Newsletter June 2003

GLASGOW GLENMORE CLUB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2003

Editorial

Glenmorons are in action: challenging expeditions in the Fisherfield Forest, long summer cycle trips in Scotland and in exotic Laos, treks among the geysers and volcanoes of Kamchatka, sailing through Scottish islands………….and more.

What are your plans for this summer? Wherever they take you, enjoy it!

Caroline

Summer Pub Nights

The Bon Accord is once again the venue for summer pub nights – any time from 9pm onwards on the 1^st & 3^rd Thursdays of June, July & August & one last one being September 4^th. Members who want to meet on additional dates can, of course, use the Website message board.

New Committee For 2003- 2004

Chairman	Brian McDaid
Vice Chairman	Dave Webster
Secretary	Caroline Thompson
Treasurer	Mary Cunningham
Membership Secretary	Arthur Whittaker
Member	Gordon Dykes
Member	Liz Maitland
Member	Alice Mitchell
Member	Henry Perfect

Subscriptions

These are now due. The AGM voted to discontinue discounted rates for couples – so new rates are as follows:

Adults living in Scotland - £22.00

Adults living furth of Scotland - £10.00

Associate Members (16 – 18 year-olds) - £10.00

Please send appropriate payment, membership card & stamped addressed envelope to our new Membership Secretary, Arthur Whittaker

SUMMER PROGRAMME

July Co-ordinator Caroline Thompson 0141 - 931 5368

Fri 18^th – Mon 21^st July – Cannich OS 26 GR 339315

It’s Glasgow Fair weekend –" doon the water" or to the mountains: the choice is yours. In fact you could combine both if you hire the Mullardoch ferry. Variety of walks here - from the remote peaks of the Benula forests to the woodland walk to Plodda Falls. Liz Maitland hopes to compleat her last Munro, walking from Strathfarrar over three peaks. The party is on Carn nan Gobhar! .

Camp at Cannich Caravan Park – Tel 01456 415364 or book a bunk at Glen Affric Backpackers, Chairein Lodge, Cannich, Inverness-shire, IV4 7LT, Tel 01456 415263

Please let Caroline know if you intend to go.

August Co-ordinator Dave Webster 0141 – 954 3755 or 07831 0747250

Fri 22^nd – Sun 24^th August – Ratagan OS 33 GR 918199

Another Munro compleation in the offing: Dave hopes to finish on The Saddle. Alternative outings include: the 7 of the South Cluanie Ridge, the 5 Sisters, the 3 Brothers ……or you could always do 1 of something!

Self book Ratagan Youth Hostel, Glenshiel, Kyle, Ross-shire, IV40 8HP, Tel 01599 511243

September Co-ordinator Gordon Dykes 0141- 959 2217

Sun 14th Sept - Spittal Of Glenshee Hotel Car Park 9.30am OS 43 GR 111699

This should get the new season off to a suitable start. A popular location approximately 2hrs from Glasgow. The days are still long enough for substantial expeditions and those of you who accompany me can be bored with tales of my recent Mountain Marathon exploits in perfect conditions over the local hills.

Thurs 18^th Sept - Brian McDaid and John Donohoe - Stubai Stamina – Wellington Church Hall 7.30pm for 8pm

Ashoka Ashton Lane 6.00pm beforehand

If the first indoor meeting of the year sets the tone for the rest, then the noise I hear must be the simultaneous scraping of barrel bottoms by committee members. The Stubai are in Austria and this pair of reprobates will more likely have been in the pub than on the hills. I expect they will have used digital wizardry to produce some ersatz evidence of daring dos with which to impress us. Closer examination of mobile phone logs and credit card payments may reveal the truth.

Brian’s most likely to say "Mines a liter"

John’s least likely to say. "Let’s have an early start and knock this b***** off"

Fri 26^th – Mon 29^th Sept - Gwern Gof Isaf Farm, Capel Curig, Wales. OS 117 GR 686602

Clear your throat of phlegm and book some pronunciation lessons; we’re going to the principality of Wales. It’s a long time since the club’s last visit so lots of us must need the Furths of Scotland down this way.

