Friday 2 – Sunday 4 June 2023

As with many venues for meets, this is one that I have previously visited with another club, but not for a long time. About a decade ago with The Cioch. So, knowing how good the facilities are I was looking forward to it, signed up at the first opportunity and started planning how to bag target hills.

It quickly became my plan to extend the opportunity offered by joining the meet at the end of a backpacking traverse of the western Cairngorms, bagging six Munros. As such I walked into the grounds on Friday afternoon after three days of brilliant plateau romping sunshine. I did consider claiming half of the bridal suite, but settled for a small dorm with a single set of bunks and managed to grab a very satisfying shower before the first car arrived with prospective members Lubi and Marek. The bridal suite was now taken!

Steph suddenly appeared next, having also walked in from Aviemore having chosen the Ghru as her route. After which there was a steady trickle of cars through the evening as the compliment was completed. First was Greg, and I was very happy to claim my bike and bag from his load.

The pre-meet discussions had include a lot of bike talk, with a danger that there might be a a lower bikeless class created. This was avoided when the bike shed was opened and found to house six machines. Consequently, Saturday saw everyone head off to various trail heads to explore a variety of bothies, lochs and hills. And all virtually midge free!

There were a lot of tired people in the evening so the activities were quite subdued and very much focused on the very much appreciated meal provided by Lubi and Marek. It almost made me want to join the communal arrangement.

With the exception of John, who headed back into the ‘gorms to bag more hills, it was a leisurely start on Sunday with some going for a swim, others doing yoga and me doing nothing in particular. While most eventually went for a cycle, exploring the Linn of Quoich, a resting Greg stopped off at The Cairnwell to watch the downhill bike racing, while Lena, Anton and I quickly did a couple of easy hills to fill a gap in her records. A very pleasant end to the trip.

In summary, I doubt if this meet could have been bettered. An excellent hut with few deficiencies, superb midgeless weather, great hills and good companions. Thank you.

• Report by Chris