13-14/01/12 Weekend Meet: Braedownie Hut, Glen Clova

The firest meet of the new year and a good turnout (even if half the booking came in the 10 days before the event!) Read more below ...

HERE THERE BE DRAGONS

We arrived at the Clova Hostel in several groups on Friday night, NMcB, G G and Mike getting there by 5 and enjoying three swift rounds of beer before dinner. Oops!

Saturday

Not a cloud in the sky thereabouts, and not a breath of wind! Throughout the day estates were doing heather burning which sent pillars of smoke into the sky all around - resembling something out of a Dragons film.

NMcB, GG, Mike and MMcL up and round Loch Brandy, you could see the bottom of the loch through the ice. GG and McB went on to do the Goet by Ben Tirran. Great views including loads of Dragon smoke ...

GB, MMcE and DA did an enormous day, going across to Lochnagar the quick way (up and over to Loch Muick) and back the long way but the best route in the dark (down into the Glen from Broad Cairn). 25 Miles?

GH, Chris, BR and Catherine went up to Broad Cairn and Cairn Bannoch, reporting Dragon smoke and Jock's Road lethal with ice patches - a very dodgy route down if they'd done it in after sunset (3.30pm) .... !

We had a surprise and very welcome evening visit from AA EA who had been up Mayar and Driesh. See you at Knoydart in June.

Sunday

A few more clouds in the sky and a bit more wind, still patches of Dragon smoke but not as much as the previous day.

Chris, Catherine, NMcBick & BR went to Mayar and Driesh up and down via the Kilbo track, which like Jock's Road was half composed of ice to the point where you'd have needed crampons to get down it in the dark

GG and MMcL did a forest walk all around the head of Clova including Corrie Fee, meeting the group above back in the Glen Doll car park.

GB, DA and MMcE ddid a short march up Monamenach in Glen Isla. A short climb for lovely views if a bit hazier than the saturday. Then to Blairgowrie for a cup of tea!

Mike had a break while GH went up and around the Loch Brandy walk the interesting way (up and over to Ben Reid on the west side, a very steep descent).

Well done all! The bunkhouse was AOK despite no can-opener, Clova Hotel is doing well with nearly 100 cars in the car park on Sunday.

GB, MMcE & DA look over Lochnagar.

Their view from Broad Cairn.