Sunday, 22 August 2010

One dark winter’s night, a fire fighter called Arthur climbed onto a roof armed with a hose reel, his mission to put out a chimney fire. His colleagues had sheeted up the hearths down below. The officer shouted up the chimney, “When you’re ready Arthur!” With that, he squeezed the trigger. Nothing seemed to happen, until the family next door came running out, covered in soot. The fireman became known as “Wrong Pot Wally”. This stuck with him for the rest of his career.

Well!!! “Wrong Hill Wally Whitelock” ended up on the wrong mountain, Squrr Ruhda and Fuar Tholl, instead of Beinn Liath Mhor.  I was joined by trainee wallies Paul Chappel, Joanne Chappell, Jenny Smith, Gordon Eccleston, Matt Press, Graham Boyle and Kath Taylor… Together with Lynne Long, Pete Long and Rachael Higgins, who were incidentally where they were supposed to be!

Gordon, Matt, Graham, Paul, Joanne and Kath dropped into Coire La`ir from Loch a` Bhealaich having completed Squrr Ruhda.

Kath put it very eloquently: “Definitely not the wrong mountain, just a different one.  My first trip out with the club for very many years and it didn’t disappoint at all. Time for a very leisurely walk out with Jo and Paul, stopping often where a breeze kept the midges away and we could just enjoy being where we were.”

The rest of the party continued on to Fuar Tholl before retracing to the col prior to spot height 895, then down into Coie La`ir.

Guest Mark Shewry also walked the Sgorr Ruadh and Fuar Tholl ridge. “I was on my own,” he said, “as everyone else was supposed to be doing Beinn Liath Mhor.”  Little did he know!

Andy Brooks quoth, “What an exciting day I had.  I went up Beinn Liath Mor.  (Not everybody did.)  I was with Bob MacDonald and Illona Morrice; Rob Murray joined us on the top.  The sun came out eventually.  Then I went back to the bus, by the station.  (Not everybody did.)

…I can’t think who he means.

John Henderson walked with Sandy Murray, Ray Harron, Bob Weeks, George West and Brian Fraser.  They started from Annat (just after the Beinn Alligan turn off), and had a leisurely stroll around the western flanks of Maol Chean-dearg before dropping down to the bothy on the way back to the Coulags.  At the bothy they had a good chin wag as the sun came out and there was just enough breeze to keep the midges away.  Not a big hill day but an enjoyable walk in good company.  It reminded John of this poem:

What is this life, if full of care

We have no time to stand and stare

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep and cows

No time to see, when woods we pass

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass

No time to see, in broad daylight

Streams full of stars, like skies at night..?

George Sim also started at Annat and did the Graham Beinn na h-Eaglaise before walking out to the bus at the Coulags.

Greg Muir and Graeme Morrison did the same Graham from Annat and then Maol Chean-dearg and Sgorr Ruadh – before walking out to the Coulags.

Graham Bartlett did a parallel road traverse from Achnasheen to Achnasheallach.

Graham Milton got off the bus at the foot of Sgurr Dubh and found a small bridge to cross the river. He went up over the slabs, which were tricky and wet, but arrived on top in glorious sunshine at 12.00 noon.  He crossed the undulating, never ending plateau to reach Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine, still in the clear.  He returned via the path to Achnashellach Station, meeting up with other MMC members.  A really good day and a surprisingly accurate weather forecast. Graham also checked out our Christmas meet venue at Ledgowan.

Dave Whitelock

For more photos from this meet, click here