![[JMCS Homepage]](../icons/JMCShome.gif){kind=icon}
![[Up]](../icons/up.gif){kind=icon}
![[Previous]](../icons/prev.gif){kind=icon}
![[Next]](../icons/next.gif){kind=icon}
Please note that this site is no longer the official website of the JMCS (Glasgow Section) which can be found at http://www.jmcs.org.uk/. These pages are provided to ensure continuity of provision and that the information that they contain is not lost.
Dear Member,
Here at last is the September newsletter. Having been in the USA for the past two months awaiting outstanding reports. I can report that during that time I have received precisely one report despite attempting to chase the outstanding reports. Andrew is now pushing me for what exists of the newsletter so here it is.
A report has not yet been received from John Goldie:
A report has not yet been received from Ian Thomson:
A report has not yet been received from Dave Eaton:
There does not appear to be a meet report for this meet.
The following report has been written by the Secretary:
The unsettled forecast for this weekend may have put off many potential participants and in the end it was two morning’s worth of activity that was achieved. Claire and Dave headed off on the Saturday morning to the Cairngorms but inclement weather forced a retreat to Aviemore and the usual bad weather alternative of mooching about the shops spending as little as possible.
Meanwhile Donald, David and Davie had a productive morning at a crowded Huntly’s Cave Crag where they completed three routes including the classic of the crag, Double Overhanging Corner before the lunchtime rain arrived. While wandering around Aviemore Dave and Claire were encountered and the main purchases seemed to centre around ensuring that enough alcohol was available for the Saturday night in the hut.
That night Claire departed for Glasgow while Iain and Helen arrived. They headed off for Glen Feshie the following morning while Davie, Dave, David and Donald headed off to the nearby Creag Dubh. It was at this point that we realised that we had only three 9mm ropes, David having failed to bring one or let anyone know. Having sorted out climbing partners Dave made an impressive lead of Inbred while Davie lead the adjacent Stramadicktome with David in tow. Following this, Davie let Donald and Dave up “Over the Hill” before the rain, which had been threatening all morning, finally put in a concerted and impressive appearance.
The following report has been received from Mark Evans:
My suggestion of an investigation of the crags of Mull of Kintyre at the committee meeting only a week or so earlier was met with noted enthusiasm. A week later and the enthusiasm was dieing and being replaced with that for a trip to the mountains, Creag an Dubh Loch to be exact. When we finally got there, we ended up climbing in the Pass of Ballater. Anyway, more of that later.
A delayed Friday start saw Niel, Donald and myself sitting in a traffic jam just over in the south side wilderness. Eventually we were moving and left Glasgow at around 9.30. Now it is worth noting that the chippie in Blairgowrie closes at 11.00 p.m. exactly. We know this because we arrived at the chippie at exactly 11.00 p.m. and missed out by the time it takes to open a car door. So we had a couple of kebabs instead. Resulting in the “Kebab Dabs” as Niel called them. More of a “Caramac Mr. Whippie” in my opinion.
We arrived at the Glen Muick car park at 1.30 to find Scott’s car windows well steamed up and a mummified body alongside the car. I guess Dave had finally been kicked out of bed for farting!
We were woken up at 6.30 am the next day by Scott’s cheery tones and expressions rhyming with hazy bunts. Mishearing and thinking I was being offered a plate of hot crumpets and a mug of fresh filter coffee I got up. I wasn’t. And 10 minutes later Scott was asleep again on a picnic table.
Now Heather and Lex had been harping on all week about these thunderstorms that would definitely hit by mid day Saturday. So as mentioned above we canned the Dubh Loch plan and headed for Pass of Ballater.
Now you may recall Scott mentioning climbing here in your last newsletter, heading straight for the area overlooking the tourist lined road, the shouts of “coo look at his muscles” and “isn’t he sexy” drifting up towards the two blokes climbing next to them. Well with his instinctive nose for these things, this time he headed for the west end of the crag where two female instructors just happened to be running an SPA course. We all followed of course. We know when we’re on to a good thing. I caught Donald and Niel staring with their mouths open at one stage. They claimed to be interested in the releasable abseil system being demonstrated.
Well no thunderstorms appeared and we had a fine sweaty day with about six routes each, including many classics such as Little Cenotaph, The Brute and Giant Flake Route. Beers in the burn and back to Glen Muick to meet Davie and Neil later.
