The Moray Mountaineering Club Weekend Meet to Eigg was a long time in the planning.  That’s if vaguely thinking about it can be regarded as planning.  About ten years ago the club was camping in Glen Brittle.  After a day of fine weather and classic scrambling on the Skye Cuillin a few Moray Mountaineers were enjoying the evening sun and some beers and got chatting to a couple of young ladies cooking outside their tent.  It turned out that they were from Eigg and the family had a bunkhouse.  It sounded like an intriguing place to visit but surely not one that a mountaineering club would visit, after all, the…

Glen Etive, Inbhirfhaolain.  It always rains when the MMC stays here and the weather forecast suggested the tradition would be upheld.  Thursday was a beautiful Spring day, and Sod’s Law, a big weather front was moving in on Friday from the southwest.  The first of the group arrived around mid afternoon and got a fire going; and the last late in the evening as the whisky was flowing.  But all arrived in the rain.  The forecast for Saturday was “uncertain”.  The day started grey, with the summits shrouded in cloud.  The cloud was supposed to lift momentarily, with wind and rain pushing in later.  But when would “later” be?  That…

The Lake District meet is the weekend of 3 – 5 June. This coincides with the Keswick beer festival so many of the campsites in the northern Lakes will be extremely busy. Therefore we have plumped for the campsite at GillHead Farm, Troutbeck, about half way between Keswick and Penrith. This is about 300 miles and 5.5hrs driving from Elgin. The Lakes offers wonderful walking, is very scenic and also has a considerable number of classic rock climbs. You may have seen Chris Hollins climbing Troutdale Pinnacle on Secret Britain the other week. Cost is £8 per person per night assuming that weekend is stilll low season, otherwise £9. Dogs are…

What, no trains before 9pm?  It was true, there was only one northbound train the entire day to take us home, and it didn’t arrive until after nine in the evening… Last April the club tried out a new meet destination and booked Loch Ossian Youth Hostel for the weekend.  It proved to be an excellent and very popular destination, and a great time of year, with the prevalence of snow and lack of midgies.  This year we thought we’d do it again, but shift the date to March, hoping for even more snow and even less chance of midgies.  One thing the organiser of this meet didn’t take into…

We headed to the Kintail Outdoor Centre for a weekend of Munro bagging, Corbett collecting , Graham grabbing and a bit of general meandering and alcohol drinking thrown in for good measure. David and Alistair attempted A’ Ghlas Beinn on the Friday, but were halted by a torrent. They chose to do Bheinn Fhadda instead and returned via the ridge having overcome the unexpected slushy, slippy step not mentioned in the guide book, but both agreed it was better than having your teeth pulled out. David should know being a dentist. On the Saturday after much deliberating Jen, Jenny, Jan, (can you imagine if Jane had come?), Fiona ( the…

Roybridge for Hogmanay – a venue that promises much, given good conditions.  World class ice climbing in both directions in the shape of Ben Nevis and Creag Meagaidh, skiing  on Aonach Mor and ski touring over countless hills and slopes, mountain biking, and of course plenty hill walking in every direction.  After December’s washout in Newtonmore hopes were high. The meet got off to an excellent start with Graeme and Shona’s contribution to the communal cooking in the shape of a tasty roast dinner.  Hogmanay was celebrated in the usual manner, with plenty fizz and uisge beatha.  The bells were toasted and much fun was had, but the night won’t…

Date: 6th/7th February 2016 Venue: Kintail Outdoor Centre Location: Kintail Outdoor Centre is situated on the banks of the River Croe between the Fives Sisters Ridge and Ben Attow. (Grid ref: NG967211) Facilities: Kintail Outdoor Centre offers excellent bunkhouse accommodation. The centre comprises of two wings both sleeping ten people. Facilities include a fully equipped kitchen, common room/dining room, drying room and laundry facilities. Cost: TBC Nearby Hills: (Munros) Beinn Fhada, A’Ghlas-bheinn, Sgurr nan Ceathramhnan, Sgurr Fhuaran, Sgurr na Carnach, Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, The Saddle, Sgurr na Sgine, etc. (Corbetts) Sgurr an Airgid, Sgurr Gaorsaic, Sgurr Mhic Bharraich, Sgurr a’Bhac Chaolais (Grahams) Carnan Cruithneachd, Carn na Breabaig. Please contact Joe Glennie to book a place on this meet.

The nights are long, the days are short.  Vibrant autumnal colours spread across the landscape and the winds contain the icy stab of winter, as if to remind us of what’s to come.  A dusting of snow falls on the tops, a prelude for the bigger, heavier dumps that will follow in time.  It is a beautiful time of year, but also a sobering one when the long lazy summer days have gone, to be replaced by the cold dark winter.  The sun never rises high in the sky and the mute uncaring mountainsides of winter promise comfort and safety to nobody. Perhaps that’s why it’s also a party season.…

Thus 31 Dec  – Sun 3 January 2016 (3 nights) Accommodation: Grey Corrie Lodge Bunkhouse (Website) Cost: £50 for the weekend Facilities: Bedding, woodburning stove, kitchen The three-night Hogmanay meet will be at the Grey Corries Bunkhouse in Roy Bridge (about 5km east of Spean Bridge on the A86).  Over the years, the CLub’s Hogmanay meet has proven a popular combination of drink, hills and frivolities.   If you are heading for the hills, then there are a multitude of opportunities for adventure, including the Ben, Grey Corries, skiing at Aonach Mor, or even the train to Glasgow (but why would you?)! The meet is likely to be popular and so it is worth getting your name…

Crianlarich in October is becoming a tradition of the club.  The area boasts big and interesting hills in all directions with great options available from the door of Inveradran Cottage, the Ochils club hut where we stayed, and many more within a short drive.  Although there is plenty scope for rock climbing in summer and ice climbing and skiing in winter, many of the hills are of the big grassy variety and good Autumn tramping terrain. Scotland had just seen a week of glorious hot sunny weather.  Whatever anyone might say about Scotland’s weather, we always have a hot and sunny summer.  This year there were two weeks of it.…