Edinburgh Mountaineering Club: Meet Report
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Lawers range from Glen Ogle - Fiona C
Lawers range from Glen Ogle - Fiona C

Meet Report

19th to 21st November 2005 - Onich Hotel (Dinner Meet)

It was time for our annual luxury break with a new venue - the Onich hotel. Hopes were high for some great winter walking after a week at work watching the sun splitting the sky. Staff at the Onich confirmed it had been really glorious on the Thurs/Fri. Perfect winter hillwalking weather. The main excitement of Friday evening was provided by Alison W's leather trousers. It was all too much for pensioner Broon who retired for bed before nine. Or maybe it had something to do with another wee Corbett trip he had fitted in at Loch Arkaig where a night spent in his car had enabled a good early start.

Saturday looked a touch cloudy and as we enjoyed the lochside views whilst having our breakfast the lovely view was disappearing fast. Kenny and I did a Graham and double corbett trip on Ardgour, meeting Richard on top of the Graham on his way to another Graham that was connected with the first one, only by virtue of also being on Ardgour. Somebody should explain to Richard the concept of ridge walking.

Dennis and Jenny went to Anoch mor, ended up at Loch Arkaig and seemed to have done a lot of driving without very much to show for it.

There were a few finishes in the dark but most folk were back to make the most of the hotel's facilities, including the spa bath. We were very impressed with the sophisticated canapes we received during our pre-dinner drinks. We were even more impressed with the meal and attentive service. I listened carefully and possibly for the first time in living memory at an EMC meet I couldn't hear anybody complaining (sorry forgot that Eileen got a bit upset in the morning when she was brought 2 eggs after asking for 1).

Sunday was even more cloudy and dank. Fiona talked herself out of continuing up Colditz Corbett with me about half an hour from the summit. Although after being particularly careless with the bearing on the way down I was beginning to wish I had turned back as well. The way to the summit is very annoyingly exactly on the join between OS 41 and 50. That's my excuse anyway. The poor weather could not detract from the pleasure of opening the now unlocked gate which was previously impenetrable due to a combination of padlock, barbed wire and scary metal spikes - a triumph for land reform legislation.

The Onich hotel did us proud and is a great choice for a club dinner meet.

Alison C