Bunkhouse 1 - Jon Barnes, James & Phyllis Smith, Ania Owsianka, Stella Lowder, Elizabeth Maitland, Janet Gaywood, David & Elspeth Mulholland.

Bunkhouse 2 - Chris Huxham, Dave Crowther, Gill & Arthur Whittaker, Monica, David & Colin Farrow, Roger, Alan & Ann Dean, Sam Beck, David Foster, John McPartlin, and Henry Perfect.

The weather forecast was so intimidating that those of us who had thought of setting off at the crack of dawn on Friday to enjoy the odd hill on the way up to Corran quickly revised our ideas by Wednesday evening. David and Alice Harrison, John Donnelly and Brian McDaid decided to drop out and Denis Pidgeon was unfortunately ill.

The 21 Glenmorons were pleased to welcome two members of the Capelrigg club, David and Elspeth Mulholland who came up early on Saturday morning. We all enjoyed their lively company and hope that they will soon join us again.

The accommodation was in two separate bunkhouses. All the rooms were comfortable, en-suite, with beds not bunks, and individual reading lamps.

Bunkhouse No 1 had a large dining area with a well laid out kitchen area, bunkhouse No 2 with more beds, had a smaller dining/kitchen area.

In number 2, there were two non glenmorons plus dog, who not only were obviously not hillwalkers, but, horror of horrors, put the television on! There was an instant flight headed by the Farrows into No 1. On Saturday evening the non glenmorons had No 2 virtually to themselves as most people either went to the pub or came into No 1 for the evening where the general hilarity lasted until about 2.15 am.

Friday evening and night continued to be very stormy but, much to everyone’s delight, Saturday dawned bright and reasonably clear. Spirits rose and plans were quickly made.

The largest party, lead by Henry could not resist the call of the ferry to Ardgour.

Henry’s Log of the party on Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill

With the Corran Ferry literally next to the bunkhouse it was a great opportunity to cross over the water and visit the wondrous hill country of Ardgour and Morven. Stob Coire a’ Chearcaill was on the route card, with a start just three miles along the coast from Corran. The party comprised Henry Perfect, Roger Ann and Alan Dean, David Foster, John McPartlin, Stella Lowder, Chris Huxham and Dave Crowther. After parking near the mouth of the River Cona we set off in the dry, with sunny spells, along the riverside track. After about three miles we climbed up to the west ridge of the hill, then with a following wind turned east for a pleasant two mile walk up an even grade to the summit of subsidiary top Sgurr an Lubhair, just as the sleet started. Conditions deteriorated for the mile or so tramp to the main top in wind driven snow, then down the SE ridge to Lochan na Cruaich, and back south to the road and the cars, as the earlier snow turned to sleet and then rain. We enjoyed some great winter views and the camaraderie of a very sociable outing when the charms of a Corbett proved too much to resist.

Phyllis and Elizabeth, who is not collecting Grahams, but just happens to have bought the book, left Inchree at 9.15 to climb Tom Meadoin & Beinn na Gucain from where they were able to enjoy great views of Ben Nevis, the Mamores and the Ballachulish Horseshoe. Eight & half hours later, (only two ten minute stops allowed by Phyllis) they returned tired but triumphant after a very hard but enjoyable day.

Log of Sam Beck plus Guardian Angel.

9.30 left base for Inchree.

I crossed the road successfully. After that things went downhill as I went up. I elected to cross Abhainn Righ by a bridge at 625035 which is not on the map (the fairies have been busy). This gave access to execrable ground which continued up and down to Beinn an Anoaich Mhoir. The way was a bit better thereafter. Up and down and up to Tom Meadhoin. I went part-way to Doire Ban but the way seemed blocked by a new forest (not on my 1950 map) so I retraced my steps down to a new road. I walked west on this until it stopped. Thereafter it was down through the forest, over a deer fence, through the river and on to the track back to base. The rest is history. Great views, terrible ground=Western Highlands.

Jon Barnes intended to have a low level forest walk up Gleann Righ from Inchree with the option of climbing Beinn na Gucaig 616m. As the weather was pretty good he decided to include the summit where he met up with David and Elspeth Mulholland. Jon returned very delighted to have climbed a hill after so many failures since his illness, beating the Farrows and Whittakers back to the bunkhouse.

"I want to be alone"

James took a beach safari with his camera. He succeeded in producing some great images of beautifully banded stones and rocks juxtaposed with mother of pearl shells. These were all shot between showers of sleat interspersed with beautiful rainbows.

He was rewarded, at the end of this epic shoot, by an exchange of pints of beer and drams of whisky in the company of a TV producer, complete with skin tight leathers and long hair, who was planning his next stunts to be filmed for the X Factor.

All this goes to show what happens when you do not get a proper GPS position.

Jill, Arthur, Monica and Colin had initial trouble trying to find their way off the main road into the woods in order to climb Beinn na Gucaig . They then ignored the STOP Forestry Harvesting notices, and went up to the summit via the 575 ridge, battling with tussocky grass that felt like deep soft snow. The group enjoyed wonderful views of the Glencoe hills and the Ballachulish horseshoe and returned through the forest. They were impressed both by a garden at the bottom of the glen and the Onich waterfalls.

Ania and Janet, both still chasing Munros, were shepherded up Stob Ban and Mullach nan Coirean by John Anderson. We parked the car in Glen Nevis in the car park at Achriabhach and took the track up Allt Coire a Mhusgain at 10.00am. We took this route to be sheltered all the way up from the strong westerly wind and met the snow line at about 750m. As we came onto the north-east ridge to the summit of Stob Ban the wind was not nearly as strong as we had expected and the weather continued to be fine giving us magnificent views of Ben Nevis, Aonach Mor and the general sweep of the Mamores at 1.00pm. After some discussion on the summit with another group who had come from Mullach nan Coirean we decided to don crampons and continue. We then proceeded in a NW direction to the summit of Mullach nan Coirean. The weather deteriorated with blizzard conditions and poor visibility as we approached the summit at 2.45pm. From the summit we took an easterly bearing and paced the 300m to the start of the ridge that we were to follow to descend. There was a helpful cairn at the start of the ridge, and a clear path down back to Achriabhach.

Sunday 2^nd March.

The popular destination for Sunday was the Pap of Glencoe with three parties heading there. Party 3 John McPartlin, Jon Barnes, Dave Crowther, Chris Huxham, Colin and Monica Farrow were an hour behind parties 1&2 who met on the summit.

Party 1 Sam Beck, Roger, Ann & Alan Dean took a short cut down whilst party 3 Ania, John A & Phyllis found conditions difficult on wet and slippery rock after a snow shower on the summit. Phyllis was not amused but treated everyone to soup/rolls/coffee/tea at the Clachaig Inn afterwards. The total ascent/descent time for party 2 was 3hrs.20mins.

Garbh Bheinn was the destination for Henry Perfect and David Foster. They had a blizzard on the summit and were back at the car by 3.30pm.

Elizabeth Maitland, who is not collecting Grahams, led Janet, Gill and Arthur up Meall Mor at the foot of Glen Coe. Very steep ascent in dry conditions but met a strong westerly wind and blizzard at the top. After a discussion as to whether to continue to Sgorr a’Choise we decided to continue in a westerly direction for about 300m then descend in a southerly direction down to just above the confluence of two burns making up the Allt na Muidhe. In crossing the burn Gill dropped one of her walking sticks into the burn and there followed a dramatic rescue about 200m downstream by Arthur. From there we followed a good track back to the A82.

Janet Gaywood.