Edinburgh Mountaineering Club: Meet Report
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Gairich - Martha Bruch na Frithe ahead of us. - Martha
Gairich - Martha

Meet Report

3rd to 6th May 2019 - Plockton Station Bunkhouse, Plockton (Early May BH)

With a fair measure of blue skies, a few flurries of snow, and a stinging spells of sleet, Plockton provided a great base for exploring numerous nearby hills. Four seasons every hour or so made for some interesting days on some interesting hills.

The Renville’s headed north on Thursday evening and were out early onto the Forcan ridge on Friday. Meanwhile Kate, Alan S and Gillian were upping their Corbett count at Roybridge, having also driven up on Thursday evening. I had an early start on Friday morning driving up and over to Skye for some great views from the top of Blaven. 

We all arrived at Plockton Station Bunkhouse in the usual dribs and drabs throughout Friday evening, giving time for a few beers and the usual catch-up’s. Communal cooking within groups made best use of the limited kitchen space. There was even an after-dinner wander down to the coral beach for some.

An early start on Saturday for Emma C, Martha, Chris Ro and I, as we took on the South Glen Shiel Ridge 7. A dusting of snow but lots of clear spells, some great views, and some not-so-great singing to keep us walking and laughing! The Renville’s and Fiona C had a a good covering of snow on the ground as they did the round of Coire Lair. Alan S, Kate and Gillian were on Beinn Na Caillich and Ali and Rebecca were on Beinn Fhada. Meanwhile Claire H was also up early for a 6.30am train and long run over a lot of hills. Alison, Tim and Ken were on Beinn Bhan, near Kishorn, and found a lovely wee cafe / gallery place for afters. 

Saturday evening was a good meal for most of the group at the Plockton Inn and were joined by Marcus who was camping at Morvich, followed by a short lap of the waterfront before getting heads down.    

Gillian awoke to a small audience of early risers on Sunday morning, having slept in the lounge with two pairs of ear defenders on to escape some strange and disturbing sawing noises in the night…

…Tim, Chris, Martha, Emma C and I tackled the least terrifying of the Black Cuillin, Bruach na Frithe. Short gaps in the mist and driving snow at the summit provided atmospheric glimpses of the ridge in all its vast scariness…quick snippets of something shiny and slick, twisted and mutilated, flanks of scorched and blistered black scales, huge jagged teeth pointing skyward. I’d heard the descriptions but in reality the massif really did look like the corpse of some pre-historic demonic creature…I was quite happy to make a fast retreat back down Fionn Choire with cries of “Run Away, Run Away!” sounding in my head! 

Alan R and Claire were out running again on Beinn Bhan on Sunday, whilst Corbetts were the order of the day for Kate, Alan, Gillian and Fiona.

Ali and Becs were reportedly a bit battered by wind and snow whilst picking up a couple of the Munros on the north side of Glen Shiel. Alison and Ken went up Am Bathack from the Cluanie Inn and then headed back down the road to Edinburgh in time for work on Monday.

Sunday evening turned into a rather fun evening of food, drink and shenanigans at the bunkhouse which shone a new light on what turns out to be a very small and cut-throat world of UK ornithologists!

The Renville’s finished off the weekend on Beinn Fhada on Monday, Claire H, Martha and Emma C rounded off with Gairich on the way back down the road. Fiona had plans to stay north for the week and Chris Ro was looking at some hills before heading far north for work. 

A great weekend had by all!

Chris Re