The next morning Dave came up with the plan of heading towards Aberdeen to the Findon crags. The guide promised several starred routes spread over the VS to E7 range. Something for everyone. Unfortunately it was not until we stood at the top of the crag anyone noticed the paragraph above the stars talking of appalling rock and a depressing gothic atmosphere.
We salvaged a route each at the cliffs of Red Hole, picking our way carefully to avoid those areas being nested on. No one had thought of that now had they.
So that was it. The weather was Muchas Scorchio all weekend, with only a few showers during the Saturday night. One day we’ll learn not to listen to Heather and Lex.
The following report has been received from Alan Dunn:
Never mind that we never made Carnmore! I shall remember this weekend. I shall remember this weekend as the baptism of our new young friend, Brian, recently arrived from Oz who surfed our JMCS net to find something to do in his first weekend in Scotland. I shall remember tearing my trusty orange Goretex shell and ripping five rivets from my boots. Is someone telling me something? I vowed I’d never venture over Munros with a full camping sack again.
Leaving the cars at midnight on Friday we did not stumble under the moonlight as we passed the loch to find the abandoned Lochivroan estate cottage where we crashed out on beds resplendent with mattresses and duvets (at least mine had).
Saturday: the weather was reasonable as we set off west towards the Fisherfield “Big Six”, however fair (Glasgow) weather set in as we strode up the slabs of Mullach Coire Mhic Fheachair – we could have been anywhere as with poor visibility, rain and wind, we progressed to Sgurr Ban.
Had we been able to see any distance we would have avoided the endless boulder-field that caused the demise of my boots. I’d never been so close to hypothermia in July when we reached Achnegie, a terrace of abandoned estate dwellings with a waterfall in the back garden.
After sweeping the fallen roof plaster into a corner of the best room we found that a hot meal and fire revived us. The next morning we enjoyed the short half hour walk though herds of grazing cattle to Shenevall.
I decided to have a rest day while Donald, Ian and Brian forded the river, without the aid of river crossing gaiters, to conquer the two magnificent Corbetts of Beinn Dearg Mor and Beinn Dearg Bheag overlooking Loch na Sealga.
“Bog spotting” is a skill not required in Oz, and therefore not yet mastered by young Brian. Strath na Sealga bog could be featured in an advert necessitating a boil wash test of Brian’s cream coloured jeans. My presence at home in Shenevall enabled the four of us to keep the back extension to ourselves that Sunday night. More cramped were the other twenty residents.
Monday morning took us back as the crow flies over Carn nam Feithean to the cars. I’m pleased to report that Brian still enjoys his outings in our outback and plans more before he moves on to Canada and the USA on his World tour.
The following report has been received from John Porter:
Scott, Brian and I set off from Byres Road on Friday evening, Scott excusing his late arrival by explaining that Vicky had failed to turn up. We made good time up the road and stopped off at the Kingshouse, where we met Tony, who had driven down from Aberdeen en route to Preston. We enjoyed a couple of pints of the excellent Orkney Dark Island ale before carrying on to the hut.
After breakfast the following morning, we were just reflecting that the weather seemed not too bad when a heavy shower descended. Undeterred, we set off up the ridge to the West of Lagangarbh Coire and continued from the col to the summit of the Buachaille. Here we soon abandoned our intention of traversing the summit ridge to Stob na Broige, as this would have meant a long slog against a stiff headwind in the rain. Instead, we settled for returning to the col and descending the Coire back to the hut.
As it was still early afternoon Scott and Brian took the opportunity to drive back to Glasgow to catch the later stages of the World Pipe Band Championships, while Tony and I headed up to Fort William to replenish our funds and make the usual round of Nevisport. Back at the hut, we were joined by Davy and Vicky, who had done Ben Dorain on the way, and later by two ladies from the LSCC who had spent the afternoon on Bidean. Both parties had enjoyed rather better weather that afternoon than we had in the morning; obviously getting up early had been a mistake.
Later Dave turned up on his way back from North Uist, and finally Scott and Brian returned from the piping, with a story of stopping on the way to help a family in a broken down car by giving them a tow to the Kingshouse. Vicky of course had a different explanation from Scott for the failure of the previous evening’s arrangements, and bitterly berated him for his non-appearance.
On the Sunday morning the rain was heavier. Dave headed home while the rest of us drove down the road and assembled at Derrydarroch. Davy announced that he “couldn’t be arsed” going up a hill in such weather and headed off, while the rest of us plodded grimly up Beinn Chabhair in the pouring rain. On the way down, we were confronted by a burn swollen to a white water torrent, which we forded by linking arms. We returned drenched to the Drovers’ Inn to dry off and have a pint. Thus ended what surely was one of the wettest weekends of a very wet summer.
