The club once again stayed at the Lairg caravan park for this Easter meet. I have compiled these notes from emails I was sent afterwards ‘cos not everyone filled in route cards tut tut. Forecast was not great!

Gordon, Sue, John D: Left Glasgow at 8am and climbed Meall na Teanga and Sron a’ Choire Ghairbh at Loch Lochy. The weather was kind enough and our three showers were short enough or light enough not to need waterproof trousers. There was only one patch of snow to cross. Crampons and axes were put away after the Strontian meet. John D. left his camera on the path and remarkably got it back, dry, from a couple we met later on the track. This was a slight disappointment to John as he was already picking the replacement from the Argos catalogue.

Mary Cox: on the way up a wee Graham at Moy Carn na h Easgainn with John A and Elizabeth

Gordon, Sue, Mary Cox, Liz, John Anderson & John Donnolly: Some group therapy. Corbetts with other baggers. Possibly the longest Corbett name? Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill. This lies North of the A838 and proved a slightly disappointing day given the rest of the UK was enjoying fine weather. Mary Cox, John A., Elizabeth, Sue and Gordon all got ticks. John D was dropped of to do Ben Hee then trot down the road and up Beinn Leoid. However the poor conditions persuaded him to just do Ben Hee before running part of the way up Meallan… and back to the car. The cottage at the bottom of Meallan… has a pet deer and a small dog that wanted to follow us up the hill. John A proved his metal by returning it to the tenant before striding majestically back up the hill.

Some compass work of the top brought us back to the start. Nobody fancied a traverse of the ridge given the conditions. Although, I was tempted to do Cul Mor afterwards, just to get it done. Common sense prevailed and we went back to Lairg and had a pleasant walk to the dam, through a lovely grove of pines on the west bank of the river.

We ate in the hotel that night. The food was reasonable but not memorable.

Harrold and Connie, Elspeth, Allison, Jim Smith, Jimmy and Ruth: Meall an Fhuaran and Ben Harrald - West of Ben Klibreck (There's a Loch
Ben Harrald too!!) - followed by afternoon tea in the Crask Inn

Ben Hope up and down by the usual way. Lots of posing for pictures at the roadside dun.

Gordon + ??: I felt guilty that my comments about the weather had triggered others to shift their plans and make Sunday the long day rather than Saturday. Sunday was fairly foul. Wet in places and windy everywhere except Ben Loyal where it was hurricane force. We tacked up to the top ridge being buffeted from the front, back and sides then slightly overshot the torr before turning back. We were very close to giving up, as walking on the ridge would have been suicide. However, I spotted a gully that proved sheltered on the east side. This brought us out 5m from the trig point and a crawl on our knees was all that we needed. Back down was similarly unpleasant, my map and case blew away, ripped from my pocket. I have just got a postcard from Norway from it. However, at least the moor was dry, after three weeks without rain. Lovely for walkers but the anglers we chatted to at the Crask Inn were less happy as the fish were not running. You just can’t make all the Scotts happy at once. The Crask Inn also had some lovely Collie puppies on offer. We resisted but boy are the cute at that age.

Liz Maitland John A, Ian McNabb, John D: Carn Ban

Dave W, Isobel & Phyllis: – Seana Braigh

These two groups started out together after driving to Corriemulzie lodge. John A had taken a lot of trouble in phoning ahead for permission – thanks. In the end it doesn’t seem to matter – there is a ‘walkers’ car park area just before the lodge. There was a large group from Edinburgh also doing seana braigh. Pretty windy on the tops but not a bad day. Didn’t attempt the scrambly ridge tho’.

David Foster: I was resting a sore knee, so got up late but eventually left a note of my intentions with Harrold and Connie and set off into the forests NE of Lairg. I found a gap through the trees and did an obscure and boring 370m Marilyn Meall a'Chaise. Weather was ok except for rain in the last half hour, and it was much less windy than other people experienced on higher tops.

Gordon: After yesterday I didn’t fancy any more strong wind so we drove home via Aviemore. Luckily it rained heavily to make us feel better about our decision.

Ruth Keightly and Mary Cox: went up a wet and misty Cul Mor

Liz did Ben Leoid with Phyllis

Dave and Isobel: did ben Klibreck and wished they hadn’t apart from he tick in the book.

Ian Macnab and David Foster climbed the Graham Carn nan Tri-tighearnan east of the A9 from Moy just south of Inverness. Mostly dry and cloudy, some light rain on the top.

Thanks to Isobel for all the excellent arrangements and especially for arranging for the extra night at Lairg. Those staying on had a very jolly evening (Phyllis, Jimmiy, Brian, Ruth, John, Elizabeth and Mary Cox) sharing out food and drink in our caravan on the Monday night.

Dave Webster