Eight
Miles High Low Down
The
Meet Report
The
Cabin, Balgowan 19th
– 20th
May 2012
Attending
Jake
Brewster
John Kirkham
John Kirkham
Andre
Hawryliw
John Meechan
John Meechan
Apologies
Irene
& David Morris who had to take desperate last minute measures to
deal with a ‘Leaky Lavvy’.
Otherwise
the poor attendance was probably down to the concurrent Scottish Cup
Final, certain passionate Jambo club members even flying relatives
across the Atlantic to attend the game. Doubtless they were very
“Miraculous” celebrating the result afterwards. It will probably
take a long time for their euphoria to subside, so the match will be
replayed at many Meets to come for those who were not there.
Base
Camp Notes
The
Cabin is a relatively new venue for the club, lying just above the
tiny hamlet of Balgowan between Laggan and Newtonmore, so it is a
short walk up hill from the car parking area. As the pictures show it
is well appointed and comfortable with fantastic views over the Spey
Valley from the lounge with its very effective wood burning stove and
climbing memorabilia decor. Facilities included two microwaves and
two fridges in a modern kitchen area at one end of the lounge. There
was even a hi-fi system and a television which were never used.
Sleeping
accommodation comprised one room with a double bunk (which was
rapidly snaffled by John Kirkham) and a dormitory with a sleeping
platform giving space for another ten to twelve more sociable
persons.
There
are two shower/toilet rooms, but one was out of action leaving just
the one combined wet-room-shower-come-toilet nearest the lounge.
Given the extended washing habits of some club members and the
repetitive bowel movements of others, the limited meet attendance was
probably a fortunate occurrence.
Weather
Notes
Saturday’s
weather was cool and cloudy but generally fine. Sunday was very
warm, sunny, still and virtually cloudless, the day probably
constituting the Scottish summer. As seems to have been the case
with Club Meets of late, the weather on the Sunday was much better
than the Saturday.
Special
Note
The
construction of the new highlands main electricity distributor
network was everywhere to be seen in the Spey Valley and down the
Eastern side of Drumochter. The civil engineering work is massive,
and all to support the eventual distribution of energy from northern
wind farms to the populous south. Let’s hope it does not turn out
to be just so much hot air! What happens when the wind doesn’t
blow? As on the Good Ship Venus, do they send for Carter the Farter
to start her? Anyway contractors’ signage is everywhere to be seen
with a broad access road being bulldozed over hill and dale and up
parallel to the Corryarrick Pass, presumably to construct and
maintain the pylons. Sometimes it is even possible to find an old
estate bridge submerged under the new heavy duty works erected by
the contractors (see photograph). This area will never be the same
again.
Hill
Notes – Saturday
Jake Brewster:
Carn
More in Glen Dessarry, one of his few outstanding Corbetts still to
be ticked off the diminishing list.
John Meechan & John
Kirkham:
A
longish walk around Glen Dessarry after delivering Jake to Carn More
in John Kirkham’s car (why didn’t they go walking with Jake?). In
the process Kirkham discovered that whilst BMW Five-Series might be a
good symbol of his undoubted virility, the length of the bonnet is a
definite hazard in this longest of cul-de-sac roads in the UK: he
frequently had to approach many of the hill crests completely blind.
Andre Hawryliw
Gairbeinn
and Corrieyairack Hill with good views to Ben Tee and the Glen Garry
Hills to the West (photograph below).
Hill
Notes – Sunday
Messrs Brewster &
Kirkham
The north face of Wetherspoons
in Gen Kirkcaldy!!!
John Meechan
A
scramble around Coire Ardair on Creag Meagaidh. John was probably
desperate for something more “entertaining”.
Andre Hawryliw
Meall
na h-Aisre with a lot of time dozing and accumulating rays next to
the Allt Coire well above Garve Bridge on the descent.
Concluding
Note
This
was the first meet in memory when no Munros were even attempted, the
total ‘bag’ being just three Corbetts. Is the club getting soft,
or is it the ageing membership, or are the ‘Corbetteers’ winning
the argument?
Meet Report Courtesy of Andre