A report has not yet been received from Vicky Stewart:
A report has not yet been received from Claire Gilchrist:
The following report has been received from Katy Alder:
Niel, Donald, Claire, Katy and Vicky spent Thursday night in the comfort of Arisaig Station waiting room. The resident slug was attracted to Claire and spent the night on her sleeping bag munching into her ear.
At the ghostly hour of 5 a.m. we drove the few miles to Mallaig, under the aurora borealis, and crossed the calm sea to Rum. We arrived in Stable Bothy at about 11 am. It was a fine, warm afternoon, and Vicky Claire and I walked over to Guridil bothy on the west side of the island, a beautiful spot right by the sea. Vicky and I went swimming (briefly) and Claire fell asleep in the sunshine. The return walk gave us a lovely view of the rum Cuillin. Donald and Niel were told they couldn’t climb in a pair, it had to be four, so they stomped over to Harris and had a look round the mausoleum and the crypt.
The following morning brought Danny, Lucy and Brian (no sign of Tony!) and a huge debate began on whether to walk into Dibdil bothy or return to Kinloch for a 60th birthday party with the Clyde Valley MC who were in noisy residence next door. Eventually, the majority went for the party. Donald and Brian set off for Kilmory round the coast, and the rest of us had a superb walk over the Rum Cuillin. There were great views to Skye and Knoydart, and Niel saw his brockenspectre. I thought I’d seen it too but apparently you can only see your own, so I must have seen my very own one. It was a long walk back from Dibdil to Kinloch and Danny only made it with a bit of a snooze halfway.
Once back the party got into full swing. The CVMC had a keg of gooseberry Fraoch, and were very generous with it. They had two guitars, and Niel was persuaded to play his pipes. Brian was treated to the delights of “Waltzing Matilda” and “Tie me Kangaroo down Sport”. Most of us retired to bed at about 2.30. Claire went at 5 a.m., and Vicky at 6 a.m., after opening a bottle of wine at 4 a.m.! Danny and Lucy slept through the whole thing! Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling very active the next day, and Claire and Vicky were much worse. In the afternoon I recovered, and walked into Dibdil bothy. Donald and Brian appeared via the ridge, and Niel Danny and Lucy via the coast from Harris. The alleged rat did not appear. I heard some squeaking but that may have been Donald snoring. After a good breakfast, we walked back to Kinloch and caught the ferry home. Four days without rain on Rum in September: is this some kind of record?
Rum is a beautiful island, and there were lots of places that I didn’t get to see: plenty of reasons to come back for another visit.
Due to lack of enthusiasm this meet failed to take place.
The report has not yet been received for this meet:
Curry Nights and Informal Slide shows will continue to take place on the fourth Wednesday of most months. The venue for the Curry Nights will be decided by the convenor (and need not actually be an Indian restaurant), while the format for the informal slide shows is that the host will arrange for the slides and provide the venue, while attendees will provide food and refreshments.
Most of these meets need convenors. Please volunteer as a meet convenor if you are definitely intending going on any of these meets. Hopefully a new newsletter will be out by the time these meets occur, however if they are not, please contact the Secretary or one of the other committee members.
Sorry, don’t have any relevant information here in the US of A.
Subscriptions for 1998 are now significantly overdue. The rate for 1998 is £9.00. Please complete and return the subscription form enclosed with the previous newsletter, together with your cheque, as soon as possible. Unless those on the blacklist pay their subscriptions before the new year they will be deemed to have resigned from the Club.
All queries regarding membership subscriptions should be addressed to the Treasurer, Andrew Sommerville, Stronvay, Station Road, Langbank, Renfrewshire. PA14 6YA.
At the committee meeting on 16th September the following member was
admitted to the Club:
Brian Moes
Donald Ballance
(No-longer secretary)
10 December 1998
1/R 11 Airlie Street, Hyndland, Glasgow. G12 9RJ. Home Tel: 0141 357 3073
Work Tel: 0141 330 5187, Fax: 0141 330 4343
Email: D.Ballance@mech.gla.ac.uk
URL: http://www.mech.gla.ac.uk/JMCS/
Last modified Friday, 25-Apr-2008 18:19:10 BST, by Donald Ballance
