Sat 2nd – Sun 3rd April

A perennial favourite, the Ling Hut was full to over-flowing with a few desperate  stragglers even consigned to the distant car park. A foul Friday night with a fouler forecast for the next day, saw our assorted band huddled in the storm-battered hut, muttering grimly about low-level routes and alternative days out.

And so it was, after a start that was more Alpen than Alpine, and with far too much credence given to the weather guess, various parties set out.

Evelyne Droege, who was in the area for a few days, decided to take a little time out to smell the flowers, and visited the wonderful Inverewe Gardens.

Illona Morrice and Andy Brooks, being the dedicated athletes they are, went to the recently opened climbing wall at Gairloch. Not only thrutching up steep stuff indoors, but subjecting themselves to coffee and cake.

Dave Maclean, Bob MacDonald, Sybille Brinz, Jenny Smith and Fiona Cuninghame took a cultural charabanc to explore Slaggan ruins and Slaggan Bay. The ‘culture’ including some traditionally distilled liquor and fermented hops.

Graeme Morrisson dragged the long suffering Penny TWD up another lonely and God-forsaken hillock – An Ruadh Mheallan — which took about 20 minutes.

Fiona Duncan and Alan Duncan claimed to have had a long and hard day climbing Beinn Airgh Charr, but unless they got lost, it looks like a half day at best.

The Bolivia-bound buffoons Joe Glennie and Jake Lee took the least probable route up Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine and Beinn Liath Mhor, but at least got above 2000 feet. Joe did write a poem about it all, but in this ever-increasingly litiginous age, it is best left in the drain it was thrown into.

Sol took Maggie Paterson and Graeme Gunn for a very long walk somewhere, but though they did write down an account, it is now lost.

Even with electric lighting, the Ling Hut remains intensely atmospheric and after a day in the hills (beach/café/pub) it’s a great place to relax in and recount days gone by or trips to come. And as the early Spring night wore on, our happy band of adventurers, with the quiet satisfaction that comes from a full day filled, slipped slowly into the gentle discourse of the day’s events. Those early to bed, lulled to sleep with the quiet murmur of contented voices, accompanied by the occasional pop of a cork pulled or fizz of a bottle opened.

Dave Maclean, sensing the classic ambience of the slowly drifting evening, made a short DVD of our night; though what is on there is hard to imagine. Halcyon days indeed.

Sunday, as ever, involved everyone disappearing whilst your poor author was still resting his eyes. Though there is no doubt that a day that promised better weather was fully used.

Graeme Morrison, Jenny Smith, Joe Glennie and Jake Lee did climb the fantastically situated Beinn a Chearcaill  and between the howling wind and hail were treated to spectacular rainbow-filled views on a day that reminded us that Spring comes late to some parts and Winter’s chill blasts are not too easily forgotten.

Another belting weekend.

Jake Lee

Did anyone take any photos at this meet? If so can you please email them to me ASAP?