You are invited to the Moray Mountaineering Club’s Annual General Meeting to be held at 19:30 on Thursday 12 March 2015 at Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin. Please support your club by attending. The agenda will be issued to all members via email by the Club Honorary Secretary in due course. The annual J. Alister Sword photography competition will take place after the Annual General Meeting on 12 March 2015. The competition rules are: 1. Competition is open to current members of the Moray Mountaineering Club only. 2. Two categories: “Scottish” and “Non-Scottish”. 3. Any subject with a mountaineering theme (landscapes, people, macros, wildlife, etc.). 4. Entries must have been taken between 1st January 2014 and…
March 2015 Bus Meet: Drumochter
Sunday, 15 March 2015 O.S.Map(s): 35, 42 Bus Stop: Balsporran Est. time of arrival: 09.30 Time of departure: 17.30 Leave Elgin: 07.00 Drumochter is an ideal winter venue with numerous relatively easy hills and a high starting point. The bus has not visited Drumochter since 2010! As in previous years, the bus will divert off the A9 through Kingussie and Newtonmore to Dalnaspidal, allowing access to hills as far south as Beinn Udlamain and Sgairneach Mhor, before rejoining the A9 again and parking up at Balsporran for the day. To the east are Carn na Caim, A’Bhuidheanach Bheag and Meall Chuaich. The Fara, a Corbett on the north side of…
January 2015 Weekend Meet: Inverey
In the absence of our usual weekend meet raconteur, it falls on me to report back on the eating, drinking and general foolery that is the New Year meet and, of course, tell the tales of high adventure in the mountains. Muir Cottage, Inverey Let me kick off with the ‘eating’ bit. Our thanks to Graeme and Shona who arrived with a full roast beef Hogmanay dinner for all, complete with Yorkshire puds and roast tatties – pretty swiftly polished off by the fourteen members in attendance. As everybody else had turned up with vats of tasty food, we all ate well for the rest of the weekend. It must…
MMC Ceilidh: Friday 20th February 2015
Date: Friday 20th February 2015 Time: 7.30pm to midnight Venue: Elgin Town Hall Band: Buskoe Sike Tickets: £10 (includes stovies). Tickets should ideally be purchased in advance via cheque or BACS. Cheques should be made payable to “Moray Mountaineering Club” and sent to Malcolm Campbell at “Invermay, 12 Bank Lane, Forres, IV36 1NU” Payment by BACS: Bank: RBS Name: Moray MC Sort Code: 83 20 06 Acct No: 10830480 Ref to Use: Please state “Ceil + your surname” (otherwise it will not be identified who has made the payment. This is essential.) Anyone paying in advance will be entered into a special draw to win a bottle of whisky. Physical tickets will…
The Spirit of Adventure Talks feat. Heavy Whalley
Forthcoming talk at Universal Hall, the Park, Findhorn.
March 2015 Weekend Meet: Inverie, Knoydart
Date: 7th/8th March 2015 Venue: Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse, Inverie Location: The Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse is located approximately half a mile south-east of the centre of Inverie village. Getting here: You can walk here from Kinloch Hourn, Strathan or Glenfinnan (but it’s a really long way!) or you can simply jump on a boat from Mallaig. You cannot drive here. You will likely need to have at least a half-day off on Friday to get here. Ferry to Inverie: The Knoydart Seabridge is the new Highland Council subsidised passenger ferry service. You can see their new regular timetable here. They recommend booking a place in advance: tel 01687 462916 or email jon@sandaig.com.…
January 2015 Bus Meet Report: Cairngorms
For the annual Cairngorm winter meet, we were hoping to provide the opportunity to practice and develop the skills of walking safely on snow and ice and using ice axes and crampons. Alternatively others were hoping to get up onto the Cairngorm plateau for a walk around the Northern Corries or maybe Ben Macdui. Unfortunately the weather had other ideas! As we headed up the road to the Ski Centre car park, the large neon sign indicated that the road was closed and snow clearing was in progress. We came to a standstill in the long queue of cars at Loch Morlich and as there was no knowing how long…
December 2014 Bus Meet Report: Achnashellach
The venue for this year’s Christmas meet was Achnashellach which is always an excellent location for hill walking, but again, like last year’s Christmas meet, there was heavy rain for most of the day. Despite the awful weather forecast, thirty-nine members and one guest braved the conditions and were determined to enjoy the day. The Christmas meal was held at the nearby Ledgowan Hotel which is a typical old-style highland hotel and perfect for this type of function. The heavy rain and predicted high winds restricted the walking options but George’s gang of Graham M, Graeme M, Alan, Fiona, Jake, Drummond, Dan, Colin, Bill, Steve, Denise and Brent got off…
December 2014 Weekend Meet Report: Kintail
We stood outside, alone. I could see her breath in the air as she spoke. “I’m up for it. I just don’t know if it’s a good idea. I can’t make that judgement call, and if you’re not sure about it that’s fine…” Her voice trailed off and white vapour evaporated in the inky black air. I looked down at the frost glistening on the tarmac road, and then up. Up to the mountains. The steep craggy flanks, the snowline, the ridges above and the sky beyond. Clouds flitted across the sky, above the tops, sometimes in front of the full moon that hung there like a light bulb. I…
January 2015 Bus Meet: Cairngorm
Sunday 18th January 2015 OS Map: 36 Bus Stop: Coire Cas car park Arrival Time: 09:30 Departure Time: 17:00 Leave Elgin: 07:00 We are heading back to Cairngorm again this January and Ray and Steve have kindly offered to provide some winter skills transfer with those who wish to take part. A number of topics will be covered including the use of ice axe and crampons. Ice axe, crampons and helmet will be required as well as your usual Winter walking gear. The Ptarmigan restaurant may be visited, so bring along some money for tea and cake. If you would like to take part in Winter skills, please contact Ray…