We woke to a Dundee covered in snow and anticipated being at least ankle deep in powdery snow up in the mountains of Glen Lyon. Four of us had decided to attempt a few of the four Munros to the east of the glen, leaving the rest of the group to go and do Stuchd an Lochain.
Our destination this week was meant to be Arrochar, but just as with the previous week's trip, we had to adapt to circumstances and go elsewhere. On this occasion it was due to being given the keys to a minibus that was nowhere to be found, and by the time an alternative had been provided it was too late to go further afield, so a return trip to Blair Atholl it was.
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...
