After September’s Bus Meet cancellation and a dubious forecast for the weekend it looked likely that this Bus Meet may go the same way. Indeed, by Wednesday numbers were so low that Gordon was on the verge of cancelling the meet, but instead chose to book a smaller bus. A 25 seater was booked and the meet secured.

Then there were more sign-ups, and some drop-outs, and more sign ups, and more drop outs, and then more and more sign ups until in the end 27 people, plus Desmond at the wheel, travelled west towards Dundonnell in the large coach that Gordon subsequently, and luckily, managed to book.

First off the bus were Peter Goodwin, Tom Summerscales and Graeme Bartlett. Peter had ambitions on Creag Rainich whilst Tom and Graeme were planning a long low level traverse from Loch A Bhraoin to Coire Hallie. Others had planned to stay low but the sight of An Teallach rising from the moor and glistening in the morning light changed minds to focus on higher things.

Peter successfully bagged his Corbett, with bog underfoot at a cold wind blowing, before dropping down to the bothy at the head of the loch and walking back to the road. The options from here were a long wait with no pub stop or try his luck thumbing a lift. The latter worked well and the first passing car gave him a lift back to Dundonell.

Graeme and Peter walked past both the Loch a Bhraoin bothy and Shenevall bothy as well as the now inhabited Achnegie. Graeme enjoyed the 17.5 mile walk to the bus at Coire Hallie and felt humbled by Tom, 20 years his senior, who continued to Dundonell to make it a walk of over 20 miles, and one that finished at a pub!

Andy Brooks, Ken Ross, Ella Grant and Jerry Jacobsen stayed on the bus until it got to Corrie Hallie. They all walked south from the road, with Andy getting to a high point on Sail Liath and Ella and Jerry reaching Shenevall and Achnegie.

The weather certainly looked better than forecast, but a light sprinkling of snow dusted the highest tops and wind and cloud were due to roll in later. The full traverse of An Teallach over the pinnacles was therefore not on anyone’s to do list for the day and everyone else on the bus opted to do a there-and-back walk up An Teallach from Dundonell

A large group assembled in the pub car park. Strangely enough nobody went straight into the pub for either a coffee, beer or dram, but headed along the road to the hill path. One unfortunate fellow bid a hasty return when he realised he’d left all of his food on the bus. Luckily the bus and the food were both still there and, take two, he started once again up the hill.

The group, consisting of Dottie, Robert, Annika, Drummond, Peter D, Ray, Dianne M, Malcolm, Toni, John H, Lesley, Alison, Lenny, John K, Norman, Bruce, Joe, Brent, Dianne W and John S spread out along the path up An Teallach. It was a steady ascent with nothing of particular note, until a figure was spotted descending. Long before the descending figure was sufficiently close to be identified by sight he was identified by sound. The inimitable sound of a fellow club member bounced from hillside to hillside, booming in the corries, with faint echoes returning from Liathach and Suilven. Oh yes, this distant figure could be nothing else but Heavy Whalley.

It was good to see Heavy in his natural habitat, the tops of the Scottish Hills. He had had an early start and returned home while the rest of us were still on the hill.

There were some flurries of snow but the weather stayed fine for most of the day. A lunch spot was had on the summit, with fantastic views that put the dubious weather forecast to shame. Some of the group carried on to Sgurr Fiona and were enveloped in a swirling cloud that promised Broken Spectres but never quite delivered. All gathered at the Dundonnell Hotel below and enjoyed a drink or two before Desmond once again took the wheel and delivered us all back home again.

Words and Photos by Joe Glennie