Thirteen! The lucky thirteen turned up on this fine morning. No Christmas shopping for them. Not to day. No thank you. Ground iron hard, no rain for two weeks, cloud above the summits, nice conditions to get "The Alps" in. Later in the day when we did have a view of the Cobbler et al you could see how they got the nickname. The Cobbler in particular could hold its own anywhere. What it lacks in height it makes up for with attitude.

Four parties set off.

Ingrid Parker & Bill McIntyre to Beinn Luibhean and Beinn Ime.

John Donnelly, Gill Cook, David Broadfoot & Elizabeth Maitland Climbed The Brack and Ben Donich.

Chris Huxham, David Crowther & Allison McLaren did The Cobbler.

David Foster, Alistair MacLean Jimmy Stevenson & Brian McDaid did Beinn Narnain by Cruach nam Miseag. Ever so slightly sporty this route, with verglas, cold hands but warm chuckles listening to Jimmy’s stories on the hunt for bathroom tiles.

I was intrigued by the letter in the current "Scottish Mountaineer" criticising the work done on the path up the Allt a’ Bhalachain past the Narnain boulders. I can’t see what the problem is. Is it too easy? Is it too twee? Is it a Scottish quirk that unless you are up to your thighs in mud on a twenty meters broad "track" your cheating? The rest of the world doesn’t seem to think so.

We met up in the village Inn in Arrochar for refreshments afterwards. This place is a wee gem, pity there are too few places like this North of the border. So all in all it was a fine meet. Some insisted the sun came out, I missed it. Must have blinked.

Brian McDaid

P.S. Lovely, lovely ice sculptures and frozen waterfalls on the Brack were reported by Gill.