Sunday, 18th May 2008 Twenty members and guests turned up for our most easterly meet of the year. Visibility was good all day allowing all walkers and scramblers to achieve their goal. Graeme Morrison went to Ben Tirran via Caple Mounth. He took the path to Glen Clova and walked over several tops and through many peat hags coming across a large herd of deer and many hares. Ali Erginsoy and Andy Taylor set out with the intention of a scramble up Central Buttress of Lochnagar but were put off by the snowy approach. Instead, they continued to the Stuic and enjoyed a fine scramble up to the plateau. All…

Sunday, 15 June 2008 O.S.Map(s): 41 Est. time of arrival: 10.00 am Time of departure: 18.00 pm Leave Elgin: 7.00 am A veritable cornucopia of hills are accessible from Glen Nevis and points en route: The Ben itself, the Mamores, the Aonachs, even the Grey Corries. One interesting walk would be the Ring of Steal and The Devil’s Ridge. This is also a particularly useful venue for climbers: Apart from the superb scrambles and ridge climbs on the north face of the Ben, the Polldubh crags themselves are easily accessible, with routes that can be done within the time constraints of a bus meet. The bus will wait at the…

Sunday, 18 May 2008 O.S.Map(s): 44 Est. time of arrival: 9.30 am Time of departure: 18.00 pm Leave Elgin: 7.00 am NB: This meet will be picking up in Elgin and Forres only, then onto Grantown, Tomintoul and Ballater. Going East for a change! Lochnagar is a superb location, offering the opportunity to bag 5 Munros in one go in the circuit of Lochnagar, Carn a’ Choire Bhaldheach, Carn an Sagairt Mor, Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn. (Or you could do just a couple.) A good low-level alternative is a walk around the atmospheric Loch Muick. Bookings to Natacha Mihajlovic please. For further information about the Lochnagar hills click here.

20 April 2008 2008 is granting us with an exceptionally good start: our bus meets have so far been blessed with dry weather conditions. The Sunday of this meet was the perfect spring day. A total of 34 members and guests turned up for this meet despite an earlier 6.00am start. All groups enjoyed a fantastic day in what can only be described as one of the most beautiful areas in Scotland. Walkers started off from either Achnashellach station or Coulags. From Achnashellach: Caroline Chaplin, Ian and Paul Gerragthy, John Henderson, Lee Madden and David Strathdee first walked through the forest and followed the river to the start of Beinn…

Sunday, 16 March 2008 A perfect winter day rewarded all 24 members and guests who attended this bus meet. Ken Ross headed off for the east end of Glen Quoich via Mam na Selig and enjoyed a great day spotting lots of wildlife. Alan and Fiona Duncan ascended Corbett Geal Carn from Loch Garry. The plentiful amount of deep, soft snow was deemed a nuisance but they still had a fantastic day with excellent views. Alan recommends climbing the hill from Loch Arkaig rather than from the north, as it took over four hours to reach the summit!  Graeme Morrison went up the same Corbett and continued to Meall na…

Sunday, 20 April 2008 O.S.Map(s): 24, 25 Est. time of arrival: 8.15 am Time of departure: 18.00 pm Leave Elgin: 6.00 am* Photo: Ray Newell It has been some time since the Club has undertaken this classic traverse, one of the most spectacular anywhere in the Highlands. There are myriad routes that can be done. One option starts at the layby on the A890 opposite the private road to Achnashellach train station and continues on into Coire Lair. From here, there are several options: For a high level traverse, you can either climb FuarTholl (Corbett) and Sgorr Ruadh (Munro) (also possible to miss out Fuar Tholl if desired) to the…

17 February 2008 An ever popular winter destination, Laggan once again attracted an excellent turnout of 30 members and guests. The weather conditions were decent and all enjoyed a good day out. First off the bus, Graeme Bartlett had a lovely walk up the river Pattack and round the loch in glorious sunshine. He made his way to the col past frozen Loch a’ Bhealaich Leamhain and finished the day at Luiblea. Lesley and Malcolm Leiper and Flora Hunt completed a traverse from Kinloch Laggan to Moy Lodge following the Binnein Shios ridge. The gradient being fairly steep on Binnea Shuas, they decided they would rather drop down and enjoy…

Loch Quoich – Sunday, 16 March 2008 O.S.Map(s): 33 Bus Stop: Bridge at NH 016040 Est. time of arrival: 9.15am Time of departure: 17.30pm Leave Elgin: 7.00am Another popular area, and justifiably so, Loch Quoich has three Munros on its north side and one to its south. Gleouraich, with its good access path, can be combined with Spidean Mialach to give a fine day’s walking, while further west Sgurr a’Mhaoraich is normally climbed on its own. It also has a good path leading up into Coire nan Eiricheallach. To the south of Loch Quoich is the Munro Gairich, which can be climbed from the dam at the east end of…

Laggan – Sunday, 17 February 2008 O.S.Map(s): 34, 41, 42 Bus Stop: Laggan Dam Est. time of arrival: 9.45am Time of departure: 17.00pm Leave Elgin: 7.00am A deservedly popular winter destination! The bus will park at Laggan Dam for the day but can go on to Fersit if required in order to access the circuit of Stob Coire Sgriodain and Chno Dearg. To the north of the dam lies Beinn Teallach and Beinn a’ Chaorainn. Getting of the bus at Aberarder for Creag Meagaidh is always a popular choice on this meet, it can be climbed via the path going up to the “window” or as part of a high…

Sunday 20 January, 2008 David Brown, George Herraghty, Flora Hunt, Malcolm and Lesley Leiper and Dan Moysey made their way up Meall Chuaich on the east side of the A9 in mild winter conditions to find strong winds and arctic temperature at the summit. Visibility was good and views to the north emerged not far below the summit. Some diverse wildlife was spotted: grouse, ptarmigan, white hares and even an eagle in flight! The descent was quick but the walk out to Dalwhinnie was a little monotonous. Disappointingly, the hotel was shut (the Highland Hospitality saga continues) however, the filling station provided welcome shelter until the 5.00 pm closing time.…