21st October 2007

The October bus meet saw a favourable turnout of 26 people for what remains one of the club’s favourite venues. Kintail indeed offers many possibilities with its big ridges and variety of hills. Visibility was good all day and the dry weather conditions allowed all members and guests to achieve their goals without any problems or delays.

Graham Milton and Flora Hunt went up corbett Beinn Loinne at the back of the Cluanie Inn. They had a nice and easy start without rain, however the path further up became steep and slippery. They did not meet anybody else throughout the day.

Graeme Bartlett walked the impressive ridge consisting of the Four Brothers and Five Sisters of Kintail from the Cluanie Inn to Morvich. On the opposite side of the road, Graeme Morrison and Simon Willatts completed the traverse of the South Cluanie ridge from west to east in an excellent time of six hours. They only met four walkers all day.

Moray Anderson, Colin Cowie, Graeme Gunn, Bob Macdonald, Tina McIntyre and Julia Zukova (guest) enjoyed a good scramble on the Forcan ridge to the Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine. Their ascent was punctuated by random ornithological dropping examination and debate as to what birds actually feed on at this time of year. Graeme also showed interest in wildlife with a very convincing Monarch of the Glen impersonation much appreciated by the local hinds. They had difficulties locating a spot to drop off the south side of Sgurr na Sgine so zigzagged all the way down.

Annette Turnidge and Allan McConnachie set off from Shiel Bridge and took in corbett Sgurr Mhic Bharraich. They enjoyed great views from the top and made the descent by the obvious ridge down to the outgoing path. The day was spoilt somewhat by Annette slipping on a rock and injuring her wrist.

David Brown (guest) joined Andy Taylor, Dan Moysey and Paul Geraghty to climb A’ Ghlas Bheinn via the west ridge. He continued to Bealach Sgaisne and the summit of Beinn Fhada. He followed the west ridge by mistake on his way down but still made it back to the bus on time.

A large cosmopolitan party consisting of Natacha Mihajlovic, Manja Hannon (guest), Corinne Ferguson, Caroline Chaplin and Joanna Cross and the Irish chapter of John Henderson, Dave Galloway, Ray Harron and Ray Newell set off from Morvich for a stroll up to Bealach an Sgairne. After a quick snack attack they set off for the steep climb up to A’ Ghlas Bheinn and then descended for a view of the impressive Falls of Glomach. It was a day for lingering and the group reluctantly set off on the undulating trail, via Dorusduain, back to the bus with seldom a moment of good walking time wasted.

Natacha Mihajlovic