Edinburgh Mountaineering Club: Meet Report
<<< The CabinGalleryGitaMiglos >>>
EMC take over Dundonnell Hotel (Aga) - Claire H Fannichs from AT - Claire H
EMC take over Dundonnell Hotel (Aga) - Claire H

Meet Report

13th to 15th September 2013 - Sail Mhor Croft Hostel, Dundonnell

The meet started early for some with Kenny and Alison aiming for some climbing at the Costa del Moy; meanwhile Martin, Claire and Sharon ran up and down Ben Wyvis. Or at least Sharon ran; Martin and Claire “kept up”. They kept the hostel warm whilst others arrived, in varying states of exhaustion after the long drive. New members Gareth and Heidi had taken the scenic route despite it being dark.

Saturday saw an assault on two fronts of the legendary An Teallach. Martin, Katrina, Claire H, Sharon and Ian tackled the pinnacles route on which Claire had a Ben Wyvis-induced strop and dropped her sunglasses, never to be seen again (the two incidents were unrelated). The cloud came and went just enough to expose Lord Berkeley’s Seat in all its terrifying glory. According to Walkhighlands “Lord Berkeley is supposed to have sat on the top with his legs dangling over the edge whilst he smoked a pipe. This is not recommended!” I concur.

Kate, Allan S, Clare A, Gareth and Heidi ascended the Glas Mheall Mor route, returning via Sgurr Ruadh, and Allan S’s timing was impeccable not only because the two fronts happened to meet on the summit of Sgurr Fiona, but also because of his accurate prediction of a “return by tea-time”. Meanwhile new member Alan H ascended Craig Rainich, with Mike and Fiona close behind him. Fiona had earned an extra 30 minutes in bed after completing (and passing) her summer ML assessment the day before. Nigel travelled the shortest distance, summiting the hostel’s namesake in better weather than he had experienced on his last ascent. Kenny and Alison continued their hard core climbing tour of the NW with roadside cragging at Gruinard and Grass crags. James O and Aga completed a circuit of the area by car, Aga recovering from a nasty cold. The whole party descended on the Dundonnell Hotel in the evening for good craic over pints of Red Cuillin and, for some, fish and chips.

On Sunday the breakfast club and second sitting had been and gone and most club members had scarpered back towards Edinburgh - with a forecast of heavy rain and winds squalling up to 100mph this was perhaps a wise decision - before Clare A was even out of her jimjams.

Allan S, Kate and the Cla(i)res enjoyed a stroll through puddles and peat along the coast at Laide and watched gannets and seals, and the Cla(i)res went for a swim in the sea which was reassuringly shortlived. Kenny, Alison and Katrina had an intrepid walk along the north shore of Little Loch Broom to a hippie colony.

The resilient 6 who stayed at the hostel on Sunday night were joined by some genial Germans and collectively they finished the fridge and made a good dent in the tray bakes. Allan and Kate stopped at Corrieshalloch Gorge on their way back to Edinburgh; Kenny, Katrina, Alison and Claire enjoyed a fungal foray and a woodland walk at Ord Hill north of Kessock Bridge.

Thanks for a great meet.

Claire H