Meet Report

11th to 13th November 2022 - Moulin Hotel , Pitlochry (Dinner Meet )

After a successful dinner meet at the Moulin Hotel at Pitlochry in 2021 the EMC once again headed there for the 2022 one. 19 of us sat down for dinner on Saturday night where we heard Mike’s reflections on the year and his decisions on prizes. The Martin award - for a day in the hills that our former member Martin Hulme would have been proud of - went to Allan S and Kate W for their 11 hour day on Carn Ban. The swan award went to Martha as a reminder for her goose attack. Mike also took the opportunity to thank the committee and the hotel staff who looked after us very well once again. 

Aside from the socialising we did of course find time for some outdoor action in the form of hikes, runs and swims. Martha and James started early on the Friday with a run at Dunkeld on the way north. Others arrived at various times and some enjoyed a meal in the hotel bar. 

After all the rain the hills were a bit sodden and so on Saturday Kenny tackled Meall Na Leitreach in his wellies. Fiona, Emma, Kate, Allan, Pauline and Dave did the same hill except in more usual footwear. It was a bit claggy on the Ben a'Ghlo hills where Mike, Fiona, Claire, Neil and Martha did the three munros  and despite the relatively high temperatures it was pretty chilly on the tops. James did a run more locally around Ben Vrackie. Keith, Duncan and Alison C did Meall nan Tarmachan as an out and back. Doug cycled from Edinburgh (75 miles apparently!) and Rhi and Alison F both took advantage of the nearby train station and travelled by train at different times on Saturday. A hardy trio of Martha, Clare and Rhi headed back out in the dark for some swimming by head torch at Linn of Tummel. 

Sunday brought some brighter weather for those that climbed Ben Vrackie. In various parties that was Alison F, Keith, Duncan, Claire, Rhi, Doug, Alison C, Martha, James (who did Carn Geal first and met the group on the way down). The swimming trio from Saturday were joined by Alison C and Doug for their Sunday pm dunk before heading for home. Emma headed for a run at Dunkeld (Loch Ordie). Fiona did Birnam hill on the way home and managed to catch some sunshine. Allan and Kate headed for Deuchary Hill which was in cloud. Martha and Fiona C both reported inversions from their tops. Meantime Mike and Fiona had a change of heart when they saw the low cloud at their plan A - a sunnier outing on Moy rock for them. And definitely the most adventurous for Sunday - Neil headed for the airport and a trip to Jordan for climbing.