We have booked a bunkhouse with camping on site. The accommodation is split between one 16 bed and a 6 bed chalet, on a working farm. Its web site is www.gwerngofisaf.co.uk so you can have a look at the pretty pictures.

Apparently Sir John Hunt stayed here while training for Everest.

Please send a cheque for £18.00 per person for the weekend to me (Gordon) to reserve your place.

While you may expect to bring your own sleeping bag, towels etc. you also need cutlery, pots, pans etc., as these are not provided.

Mountain Bothies Association March 2003 Newsletter

This edition of the MBA Newsletter included a very full report of the 2002 AGM and notification of the next one. For anyone interested, it is on 11 October 2003 at St Boswells Village Hall. Also included is the usual updating of the conditions of bothies in all areas and reports of repairs and maintenance to them.

Other items of general interest were:

· The danger of lighting previously–set bothy fires without first checking the contents. An empty gas canister was left at one bothy, the fire duly lit and then BANG! Very fortunately no-one was in front of the resulting blast of fire and flame. LOOK BEFORE YOU LIGHT!

· One aspect of MBA activities not usually mentioned is the land-owner liaison agreements which require to be carried out before any bothy is adopted by MBA and the continuing liaison with landowners and other interested parties.

· The death of a good friend of MBA was reported – Chris Brasher. He was also a keen conservationist and helped to found the John Muir Trust.

· There was an amusing article entitled "Sugar catches more flies than vinegar." This explained how to use spare time at bothies compiling complaints letters to suppliers of faulty food consumed at bothies and ways of obtaining compensation.

All this and more can be read in the MBA Newsletter available from the Librarian.

H.T.

Draft Outdoor Programme

Date	Venue	Details	Co-ordinator

Sept 14^th	Glenshee		Gordon Dykes
Sept 26^th - 29^th	Wales		Gordon Dykes
Oct 12^th	Borders	Walking or Cycling	Alice Mitchell
Oct 24^th – 26^th	Lake District		Alice Mitchell
Nov 9^th	Callander		Caroline Thompson
Nov 28^th – 30^th	Newtonmore		Caroline Thompson
Dec 14^th	Ochils		Dave Webster
Dec 31^st– Jan 4^th	Inchnadamph	4 nights	Dave Webster
Jan 11^th	Lochearnhead		Mary Cunningham
Jan 23^rd – 25^th	t.b.a.	Burns Supper	Mary Cunningham
Feb 8^th	Bridge of Orchy		Liz Maitland
Feb 27^th – 29^th	Onich		Liz Maitland
Mar 14^th	Inverlochlarig		Brian McDaid
Mar 26^th – 28^th	Glencoe	Lagangarbh & Black Rock Cottage	Brian McDaid
April 9^th – 12^th	Aviemore	Aviemore YH – part of 50^th Anniversary Celebrations	Henry Perfect
April 24^th (SAT)	Arran		Henry Perfect
April 30^th – May 3^rd	Glen Brittle		Arthur Whittaker
May 28^th – 31^st	Knoydart	Inverie Hostel	Arthur Whittaker
June 11^th – 13^th	Glen Nevis	Steall Hut	t.b.a

50^th Anniversary Year – Advance Notices

After discussions at the AGM in May, two outdoor meets are planned as part of our 50^th Anniversary celebrations. These are:

· 9^th – 12^th April (Easter Weekend) meet in Aviemore Youth Hostel (1^st choice of Caingorm Lodge Youth Hostel, where the club has its origins, had insufficient places available for this weekend). Henry Perfect will be taking bookings.

· 30^th October meal & ceilidh at Loch Lomond Youth Hostel, which we are taking over for the whole night.

Further details of both these meets will be announced in the next newsletter.

Congratulations:

· To Douglas Philp on passing his European Mountain Leadership Course in May. We think Douglas is the first Glenmoron to gain this qualification.

· Arthur Whittaker on compleation of his last Corbett, a joint compleation with Richard McLellan on Garbh Bheinn, Ardgour. Twenty people climbed, scrambled or walked, respectively to the summit. A barbecue was held in the evening & by all accounts, the Ardgour midges had a feast too.

