15-17-08/14 Weekend Meet: Strawberry Cottage, Glen Affric

The first batch of FVMC members had decided that a cycle run from the car park at the eastern end of Glen Affric wid be a guid idea. Off they went; Brian couldn’t get his bike in to low gear and had to push on some of the steeper sections, Malcolm had some of his bits (bike bits) rattle, shake and fall off but it was Nick who arrived triumphantly at the hut with all the parts he had set out with.

The cottage was in slightly better shape than it's bit-less visitors and the wood burned well...in the stove - not the hut. This provided a warm welome for Marian who arrived shortly afterwards, all her items intact, having cycled from a midge cloud at the carpark. Gordon finally arrived, dodging bicycle bits on the track, having walked the distance.

The following day, Brian and Nick looked at the high wind, heavy rain, low cloud and then back again at the wood burning stove. The prospect of deep shame then forced them to the conclusion that a low level walk of aboot 14 miles, west past the youth hostel to Loch a Bhealaich and back, would be a respectable effort.

Marian, Malcolm and Gordon set off into the mist for Mullach Fraoch Choire and almost gave up as they sat in the rain and mist at the top. But as the rain gave way to a brisk wind they pressed on to Stob Coire na Cralaig. At this point the cloud was blown away and they almost followed. Battling the now very fierce wind they made it to A Chralaig where, fortunately, the wind calmed down a bit. Over Bealach Choire a Chait and on to Sgurr nan Conbhairean next. Starting to be a pleasant day by now they headed back to Strawberry Cottage via Sail Chaorainn and the Corbett Carn a Choire Ghairbh. Descended from there towards Loch Affric after finding the little-used stalkers' path which Marion had assured them was somewhere near there.

On Sunday, with the weather worsening, the FVMC decided to leave by instalments. There were no bits shaken off this time, mainly because there were fewer items to do so and because additional effort to stow the equipment was made. However, on stopping on the way back, Brian could not help noticing the rich aroma of whisky...was there a distillery nearby - or had the top of his wee plastic bottle of whisky unscrewed itsel and let the contents pour into his rucksack? You guess.