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Sunday the 13th of July Loch Eck,
via Dunoon
PICK-UP
This month the bus should depart from
Waverley
Bridge at 07.30,
and travel via Haymarket, Roseburn, Corstorphine, the
Maybury, the M8 and Glasgow.
Fares will be £15 for members, £15 for guests (for not more than 3 trips,
thereafter £18 unless they pay a Membership subscription) and £7 for members
children under 18.
Cruach nan Capull (7km 2½ 3½ hr) could be done with the help of a drop-off
along the B836 if this could be arranged. Richard Haydock did the Aonach Eagach and Henry K took two east European female guests to Bidean. Ron Lyall and others went to Beinn a Bheithir. Meanwhile, John M, Andrew B and me headed up Gleann lec na muidhe to Meall Lighiche - a very good climb on a near perfect day. Coolish breeze on top, but very good views, from an unusual direction, of Beinn a Beithir and Bidean (from the back, as it were). The day improved as it wore on. Meall Mor was a worthwhile visit on the way back to Glen Coe. Back to a quiet seat and a decent beer in the garden of the Clachaig around 4 pm. Very relaxed, we wandered off to meet the bus at the entrance to the old visitor centre for about 5.40. Unfortunately it didnt stop there ! Because of road works and traffic lights etc. the bus eventually stopped for us about a mile or so up the Glen. Thus a relaxing late afternoon finished with a bit of a trudge. So ended another good weather outing Skye and Glen Coe within a month, who would have thought it?
The hills had their revenge of me, though. Two long steep descents puts a lot of
strain on the quads, with the result that come Tuesday mine were stiff and sore,
improving only slowly through to Friday. Getting up and down from seats was very
uncomfortable.
SKYE MAY WEEKEND A Few Words from your Roving Reporter Because some inconsiderate person decreed that Victoria Day would from this year be moved to join up with other holidays at Stevenson College Edinburgh, I was reduced to a long journey for only 1 ½ days of walking. Was it worth it? With one of these glorious spells of weather occasionally found on the west coast in late spring, it surely was. On the Saturday, Richard W and I escorted that nice Leslie person to her final Skye Munro Sgurr nan Eag. Huge congrats to Leslie. It was tough as ever getting in to Coire a Ghrunnda but quite a few parties seemed to have the Dubhs and Sgurr nan Eag in mind and it proved to be quite busy for lunch around the lochan. We took the straight route up to Sgurr nan Eag some fun scrambling and we were rewarded with magnificent views in all directions. The Outer Hebrides were very clearly visible on the horizon and, closer in, Soay, Rum, Eigg and the other islands were set beautifully on a blue sea. On the other side the usual suspects of the Cuillin were clear and sharp, and the drop down into the Coruisk basin was dramatic. My personal target for the day was a little further on along the final stretch to Gars Bheinn at the southern end of the ridge. Richard came with me and Im sure he would agree that the ridge was rough, very narrow and exposed in places and provided some exhilarating scrambles. The summit of Gars Bheinn is one of the best view points Ive ever been on, and I can only strongly recommend it as an unmissible target, even without the label of Munro, Corbett or Graham. On Sunday, with only half a day, I had a terrific 2 hours up and down Ben Aslak. Again the weather was magnificent and the views were incomparable. My only regret is I failed to find the inebriation of newts Marischal & co discovered in one of the lochans on the hill the previous day. (We had much fun over malt whisky the night before discussing possible collective nouns for newts, leading on to a carefully thought through analysis of how it would be possible for a newt to be pissed. Naturally, weve all forgotten what we concluded).
SEPTEMBER HOLIDAY WEEKEND. MONEY TALKS By early August we have to tell the Cairngorm Mountaineering Club how many people will be using their facilities near Linn of Dee. They will also want some money then. So far half a dozen people have sent in deposits. If you would like to join them on this rare occasion when the second Sunday of the month coincides with the third Monday of September and an Edinburgh Local Holiday weekend, then to book your place please send a non-returnable deposit of £15 as a cheque made payable to the Highways Hillwalking Club and send it to Richard Williams at 34 Abercorn Crescent, Willowbrae, EDINBURGH EH8 7HT. There will be a balance to pay in August of £13-£14. Muir Cottage, at Inverey near Linn of Dee, is an unwardened, self catering building. You will need to bring bed linen, towels, etc and your food, and take your waste away at the end. Bedrooms have heating, if needed, but you will need to bring a supply of 20p coins to feed the meters. The cottage is well sited for people wishing to access the south-east Cairngorms, although if you can bring a bicycle this will assist access along the estate roads to the north-east, north and west which follow the glen floors.
Richard has been taking expressions of interest, to try to gauge likely numbers,
but the only thing which really counts is money. So send in those deposits soon,
or you may find strangers have taken up the best places.
ETAPE CALEDONIA
Tick Alert!
These little creatures seem to be out in
great numbers this year. Log on to www.masta.com/tickalert to take part in the survey
NEXT MONTH
GEEKS CORNER
Edited by John Manchip, Flat 12, 126 Gylemuir Road, Edinburgh. EH12 7US |
