On Thursday afternoon #Fa’sTheLingKey, #FtShallWeDo and #TheBoot were all trending on the MMC social media platforms. We had a problem: the Ling Hut key had not arrived in the post. Those in the know may suggest looking under the “obvious” stone. But in Torridon there are a lot of stones, most of which are pretty obvious. After some considerable head scratching, we decided that that the situation was so serious that we needed to call Burghead Mountain Rescue. BMR duly supplied a key, for which we are very grateful. My first memories of the Ling hut are from the MMC’s Hogmanay meet over ten years ago. In those days the…

Date:           Nights of Fri 4 and Sat 5 October 2019 Venue:        Glenbrittle Memorial Hut, Glenbrittle, Skye Location:   Glenbrittle, Skye. OS Grid Ref: NG412216, Google StreetView Facilities:  18 bunks (sleeping bags required), well equiped kitchen, drying room, showers, WCs Cost:            £10.00 per person per night (usual £5 pppn camper’s charge applies) The Glenbrittle hut is ideally situated for access to the Cuillin Ridge. Literally walk out the door for access to the hills from Sgurr na Banachdich to Sgurr nan Eag. Nearby Hills: Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Bastier, Bruach na Frithe, Sgurr Mhadaidh, Sgurr Ghreadaidh, Sgurr na Banachdich, Sgurr…

Lagangarbh is one of the most iconic mountaineering huts in Scotland, nestling as it does in a picturesque location at the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor. It was originally a crofting home, but has been maintained by the Scottish Mountaineering Club since 1946. For an increasingly large proportion of Moray Mountaineers, the weekend starts shortly after the last one finished. Alistair and Adele were the first of such “mid-weekers”. On Thursday, they did a round including Bidean nam Bian and on Friday Stob Ghabhar and Stob a Coire Odhair from Victoria Bridge. Alan and Fiona walked west from Victoria Bridge to the Graham Beinn Suidhe. “Very hot and sunny. Thought…

Date:          Nights of Fri 6 & Sat 7 September 2019 Venue:       Ling Hut, Torridon Location:  Hut is located on the south side of Glen Torridon at gird ref NG958562 (it’s about 750m walk from the car park). Google Maps Facilities:  Cooking and heating by propane gas.  Solar powered electric lighting.  Alpine-style bunks for twelve. According to the SMC’s website, there is even a drying room.  I’ve not been for a few years, but it’s probably better to consider this as a room to hang up wet items. Cost:           £25 per person for the weekend (price corrected 30 Aug) The Ling…

It was Scourie Gala weekend, which meant that the town folk, including the campsite staff, were mostly occupied with tractors, drinking and more tractors. Dan and Sheena were greeted at the campsite entrance with a rather gruff “you were supposed to be here before six o’clock… park wherever you want.” The rest of team MMC (Maurice, Iain, Jake, Sam, Andy and Becky) dissipated to the four corners of the campsite (or in Andy and Becky’s case, the local cemetery). Rumours of a lone cyclist on the Tour de France prologue turned out to be Malcolm, who had battled Scotrail all the way to Lairg, followed by 70km into a headwind,…

Date:           Nights of Friday 2 and Saturday 3 August 2019 Venue:        Lagangarbh Hut, Glen Coe Location:   OS Grid Ref NN 221 560.  There is a car park just off the A82, but you can carefully drive down a track to a second car park next to the river.  From here it is just a short walk to the hut. Facilities:  Heating and cooking are by propane gas and electricity, lighting is electric. The hut has drying room, toilets and a shower.  Alpine bunks. No camping or fires allowed in the vicinity of the hut Cost:           £10pppn What to do: There is…