Burns Supper Meet .Pitlochry Old bank House Friday 24^th-Sunday 26^th January 2003

Alice Mitchell

This highlight of the social calendar was booked up well in advance. The thirty-five places and more were taken so that we had sole occupancy of the hostel. On arrival the warden had already become very enthusiastic and had set up a competition to try to recognise a very blurred image of a Glenmore club member from the website. Her printer had run out of a colour and so none of the website pictures would print. The prize was a bottle of wine.

Soon we were allocated our comfortable sleeping accommodation and the socialising of the first evening went on until late with some discussion of routes for Saturday.

Despite the high winds forecast, several intrepid parties set out.

This included a final Munro ascent of Schiehallion by David Harrison.

The party included:

David Harrison, Alice Mitchell, Carol Proudfoot, Garrey Whyte Rosemary Whyte, Ingrid Parker, John McPartlin, Brian McDaid, Elspeth Kennedy, Jon Barnes and Janet Garfield. We also met Fred and Mary Craddock at the base of the hill so they joined the party.

There was a slight delay of an hour in setting off, however, as the main protagonist had left his boots at the hostel in the excitement of organising the day. This meant an annoying journey back at breakneck speed along windy and narrow roads.

Some of the group thought it prudent to set off for a flying start. Unfortunately they were misled onto an apparently easier lower route and then had some difficulty in getting back to the ridge, so in fact the delayed party did reach the summit first. It was extremely windy with the summit being almost impossible to keep ones footing. However, the mission was accomplished and duly photographed for posterity. Another name for the hallowed annals of the intrepid.

The summit was also of some interest due to the appearance of a Brocken Spectre, the first time some of us had witnessed this apparition.

We descended in hail and wind looking forward to a celebratory drink back in the hostel

Other groups which set out included Harrold and Connie Thomson, Kathleen Perfect, Ruth Stevenson, G and Lyndsay Ross. They went to Enochdhu at Spittal of Glenshee. They were fortunate to stumble upon a "lunch Hut" which kept them out of the wind.

Mary Cunningham, Roger Dean, David Broadfoot, Gill Cook, John Donnelly, Alistair McLean went to Carn Liath Carn Nan Gabhar (Beinn a’Ghlo) and were severely buffeted by the wind. The walk totalled 19 KM and took around 9 hours.

A further group went to Beinn Mholach from Craiganour Lodge. This comprised Mary Cox, Dave Crowther, Chris Huxham, Ann Dean.

The fifth group went via a path to Allt Eigheach to Leacann Nan Giomach, on to Meal na Meoig of Beinn Pharlagrin. This group comprised, Jimmy Stevenson, Hugh Bourhill, Henry Perfect and Elizabeth Maitland.

Dave Watson and Alison McLaren went to Loch Eigheach, Sgor Gaihbre, and Carn Dearg, taking around 8 hours and covering 23 km.

Colin and Monica Farrow went to Beinn Dearg by Gilberts Bridge Beinn A Chait, returning by Druim Dubh Bothy to Old Blair. They covered 26 km taking 9 hours.

By 5 pm it was time to start boiling the haggi. This year we had individual meat haggis which were so cute that it was rather sad to eat them. The vegetarian haggis were of more generous proportions. The hostel was fairly well equipped for a large group but we did make quite a mess.

The mashing operation was the hardest part with a relay of mashers ably led by David Broadfoot and supported by a band of large-biceped women. The haggis were kept warm in the oven, but unfortunately got very hot and their skins became very tight, so that the ceremonial haggis exploded when stabbed spraying its entrails over all sitting too close.

The meal began with delicious lentil and vegetable soup kindly donated by Isobel Freeman, Monica Farrow, Jill Cook, Gordon Dykes, Garrey Whyte and Connie Thomson.

Brian McDaid gave the Selkirk Grace.

Then the haggis was piped in with the warbling notes of the pipes played with gusto by Alison McLaren.

John McPartlin suitably attired and resplendently kilted, gave the address to the haggis most eloquently.

The meal was served by a bevy of hard working women who doled out 44 portions of haggis tatties and neeps. This was followed by a mouth-watering array of deserts kindly donated by Mary Cunningham, Mary Cox, Elizabeth Maitland, Anne Dean, Janet Gayfield, Dave Watson John Barnes and Alice Mitchell.

Still more appeared when coffee and After Eights were served.

Then, at last the main speeches were delivered with the aplomb and cutting edge satire so honed to perfection within the Glenmore club.

Henry Perfect gave the Immortal Memory. Henry had put a great deal of thought into this most central speech, and had researched thoroughly despite his admission of really having had very little acquaintance with the literary delights of the bard. He was however pleased to have learned the words for the second verse of the Auld Lang Syne especially the part where no-one can quite remember and there is usually a kind of muttering sound lost in the stampede to the middle of the room. Some profound thoughts were shared around the bard’s inability to find the eight pounds for a passage to the West Indies which forced him to sell some of his poetry whereupon his meteoric rise to fame was assured. However, his life also was tragically cut short. The evening was tinged with the sadness of the memory of last year.

John Donnelly gave a most eloquent toast to the lassies. His outfit paid homage to many of the Scottish clans with several tartans represented. Jokes old and new were dusted down and received raucous laughter.

The reply from the lassies given by Sue Johnson was a hard-hitting, affectionate ballad with the club joining into the chorus of "Wild Rover". Many of the laddies present were the object of the verses. However, for the full impact of the performance, it was necessary to marvel at the extreme brevity of the "kilt" being skirled and at the number of males in the club who suddenly found it necessary to rouse themselves from post-prandial torpor, to become David Bailey impersonators.

A willing band of volunteers jumped to the washing up, floor clearing and setting up the Ceilidh. The Ceilidh and disco went on until the small hours.

Sunday dawned with a promising start, dry but still windy. Many of the party had been up late and danced the night away, so were taking advantage of some of the pleasant low-level walks to try to reduce the effects of the wind.

However, a group set off to climb Ben Vrackie. This comprised David Harrison, Alice Mitchell, Colin and Monica Farrow Mary Cox, Jon Barnes, Janet Gayfield The path had been greatly restored and this made for a very easy climb with some excellent views of Ben A’Glo.

A further group comprising Dave Watson, Chris Huxham, Dave Crowther, Alison McLaren went to Farragan Hill, and the third group went to Beinn a’ Chuallaich. This comprised John Donnelly, Gill Cook, Sue Johnson, Gordon Dykes, Garrey and Rosemary Whyte Elizabeth Maitland, Carol Proudfoot,and Hugh Bourhill, Brian McDaid and John McPartlin.