Friday 28 July 2017

Final Furths

The Furths are the 3000 foot mountains in the British Isles furth of Scotland. There are 34 summits listed by the Scottish Mountaineering Club: 6 in England, 15 in Wales and 13 in Ireland.

The location of Completions (gleaned up to 16 May 2020) is listed below. The spelling of summit names, with one or two exceptions, is taken from the 1997 edition of Munro's Tables. In the absence of a name, then the country / mountain range known to host the completion is given.

JAMES A. PARKER - Tryfan, 19 Apr 1929. See The First Furthist below.
WILLIAM M. DOCHARTY - Ill Crag, 29 Sep 1949.
JOHN DOW - Cruach Mhor, 1 Oct 1956.
JAMES ANDERSON - Ill Crag, 14 Jul 1958.
ERIC MAXWELL - Ill Crag, 14 Jul 1958.
DAVID MAXWELL - Ill Crag, 14 Jul 1958.
ANNE LITTLEJOHN - Brandon Mountain, 18 Nov 1960.
NAN RAE, aka MILLER - Ireland, 1961.
HUGH LYONS - Ireland, May 1965.
HASWELL OLDHAM - Ireland, 1966.
HAMISH M. BROWN - Elidir Fawr, 13 Apr 1967;
2nd round - Snowdon, 22 Sep 1969;
3rd round - Scafell, 20 Oct 1971;
4th round - Snowdon, 16 Sep 1979;
5th round - Brandon Mountain, 27 Sep 1980;
6th round - Glyder Fawr, 1 Jul 1982.
GEORGE C. SIME - Brandon Mountain, 10 Jul 1969.
DONALD GREEN - Brandon Mountain, 10 Jul 1969.
DONALD HAWKSWORTH - Elidir Fawr, 14 Jul 1969.
ROBERT AITKEN - England, 1969.
MILES HUTCHINSON - Brandon Mountain, 23 Sep 1970;
2nd round - Elidir Fawr, 10 Oct 1998.
IAN T. STEPHEN - Ireland, Aug 1976.
IAN C. SPENCE - Ireland, Aug 1976.
PHIL COOPER - Brandon Mountain, 12 Aug 1976.
RICHARD MORGAN - Unknown, 1977;
2nd round - The Reeks, 31 Aug 1986.
WILLIAM RUSSELL - Lugnaquillia, 28 Oct 1977.
PAUL RUSSELL - Lugnaquillia, 28 Oct 1977.
ALAN L. BROOK - Lugnaquillia, 3 Jun 1978.
KEN FALCONER - Cruach Mhor, 7 Sep 1979.
EDWARD F. EMLEY - Ireland, 24 May 1980.
PETER EDWARDS - Ireland, 31 May 1980.
ROY MURRAY - Elidir Fawr, 29 Jun 1980.
MIKE W. McCUE - Ireland, Oct 1980.
PETER SELLERS - Ireland, 1981.
SYLVIA SELLERS - Ireland, 1981.
R. STEWART LOGAN - Brandon Mountain, 28 Sep 1981;
2nd round - Brandon Mountain, 30 May 1985;
3rd round - Brandon Mountain, 4 Aug 1987.
JOHN G. CRUMMETT - Brandon Mountain, Sep 1981.
JANET SUTCLIFFE - Brandon Mountain, Sep 1981.
JOHN WYLLIE - Carrauntoohil, 8 Jun 1982.
KEN HAY - Cnoc an Chuillin, 9 Jun 1982.
JEREMY FENTON - Ireland, circa Aug 1982.
MARTIN HUDSON - Galtymore, 12 Aug 1982.
MATTHEW MOULTON - Brandon Mountain, 11 Oct 1982.
IVAN WALLER - Brandon Mountain, 11 Oct 1982.
SIMON GLOVER - Brandon Mountain, 11 Oct 1982. See Notable Summits above.
ANN BOWKER - Caher West Top, Apr 1983.
TOM RIX - Brandon Mountain, 26 May 1983.
JANET CLARK - Foel-fras, 8 Aug 1983.
JAMES H. CLARK - Skiddaw, 9 Aug 1983.
CHRISTOPHER BOND - Lugnaquillia, 4 Oct 1984.
RICHARD FULLER - Brandon Mountain, 25 Jun 1985;
2nd round - Scafell, 13 Apr 1993;
3rd round - The Scafells, 2 Sep 1997.
STEVEN FULLER - Brandon Mountain, 25 Jun 1985.
FRANCIS H. SCOTT - Scafell Pike, 17 Apr 1986;
