Date: Nights of Fri 6 and Sat 7 September 2017 Venue: Glenbrittle Memorial Hut, Glenbrittle, Skye Location: Glenbrittle, Skye. Grid ref: NG412216, Google StreetView Facilities: The hut has recently been refurbished for its 50th anniversary. 18 bunks (sleeping bags required), All electric; all utensils; large drying room; showers; WCs Cost: £10.00 per person per night (usual £5 pppn camper’s charge applies) Things to do: 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…
August 2017, Bus Meet Report, Clachnaben and Mount Battock
First of all, a warm welcome to some new members on this meet- Dianne Watters and Rob and Annika Acheson. This venue was a first for a bus meet – Glen Dye, with the intention of tackling Clachnaben and Mount Battock. 21 members on the bus, with various pick up points – Inverness, Forres, Elgin, Lhanbryde, Keith and Huntly (is this another first for the club?). Despite the mid-week weather forecast of a hurricane storm hitting Scotland on Sunday – a last minute change to the weather forecast on Friday meant that we had glorious sunshine all day! After a long bus drive, along some winding country roads, most of…
September 2017, Weekend Meet, Dundonnell
When: Nights of Fri 1 and Sat 2 September 2017 Where: The Smiddy, Dundonnell, OS Grid Ref NH 095 877 Cost: £8.00/person/night; £1 coin meter for power Facilities: Accommodation for 10 on alpine-style sleeping platforms with mattresses. Electric lighting, heating, water heater and cooking; microwave oven; fridge; all utensils supplied; open fire (coal supplied); running water; WC Things to do: The Smiddy is at the foot of An Teallach and handy for the northern Fannichs and the Fisherfield Munros. Gruinard crag close by has good climbing and the loch offers kayaking. What is not to like? To book: Contact Simon Jacyna to book your place (even if you are one of the OATs –…
August 2017 Bus Meet – Clachnaben and Mount Battock
Date: Sunday 20 August 2017 Map(s): Ordnance Survey 1:50k maps 44 & 45 or 1:25k OL54 Est. time of arrival: 10:00 Time of departure: 17:00 Leave Inverness: 7:00 The first pick up point is Inverness at 7:00, followed by Nairn at 7:20, Forres at 7:40 and then Elgin at 8:00. The bus should arrive at the Bridge of Dye car park at 10:00 and will park there for the day. You need Ordnance Survey 1:50k maps 44 and 45 to cover the start and summits. Alternatively, the 1:25k map OL 54 covers all the routes. There aren’t many options for alternative hills – so the routes are either Clachnaben, or Clachnaben plus Mount Battock,…
August 2017, Weekend Meet Report, Strontian
Strontian, a small village in a remote corner of a remote region on the remote west of Scotland, is mostly known for its ancient oak woodlands (prime example of temperate rainforest), craggy mountains and midges. In times-gone-by, minerals and mining played a much bigger part. Sir Alexander Murray discovered galena in the hills the region in 1722 and a mine was opened in 1725, in partnership with Thomas Howard, 8th Duke of Norfolk and General Wade. Various materials were mined, including lead and strontianite, which contains the element named after the village, Strontium (Sr). Strontium, lurks on the left hand side of the period table of elements, below Calcium and Magnesium.…
August 2017 Weekend Meet: Strontian (Ariundle Bunkhouse)
When: Nights of Friday 4th and Saturday 5th August Where: Ariundle Bunkhouse, Strontian. Grid Reference NM 821 631 Facilities: There are two bunk bed rooms upstairs each with their own private facilities. Linen is supplied with the exception of towels. There is a restaurant at the adjacent Ariundle Centre. Cost: To be confirmed by meets organiser What to do: Plenty of quality Corbetts, Grahams and Marilyns in Ardgour, Sunart, Moidart, Morvern and Ardnamuchan. If you are desperate for a Munro tick, you could drive the short distance to Lochaline and take the ferry across to Mull to ascend Ben More. Nearby Corbetts include Garbh Bheinn, Beinn Resipol, Sgurr Dhomhnuill and Carn…
Membership Due (2017-2018)
A wee reminder that membership fees fall due by the end of July. The annual membership fee is £30, which includes Mountaineering Scotland affiliated membership. Club Membership affords many benefits, including discounts at various outdoor shops, civil liability insurance, access to the Club library, access to Club equipment, access to Club Facebook Group and primarily the ability to attend Club Meets (see the Club website for further info). Lapsed members are not permitted to attend meets (so says the Club Constitution), so please get renewing to continue to enjoy Club Bus Meets, Weekend Meets, Climbing Meets and Social Meets. It helps us enormously if everyone pays on time i.e. before the end…
June 2017 Bus Meet Report – Torridon
On 18 June, 28 Members, Guests and LDWA Members set off from Moray on a sunny Sunday morning. The forecast was pessimistic, but spirits were high as the party headed towards the iconic hills of Torridon.. First off the bus a few miles before Kinlochewe, George, Drummond and Ella headed north to climb Beinn nan Ramh returning via Leckie and Heights of Kinlochewe. They got back in good time for a refreshment at the Kinlochewe Hotel. A large group disembarked at Kinlochewe. 4 stalwarts undertook the long slog to Slioch (Malcolm, Jan, Maggie and Dawn) and just made it back to the bus in time (but to late for a…
June 2017 Weekend Meet – Lagangarbh
Traversing the Aonach Eagach Date: 30th June/1st July 2017 Venue: Lagangarbh Hut, Glen Coe (Grid Ref NN 221 560) Location: The hut is situated at the head of Glen Coe about 300m off to the right (travelling south) of the A82. 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. The hut sleeps 20 (although 6 of these beds are reserved for SMC…
June 2017 Bus Meet – Torridon
Date: Sunday 18th June 2017 O.S.Map(s): 19/24/25 Est. time of arrival: 9:45/10:00 Time of departure: 17:30 Leave Elgin: 7:00 The bus will park for the day at the Beinn Alligan car park. The first drop off point is at Kinlochewe (at approximately 9:30) giving time to tackle Slioch, a considerable day out with a pub finish – once I’ve checked the time that the pub will be open on time! I remember tackling Slioch on a previous bus meet and being rewarded with meeting my first herd of mountain goats. The next drop off point will be the Beinn Eighe/Liathach car park (at about 9:30). This gives the option of…