Club Walks – Where is our Commitment and Organisation?

There was a time when members of this “small friendly Lochaber based club” would turn out regularly in any weather and do a walk in or on the hills, even if it was not the hill on the programme. This was because they “shared a passion for the local countryside, the Scottish hills…”.  They enjoyed being outdoors, and each other’s company.

Sadly, these days are long gone. The Nevis Hillwalking Club has moved on and the majority of the active members have different priorities. On Saturday 28th May, Gerry and I turned out for the Glen Shiel day.  The forecast was not good, and once again, there was nobody at the meeting places, the Fort and Spean Bridge. There was no coordinator rostered for the day to ring for information. In view of the cold wet and windy weather forecast for the west, we decided to do one of “eastern alternatives” that had appeared on a previous programme, Creag Dubh at Kingussie. It was a good sunny day, very cold but with only the occasional shower.

Soon after starting the walk, Ralph phoned to say he was waiting for other members in Glen Shiel. I explained what had happened. He had been staying in the area for a few days. Had we known this we would have gone to Glen Shiel.

It is clear, that with fewer people turning out regularly and no regular social events, information about Club activities is not being passed around.  A coordinator for each walk day is more essential than ever. For what it is worth, the information I passed on to the new committee was as follows:

The 14 coordinators on the list were emailed asking them to name their preferences for the 2nd Quarter programme that had just been circulated. There were three replies:

Norman Wares volunteered for June 5th, Ben Lomond. He will meet members at Rowardennan Pier.

John Burton’s first choice was June 25th, Aviemore.

Stuart Moralee was not able to give a specific day but would coordinate at short notice if he were available.

Since then:

I have volunteered for 3rd July, Glen Spean.
Gerry Gilbert has volunteered for 9th July, Glencoe.

Andrew Gilbert

Last Two Weekends

Andrew sent me the following contributions intending them to be walk reports. But you cannot have a walk report without doing the walk -

                                  No walk - No report !

So here they are, in the club blog  -

Saturday 14th May 2011 – A day on Skye missed

The forecast was awful and three members were on a course at Glenmore Lodge. Andrew G., Gerry and Wesley turned up at the Fort. Unfortunately, I had injured my hand and it wouldn’t stop bleeding so I decided to go to A & E to have it stitched up. Wesley went on alone to Spean Bridge but texted to say that no one else was there either. He decided to go bird watching instead of going to Skye.

Later, Gerry and I decided on a short walk to the C.I.C hut and back. Almost there at about 14h00 two guys overtook us, one of whom enquired “Are you doing both of them?”. “Both of what?” I asked. “ Both Munros” he said. I explained that we were enjoying an afternoon stroll. The pair pulled ahead and I pondered their assumption that the only reason for walking in the hills is to bag Munros. Sad really.

Shortly after this, I fell over and burst open the wound on my hand. I decided to go home to fix it, rather than return to A & E. They would not be amused. Should have just gone to Skye.

Andrew G

Sunday 22nd May – Another day missed

The forecast was awful, 90 mph gusts in the afternoon with blizzards on the summits. It was raining hard. Gerry and I found no one at Glencoe car park. There was no coordinator rostered to contact for information, and we had no idea whether other members would be meeting at Achallader Farm. We decided to stay in Glencoe and do the Two Lairigs, setting off clockwise in the Lairig Gartain, following Martine’s new path. Thick cloud in the glen cleared at the watershed, and we contoured around the spine of Buchaille Etive Beag, high above Glen Etive, with a fine view southward. Ducking below some crags we gained the Lairig Eilde path and were soon at another watershed.

A short distance further on we met a guy in shorts, coming the other way, the rain streaming off his cagoule. “How was it at the top?” he asked. “Cold, wet and windy, same as here” I replied, somewhat puzzled, and asked him where he was going. “Buchaille Etive Beag, that’s it over there isn’t it” he replied, pointing to the col on the south-east ridge of Stob Coire Sgreamhach. I realised he was assuming we were bagging Munros too, and pointed out the location of his day’s objective, looming above our heads. “I’ll just do Sgreamhach instead then” he said, “I need that one too.  Where is the summit?”.  He didn’t produce a map so I gave him brief directions and off he went.

Sad really, and a bit worrying. There are a lot of them out there.

Andrew G

Mountain Aid Fundraiser - Schiehallion longest day event

Dear Hill Walking/Climbing Club
Our next fundraising event is drawing near, and we would appreciate it you could circulate the information to your members in the hope that some of them and their friends might join us for a midsummer get together to watch the sun rise on Schiehallion and raise a wee bit of money for Mountain Aid. We understand the pressure on everyone’s pockets these days and so are only asking for a minimum sponsorship sum of £50 – which will get participants a t-shirt as well as a sunrise toast and canapés on the hill!! A poster is attached and there is more information on our website at http://www.mountainaid.org.uk/events/midsummer where on line registration is available.
Mountain Aid Committee

Lost Dog

A lady phoned today to ask if we could keep our eyes open for a lost dog. It went missing on Sunday morning on the Kinlochleven to Fort William stretch of the WHW. It is a brown terrier called Davie. Please contact me on 01855 821277 if you have any news.

Model T Ford on Ben Nevis

As you are probably aware there is an attempt being made to carry a Model T Ford to the summit of Ben Nevis on 18th of May to celebrate the centenary of car being driven to the summit in 1911.
The above event is being organised by the John Muir Trust and the Model T Ford Registry of Great Britain.
We have managed to get over 60 volunteers to help carry the dismantled car to the summit, but feel that we need a few more!!
Would any members of Nevis Hillwalkers be interested in lending a hand ?
If you require any further information ,please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail or mobile on 07771 532370
Cheers Spook

Charity Hillwalk Challenge

I am sending you information on a charity hillwalk challenge that we are undertaking next month, helping wheelchair athlete Kenny Herriot to the top of Broad Cairn.
Kenny is an enormous character and since being confined to a wheelchair has undertaken many unusual challenges, this will be his first Munro, and we are looking for enthusiastic people to help him. The two charities which will benefit are Shopmobility Aberdeen and the North East Disabled Veterans Association, both small charities who do enormous works with very small funds.
If you, or any of your members require any further information please feel free to contact me.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give to promote our challenge.
Best regards
Paula Bisset
01224 630009

New Walks Programme

As we are about half way through the current programme, I am hoping that some (or all!) of you will give me some ideas for walks for the next quarter, July/August/September. The daylight hours will still be long, so the walks can also be long, the drives long, or not. Just let me know your favourites or ones that you have not done, but would like to. You can email me or see me on a walk.

John Burton

Walk, Sat. 14 May

As the email to all members is no longer working, I am using the blog to let you know that I will not be out on the next walk as my wife and I are going on holiday to the Isle of Arran for one week.

It is possible that there will be no-one from Oban on this walk, as Ralph is going on a GPS course, along with Martine and Ken, and Ian and Sue are away.

John Burton