Sat 1st – Sun 2nd November 2008 O.S.Map(s): 50 Accommodation: “By thy Way” Hostel (Website) Cost: £14.00 pppn Facilities: Bed linen, fully equipped kitchen, showers etc. An excellent location close to the hills around Crianlarich and even Glencoe is within striking distance. The owners of the hostel reckon there are 50 Munros within a 20 mile radius of By the Way. (Click here for more info on the hills.) Book now with Dave Galloway by email
October 2008 Weekend Meet Report: Durness
4-5 October 2008 The Lazy Crofter Bunkhouse at Durness played host to seven MMC members for the October weekend meet. The hostel’s excellent facilities where fully utilised when that night the rain arrived out of the north and increased to a torrential downpour lasting until Saturday lunchtime. This allowed a late morning start and a leisurely breakfast as we all stared out the window, watching the bad weather while Joe sat writing poetry on the settee. Paul Chappell and Jo Cross where the first to break. As the rain eased, they set off to explore Smoo cave with its fascinating internal waterfall. Although the rain came to an abrupt halt…
September 2008 Bus Meet Report: Corrieyairack Traverse
Sunday 21st September 2008 This is a short and sweet account of what was a long yet pleasant traverse across the Corrieyairack Pass from Garva Bridge to Ft Augustus. Another disappointing turnout, with just 17 attending (What’s going on people?), although in mitigation a large group of regulars were away in Morocco. Most folk followed the old military road built by General Wade in 1731. A picture of this engineering genius adorns one of the rooms in the well-restored Melgarve bothy along the way. To be absolutely honest, this was a fair trudge of about 30 km, and we cast envious glances at a group of mountain bikers as they…
When Hell Freezes Over: Andy Kirkpatrick in Elgin
Friday 10th October 2008 8.00 pm Glen Moray Distillery Visitors Centre, Bruceland Rd, Elgin £5.00 Andy Kirkpatrick is one of Britain’s most talented mountaineers. He is also very very funny, with a humour to match the best standup comedy acts. Andy is touring the country with this talk just now and we are very lucky to have secured an opportunity to see him in Elgin! “When Hell Freezes Over” is a highly amusing account of his various expeditions to Patagonia, a treacherous mountain range at the southern most portion of South America, referred to amongst locals as “the eater of men”. No trip to Patagonia is without incident, and Andy’s…
October 2008 Bus Meet: Assynt
Sunday, 19th October 2008 O.S.Map(s): 15 Est. time of arrival: 9.45 am Time of departure: 17.30 pm Leave Elgin: 7.00 am Assynt has an impressive array of outstanding mountains: Ben More Assynt, Conival, Canisp, Quinag Breabag – names to conjure with. The rock in this area is predominantly gneiss, on top of which sandstone hills have weathered to create some of the weird and magnificent shapes typical of this region and on a clear day, this is an area where you like to linger as long as possible. We’ve been having a fairly good run of weather on bus meets since January, so don’t miss out on this one! (That’ll…
October 2008 Weekend Meet: Durness
Sat 4th – Sun 5th October 2008 O.S.Map(s): 9/10 Accommodation: The Lazy Crofter Bunkhouse, Durness Cost: £14.00 pppn Facilities: Bed linen, fully equipped kitchen, showers etc. October’s meet takes us to the far northwest, a land of mountains and sea, cliffs and waterfalls, beaches and rainbows. The main hills in the area are Foinaven, with its 5 tops, and Arkle. If a Munro is a must, Ben Hope is not that far. In bad weather, Sango beach and Smoo Cave are spectacular alternatives to the hills. Book now with Dave Galloway by email. For more information about the Lazy Crofter bunkhouse, visit their website here.
Sept 2008 Indoor Meet: MMC trip to Ecrins Massif
Thursday, 25 September 2008, 8.00 pm Glen Moray Distillery Visitors Centre, Bruceland Rd, Elgin The first indoor meet of the season is a slideshow presentation on the MMC trip to the Ecrins massif in the Southern Alps, which six members led by Illona Morrice undertook at the end of July – beginning of August. Basing themselves in the charming village of Ailefroide, the team tackled the many opportunities the area has to offer: From single and multipitch sport climbing to Alpine routes and glacier mountaineering. Thrill to the daring Alpine exploits of Joe Glennie and Ryan Slater on the Pelvoux traverse! Tremble as Ali Erginsoy and John Orr brave crevasses…
September Weekend Meet Report: Skye-Portnalong
30-31 August, 1 September 2008 Friday the 29th saw twelve club members assemble at the Skyewalker Hostel at Portnalong on the Isle of Skye. Our hosts Brian and Lisa Hill made us feel very welcome, which explains why their 40 bed establishment was full. Geordie was the dominating accent that Friday night. Saturday morning didn’t produce the forecasted weather, with rain showers and the cloud base lower than predicted. Not to be put off, Colin Cowie set of for Sgurr a Bhadaidh and Sgurr a Ghreadaidh from the Glen Brittle Youth Hostel. On his way up to An Dorus he made the 550 meter mark before taking the advice of…
Sept 2008 Bus Meet: Corrieyairack Traverse
Sunday, 21st September 2008 O.S.Map(s): 34/35 Est. time of arrival: 9.15 am Time of departure: 17.30 pm Leave Elgin: 7.00 am The traverse along the ancient Corrieyairack road (built by General Wade in 1731), will begin at the old barracks and former Inn at Garvamore and finish at Fort Augustus. The distance will be approx. 30kms and towards the western end there is a steep ascent in 12 zigzags, where the 775m road summit provides magnificent views, before the equally steep descent to the Allt Lagan a’ Bhainne bridge. Continue down Glen Tarff high on the west side of the deep tree-lined gorge of the River Tarff to Culachy, and…
August 2008 Bus Meet Report: Glenfeshie-Coylumbridge Traverse
Sunday, 17th August 2008 A very windy day saw a total of 15 members and 3 guests turn up for this traverse, thus justifying the use of a 25 seat bus. All parties started their walk from there in “moist” conditions however strong gales very quickly pushed the malevolent drizzle away to reveal some good views. All made their way to Carn Ban Mor and then divided into three groups. Moira Baptie, Anne Carter, Lydia Davies, Fiona Duncan, Paul Hope and Bob Weeks headed north to complete a traverse over the long ridge of Sgor Gaoith. Cloud and wind accompanied most of the way which caused many a stumble and…