2nd round - Unknown, 2000.
NIGEL M. SUESS - The Reeks, May 1986.
MARGARET K. FOSTER - Ireland, May 1986.
JAMES D. FOSTER - Ireland, May 1986.
GORDON ADSHEAD - Lugnaquillia, May 1986.
TOM ANDERSON - Cruach Mhor, circa May 1986.
LEONARD JAMIESON - Brandon Mountain, 9 Jun 1986.
ASHLEY COOPER - Helvellyn, 17 Aug 1986.
JIM BLOOMER - Crib Goch, Sep 1986.
MICHAEL B. SLATER - Unknown, 1987;
2nd round - Unknown, 2009;
3rd round - Caher, 24 May 2011;
4th round - Knocknapeasta, 8 Jun 2013;
5th round - Lugnaquillia, Jul 2014;
6th round - Elidir Fawr, Jun 2017.
ALAN DAWSON - Cruach Mhor, 3 Jun 1987.
WALTER M. STEPHEN - Brandon Mountain, 9 Jun 1987.
PETER BELLARBY - Brandon Mountain, 15 Jun 1987.
KEN WHYTE - Beenkeragh, 19 Jun 1987;
2nd round - Lugnaquillia, 6 May 2008.
GERRY BOWES - Beenkeragh, 23 Jul 1987.
PHILIP MASSEY - Beenkeragh, 23 Jul 1987.
PETER ILIEVE - Wales, autumn 1987.
KATHERINE JAMIESON - Skiddaw, 26 Sep 1987.
HUGH BARRON - Skiddaw, 24 Dec 1987.
IVAN YOUNG - Snowdon Horseshoe, 28 Jun 1988.
SANDY DONALD - Lugnaquillia, Sep 1988.
FRASER HAMILTON - Wales, Oct 1988.
DAVID E. PURCHASE - Yr Elen, 2 Oct 1988.
STEPHEN T. RAMSDEN - Brandon Mountain, 10 Apr 1989.
WILLIAM HARKINS - Snowdon, 26 May 1989.
DIANA J. HARKINS - Snowdon, 26 May 1989.
LAURENCE RUDKIN - Beenkeragh, 1989.
IAN HENDERSON - Beenkeragh, 1989.
JAMES BYERS - Brandon Mountain, 14 Jul 1989.
D.H.W. TAYLOR - Brandon Mountain, 10 Aug 1989.
JOHN GREEN - Brandon Mountain, 13 Sep 1989.
DARRELL PICKLES - Ireland, 27 Sep 1989.
PETER N. HUGILL - Brandon Mountain, 4 Oct 1989.
ROBERT H. MACDONALD - Brandon Mountain, 5 Oct 1989.
PETER ELLIS - Ireland, Oct 1989.
MATTHEW SHAW - The Carneddau, 23 Dec 1989.
JAMES G. BELL - Foel-fras, 28 Mar 1990.
DEREK G. SIME - Foel-fras, 28 Mar 1990.
ROB H. WOODALL - Lugnaquillia, 8 May 1990.
A.N. DARBYSHIRE - England, Jun 1990.
DOUGLAS ALLAN - Cnoc na Peiste, 16 Jul 1990.
HUGH SYMONDS - Brandon Mountain, 25 Jul 1990.
JAMES BINNIE - Helvellyn, 4 Aug 1990.
ANGUS MITCHELL - Brandon Mountain, 10 Aug 1990.
INNES MITCHELL - Brandon Mountain, 10 Aug 1990.
KAY TURNER - Wales, 27 Aug 1990.
STUART BENN - Elidir Fawr, 16 Sep 1990.
IAN A. JONES - Brandon Mountain, 18 Sep 1990.
MATTHEW BRAMLEY - Beenkeragh, 19 Sep 1990.
JOHN BARNARD - Ireland, pre-14 Oct 1990.
DAVID RHODES - Ireland, 1990.
BEN THOMPSON - Beenkeragh, mid-May 1991.
PADDY DILLON - Brandon Mountain, 23 Jun 1991.
DAVID GEDDES - Brandon Mountain, 5 Jul 1991.
J. ALISTER SWORD - Yr Elen, 12 Jul 1991.
JOHN HAVARD - Foel-fras, Jul 1991.
JIM RANDELL - Brandon Mountain, 2 Aug 1991.
BRIAN D. CURLE - Caher West Top, 12 Sep 1991.
ANDREW NISBET - Helvellyn, 14 Sep 1991.
JOHN BARKER - Wales, Sep or early Oct 1991.
RUTH BARKER - Wales, Sep or early Oct 1991.
CHARLIE HARRIS - Brandon Mountain, 23 Oct 1991.
GRAHAM HEAFFORD - Brandon Mountain, 23 Oct 1991.
ALAN GOTT - Galtymore, 26 May 1992.
JOHN KELLY - Galtymore, 12 Jun 1992.
BETHAN STEELE - Ireland, summer 1992.
