Sat 2nd – Sun 3rd – Mon 4th May 2009 O.S.Map(s): 39 Accommodation: Kinloch Castle Hostel (website) – 12 spaces, overspill camping Cost: Hostel: £12 pppn, Camping: £1.50 pppn Facilities: Fully equipped kitchen, showers etc., bedlinen, but bring your own towel. Food also available at Bistro, but need to book in advance The May Bank Holiday weekend offers an opportunity to go somewhere further afield, often the Islands, and this year’s destination is the magical isle of Rum. The Rum Cuillin offer some excellent scrambling, and there are superb walks in all directions. Dibidal and Guirdal bothies are most definitely worth a visit too. Rum is a designated nature reserve…

Sat 7th – Sun 8th March 2009 The Blackwater Hostel hosted fourteen club members for the weekend meet. With everyone accommodated in either two or four bunk rooms, each with the luxury of a television and all sharing a large cooking dining area, this month we went up market. Saturday morning dawned with the cloud above the Mamores despite a strengthening north wind. Drummond Beattie, Spence Julian, Chrissy McKay with Patrick the dog, and Phil Cutts made an early start for Na Gruagaichean, Binnean Mor, and Binnean Beag. The conditions on the tops were extreme; they encountered a heavy cornice and high avalanche risk along the ridge between Na Gruagaichean…

Sat 4th – Sun 5th April 2009 O.S.Map(s): 44 Accommodation: Glen Clova Hotel Bunkhouse (website) Cost: £11 pppn Facilities: Fully equipped kitchen, showers, bed linen, Hotel serves meals if required Glen Clova is arguably the most beautiful of the Angus Glens, offering stunning scenery, with views for miles around in all directions. The Bunkhouse is ideally situated for the Munros of Dreish and Mayar and the Red Craig crags for climbing. Book now with Dave Galloway by email

Sat 7th – Sun 8th March 2009 O.S.Map(s): 41 Accommodation: Blackwater Hostel, Lab Rd (website) Cost: £14 pppn Facilities: Fully equipped kitchen, showers etc., linen, luxury For March, we return to the Glen Coe area (well why not?), this time to beautiful Kinlochleven. From here, the Mamores, the Glen Coe hills and the Nevis range are all easily accessible. The hostel is situated just behind the Ice  Factor, so if you fancy having a go at the ice wall, this is your chance. If conditions are right, this is another great venue for winter climbers as well! Book now with Dave Galloway by email

Sat 7 – Sun 8 February 2009 The desire to convert the Christmas and New Year’s excesses into finely toned and lithesome muscle was the inspiration for twenty five members to gather in the Ballachulish village hall for the February weekend meet. With Morayshire being blessed with numerous snow showers, the west coast had the best weather of the weekend. With Saturday morning starting off windy and cloudy, Illona Morrice and Sarah De Rees and guests John McGowan and Monty Montgomery parked up and headed for the Lost Valley. Needing ice axe and crampons early on, they made the summit of Stob Coire nan Lochan via a nice gully climb.…

Sat 7th – Sun 8th February 2009 O.S.Map(s): 41/50 Accommodation: Village Hall Cost: £5.00 pppn Facilities: Fully equipped kitchen, showers etc., but bring sleeping bags and sleeping mats Ballachulish is ideally located on the main A82 midway between Fort William and Glen Coe and is therefore a convenient base to explore the scores of hills in the Lochaber area, often dubbed Scotland’s Outdoor Capital.  The nearest hills are the duo of Beinn a’Bheithir and Sgorr Dhonuil, aka the Ballachulish Horsehoe, a great day out. Climbers will also be keeping their fingers crossed that something will come into nick, as this area is winter climbing heaven. Book now with Dave Galloway…

Sat 6 – Sun 7 December 2008 The accumulation of snow over the last month combined with the very icy conditions provided a real Christmas feel for the eleven members guesting at the Rucksacks Hostel in Braemar, with Jake Lee and Ruby backing the team up in his campervan. Saturday morning saw Ali Erginsoy and Bob Macdonald set off ski mountaineering, which included some heather hopping to add that Scottish flavour to their day. Leaving the lay-by two and a half km south of the ski centre, they walked for thirty minutes into coire coolah before donning their skins and  making the ascent of Carn a’ Gheoidh via the south…

1-2 November 2008 Halloween night saw seventeen club members assemble in the “By The Way” hostel in Tyndrum. Unfortunately we did not get off to a good start; our turning up in dribs and drabs throughout the evening spoiled the peace and tranquility of our host in reception, as it meant he had to leave his post and escort his guests to their allotted rooms and show them around. Suggesting to Evelyne on her arrival that she waited until her club organiser turned up before getting a room, brought out the “Formidable Deutsche Fraulein” in her, so he quickly provided a list of available beds and backed off. Bob MacDonald…

Sat 6th – Sun 7th December 2008 O.S.Map(s): 43 Accommodation: Rucksacks Hostel (Website) Cost: £13.00 pppn Facilities: Fully equipped kitchen, showers etc., but bring sleeping bags Braemar is ideally located for the Cairngorms, Lochnagar and Glenshee hills. Rucksacks Hostel is in the centre of the village, near shops and pubs. Book now with Dave Galloway by email

Sat 1st – Sun 2nd November 2008 O.S.Map(s): 50 Accommodation: “By thy Way” Hostel (Website) Cost: £14.00 pppn Facilities: Bed linen, fully equipped kitchen, showers etc. An excellent location close to the hills around Crianlarich and even Glencoe is within striking distance. The owners of the hostel reckon there are 50 Munros within a 20 mile radius of By the Way. (Click here for more info on the hills.) Book now with Dave Galloway by email