Glencoe Weekend
Glencoe 24/25th June
The Glencoe weekend was based at the new bunkhouse at the Kinghouse hotel opposite the road down to Glen Etive. The dorms are very nice with each bunk having their own sockets and lights. However the kitchen facilities were limited (just enough to make breakfast so long as you don’t want a mug of tea (only a cup) and you don’t want to be able to toast your bread (no toaster) or do your drying up (no tea towel!). They were clearly encouraging everyone to use the new pub/café next to the bunkhouse.
On Friday Graham and Susan did the Beinn Udlaidh and Beinn Bhreac-liath at Glen Orchy. They left a car in a layby on the A82 at the bottom of Coire Chaitein and started from near Inverguanan in Glen Orchy. They followed the quartz ridge on the north side of Beinn Udlaidh which they report is impressive and a nice change from following a fence!!!
On Saturday Steve, Ali, Susan and myself did Beinn Trilleachan at the end of Glen Etive.
Although a rather wet and windy day we did get some views down to the Trilleachan slabs and down Glen Etive which were nice.
As we were back at the bunkhouse by 3pm and Beinn a Chrulaiste was only a couple of kilometres away Steve and I left Ali and Susan to sample the bunkhouse café and bar and headed off to get a second corbet for the day. Rather wet but with the odd spectacular view through the clouds. Meanwhile Bob and Robert did Creise and Meall a Bhuiridh near the ski centre at Glencoe which was also rather wet and windy particularly on the exposed ridges
On Sunday it was still raining. Steve headed for home and gardening in the sun. Ali headed east hoping for some sunshine on a corbet further east but also ended up at home enjoying the sun in Deeside. Meanwhile Bob and Robert did Sgor na h-Ulaidh which was incredibly wet but much less windy than Saturday
Susan and I did Beinn Maol Chaluim, a nice hill with a lovely long ridge and I’m sure it would have had great views if we could have seen them! The day was so wet that while on Beinn Maol Chaluim Susan and I decided there was no way we were doing the second corbet (our original plan had been to return to the car drive back up the glen and do Beinn Mhic Chasgiaig). Returning to the car with every bit of clothing soaked we sat and had lunch watching the clouds clear and the sun come out. An hour later, after some food, a dry set of clothes and some discussion over just how mad we were, we set off up Beinn Mhic Chasgiaig. It was a beautiful afternoon and evening with a lovely valley to walk up and an interesting bridge.
Our last corbet of the weekend definitely had the best weather of the weekend even if it did involve a midnight return to Deeside!
Ruth