Edinburgh Mountaineering Club: Meet Report
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Meet Report

31st December 2004 to 2nd January 2005 - Invergarry (New Year)

The weather on Hogmanay this year was uneventful and so all the club members arrived safely at Invergarry in plenty of time to see in the New Year. We munched continually throughout the evening as no sooner was one offering demolished than another appeared - crisps, nuts, Pringles, Christmas cake, chocolates, Dilly's home-made brownies etc. etc.

We awoke on New Year's day to find "heavy and prolonged" rain was the only weather on offer. The club therefore split into two roughly equal sized groups - one of mountaineers and one of sensible people. The mountaineers (Hywel, Kenny, Bill C, Bill B, Christopher, Alison W, Anne C, Keith) chose mainly Corbetts & Graham's (the shortest ones available) - most made it to the top although all returned soaked from a mixture of rain and blizzards. The sensible people drank tea, red books and did jigsaws with the "Most difficult jigsaw in the world" being conquered before lunch. A brief let up in the rain in the afternoon allowed everyone to get out for a little while. Unusually Richard joined the sensible people - 'What's the point in going out when you're going to get soaked and not see anything'. It's never bothered him before....

Dinner on New Year's day was the usual mammoth affair with all contributing to either the preparation, cooking or washing up. The after dinner quiz was provided by Richard with the "girls team" winning (we cheated but the boys didn't notice!) the bottle of bubbly. The boys team won a "special" bottle of English wine which had obviously been around a while - the label had a competition to win a flight on Concorde (closing date June 1998).

We woke on the 2nd to snow showers and strong winds. Bill x 2 and Christopher drove up to Morvich and climbed Sgurr an Airgid whilst Gillian and Anne R, Alan R, Hywel and Cathy all managed Corbetts at Loch Arkaig. Richard climbed a Graham near Kinlochourn and Kenny, Alison x 2 and Fiona climbed Sron a Choire Ghairbh from Loch Lochy. Everyone had similar weather with some views on top but extremely strong winds, snow showers and driving snow in the face. Dennis, Jenny, Tim and Julie did low level walks and others went home.

Dinner on Sunday was another epic with enough mulled wine, soup, main course and pud to provide a second dinner for everyone. We also had a huge cheese board with 15 different cheeses to sample. After dinner entertainment was Top Gun with Bill B bemoaning "crap American films" and Bill C exhorting Kelly McGillis to remove certain items of her clothing.

The weather on Monday morning was dry but otherwise didn't look particularly promising. Alan, Anne R and Hywel were staying on and so headed off to Glen Shiel to climb a Corbett. Bill x 2, Christopher and Gillian had plans in Glen Roy. Alison W was heading for the Fara at Dalwhinnie whilst Kenny and Alison were going to climb "something". Others headed straight home with heavy rain, strong winds and the complete lack of cars at the Creag Meagaidh car park confirming to Cathy and myself that going straight home was indeed a wise choice.

Fiona C