DAVID STEELE - Ireland, summer 1992.
HAYDN THOMPSON - Ireland, Oct or early Nov 1992.
LINDA SUTTON - Scafell, circa 1993.
HARRY SUTTON - Scafell, circa 1993.
ROBERT ROBERTSON - Skiddaw, 16 Mar 1993.
TERRY FULLER - Scafell, 13 Apr 1993.
NEIL SAWYER - Lugnaquillia, 16 Apr 1993.
ROGER BOOTH - Galtymore, 6 May 1993.
DAVID BAKER - Galtymore, 30 May 1993.
ANNE BRIGGS - Carrauntoohil, 2 Jul 1993.
GEORGE S. DEAS - Yr Elen, 18 Aug 1993.
BOB CONNELL - Brandon Mountain, 24 May 1994.
HOWARD A. SOWERBY - Brandon Mountain, 24 May 1994.
IAIN THOW - Galtymore, 5 Jul 1994.
GORDON BERRY - Brandon Mountain, 11 May 1995.
PATRICK LEAHY - Skiddaw, 23 Jul 1995.
RALPH STEIFFERT [German] - Skiddaw, 23 Jul 1995.
PETER BAILEY - Brandon Mountain, 16 Sep 1995.
DONALD TALBOT - Ireland, 1995.
CHRIS CROCKER - Broad Crag, 10 Mar 1996.
JAMES ASHBY - Brandon Mountain, 8 Sep 1996.
KARL NELSON - Unknown, 1996;
2nd round - Brandon Mountain, 16 Jul 2010.
BILL CLUCKIE - Foel-fras, 1996.
CHRIS BARTON - Brandon Mountain, Sep 1997.
PATIENCE BARTON - Brandon Mountain, Sep 1997.
RHONA FRASER - Brandon Mountain, 23 Sep 1997.
DON SMITHIES - Galtymore, 7 May 1998.
RON PAYNE - Ireland, 1998.
PAUL RILEY - Ireland, May 1998.
HARVEY CONDLIFFE - Brandon Mountain, 9 May 1998.
JOHN FARROW - Beenkeragh, 10 May 1998.
DEREK McWILLIAM - Beenkeragh, 10 May 1998.
JOHN O'KEEFE - Carrauntoohil, May 1998.
ANDREW S. TEMPLETON - Scafell, 1999.
JENNIFER MASON - Brandon Mountain, Aug 1999.
MICHAEL HOOD - Garnedd Uchaf, 21 Nov 1999.
ANDREW C. SCOTT - Brandon Mountain, Jul 2000.
ROBERT B. GUNN - Brandon Mountain, 14 Jul 2000.
MIKE DIXON - Skiddaw, 23 Dec 2000;
2nd round - Skiddaw, 24 Apr 2011.
PETER ROBERTS - Brandon Mountain, circa Sep 2001.
ANDY McGOWAN - Foel-fras, 22 Sep 2001.
WILLIAM ROBISON - Foel-fras, 22 Sep 2001.
DAVID SHINN - Galtymore, 23 Aug 2002.
LEON D. FIRTH - Cnoc an Chuillin, 4 Sep 2002.
JIM FOTHERGILL - Brandon Mountain, 8 Sep 2002.
BERT BARNETT - Broad Crag, 9 Oct 2002;
2nd round - Broad Crag, 14 Mar 2007;
3rd round - Skiddaw, 29 Sep 2015.
WILLIAM FORBES - Broad Crag, 9 Oct 2002.
KEITH MILLAR - Scafell Pike, 23 Apr 2004.
ALLAN CARR - Foel-fras, 24 Apr 2004.
MIKE WEEDON - Lugnaquillia, 25 Apr 2004.
HUGH McNEILAGE - England, mid 2005.
KENNETH BALLANTYNE - Glyder Fawr, Jul 2005.
PAUL GILLIES - Knockoughter, 6 Jan 2006.
BOB MACDONALD - Elidir Fawr, 23 Sep 2006.
IAN G. McCRAE - Brandon Mountain, 10 Jun 2007.
LISA HUTCHISON - Scafell, 1 Jul 2007.
PETER WALKER - Cnoc na Peiste, 7 Sep 2007.
MARK GEAR - Caher, 22 Sep 2007.
LIZ JOLLY - Elidir Fawr, 25 Sep 2007.
MARTIN WILSON - Broad Crag, 2008.
DONALD IRVINE - Cnoc an Chuillin, 20 Apr 2008.
TREFOR BEESE - Galtymore, 21 May 2008.
MARTIN LIKEMAN - Carrauntoohil, 14 Jun 2008.
ALAN HAWORTH - Brandon Mountain, 26 Aug 2008.
ALAN PALIN - Galtymore, 3 Jun 2009.
ERLEND FLETT - Galtymore, 24 Mar 2010.
STEVEN FALLON - Scafell Pike, 24 Jul 2010.
MICHAEL EARNSHAW - Brandon Mountain, 27 Sep 2010.
ROSS JERVIS - Foel-fras, 2011.
