My previous experiences of Club meets at the Muir Hut was that they booked up quickly, so there was some surprise when an email went round a week before hand advertising the late availability of space.

The hut is owned by the Cairngorm Club and can hold 18 people with a reasonably high level of comfort. There is a separate room reserved for club members over and above this. I can only remember one occasion when this space has been used. It is useful to take your own sleeping bag.

Thirteen Glenmorons assemble on the Friday evening with a few more staying at the SYHA hostel a few hundred meters down the road. This was not an act of disloyalty it merely reflected the presence of a star turn as the volunteer wardens there.

John Donnelly and Louise were camping in the woods near by and Alastair Morrison spent the weekend walking to and from Beinn Mheadhoin via Ben Macdui.

The weather on Saturday was reasonably pleasant. High cloud and a stiff breeze, if I remember correctly. The parties dispersed as follows.

Dave Broadfoot Beinn a Bhuird and Ben Avon

Gordon, Sue, John D. Louise, Lorna Gillespie and Monica Farrow to Beinn Bhreac and Beinn a’Chaorainn starting and finishing on bikes.

Arthur, Gill, John A. and Helen Arnot to Culardoch and Carn Liath from Invercauld.

Colin and Malcolm Farrow pedalled up to Altanour Lodge to do the round of Munros from Carn Bhac to An Socach.

Carol Proudfoot Starting from Dundee, with a long walk in, also went to Altanour Lodge but only did Beinn Iuthain Mhor and Carn Bhac.

Stella, Alica and Lena Hassett set of for the Glenshee ski area to do Carn an Tuirc, Carn of Claise, Tolmont and Tom Buidhe. Lena failed to complete the round as she was separated from the others early in the walk.

John D., Louies, Sue and I decided to do Sgor Mor, the Corbett, above Derry Lodge on the way out. After much discussion of the best approach, bearing in mind we all had bikes, our route choice was decided by Sue’s chain breaking just after the bridge. So the bikes were abandoned. The trip back was quicker than you might expect. It is possible to scoot and freewheel a large part of the track, especially the last section to the main road. John D. kindly brought his car round to recover the bike, as the road round to the Muir hut is less friendly to a chainless cyclist. Several days later Sue discovered she had previously done this hill.

Colin Farrow came to the rescue later in the hut with his trusty chain splitter. After a quick master class the chain was repaired and is still working several weeks later.

The evening was spent in the usual way, eating, talking and wondering when to expect Dave Broadfoot back from his rather mammoth excursion.

The reduced numbers did make the kitchen area more useable and there was certainly plenty of room for members to spread out. The hut can be quite cramped when full.

Sunday’s weather was much worse. I set out with Sue and Lorna to do Mount Keen. This should involve a very pleasant cycle up an excellent track to the bottom. A swift accent with excellent views and then a speed retreat down the track. The thought of pedalling in the rain was extremely unattractive so we turned and went to the Glenshee ski area. Having chickened out of Mount Keen the rain stopped and the day improved although we did spent most of the walk in cloud. Cairn of Claise, Glas Maol and Creag Leacach were ticked of and Lorna had a rudimentary navigation lesson.

Other trips undertaken on the Sunday included.

The farrows. Mount Keen. Hardy soles these folks.

John D., Gill, Alice, Louise, Dave B., Arthur and Lena did Creag nan Gobhar and Ben Gulabin. This group displayed the latest worrying trend of doing one Corbett, descending then doing a completely separate one. Surely this behaviour indicates someone who is truly committed to completing them as soon as possible.

Overall a fine weekend. Perhaps not a classic but if they all were then we would stop appreciating them

Gordon