Friday 27 – Sunday 29 October 2023

Deep in Autumn, about 20 DMCers headed to Roy Bridge for our late-October weekend meet. This was no ordinary meet though; it had been timed to coincide with one of our member’s significant birthday and his compleation of a long-standing goal.

Iain (membership secretary) was not only turning 50 but aimed to complete a hill-bagging ‘full house’ that weekend. A full-house consists of all the Munros, subsidiary Munro Tops, Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds, English and Welsh 3,000 footers and probably some other obscure hill classifications I’ve neglected to list.

Iain headed over early on Friday to bag his penultimate hill. Somewhat hampered by the Corran Ferry being out of service he still managed to get this ticked so we were all set for a summit party on Saturday.

Most people took the long drive round Loch Eil to make a mass ascent of Druim na Sgriodain, Iain’s final hill. The weather turned out not too bad – a bit windy but dry with fantastic views up and down the Great Glen. We dropped off the summit for a bubbly fuelled party in the lee of the hill before making our way down and back to the hut to celebrate properly.

Thanks to Berenice for the fabulous decorative cake, it was a shame to slice it up. And thanks from Iain to everyone who contributed to his present (a rather nice single malt).

With winds picking up and the forecast less favourable for Sunday, we went for a stroll along Monessie Gorge before heading home after another great weekend.

• Report by David Matthews