Winter warm up

I was feeling decidedly lazy with wet, windy weather curtailing any plans of walking. With a change to high pressure and a nice settled spell forecast I decided I had to get out and do something. So Fern and I walked Tom Meadhoin from Callert. It looked like I could carry on along the ridge, but without knowing where the descent might bring me out I decided to return by my ascent route. A nice walk, pleasant weather, and we saw a buzzard (probably) circling above the saddle, and two stags who headed slowly toward Mam na Gualainn as I approached.

Fingers crossed the weather stays settled as Jimmy and I are heading north tomorrow (Thursday 20th). We're staying in Gerrys Hostel at Craig tomorrow night with plans to walk Moruisg (and Sgurr nan Ceannaichean) on Friday. There will be two spare seats in the car if anyone wishes to join us.

Then, assuming my legs are up to it, I'll be out on the club walk on Saturday to climb Druim na Sgriodain- at a nice leisurely pace I think!

Snow Fun after Aonach Beag

After an exhausting, but good , walk on Aonach Beag, we had coffee in the Alexandra Hotel in the Fort. While there, we heard via mobiles, that it was snowing in Oban, and so decided to leave first.

We (Ian, Ralph and John) were in my car that unfortunately does not have four-wheel drive, but, although dark, the weather was fine leaving the town. There was a fair amount of traffic travelling at a decent pace, so we were making good time, expecting to be home before seven o'clock. However, around Appin, it began to snow, though nothing serious and it didn't slow us down. But it was lying on the road, and by Barcaldine (about 10 miles from Oban), it was becoming heavy. Naturally the traffic slowed down, but still kept going at a reasonable speed. By Benderloch, seven miles from Oban, it was a blizzard, and we were doing no more than 25 mph. Over Connel Bridge, and we were nearly home. Then, going up the hill about 1.5 miles from Oban, the traffic in front of us stopped. We could see hazard warning lights ahead, but did not know why we had been stopped. The snow was still coming down heavily, and Ian got out to ask a pedestrian what the hold-up was. He was told that the police had stopped all traffic from going up or down the Bealach an Righ (the hill leading down into Oban).

Ahead, we could see one car trying to negotiate the hill, but was slewing all over the place. Four-by-four vehicles, plus one or two two-wheel drive vehicles were passing us successfully up the hill, with one or two coming down. This caused a few problems as cars were not always on the correct side of the road. But there were no collisions.

After waiting for a while, my two valliant passengers decided that they would get out in the still-falling and several inch deep snow to try to get me going up the hill. With the help of another stranded motorist, they managed to start me off, but I had to stop when I was met by another car coming down. So another shove was required. This time, I did manage to keep going. Of course, it meant that Ralph and Ian were left behind, but we had arranged that I would stop at the top of the hill At Pennyfuir (the local cemetery!).

When two snow-covered people climbed into the car, I suggested that conditions were so bad that I would not be able to navigate the hill into Oban in my front-wheel drive car. I was parked beside the entrance to the car park for the cemetery, so we decided to get the car in there and then walk the remaining distance into town. So. after a bit more shoving, that was achieved.

Just then, a snow plough arrived, turned at the car park entrance and drove off back towards the town. We walked after it in its tracks, that were even more slippy than before. In fact, I had my only fall of the day then.

Nearing the top of the hill, we came across all the cars, including the four-by-fours that had passed us earlier, waiting where the police had stopped them. Halfway down the hill, there were three cars, one facing the wrong way, abandoned at the side of the road, and just below them was a bus. Traffic was going nowhere! We all arrived home at about 7.45pm.

The next day, I walked up to the car park with a shovel and my grandson, Chris. After some digging and some shoving by Chris, we got out on to the now clear road, and home. Chris did suggest that I should do the shoving and he would drive! But I decided that at 13 years old, he was a bit too young.

