Sun 23 May 2021
So we were back on!! Mass gatherings in the hills… well 10 of us anyway – which is a marked change from much of the last 14 months. As a mark of enthusiasm / desperation / longing for a real campsite and a pint in the Clachaig, several folk made it to Glencoe on the Sat night. I myself managed an afternoon up near Glenfinnan on Saturday, experienced one brief snow shower and was genuinely surprised how dry the ground still was… Sunday promised something slightly wetter…
There’s a curious psychology at play with a group meet – with Munro’s and route planned in advance, a collective inertia? or determination to continue in the face of deteriorating conditions?, also a strength gained from having a group, and the assumption that someone else has taken care of navigation and route finding!
So in spite of the showers merging into steady rain from early afternoon, diminishing chance of cloud free Munro’s (nil in reality), we had a really enjoyable day on Stob Coire Albannaich and Meall nan Eun, all the more atmospheric and challenging because of the conditions, and watched first hand as wet streaks on rocky slabs turned into roaring waterfalls by the time we descended Glen Ceitlin back to the cars. Good to be back…
- Report by Iain
With a surprisingly full car (considering we were only going for a night in a campground and a Corbett or two the next day) Isabel, Gaelle and Heinke set off from Dundee for the Red Squirrel Camp Ground in Glencoe. The drive across was uneventful enough, but the beauty spots were noticeably busy on this first weekend with larger outdoor gatherings allowed.
Arriving at the camp site some detective work led us to Allan and Tim’s tent already pitched near the river. For quite a long time – and possibly until Allan and Tim actually turned up confirming it was their tent – we were not quite sure and the possibility of just having rudely nabbed some stranger’s fire place outside his/her tent was nagging…
Paul K. with a full day’s hiking behind him was already at the Red Squirrel and Rosie joined us a little later, bike and all.
The weather was dry and still warm enough for a stroll to the Claichag Inn. A table outside was secured and food ordered. This almost felt normal -Covid rules were observed, of course- and over Haggis and Beer (or Cidre in Gaelle’s case) we discussed the next day’s hiking possibilities.
After we had slowly ambled back to the camp site, a fire was expertly built by Rosie. With Allan and Tim having returned from bagging a Corbett, a nice evening of tea/ beer, fruit gums/Pringles, chatting and banter by the camp fire ensued.
At 4 o’clock am it started to drizzle lightly and unfortunately, although it was dry-ish for camper’s breakfast, the next day’s hiking should have been cancelled due to rain. See Iain’s meet report on theories why that did not happen…
- Report by Heinke
