Alison and Kit organised a pub quiz for us in our usual meeting place, Clarks on Lindsay Street. Questions ranged over sport, history, geography, film, science and more and included a test of our ability to recognise land masses, famous faces, and a visual reference to a particularly notorious incident...
So this meet we were originally supposed to head to Ling Hut near Torridon, Wester Ross. However, due to a gas leak we were unable to go there, but luckily the Glen Brittle Memorial Hut on Skye was free, so that became our destination! Headed off Friday night as usual and arrived at the hut pretty much exactly at midnight. After unpacking, we all sat and planned our routes for the next day. Most of us decided on Sgùrr Alasdair, the tallest mountain in the Black Cuillin range and on Skye, made up of gabbro and basalt rock.
After weeks of powerful winds and often little or no visibility it was great to finally get a decent forecast, suggesting a break in the weather leading to a period of alpine conditions. We were a bit disappointed then to drive into Glen Orchy and find it enveloped in a cold pocket of low cloud. Nonetheless, as the day drew on it turned out we were - eventually - in for a treat that would also bode well for next week's much-anticipated trip, to Ling Hut in Torridon...
Off we went to Glenmore, 15 walkers and 9 intending to do some skiing or snowboarding. High winds seemed to be a given on trips at this point, and we anticipated it, but the reality was certainly worse than the forecast and it was fairly unpleasant even at the lower Cairn Gorm car park. Early on, the plans still seemed realistic though. It was, needless to say, not a great day for photography.
A small party set off for the weekend to Glen Clova, staying in the Carn Dearg Mountaineering Club's hut, Braedownie. The weather was good but windy, and we had the added excitement of an exploding oven to spice things up.
