Scotland Winter Meet Report Glencoe 2004
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Contributed by Simon Kennedy
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Saturday, 27 August 2005 |
Scotland Winter Meet Report Glencoe 2004
What you missed!! February 2004 winter meet
Meet Report: Scotland Winter Meet Report Glencoe 2004
Scotland Winter Meet Report Glencoe 2004
What you missed!! February 2004 winter meet
Fifteen members of STMC descended on Glencoe for a week of winter walking and climbing. As we all travelled into Rannoch Moor the hills were looking rather lean from the all important white stuff. Nevertheless the weather was fine, cold and clear with little wind making the lochans on Rannoch Moor look like mirrors reflecting the redden sun setting over Black Mount. We didn't know it but this was going to be the pattern of the weather over the next week.
Eleven members were lodging in three cottages in Ballachulish while the other four were in a cottage overlooking Loch Linnhe. Ancipation of Sunday's walking was on everybody's lips. Early on Sunday a party of 8 took to Beinn a Bethir in a non Munro bagging way with axes and crampons at the ready. It seemed that other folk also had the same idea as the ridge had a steady stream of walkers strung along it. After a long slog to the top of the ridge with some scrambling the angle began to relent but the effort was worth it. There were views for all. With a high pressure system moving slowly northwards the day was unaccustomedly warm for Scotland and this time of year. Indeed sun cream, wide brimmed hats, shorts and t-shirts were de rigeur!! With a top and two munro's completed it was time to descend. Descending down a gully into forested land following a meandering stream required careful foot placements or being punished by having a bootful of bog to content with. Then it was the 4Km walk back to Ballachulish. That night we celebrated Wayne's birthday by presenting him with a cake in the pub.
The rest of the week individuals moved from house to house looking for their next fix. What was on offer, ice climbing in the Ice Factor, completing Ring of Steall, the Aonach Eagach, winter skill training on Aonach Mor or gear shopping in Fort William. Folk looked bright eyed and dizzy with so much on offer. Team Testosterone had plans to bag everything, they never did! But the week presented us with wonderful cold clear days to climb what we fancied. The snow conditions were so lean and it was so mild that every day was another photographic opportunity of chocolate box splendor. Even the Alps couldn't rival this and Don with his magic camera produced some superb photos with views to Skye, the Cullin going across east to Cairngorms. Someone even spoke about spotting Canary Wharf but that's Londoners for you!! The weeks highlights was for me discovering the easy accessibility of good winter climbing then having a beer before taking the last ski lift down on Aonach Mor. For others an eyebrow was raised when Paul Mandel proudly sported a new skirt...sorry kilt while Wayne fumed over pranging his car door then throwing all his toys out of his pram later on at the local pub. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 19 March 2006 )
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