16-18/02/18 Weekend Meet: Blackrock Cottage, east of Glen Coe

With bucketloads of soft snow on nearly all slopes we had to be cautious over the weekend of February 16-18 while based at the Ladies' Scottish Mountaineering Club's Blackrock Cottage, a familar sight to travellers on the road north. We've used it many times over the years and it has proved a comfortable base. The major improvements to the ''facilities'' which came on stream in 2015 have transformed this place and dragged it kicking and screaming from the 19th century into the 21st!

That said, fairly typical Glen Coe conditions of low cloud and drizzly rain greeted us on Saturday morning. One member opted to stay low and ''bring home the bacon'' which guaranteed everyone a nice breakfast on the Sunday. Thanks for that Nick! We should do that more often!

Five members drove north and west into Lochaber parking at Fassfern on the shore of Loch Eil

They were back at the cars just over five hours later having had a fairly tough time ascending Aodhann Cleirig in deep, soft snow. It's a Graham (2000ft to 2499ft) in case you were wondering! Beer and soup in the Clachaig were welcome on the way back to the hut.

Two members had opted for a day's downhill ski-ing on Meall a Bhuiridh. Much of the time was spent in a whiteout but was said to be ''enjoyable, nevertheless''. Mm!

On the Sunday the low level bacon provider went rambling near Bridge of Orchy whilst the Graham baggers found plenty more soft snow on Fiaraich near Crianlarich. Navigation would have been difficult in the white-out except for the fact that a solid fence leads all the way to the summit crags! Easy peasy!

Another two members tried to get up Stob Coire an Albannaich in Glen Etive but the weather turned pretty nasty and they descended after getting up to about 850 metres.

Picture shows the sitting room at Blackrock Cottage. Cosy when the fire fire gets going.

Report Allan Scott (meets secretary)

Inside Blackrock Cottage's living room.

AS wi GG on Aodann Chlèireig, from the Fassfern carpark, Lch Eil.