Sunday, 17 May 2009
We did not get the lovely Mediterranean spring weather enjoyed by all on our last bus meet however it remained clear and dry for most of the day. A rather fresh wind kept most parties moving swiftly on the plateau. The eastern traverse did not involve any difficulties for members and guests (28 in total, including 6 guests) and a very sociable and relaxed day was had by all.
First off the bus at Crathie, Alan McConachie, Dave McLean, Annette Turnidge and Sam Coates set off for Gelder Shiel bothy for a pit stop and went back to the bus at Loch Muick bagging corbett Conachraig on the way.
Graeme Bartlett enjoyed a leisurely walk to Carn an Sagairt Mor/Beag and dropped down to Dubh Loch and Loch Muick where he had a pleasant snooze in the sun. En route, he met up with Andy Williams.
Natacha Mihajlovic, Ray Newell, Simon Willatts, Alastair Wren and Stephen Linturn also had a good walk on the Lochnagar plateau. They went over Carn an Sagairt Mor, Carn a Choire Bhoidheach, Lochnagar and Conachraig. Simon left the rest of the group at the top of Carn a Choire Bhoidheach to bag Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn.
Most parties followed similar routes: Jo Chappell, Sharon Cooke, David Brown Douglas, Ali Erginsoy, Corinne Ferguson, John Henderson, Spencer Julian, Bob Macdonald, Tish Richford, Ros and Amy Wright enjoyed a pleasant stroll over the same hills and even lingered a while on Lochnagar in glorious sunshine. Spencer (who also bagged Corbett Creag nan Gabhar at the start of the traverse), David, Sharon and Bob finished at Conachraig before heading back to the coach.
Malcolm Campbell and Paul Chappell joined up at Carn an Sagairt Mor and left the rest of the group to go over Carn Bannoch and Broad Cairn. They arrived back at the bus at 4pm. The highlight of the day was meeting four cyclists at the top of Broad Cairn!
Bikes were not made for boulder fields!
Finally, Lydia Davies, Monica Cox, Graeme Morrison and Greg Muir had a slightly different day, taking in the four Munros in Glenshee which were also Monica’s first! They came off the bus just north of the ski centre and made their way up Carn an Tuirc, Cairne of Claise, Tolmount and Tom Buidhe and finished at Spittal of Glenmuick.
Natacha Mihajlovic
More photos from this meet can be viewed here