John Burton

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone.
The gallery is closed in January and February and I'm longing to get out on the hills. I have been compiling a list of shorter walking days, but perhaps with a longer drive, that I am keen to do on good weather days. Perhaps an overnight stay where necessary.
If anyone is interested in joining me please get in touch. I'd love to have some company. These will not be club walks, just a group of friends walking together. I may take the dog on some days.
The list so far includes hills like Meall Bhuidhe (N Glen Lyon), Stuchd an Lochain, Meall Ghaordaidh, Schiehallion, Carn a'Gheodh (which could include Cairnwell and Aosda)...
Sarah

North West Scotland Inspiration

If, like me, you are in need of something to inspire you to get out more these days, have a look at  this article .  There are some fantastic images.

Beinn a'Chleibh

On Sunday, Ralph and I set out to climb Beinn a'Chleibh, having missed doing it earlier in the year with the club, after doing Ben Lui. When we left Oban, the weather was dull, but OK. Towards Taynuilt, we could see what I thought was cloud, but when we got nearer, it turned out to be snow. However, the roads were clear, so we carried on.

Not wanting to get our feet wet on such a cold day, we decided to use the foot-bridge to cross the River Lochy. The snow was several centimetres deep and was still coming down. After an unplanned tour of the forest, and an awkward burn crossing, we emerged on to the hill and headed up Fionn Choirein to the col between Beinn a'Chleibh and Ben Lui. Although the snow was soft, there were patches of ice, so we donned crampons. Going up the coire, we could see what looked like sand storms swirling around, but of course were snow not sand. It was impossible to avoid them, and when in them it was not very nice. The snow was coming and going, but the wind was getting stronger.

After the col, we just made a bee-line for the summit, from where we could only see snow. Coming back the same way, the wind was ferocious and nearly blew us off our feet at one point. And together with the snow made for intermittent white-outs.

But apart from snow stinging our eyes, the descent was uneventful.

Back at the car, the snow had added about five centimetres to the roof and road-side. So a very slow start to the return journey was made, but as we came nearer to Oban, the snow eased and the roads became completely clear.

John

Thank You Nevis HWC

I eventually made it to the summit of my last Munro Top in the company of Andrew, Gerry, Alan, and Gavin who kindly took the picture. As you can see conditions were challenging.

I would like to say thank you to everyone from the Club who has accompanied me to any of these 227 Tops, many of which are off the normal Munro-baggers routes.

For those who like statistics, I had climbed 97 Tops during my ascent of the Munros in the years up to 2008. To climb the remaining 130 meant 68 days on the hills, walking 1329k in 460 hours. I couldn't even think of calculating what mileage my car has done to get to these hills !

As I've said here before, some of the Tops are a bit boring, but others, particularly in Skye and Torridon give you a real sense of achievement.

I'm grateful to those who have sent good wishes in recent days. In some ways it's sad to get to the end of a journey. Next year I'm hoping to climb "The Furth", the term which the SMC use to describe the 34 mountains over 3000 feet in Ireland, Wales and England. That should be a small enough list for someone of my age to tackle !

I'm looking forward to walking with the Club again next year, and I wish all my fellow members success in their individual challenges.

A Day in Arrochar

I had planned to meet the club last Sunday but had a cold all weekend. yesterday Wednesday I felt better and drove up to the car park at Succoth in Arrochar to walk up Beinn Narnain. Have forgotten how many times I have done this hill, though I do enjoy it as it has a couple of short scrambles on route to the summit.

Arrived at the car park in glorious sunshine and before long the jacket and top layer was off. Took the route straight up from the car park passing the concrete slabs then through the crags. Views from the summit were great as you could see Arran and Ailsa Craig to the south and all the mountain tops to the north with snow on the upper tops. The two photos show Ben Lomond and The Cobbler.

From the summit headed north west down to the bealach and was surprised at the depth of the snow on this slope, then south past The Cobbler, the Narnain Boulders then through the forest on the zig zag path to the car.

Spoke to several people who had taken the day off work to do the hills since the weather was so good.