· Lowe-Alpine Mountain Marathon (in Glenshee this year) was completed by Keith Adams & John Donnelly doing the "A" course & coming in 7^th intheir class and by Sue Johnston & Gordon Dykes doing the "D" course - a fine achievement for all.

· To Francis Hickenbottom & Sally Morris on the birth of their daughter, Eleanor Frances Morris, in May.

· To Ken Wotherspoon on his election as an honorary member of this club. Ken (and his late wife, Ronnie) were members of the GGC almost since its start & did much for the club in its early years as well as being active in the wider Scottish outdoor scene. Nearly 50 years on his loyalty and interest in the club continues…

Ken has written to thank GGC members for this honour and sends his good wishes to all!

General:

· John & Helen Read are managing SYHs again! They are at Inverey 21^st- 28^th June (as we go to press) and will be at Kendoon 6^th – 13^th September. They will be pleased to accommodate any displaced Glenmorons.

Invitation to join Jon Barnes on his last Munro – Sat 28^th June

Jon is hoping to compleat his Munros on Sgurr Mor, Loch Quoich. Date for this is Saturday 28^th June. Jon plans to stay at the McIntyre Memorial Hut in Onich on Friday & Saturday nights, leaving from the hut early on Saturday morning & tackling the hill from Loch Arkaig. A celebratory meal at a hotel in Onich is planned. Let Jon know if you are coming as he needs to confirm number of places in the McIntyre Hut.

New Zealand Encounters

Ian McNab writes:

February 2003 saw an unusual number of encounters between present and past members in New Zealand. Jan and I arrived in Christchurch on 1st Feb and spent the following day with Margaret Brunner (formerly McCulloch) and her husband Hans, who gave us a tour of the city and surrounding hills. Margaret was a club member around 1960 until she emigrated to Australia for some years, then returned to Scotland and club activities in 1967-68, before returning to Australia, and some time later moving to New Zealand after marrying Hans. As we were both from the same town, we often travelled together on club meets in 67-68 and we all enjoyed this reunion after many years.

The following week, on Sat 8th, we met Margaret and Roger Noble in Arrowtown, near Queenstown, where they were on holiday visiting their son Robert who now lives there, and had an enjoyable walk with good views of the local mountains - including Ben Lomond and Ben Cruachan! The Scottish influence on South Island is very strong!

We only just managed to overlap with Roger and Margaret as they were departing the next day, but with several hours to pass at Christchurch airport, they had arranged to meet Margaret and Hans, who took them on the same tour around the city and surroundings. I know Margaret Brunner was delighted at being able to meet old friends after such a long interval and extended a welcome to other members.

Finally, Margaret and Roger met Alastair and Eleanor Nicoll briefly at Auckland airport on the next stage of their return journey. Alastair and Eleanor were club members in the early 1960s before marrying and emigrating to New Zealand.

Margaret Noble adds:

All the above antipodeans send their regards to members who remember them!

Mountain Navigation Course

This is planned as a basic course for beginners and will be run over three evening sessions in August.

There will be an indoor session on Thursday 7^th August at a venue to be decided, followed by 2 outdoor sessions on local hills on Thursday 14^th August and Thursday 21^st August.

The course will take a "hands on" practical approach and will concentrate on all the basic Map and Compass skills, but if time permits could be extended to more advanced techniques. In any case it is intended to spend some time on the use of GPS as an aid.

Apart from a small contribution for the indoor premises, the course will be free, but places will be limited to a maximum of 6.

Anyone wishing to book a place please contact me on 0141-578-9986 or email johnmcpartlin@ntlworld.com

John McPartlin

Ideal World Productions

Putting your life on hold for an adventure overseas and want to be on television?

Are you planning to drive across South America, take your family sailing round the world, experience living in the wilderness or climb several mountain ranges? An independent television company is looking for friends, couples or families who want to postpone their existing lives for an adventure overseas. If this one is for you, then contact Emma and tell her where you want to go and what you want to do there, as she can help with the arrangements and provide some financial support. Her address is emma@ideallondon.com or call 0207 684 1661 (x247)

Editor’s Request - E-mail Addresses:

If you have an e-mail address and would be happy to receive this newsletter through it, please let me know by e-mailing me at carolinemt2001@yahoo.co.uk or contact me on 0141 – 931 5368.

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