Sunday Walk Report 2nd November 2014

The first Sunday walk of the new membership year received the magnifcent attendance of one member in addition to the leader.

The itinerary followed little used paths up onto the South Ennerdale ridge, taking in Haycock, Scoat Fell, Pillar and White Pike, descending by another little used path diagonally down through the forest to minimise the distance on the valley gravel road.  Conditions were very cold in the strong wind on the tops, a few spots of rain and hail just around the summit region of Pillar, otherwise very pleasant conditions. On return to the car park, a bold and cheeky robin decided to investigate the inside of the leader's car and was lucky to be spotted and encouraged to jump ship before being accidentally relocated to a new home in Egremont.

Dalwhinnie Meet Report, 13-14 September 2014

Only five members attended; Ross and John arrived, separately, after spending some days beforehand, peak bagging.  Jan, Sarah and Martin L, drove up late Friday.  Weather forecast was good, but not quite as good as the prior few days which were wall-to-wall sunshine, whereas the two weekend days started with a low mist which burned off to 50% cloud cover, about mid-day. On Saturday, John began in earnest his tackling of the relative hills of Britain, getting four in the bag, including one which was accessible from the hut door.  Sarah tackled the Monadliath Munros after some ribbing about wasting a good weather day on such hills lacking in interest. Martin L had a 26 mile mega-day, cycling in to Strathossian (a long hard ride, I've done it myself to access the remote Corbett Leum Uilliem - so he might have to cycle it again if he goes on to do the Corbetts) to access the four Munros and Tops north of Ben Alder (the access to these Munros is more difficult following the closure of the Culra bothy); he was glad for the meal made for him of leftovers from the rest of the group.

Sunday brought similar weather and the dispersal of the group; John headed SW to begin the completion of his round of Munros in non-winter conditions (suceeded 15 September, on Bidean nam Bian, in, of course, classic pea soup conditions, with the cloudbase socked in at 950 metres). Ross and Jan headed West for a foray into the beautiful Knoydart area.  Sarah headed back home via an attempt on the Munros north of Blair Atholl, where the normally boggy moorland return path would be nice and dry after the long dry spell.

Barbeque Report, Friday 11 July 2014

Eight members enjoyed a sunny evening, being smoked like kippers, in the garden at El Presidente's abode and subsidised your club's assets to the tune of £40 surplus over the cost of the event.  Conversation was varied but most memorable was that of an airborne lamb trying out its flying skills for the first and only time in finding the fastest way down a crag, somewhat unsuccessfully; another lamb, in the process of being lowered down the crag just wanted to stop and nonchalantly graze on the way down.  Cam the dog entertained with his attempts at telekenesis; willing gravity, through intense and patient staring, to spontaneously assist his faded rubber chicken to descend towards his teeth.

Sunday Walk Report, 6 July 2014

The venue was Brother's Water. Only the meet organiser turned out; he went
up Brock Crags, The Nab, Rest Dodd, The Knott, Rampsgill Head, Kidsty Pike, High Street, Thornthwaite Crag & Gray Crag. Weather was 90% sunshine and very little wind.

Winter meet March 2015

I have various proposals for March 2015 and would welcome your view.

1. We could stay at Slochd Bunkhouse  just off the A9 after Aviemore - Very comfortable, luxurious even and is £20 per night. This opens up Cairngorms and further North. They also have Nordic Skis for hire should there be adequate snow.

2. Culdees Bunkhouse , Aberfeldy.  £18 a night and is a little closer - Loch Tay.

3.  SMC hut below Buchaille Etive Mor   £10 per night

All have pros and cons -  Let me know your preferred option and also dates in March. It will be subject to hut availability!

Sarahkekus@btinternet.com

Meet Report 1st June 2014

The Grasmere based Sunday walk was attended by the usual threesome - they went up Steel Fell, Tarn Crags & Blea Rigg and experienced sunny weather for a change.

Spring Bank Holiday Meet, 23-27 May 2014 at Forest Way bunkhouse, Inverlael.

Seven members made their way North on Friday, overnighting at the independent hostel at Slochd; Dianne and Martin climbed a Corbett to the East of Dromochter summit, en route.

On Saturday, Jake and Chris climbed the Corbett “Breabag”; Sarah climbed Ben Dearg and two of the adjacent Munros; Ross climbed two Grahams in Strath Connon; some members finished the day at various tea shops.  John re-joined the group again having traversed the Ben Mor Coigach group in a mixture of low cloud and sunshine and having mopped up all of the remote Northern Grahams over the intervening fortnight since the Glen Etive meet.  One of the ridges provided about 2 km of scrambling opportunity along a narrow airy ridge.

Sgurr an Fhidhleir Buttress (left), from Ben Mor Coigach
 

Sunday was beset by low cloud.  Dianne, Jan and “Cam” the dog navigated around three of the Fannich Munros in very low visibility.  John climbed the Graham Ben an Eoin in similar conditions (on a “size for irk” ratio, one of the most irksome Grahams, being beset by extremely arduous terrain underfoot).  

Sign at start of access to Ben an Eoin!

 

Jake and Chris had a long day climbing the challenging Beinn Dearg Corbetts in the Fisherfield Forest.  Martin and Sarah climbed on the Ardmair buttresses but were restricted on route choice by the weepage down many of the routes.

Monday, Jake and Chris set off back home with a view to climbing a Corbett off the side of Drumochter Pass. John climbed another Graham, Meall Dubh (“black hill”, an appropriate name for the peat and the socked-in cloud!). Ross part-cycled his way to two Grahams beside Ben Wyvis – a long day with an arduous peaty moorland crossing to the second one and back.  Martin and Sarah climbed a challenging ridge (also managed by “Cam” the dog (84 equivalent years old now, poor old fella)), up on to Cona Mheall and round onto Am Faochagach, involving a tricky river crossing at the end and suffering torrential downpours in the latter stages.  Having had a demanding day on Sunday, Dianne and Jan visited the Inverewe gardens, near the coast, experiencing glorious sunshine!