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 other parties enjoyed a clear day doing either the full or short Lochnagar circuit.

Paul Chappell, Jo Cross, David Strathdee, Ian Sunderland and Andy Williams first went up Lochnagar and Coire Boidheach and dropped down to the Allt an Dubh-Loch and Loch Muick.

Natacha Mihajlovic, Ray Newell and speedy guest Alastair Wren completed the five munro circuit in good time: the ascent to Lochnagar was followed by a walk over to Carn a’ Choire Bhoidheach, Carn an t-Sagairt Mor, Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn. Ray’s GPS indicated that 29.9kms were covered in 7hr02mn.

David Brown Douglas and Stewart Murray did the same walk as well as Mike Coxon.

Anne Carter, Lydia Davis, John Orr, Amanda Strang and Chrissie also did the classic round of Lochnagar in an anti clockwise manner and enjoyed a great day spotting many forms of wildlife: ptarmigans, oystercatchers and possibly eagles.

Drummond Beattie walked along the south side of Loch Muick and up to the Dubh Loch. From there, he went up to Cairn Bannoch and then across to Carn an t-Sagairt Mor. He crossed over to the Stuic but bypassed Cac Carn Mor and returned to the bus via track along the Allt-na-giubhsaich.

Bob Macdonald went round the circuit clockwise, starting at Broad Cairn and keeping Lochnagar for last. He and Drummond walked the last hour back to the bus together.

Once again, another fine and dry day in good company. We’ll get a pub stop next time!

Natacha Mihajlovic

For more photos from this meet, click here.