ALAN CASTLE - Beenkeragh, 3 Jul 2011.
NORMAN WARES - Skiddaw, 14 Jul 2011.
RONNIE WADE - Elidir Fawr, 14 Aug 2011.
JOHN ROGERSON - Beenkeragh, 27 Aug 2011.
ALAN ROWAN - Foel-fras, Sep 2011.
PAUL WHEELER - Ireland, 2011.
PAUL KEEN - Cnoc na Peiste, 11 Apr 2012.
IAN SPALDING - Lugnaquillia, 16 May 2012.
ROB BALLANTINE - Beenkeragh, 16 May 2012.
CARMEL SMITH - Brandon Mountain, Jul 2012.
IAN SMITH - Brandon Mountain, Jul 2012.
EWAN LYONS - Brandon Mountain, 12 Aug 2012.
DAVID CHAPMAN - Brandon Mountain, 27 Aug 2012.
IAN RAE - Eastern Reeks, 15 Sep 2012.
CHRISTOPHER SMYTHE - Lugnaquillia, Sep 2012.
MICHAEL HANLIN - Knockoughter, 25 Jul 2013.
KEVIN WALLACE - Wales, summer 2013.
GEOFF SUTTON - Yr Elen, Aug or early Sep 2013.
MARIA R. HYBSZER - Galtymore, 12 Sep 2013.
DONALD R. SUTHERLAND - Lugnaquillia, 13 Sep 2013.
MURDO McEWAN - Foel-fras, 21 Sep 2013.
COLIN LEES - Scafell, 5 Oct 2013.
ALEX THOMSON - Broad Crag, 13 Nov 2013.
DAVID BATTY - Broad Crag, 13 Nov 2013.
MAX LANDSBERG - Galtymore, 27 Nov 2013.
BARRY SMITH - Galtymore, Feb 2014.
ALASTAIR GOVAN - Carnedd Dafydd, 21 Apr 2014.
NEIL BATLEY - Pen yr Ole Wen, 21 May 2014.
DAVID COMINS - England, 30 May 2014.
PATRICK REVELL - Lugnaquillia, 22 Jun 2014.
DYLAN RYAN - Foel-fras, 7 Jul 2014.
PETER BETTESS - Foel Grach, 13 Jul 2014.
RAY HUNTER - Elidir Fawr, 14 Jul 2014.
SIMON SAWERS - Elidir Fawr, 3 Aug 2014.
IAN J. YOUNG - England, 4 Sep 2014.
JAMIE DOBSON - England, 4 Sep 2014.
JIM MARTIN - Ill Crag, 22 Sep 2014.
DAVID BETHUNE - Broad Crag, 13 Oct 2014.
MARTIN J. ALMOND - Brandon Mountain, 30 Oct 2014.
JAMES KING - Brandon Mountain, 2014.
PETER GRAYSON - Lugnaquillia, 6 Jun 2015.
TIM SEARLES - Helvellyn, 20 Jun 2015.
BRIAN NORMAN - Ireland, 5 Jul 2015.
ANDREW LAWSON - Knockoughter, 19 Jul 2015.
RICK ANSELL - Lugnaquillia, 12 Aug 2015.
CHRIS PINE - Elidir Fawr, 9 Sep 2015.
FIONA CLARK - Brandon Mountain, 30 Sep 2015.
STUART CLARK - Brandon Mountain, 30 Sep 2015.
TAMSIN BIRD - Elidir Fawr, 7 Apr 2016.
ANDREW BIRD - Elidir Fawr, 7 Apr 2016.
NIGEL MORTERS - Scafell Pike, 23 Apr 2016.
JOHN FEATHERSTONE - Coomloughra Horseshoe, 29 Apr 2016.
ALAN HINCHCLIFFE - Lugnaquillia, 14 May 2016.
MARK GIBSON - Brandon Mountain, 18 May 2016.
MICHAEL O'DONNELL - Beenkeragh, 27 May 2016.
JOHN O'DONNELL - Brandon Mountain, 29 May 2016.
GEORGE BRUCE - Foel-fras, 15 Jun 2016.
ALAN TAYLOR - Lugnaquillia, 24 Aug 2016.
FRANK JOHNSTONE - Elidir Fawr, 2016.
PETE ROBERTSON - Lugnaquillia, 25 Apr 2017.
ALISTAIR DEERING - Brandon Mountain, 31 May 2017.
ALLISON ROBERTSON - Brandon Mountain, 31 May 2017.
ROBERT F. GIBSON - Elidir Fawr, 14 Jun 2017.
JOHN HENDERSON - Beenkeragh, 18 Jun 2017.
EILEEN McLAREN - Lugnaquillia, 19 Jun 2017.
JOHN McLAREN - Lugnaquillia, 19 Jun 2017.
JON EDGAR - Helvellyn, late Jun 2017.
ROBERT PHILLIPS - Carnedd Llewelyn, 7 Aug 2017.
ANNE BUTLER - Foel-fras, 8 Sep 2017.
ROBIN WALLACE - Foel Grach, 8 Sep 2017.
ALISON HIGHAM - Foel-fras, 15 Jul 2019.

