one venture, he came across a guide with a reliable spaniel in tow, inspiring him to seek his own companion to join him on adventures.
The 67-year-old had managed to rack up around 80 Munros himself, but has now repeated several with his reliable canine.
He says walks with Glen make the whole experience far more enjoyable.
‘It is so much more enjoyable now’ with Glen
Mr Creighton said: “Before Glen everything was on my own really.
“I am in my 60s and I just like going at my pace and I don’t like holding people up.
“It is so much more enjoyable now.
“On his first Munro he was hyper.
“He is a working cocker but we started with the little ones.
“I actually bought a little tracker and there were some days I would do nine miles and he would do 17 or 18 and more.
“When he was between a year to two-and-a-half, he didn’t know how to walk.
“He would just run everywhere but he has learnt now. He knows when we set off that he has a hard day ahead of him.
“He just loves it.”
Another year or two before Munro number 282 for Glen
With 203 of the 282 peaks ticked off, Mr Creighton estimates it will be in 2022 or 2023 when Glen has completed the set.
He has already ticked off some of the most challenging peaks, even conquering the famous inaccessible pinnacle on Skye’s famed Cuillins.
Mr Creighton added: “Probably the most challenging one we have done is the In Pinn on Skye.
“That was quite hard.
“I had to put him in my backpack and carry him up it. We then abseiled off with Glen still in my backpack.
“There are others that are challenging that we still have to do.
“There is one I have done on my own, Aonach Eagach in Glencoe, I still have to do again with Glen.
“Some people say it’s not possible but there have been other dogs that have done them all.
“I wouldn’t put him in any danger. I know my limits and I know his limits.”
‘He will do them all – one way or another’
For Mr Creighton and Glen, the goal is to complete every Munro on offer.
With just 79 remaining, the energetic spaniel is well on his way.
Mr Creighton said: “He is up to 203 now.
“We won’t get finished this year. It will be next year or the year after – it just depends how we go.
“He will do them all – one way or another.”
