Glen Etive, Inbhirfhaolain.  It always rains when the MMC stays here and the weather forecast suggested the tradition would be upheld.  Thursday was a beautiful Spring day, and Sod’s Law, a big weather front was moving in on Friday from the southwest.  The first of the group arrived around mid afternoon and got a fire going; and the last late in the evening as the whisky was flowing.  But all arrived in the rain.  The forecast for Saturday was “uncertain”.  The day started grey, with the summits shrouded in cloud.  The cloud was supposed to lift momentarily, with wind and rain pushing in later.  But when would “later” be?  That was the question nobody could answer, although according to Brian it would be 4.02pm.

Robert Ross was lucky to arrive at all, given that he was supposed to be working in Botswana.  It must say something for his dedication that on a weekend meet when more people cancelled than actually went, Robert took all his hill gear, including ice axe and sleeping bag, to Botswana and bunked off early to be at Inbhirfhaolain in time for the meet.  Unfortunately, his hold luggage which included the aforementioned items was held up in London and didn’t make it onto his connecting flight to Edinburgh.  Not to worry, a new duvet bought en route sufficed for the two nights.

Given the predicted weather window everyone was up early.  Or, perhaps one person decided to get up early but because everyone was in the same room this became a group action.  Either way people dispersed in various directions.

Robert R, Dan, Graeme, Alan and Malcolm headed north to Sgurr na Ulaidh.  They reached the summit in unexpectedly good weather and most of the group decided to continue to Ben Fionnlaidh, with Malcolm returning to the glen.  The party found a “sporting” route to the summit through a line of cliffs they named “The Yellow Band”.

Bob and Fiona also climbed Sgurr na Ulaidh but decided to have a one hill day and return to the hut before the weather broke.

Evelyne stayed low but had a lovely walk surrounded by spectacular views.  She went to Altnafeadh and walked along some of the West Highland Way.

David, Robert J, Brian and Joe piled into a car and drove downhill.  After a few miles they got out and peered southwards towards the hills.  David, Robert and Brian ascended Glas Bheinn and reached the summit shortly before the weather cleared.  Robert got a great view of a spectre around the sun on reaching the col to Stob Coire an Albanaich.  Brian headed back down the the hut while Robert and David carried on over Stob Coire an Albanaich, with views of spectacular cornices, then down over Meall Tarsuinn to Meall nan Eun, returning down Glen Ceitlen to the car.

Joe shamelessly tagged along with the group for the lift in David’s car before peeling off to wander up the long easy angled ridge to the summit of Ben Starav.  Here the views were obscured by cloud but on the narrow ridge to Stob Coire Dheirg the clouds started to disperse and by the time the slopes of the out-and-back summit of  Beinn nan Aighenan was reached the sun was out and snow covered hills stretched out in all directions.  He returned to the main ridge, crossing Meall nan Tri Tighearnan en route to Glas Bheinn Mhor.  The weather remained fair and settled for the traverse to Stob Coir’ an Albannaich and then there was just one more peak to be climbed to complete the “Starav Five”.

It was 4.30pm by the time the summit of Meall nan Eun was reached and still the supposedly short weather window was open.  With no rain and several hours until sunset it seemed a shame to descend to the valley and there was something rather attractive about the rounded shape of Stob Ghabhar with its distinctive summit cairn.  The long ridge from Meall Odhar to Stob Ghabhar held a lot of slushy snow and made for slow tiring progress but eventually the final summit was reached.  By now the clouds were building and the hills on the far side of Bridge of Orchy were enveloped in rain clouds.  Time to descend.  A long way to the road, then a few miles down the glen.  By 9.30 he was within a mile of the hut when headlights appeared around the corner.  It was David in his car looking out for the last lone walker.  He was driving up the glen as Dan was driving down it.  The lift was very welcome, and the actions of both search party members much appreciated.

A pleasant evening was spent in the Grampian Club’s hut, which included an excellent slide show from Robert R on his trip to Nepal last year.  He went there to climb Everest and was at Base Camp when the earthquake and avalanche struck.  A fascinating insight into what happened both to climbers at the base of the mountain and local people in surrounding areas.

Everyone departed on Sunday morning and Malcolm describes his day:

“-As planned, I headed south to Bridge of Orchy and climbed Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh.  Two easy hills on a good day for walking: light winds, occasional showers and even a (brief) view between the clouds from the top of Beinn an Dothaidh.  Soft snow on Beinn Dorain above 800m, but navigation was easy even with poor visibility – I just had to follow in the footsteps of two parties of weegies.”

Robert R was also on a Sunday Munro bagging trip:

“I set off for Ben Starav, his last Munro in Glen Etive, in wet conditions.  The guide book said ‘From the farm follow the river for 400m, cross the bridge and ascend for 1060m to the summit.’ Something went wrong after 200 metres and I had to make a difficult crossing higher up . Four ladies had been watching my progress – from the path – for some time and had debated how I was going to drop into the small ravine cross and scramble out (as had I). All I can say is I managed it with only my left boot filling up. I proudly eased passed the gang of four as they continued to have their chat. The rain turned to sleet and the last slope to the summit was quite steep soft snow. Although I didn’t use it I was very pleased to know I had Alan’s axe in my back pack on the initial descent. I hope the ladies took similar comfort from the kitchen sinks they were carrying. I think everybody knows what happened to my phone on the way home. I had an uneventful drive to Bearsden to be reunited with my rucksack hot foot from Gaborone / Edinburgh airport.

Dan, Joe, Bob and Fiona C all looked up at the damp and cloud shrouded slopes of the Etive hills, considered the views that would great them from the summits and promptly went to Nevisport in Fort William.  After bacon rolls, coffee, cake and some aimless wandering around the sale rails Dan and Joe had has enough and went east in search of better weather.  The Cairngorms were covered in low cloud but it was dry so the pair went for a jog through Rothiemurchus Forest and around Loch an Eilein.

Brian climbed Beinn Maol Chaluim, a Corbett on the north side of Glen Etive nestled against the great bulk of Bidean nam Bian.

Alan and Graeme headed south towards Bridge of Orchy and Malcolm’s Munros but veered west to Victoria Bridge where they climbed Meall Tairbh.  Alan described the hill as a “boggy and uninspiring Graham”.  Such is the curse that befalls completionists of Munros and Corbetts.

Alan met up with Fiona D in Fort William on Sunday evening with the intention of walking Monday and Tuesday. However, like Friday the rain came on and forgot to stop. They gave it until Tuesday morning before admitting defeat and retreated to Inverness.  Schadenfruede aside, it was good to know that the club weekend had seen better weather than the days either side of it!