Brandon, 11 Oct 1982

The list has been researched by Simon Glover, to give some idea of where people complete their Furths. Based on the above sample of 250 known first round completions, the distribution by country is: England, 16.4%; Wales, 20.8%; and Ireland wins hands down with an impressive 62.8%. Regretfully this research has closed, except for any future notifications. Please send details to: moelfamau555@gmail.com

While the above information is in the public domain, please acknowledge this source if reused elsewhere.

Thanks are due to the Scottish Mountaineering Club, the National Library of Scotland and Dave Hewitt for their help. Furthists who have reported to the SMC, can be found on their Completionists page.

The First Furthist - James Parker

SMC Image Archive
                                                                                               
James Parker recorded his achievement in the Cairngorm Club Journal 1929, Vol. 12, pp. 84-85, thus:

"I had also climbed all the three thousand feet mountains in England and Ireland so that it was my very natural ambition to pay some attention to those in Wales. Good weather being essential, I took advantage of the settled weather after Easter and went to Bangor in North Wales on April 12 [1929], and from it and from Pen-y-Pass Inn climbed all the Welsh "Threes" comfortably in a week, the last being Tryfan (3,010 ft.), a very fine little rock peak, climbed on April 19."

Further Reading

Anne Butler's blog twofeetfourpaws includes brief notes on the Furths. 
The Scottish Mountaineering Club has now made their Journal available to download online (up to 2007), and contain interesting articles and information about Furths down the years.
My exploration of 'Furths: The Early Lists' in SMCJ, 45/208 (2017), pp. 233-241, details the lists of James Parker, William Docharty and David Maxwell.