Your Co-ordinators of the next three months have put together an exhilarating programme. Read all about it. Be inspired! Book early to avoid disappointment!

Are you likely to be sending Christmas cards to long lost Glenmorons? What about including a note on the Club’s 50^th Anniversary activities? It would be good to see former members at the Easter meet and/or Loch Lomond Youth Hostel Dinner & Ceilidh in October. Perhaps they would also be interested in buying a copy of the forthcoming book (which will cover the Club’s first 50 years)?

Lastly please note that deadline for booking for the New Year meet is 1^st Dec – see Programme overleaf for details.

Caroline

A good turnout at Brian’s recently where three clear options emerged. After a good deal of impassioned debate and ‘voting’ we settled on the Stubai Alps in Austria though the Ecrins in France and the Julian Alps in Slovenia were close behind.

We thought that for the 50^th Anniversary trip we should look for a location that is easily accessible by various means of transport (including car); is not too far from home; has a central ‘focus’ town with facilities within walking distance of a decent campsite; has mountains easily accessible from the campsite and has a wide variety of walking, scrambling, rock climbing and ‘easy’ snow/ice. The Stubai fits all this very well.

The campsite in Neustift is one hour bus ride from Innsbruck which is directly accessible from Munich airport by train. The campsite is next to shops, bars etc and the valley has good public transport and jeep/taxis. The campsite has lodges for those not wishing to camp. Check out the campsite at www.campingstubai.com. Huts are excellent and several hut-to-hut tours are possible. All the main peaks are relatively straightforward; there’s plenty of easy glaciers and the weather is allegedly better than the Swiss/French Alps. They’re also that bit lower – around 3500m.

If you are interested in coming then please let Dave Webster know: a further information sheet with suggested travel arrangements will shortly be emailed to all on the email list and posted to those who are not and have indicated an interest.

Fri 12^th Dec - Ceilidh

The Annual Ceilidh/Party is as last year in Toby’s Bar on the Jordanhill Campus of Strathclyde University.

Tickets are available from Dave priced £8 and include a finger buffet (a bit more substantial than last year!). The Reel Thing will be playing and the very reasonably priced bar will be open until 12.30pm with dancing continuing to 1.00pm.

PLEASE PLEASE buy a ticket in advance so that Dave can get the catering numbers right this year. Last year he sold 60 tickets but 85 people turned up!!! Result: not enough food! Kids v welcome.

Sun 14^th Dec – Ochils OS 58 GR 914975

Meet at the Mill Glen Nature Trail car park in Tillicoultry at 9.30am. If you’re interested in an E-W traverse to Menstrie via Ben Cleuch, Ben Buck, Blairdenon Hill and Dumyat then please liaise with Dave before the meet so we can arrange to leave car(s) in Menstrie en-route.

The Inchnadamph Lodge (Assynt Field Centre) is booked for the nights of 31^st and 1^st 2^nd 3^rd of January. Hopefully everyone will arrive on Wednesday in time for the Hogmanay celebrations. Dave will organise a communal meal on similar lines to last year’s for one of the nights. Check out the website www.inch-lodge.co.uk.

Dave must have a firm indication of numbers by the 1^st of December. We have booked 42 beds – and paid for them in full - to guarantee exclusive use. If fewer than 42 people go then the club will be out-of-pocket unless we notify the lodge by the 1^st. After that date, the Lodge will open up bookings to the great unwashed unless we have sent them 42 names (and money!). Cost is £40 per person.

Dust down the resolutions and blow away the hangovers, come with us to revisit some "little" hills. Near to hand – or foot – is the possibility of the traverse of Meall an t-Seallaidh and Creag Mac Ranaich if transport is arranged. As for me (Mary)………short days mean short walks and long cups of tea!

Meet at the car park by the watersports centre at 9.30am. Anyone wanting to borrow crampons or ice-axe please get in touch.

A useful little filler, not too intellectually taxing after the season of excess (hopefully) and a chance to see the replays or even, if you’re lucky, to catch the ones you missed the first time round. A sort of visual ceilidh if you like! All contributions (usually!) welcome though an idea of likely timings would be welcome.

This year’s Burns Night Supper is to be held in the popular Loch Lochy YH , scene of epic hill weekends in the past, and where there should be some decent snow by then. A weekend for the tartan as well as the crampons and axes……and that’s just for the dancin’! We have the freedom of the whole hostel so plenty space if you want to bring your entourage. Apart from the Burns Extravaganza, the area has so much to offer in terms of levels of walking and cycling that this is a "can’t miss" weekend. Good kitchen facilities, bed linen provided, hot showers and drying room and all this for the bargain price of £20 all-in. Please send cheques to Mary Cunningham soon as final nos. are required for catering.

Thurs 5th Feb – Quiz, Wellington Church Hall 7.30 for 8pm

Stand by to be challenged by last year’s awesome winners – Henry Perfect, Dave Webster & Chris Everett – collectively known as the "Hooray Henrys".

Meet at Bridge of Orchy Station Car Park, 9.30am. Big, medium & little hills in all directions from here. Also there is the West Highland Way…………….or what about a nostalgia trip to Gorton Bothy, scene of much club industry in days of yore? Something for every level of walker here.

It is 3 years since Sandy talked to us about his work in the Amazonian jungle, isolating the active ingredients contained in medicinal plants used by the indigenous peoples there. He has agreed to give us a second instalment……………….providing he is not marooned in the Colombian jungle!

There are 28 places booked in the chalets here – 5 double rooms & 9 twin rooms – so if you want a double room book early! Cost is £25 for the 2 nights. Send this to Liz with your booking.

Glencoe hills in one direction, Glen Nevis hills in the other.

Jimmy will tell you he sacrificed two Munros to let Phyllis accomplish this feat!

This edition of the MBA newsletter included a summary of the draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code which has still to be approved before the Land Reform Act becomes law (probably Spring 2004). Also included was an article on a recently refurbished bothy at Coire Mhor (near Seana Bhraigh), which would never have been started, but for generous financial and practical help from RAF Benson who lost one of their navigators, an enthusiastic mountain man, in Kosovo. Other articles included a report of unusual finds during a work party at A ‘Chuil Bothy (West of Loch Arkaig and known to many GGC members) and news of another work party at Nant Syddion in Wales. (Yes, they do have bothies in Wales - and in England too, for that matter). In addition to the usual updating of conditions and repairs of bothies in all areas (there are about 100 in Scotland alone!), people are reminded that MBA Christmas cards and calendars are now available for sale. Particularly recommended is the calendar, especially for GGC members who have spent nights in bothies (price £3.50, including postage and packing). 

This is an interesting booklet detailing much of MBA activities throughout the year and includes a list of all trustees and management committee, how MBA is organised, annual accounts, auditor’s report and possible future projects. Included are reports from all areas of work done throughout the year – nearly £27,000 was spent on over 30 bothies, ranging from almost £3000 at Ben Alder Cottage to a few hundred pounds at many others. 

All the above and much more can be read in the newsletter and annual report, available from our current librarian, Gill Cook. 

Footnote: If anyone is interested in reading the draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code referred to above, I have a copy that can be made available on request to any GGC member.

Harrold Thomson

La Sportiva Lhotse Four Season Mountaineering Boot Goretex Size 43

Little used (too small). Cost £160 Sell £70

Contact Brian: 0141 – 357 3126

Cotswold Outdoor shop in Crow Road gives discount to Club members. The number to quote is: G15008. Be prepared to show your GGC Membership card to take advantage of this.