Friday 20 – Thursday 26 June 2025
The meet before the Rùm meet.
It is probably my fault! Last August when we did the InPinn, it was raining all weekend; in April this year when I was not there, the guys had great weather – and now, as we are on Skye again to bag some more Munros, it is raining again. Some members also were unlucky with their equipment (see below), but that was definitely NOT my fault.
Anyway, to make the most of this year’s midgies, Scott, Chris, Yasmin, Katrina, Andy and I decided to have a week on Skye before some of us would go on to the official Rùm meet. After many pub meetings to decide the logistics (do 6 people really need 11 tents? Is August in Skye more a red wine or a white wine situation?), we set off and established base camp at the Sligachan camp site where we were to stay for 6 nights, mainly because the coffee is so good. Nothing to do with the hunk who serves it.
The first target was Sgùrr nan Gillean. The weather held for the next day and we had a successful ascent with wonderful views but because of time decided to assault Am Basteir another day. We did however find the time for a refreshing dook in a river pool on the way back to camp.
21st being the summer solstice, we had a little camp fire as celebration and burnt a few leaves of sage whilst Scott spoke some words to mark the occasion. The evening was long and towards the end we realised we had turned into “that group” that keeps everyone awake at the camp site. What happens on tour, stays on tour.
The next day, the weather was absolutely awful! There really was nothing to do but to find a suitable venue for lunch (we decided on the Old Inn, Carbost) and the afternoon saw DMC members spending two hours sitting quietly in a pub reading. Very relaxing. Although amazingly, the rain stopped just long enough for us to wander down to the Talisker Distillery.
The order of the day for Monday, was for Scott to buy new boots as his old ones had come apart after just two outings (!) and even Gorilla glue did not do the job. With new boots acquired, we set off for Am Basteir. The rain had temporarily stopped but the wind was still up and we wasted quite a bit of time waiting out the weather – in possibly the windiest spot on the entire ridge. After 40 minutes or so, Katrina decided we were a bunch of wussies and we agreed to carry on. The Bad Step was negotiated with great help from Chris in setting up the abseil and Yasmin in safety-checking the harnesses. We all managed to get down and up again! Another Munro bagged, albeit without a view.
Around about this time, Andy ran into trouble with his car and needed a new battery! Whilst he and Scott spent a morning getting to know the local car mechanic in Portree, Katrina, Yasmin and I took the ferry to Raasay. We wandered around Brochel Castle (on this side of the island, the weather was positively Mediterranean). Meanwhile, the car had been fixed and the boys managed to abduct Chris who was making the most of his bus pass, from the bus to Portree and force him onto the ferry. We met at Raasay House for nice coffee and cake. Following this, we visited the distillery to fortify ourselves with some whisky. Chris took the next possible ferry back to Skye, whilst the rest of us walked to the lighthouse, a very simple, almost ugly little structure. If IKEA made light houses…We saw a seal and thanks to Google I became an expert on jellyfish.
Unfortunately, Katrina and Chris had to travel back to Dundee the following day. As is her custom, Katrina wanted to call in at the Oyster Shack before returning to Dundee – only to find that they did not have any oysters!! The rest of us visited the Cioch Clothing Company and the Bog Myrtle Café, and then had a lovely wander up Biod an Athair and the cliffs.
On Thursday, after popping into yet another distillery (Torabhaig), we took the ferry from Armadale to the cosmopolitan centre that is Mallaig where we booked into the fabulous Mission Bunkhouse for one night. We took full advantage of the second hand book store, the cafe, the Bakehouse and the Co-op, which sells a rather nice BBQ pizza.
The following day, we met up with the other DMCers to catch the ferry to Rùm for the second part of the adventure. But, this was a great week with a great group and we are making plans to come back again for Scott to finally (!) compleat his Munros.
- Report by Heinke
