16-19/09/22 Weekend Meet: Strawberry Cottage, Glen Affric

Seven FVMC members made a welcome return to Strawberry Cottage in Glen Affric, NH 13199 20638, run the An Teallach Mountaineering Club from Aberdeen.

To get there you are best to head W along the S side of Loch Affric. Above we see the final approach to Strawberry Cottage (top right) as seen by five of the members on their arrival that Friday…the remaining two members would have had this view too but, due to the A9 being shut for 3:30hrs, it was by necessity viewed using torchlight.

…oops some sunshine – a view from the cottage looking S.

Looking SW into the western end of the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve.

On Saturday PB employed his imagination to enjoy the view from the top of the Corbett Sgurr Gaorsaic, NH 03582 21951.

Having descended SE to the floor of the glen, to fetch his bike, the drier weather in the E provides some inspiration.

After about 4km he reached Altbeithe Youth Hostel.

At last back at the cottage with the prospect of the wooden fire and some dry claes!

Also on Saturday, the pursuit of wet weather continued with BR & GG completing two of GG’s Munro Tops, Mullach Cadha Rainich, NH 13955 24590 and Sgurr na Lapaich, NH 15420 24389…GG has only a handful of Munro Tops left to do, all at the E end of Loch Affric.

Having descended S from Sgurr na Lapaich they joined the path on the N side of Loch Affric which can be used to access Strawberry Cottage heading W. Here at the footbridge over the Allt Coire Leachavie, NH 14655 22771, the path seems benign enough for a mountain bike but the track on the S side of Loch Affric is much better surfaced.

Saturday night and five FVMC members can be seen demonstrating their disapproval of BR’s fashion crime…wearing Ron Hill breeks at half-mast – the photographer remained neutral.

Other wet weather walkers that day; CS & ARob completing two Corbetts Carn a Choire Ghairbh, NH 13690 18868 and Aonach Shasuinn, NH 17340 18023; PF & ARod completing Munros Mam Sodhail, NH 12004 25287 and Carn Eighe, NH 12368 26171.

The following day ARod, BR, CS & PF completed the Munro An Socach, NH 08819 22986, by walking E from the cottage. The day was generally nice…but not on the top – which is why there is only one picture of them, heading down the Allt Coire na Cloiche to the path at River Affric.

All wet things come to an end, the last look at the cottage after a very enjoyable break.

A final view on the way out; looking N over Loch Affric to a key gateway for the hills; An Tudair Beag (centre) stands guard at the western side of the entrance to Coire Leachavie.