Friday 7 – Sunday 9 August 2026

The Glencoe meet, although initially heavily over-subscribed, quickly diminished to a small bunch of 6, no doubt mainly due to the forecast. MWIS in particular predicting high winds and ‘incessant’ rain.

For this reason, those of us who headed up to the Blackrock hut on Friday night, were mainly planning for a chilled weekend away from Dundee, and were not under any illusions that we would be carrying out any great feats of mountaineering. Especially not hopalong Lesley, with one leg in a boot but still her cheery and chatty self. With just four of us in the hut and so almost a bedroom each, and Carlin manning the fire, it was a relaxed and surprisingly luxurious evening in the cosy Blackrock hut.

After a lazy start and the mornings entertainment watching the west highland way’ers trotting out into a darkening sky with a various assortment of plastic wrappings, Yasmin drove us up Glen Nevis where Yasmin and Carlin and I enjoyed a wander up to Steall Falls (which were amazing with the rain), and Lesley somehow managed to keep herself entertained in the carpark for 3 hours.

Back at the hut we were joined by Maddy and Si, who had only joined the meet because Maddy had volunteered to cook, and she dutifully appeared with a giant vat of delicious vegan chilli. Another chilled evening with good chat.

Sunday the weather really quite okay, and Yasmin Carlin and I went off to do the Corbett Gargh Bheinn and Si, Maddy and the penguin successfully conquered both Beinn Dorain and Glasgow Ikea.

• Report by Ruth