This wretched Club it is a pest,

It lures me from my Sunday rest,

To flounder over bogs and heather,

And climb high hills in any weather.

 

To rise at all unearthly hours,

And show my best resistance powers,

By scrambling over rock and boulder

To some elusive spur or shoulder

With promise of a view at last

Is met with mist and icy blast

And ‘stead of far flung distant land

I see an inch from where I stand!

 

A poem that John Henderson thought would be appropriate after our rather soggy outing, it was written my an unknown club member about 75 years ago!

 

Despite the tattie holidays being in full swing and a rather wet looking forecast, 26 managed to find their way to the bus stop on time!

First off the bus was Bob Weeks with Sgurr a Mhuilinn and Meallan nan Uan in his sights.  Despite the windy and wet conditions and a 9km trudge along the road back to the bus, a great walk, especially approaching hills from the north.

Next stop was for George Haggaghty, off at the side of the road with a bridge over the river in sight!  He headed for Inver bothy, not far from the Ledgowan Lodge Hotel.  Goal for the day was the graham Meall Na Faochaig.  Not sure where Graham Milton departed the bus, but he joined George about half way round his trip!

Ray Harron and Paul Chappell got off the bus at the normal parking area for Moruisg, with the intension of doing the Munro and then traversing the ridge to the east.  Good going to start with but it soon clagged in and started to rain.  On the top by 11.00 but in poor visibility, heavy sleety rain and gale force wind.  Twenty minutes of following a compass bearing along the ridge in these conditions convinced them that a descent into Gleann Fhiodhaig, and a low-level walk along the glen to the bus was a better choice.  Soon caught up with the main low level group.

 The final stop at Craig saw Greg Muir, Andrew Taylor, Kath Taylor, Louise Jones, Chris Muir, Graeme Bartlett, Donna Nash, Malcolm Campbell, Jerry Jacobsen, John Henderson, Illona Morrice, Jenny Smith, Rachel Higgins, Jo Chappell, Fiona Cuninghame, Bob McDonald, Sandra Doul and guests for the day Anna McPherson, Shane Younie, Kenneth Bews and Barry Clarke all head for the glen.  Showers saw the group on and off with the waterproofs, but by the time Glenuiag Lodge was reached, they were firmly ON!  At this point the group split into the low level quote “awesome wander through the glen in the pouring rain and sunshine” group and the “Oh my god! What did i let myself in for?!” group – you know which was which!

 

 

Greg Muir, Chris Muir, Malcolm Campbell, Shane Younie, Jenny Smith, Rachel Higgins and Anna McPherson were on a mission and headed for the munro Maoile Lunndaidh.  Some serious “bog trotting” was undertaken to reach the corrie Fuar-tholl Mor followed by some scrambling in gusty conditions.  At this point Greg would become known as “Sherpa Muir”! A quick bite to eat was had and then onwards another 250m or so to the summit!  Here the group were rewarded with some more strong winds and fantastic views across to Liatach and Beinn Eigh in Torridon and the surrounding hills.  Big smiles all round!   A quick glance at the watch and the prospect of a lengthly walk out the glen prompted a few concerned faces and the words “I’ve never been late for the bus!”  As everyone had left their squirrel suits at home that morning, there was an “interesting” descent back down to the glen, complete with a few bums slides thrown in for good measure.  Thoughts then turned to Mary Poppins rucksacks and kayaks to get everyone down the glen and back to Scardroy Lodge and the waiting bus.  However, the girls had failed to take said rucksacks and so it was heads down and thoughts of a pint and a packet of crisps to keep them all going!  Needless to say they were on time!

 

A quick word with the Laird of Scardroy (a real Laird complete with plus fours!) on the road home was had and then off to the Lovat arms Hotel in Beauly for a well deserved drink!

 

Rachel Higgins