The Ochils Mountaineering Club

As we only really had one day to play with we couldn't both get out at the Glencoe climbing meet, so we headed off for a walk instead.
We booked into the resurrected Loch Lochy Hostel, now an independent hostel called "The Great Glen Hostel", to see how it was. It's basically the same as when it was a Youth Hostel, possibly even cleaner and with the odd bit of repainting! It's great that this has reopened, as it's really well placed for a lot of hills, from Loch Arkaig to Loch Quoich, Loch Hourn, Kintail, the Monadh Liath, and of course Loch Lochy; there are plenty of places a wee bit further away it makes a good launch pad for, too.
http://www.greatglenhostel.com/

We passed Elke and Trish on the way up, no doubt off on some adventure, and we met Jim Trappitt with an Edinburgh University group up there, also checking out the reopened hostel!

We had various plans, but ended up walking up Beinn Loinne / Druim nan Cnamh on Saturday, in windy but nice weather with great views to the West (but gloom off to the East).
http://www.dreams...o.uk/summer2008/20080906Mushrooms.jpg
http://www.dreams...k/summer2008/20080906Beinn_Loinne.jpg
http://www.dreams....uk/freyasummer2008/20080906Woods.jpg
http://www.dreams...er2008/20080906Orange_Peel_Fungus.jpg

Aha, it was you, did not recognise the car! Trish and I headed to sunny Skye. Booked into Broadford YH and went up Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh and Sgurr a'Mhadaidh via An Dorus on Saturday morning. It was quite windy and An Dorus seemed to act as a wind funnel, adding velocity to our descent. We had fantastic views all around, although some grey cloud appeared in the afternoon. A celebratory pint (2 new Munros for Trish!) was had at the Sligachan before we returned to Broadford, where Jean Yearley joined us later in the evening (by this time we had also downed a celebratory bottle of wine and were in good spirits). On Sunday (another beautiful sunny day with less wind) we headed to Blaven. We ascended via the south top and the rather unpleasant scree slopes, went down the gully below the south top and over to the summit. There we met 2 Skye men, descendents of some of the Braes crofters of Battle of the Braes fame. Had a great chat and a long lunch in the sun. We had a celebratory pint/coffee at the Broadford Hotel (1 new Munro for Trish and Jean!) before Trish and I headed home and Jean continued on to Ratagan.

Really good wee meet up in Glencoe this weekend. Everyone got something done and I'm sure they'll tell all on here. I'm going to write it up for the Newsletter (prob for next month now) so if folk want to email me with routes/hills/other stuff then great. I'll be looking for info from Jim and Cabey, Mhairi, Stu and Jeanie, Scott, Drummond and Nigel. I know what the Young Tigers did. Any photos too.

Thanks,
Bruce

Thanks Bruce, for the offer of an article

and was it an OMC member who saw me at the bus stop outside the Bridge of orchy hotel at about 5.30pm yesterday
(somebody tooted their horn) as i waited for the Tyndrum (and on to Stirling) bus (this fox would rather be in a Tyndrum bus than a henhoose!)

a fairly quiet weekend for me - an unintended day on Sunday walking from the cottage to Bridge of Orchy over a Corbett or three
i had wanted to go home on Saturday night , but thanks to some d**khead (I mean unruly passenger ) on the train we were delayed at Crianlarich while five policemen arrested him and I thought - 'stuff this , I am off to the cottage.'

got called some rude words when i got home as well -

i really should not have telephoned my dad in England and said I had sunburn

Bruce Hay wrote:
I'll be looking for info from Jim and Cabey, Mhairi, Stu and Jeanie, Scott, Drummond and Nigel. I know what the Young Tigers did.
Thanks,
Bruce

Aw bless, he's included me in as a Young Tiger!
jd
See you at the Kiln at 2. Any other takers/holidaymakers?

Not going to make it, napalming front garden.
(Ian on Mhairi's puter)

Hi

After starting to climb something on the Buachaille (which turned out not to be Agag's (!), probably North Face Route...), Scott and I backed off due to the freezing wind, and numb extremities (it just was not cricket). We headed for the car and then drove to a comparitevly tropical Pol Dubh.

The wind was up, keeping the midges off, the sun was out, and there were several all-girl climbing teams about - so a top choice all round then!

Scott dragged me up Tear (HS) (which I had fallen off on lead 18 months previous). This time I got up it, still struggling at my previous off-point. Scott made it look all too easy.

Next up we did Pine Wall (S***), with me leading the first pitch and Scott leading the second.

Scott then led Resurrection (VS 4c) no bother which suffers from limited gear, and potential groundfall for the first few metres), and offers some very interesting climbing further up.

The evening brought plenty of banter, an Agag's quiz (which I failed - they were start of Agag's at same time we we were, but we were not there... hmm!) and associated erm 'extraction' aimed mainly at myself and the now not present Scott! Thankfully Jeanie is much more deserving of the Golden Boot this year than either me or Scott...!

The evening was livened up by the two girls in mini dresses (one very much so) dancing in the main bar - not your average Clacaig outfit - several of us had to demist our specs!

I had considered teaming up with the Euan and Lewis Sunday - maybe they could find Agag's, but I'd only slow em up, and they left way too early for me! I went hill walking with Drummond bagging Creise and Meall a' Bhuiridh. On the walk in across the bog, Agag's could clearly be seen running up Rannoch wall! It was a Hell of a slog up the corie before Creise. The wind today was provided by Drummond rather than nature, making it a good deal warmer than Saturday. There were some excellent views to be had with the hill fog swirling in occasionally for that atmospheric feeling. Drummond was less than ammused by my insistance that we walked down rather than got the chair!

Some pics (not including Agag's) to follow!

Nigel

"Thankfully Jeanie is much more deserving of the Golden Boot this year than either me or Scott"

Really? Doubt that.

Hi Bruce,
Thought you could remember what everybody had done. Saturday was very cold and windy at the foot of Rannoch Wall so we (Ian, John,Bruce, Euan, Lewis and myself) went over to the East Face of North Buttress where we persuaded ourselves it was slightly less cold and windy. All the young tigers, including John and Bruce, climbed Shackle while Ian and I climbed Slanting Groove.
On Sunday the old team felt they had to redeem themselves and climbed Satan's Slit(a very good bold lead from Ian) while everybody else climbed Agag's Groove, although I believe one team had started on Grooved Arete.
Jim

Thanks Jim,
Really meant Mhairi, Scott, Nigel, Drummond, Stu and Jeanie.

Bruce