Meet Report

21st to 23rd June 2019 - Glenfinnan Sleeping Car, Glenfinnan

The Glenfinnan Sleeping Car is probably the cutest accommodation possible. Built in 1958 as a standard 2^nd class seating coach it was converted into a dorm in 1975. Not sure if the mattresses have been changed since then (the top bunk ones provided a proper hammocky feel), but even this didn’t diminish the charm of the place.

On the Friday approach, Claire H and Marlene set off to tackle Gulvain. Claire H once more demonstrated her superpowers – she’s faster running than normal humans on a bike! Gillian added with Creag Ruadh another Graham to her list.

By giving up her space in a twin bunk room and instead sleeping on the kitchen floor, Claire H saved the last arrival Gillian from sharing a double bed with Alex (and a quadruple room with Tony and Tim in addition).

Allan S proudly presented his new neon-yellow hi-vis backpack – now there is no danger anymore of him getting lost and not found.

Friday evening was concluded with a post-dinner stroll to the Glenfinnan viaduct & monument.

Saturday started with lots of sunshine (specially ordered for Emma C’s birthday), no winds, a plentiful supply of midges and a lorry emptying the septic tank blocking the exit road from the bunkhouse. Besides a brief shower and a bit of clag in the late morning, this was a day with great visibility and impressive views.

Kate and Allan had a great day on Streap and Streap Comlaidh.

Marlene, Emma C and myself cycled to the Corryhully bothy, where we met with Gillian and Alex to do Sgurr nan Coireachan and Sgurr Thuilm. Sgurr Thuilm was Alex’ 182^nd munro (100 to go), and my 100^th munro (182 to go). Alex had left the group on the top of Sgurr nan Coireachan as he also wanted to bag Streap that day; impressively he came running down Streap at the same time as Emma and I came down Sgurr Thuilm.

Tim was successful on his bipartite Corbett adventure: Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill and Braigh nan Uamhachan.

Claire H set off by train to Lochaillort, ran up “3 Corbetts, a lovely ridge, f* knows, 2 more Corbetts”, finishing off in terrible bracken, and bringing 2 ticks as blind passengers back to the bunkhouse.

Tony did the same 2 Corbetts Claire had finished on (Beinn Mhic Cedidh and Beinn Odhar Mhor) and then returned to Edinburgh.

Sunday presented itself in even better weather (no showers). Allan, Gillian and Kate set off on a Graham adventure from Arieniskill to Meith Bheinn. The approach involved chest high bracken on steep rocky ground and according to Allan the ground was “one of the roughest 1km ever been over”. And Allan has been over a lot of ground. Kate and Allan left Gillian at the River Meoble to finish her Graham quest, and returned back to Edinburgh.

Tim first did Sgurr an Utha – which started with “a vertical wall of bracken on top of tussacy bog”, followed by Meall a’ Phubuill. I get more and more convinced that Munros are a lot easier than Corbetts or Grahams.

With Gulvain and Braigh nan Uamhachan Alex added another Munro and Corbett to his list, and Emma and I did the Easains.

Claire was slightly broken (is she human after all?) and limited herself to a stroll across the boggy path to Peanmenach bothy, whilst Marlene went to Arisaig for a wander on the beach and mussels & chips.

Harry Potter would have surely agreed that this was a truly magical weekend!