17-18/11/23 Weekend Meet: Dinner Meet, Pitlochry Youth Hostel.

This year the club hired the Pitlochry Youth Hostel as our venue for our Annual Dinner Meet, with the evening meal arranged at the Fern Cottage Restaurant (ferncottagepitlochry.co.uk). As per usual, members made use of the Friday, Saturday and Sunday to get some decent walking in!

First up, on Friday 17th JW & BR tackled Corbett Farragon Hill, NN 84035 55307, from the south, starting off in misty conditions https://consumerplatform.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/19600516/231117--farragon-hill-fvmc-dinner-meet?lat=56.644575&lon=-3.834094&zoom=13.7264&style=Leisure&type=2d   

Further up the track things get a little clearer. Looking ESE from the track towards Loch Derculich.

From the top of Farragon Hill looking WSW to the other Corbett Meall Tairneachan, NN 80764 54395, centre pic by JW's right side, and Lochan Lairig Laoigh to the SW, centre left.

Having descended the eastern side to meet with the track again they got a clear view looking back NW to Farragon Hill. A good day out covering 15.4km and 765m of ascent.

Also on Friday MMcE decided to tackle Corbett Meall Tairneachan.  NN 80743 54373. Pic shows the Limekiln at the start of the walk, NN 77785 54547.

The mist flowed back and forth but looking to the west we see Schiehallion with a dusting of snow.

Devil's matchsticks.

Meall Tairneachan revealing itself.

Finally the summit trig…and the return of the mist!

Heading east off the summit MMcE passes the opencast mine workings.

One of the adits. MMcE had hoped to go onto Farragon Hill in the east but time was running out and a reverse route to the car was taken.

Saturday after breakfast was really, really wet!! Lots of folk got soaked that day on the hill. A typical experience was that of ARob, CS, EA and MMcE who headed off to do the modest Fiona nearby called Blath Bhalg, NO 01936 61111, from the A924.

A typical view for the whole day.

Lichen on a fence post.

Are we there yet?

Now that they had achieved the objective of getting thoroughly wet it was time to go back.

Having returned from wet moors the FVMC managed to scrub themselves up for polite society and their evening meal…facilitated by a couple of bottles of Prosecco.

As evidence shows, the meal was devoured along with suitable lubrication.

…members were advised not to start singing as that would terrify the staff.  

…the singing was reserved for later, featuring CS on vocals EP on Appalachian Dulcima with vocals, ARod and IH on guitars with vocals – plus a couple of ground-breaking jokes from JW.

So that was the FVMC Dinner Meet at Pitlochry Youth Hostel, featuring weather for four seasons, good food and entertainment…and likely to be repeated next year!