Cannich Weekend

DHC Cannich Weekend 13-15th July 2018

As the weekend approached the numbers attending crept up, with a final total of 14 : Bob and Jane, Gillie and Alan, Tim, Nick, Graham R, Paddy and Linda, Chris, Steve, Robert, Anna and Tony.

The weather forecast for the second half of the weekend didn’t look great, so several people took the opportunity of the fine weather leading up to the weekend to do some hills on the way there: Graham did Beinn Mheadhonach and spotted a ptarmigan and chicks near the summit; Tim did the two Strathconan Corbetts, Sgurr a Mhuilinn and Meallan nan Uan; Jane came via the far north doing Arkle and Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill (classic view of Foinaven from Arkle below).

Chris and Bob did Sgorr na Diollaid in Glen Cannich and as they approached the summit bumped into Paddy and Linda on their descent (you meet such nice people in the hills !).

Everyone checked into the BCC Hostel on Friday evening – spacious rooms with twins, doubles, or multiple beds. Some ate in and some headed to the Loch Ness Inn in Drumnadrochit for a pub supper.

Saturday saw a variety of different objectives:

Chris, Tim, Graham, Steve, Robert and Alan did the two Corbetts from the end of the road in Glen Affric, Carn a Choire Ghairbh and Aoanoch Shasuinn.

A right grumpy looking bunch below.........try to look like you are enjoying yourself!

On the descent Alan trying to open the sluice gates below!.

Linda and Paddy, and Anna and Tony did Aonach Shasuinn, and met the above party close to summit.

Nick went to Carn Eighe but low cloud prevented a summit attempt.

Bob got the ferry down Loch Mullardoch (the ferryman said he’d never seen the water level so low, but fortunately he’d found an alternative landing point so was still running), and did the 4 Munros, An Socach, An Riabhachan, Sgurr na Lapaich, and Carn nan Gobhar arriving back at the dam and road end before the arranged pick up time. Fortunately some visiting Australians gave him a lift into Cannich so enjoyed a pint in the sunshine at the Slaters Arms before his lift back to the hostel arrived.

Gillie was suffering from a bruised/broken toe, and Jane had done all the local hills so the two cycled round the Black Isle as an alternative. Jane found the first half of the trip easy, but then Gillie reminded her that it had been downhill and that the wind had been behind them !

Saturday evening saw a gourmet extravaganza of a pot luck supper. Here are 3 of the cooks hard at work preparing the feast.

(in case you were wondering...clockwise from left, Steve shelling peas, Robert preparing strawberries and Linda chopping onions).

The weather on Sunday was dreich and several plans were revised/downgraded and some opted for just driving back to Deeside:

Bob did Ben Wyvis then dropped Jane off at Glenmore Lodge. The next day Jane did the remote Corbett Creag Mhor then camped in the Lairig an Laoigh before finishing her Cairngorm traverse at Braemar and catching the 201 back to Banchory.

Chris and Alan did Beinh a' Bha'ach Ard starting from the power station about 2km up the road from the Strathfarrer gate. Very hot and humid conditions.