Burns' Supper
07-09 January 2000
Loch Ossian Youth Hostel

Present: Jo L, Josie C, Laubie L, Rob & Martha W, Fiona & Calum M, James R, Nina T, Andy R, Verity C, Keith C, Gordon O, Katherine G, Pete & Helen I, Roger S, Tony K

Friday night

Worries that this meet would be under subscribed because of its' proximity to Christmas were soon shelved (a second meet a couple of weeks later to Loch Ossian was equally full!!). Many difficulties were encountered trying to organise group train discount from Bridge of Orchy to Corrour - Keith now has ScotRail training notes if anyone wants to know how to get group discounts from unmanned stations in the future! Fellow passengers looked a tad concerned as Jo wandered up and down the train handing out kilos of haggis, neeps, and tatties to club members! A young German guy (Tomas) and his wife now run the Youth Hostel (about a mile walk from the station) - pleasant enough, but a bit officious with all monies being sorted on arrival together with a group rule reading session (including No Feeding Ze Deer).

Saturday

Threatening skies curtailed planning operations for anything too adventurous and epic, so a couple of groups, keen to get out and to do something, headed onto the windswept slopes of Beinn na Lap. Ski goggles would have been a useful commodity at the summit (those with spares would have made serious money from those lacking!)! A good stomp though, and a great cobweb clearer after the excesses of Christmas and New Year. A couple of people headed up in the direction of Carn Dearg, some went for a walk around the Loch, whilst others chose to stay behind guard the hut and the evening's food supplies. Roger (friend of Pete and Helen) attempted the famous 'round the Loch in under an hour' run but unfortunately was beaten by the strong winds and soggy conditions underfoot. A Germanising of the 'round the Loch' rules, meant that if he had been successful his efforts may well have gone unrecognised as Tomas "hadn't been there to start his clock …….. " - so be warned those of you who plan to do it in the future!

Saturday night was a night of feasting and gluttony. Everyone did their bit; in one corner tatties were being peeled by the bucket-load, in another was the commercial preparation of neeps. Haggi were lovingly wrapped in cooking foil before being placed tenderly in the oven. Scotch Broth was served to start. Humungoid quantities of haggis, neeps, and tatties followed as the main course (no worries about running out this year!). The Presidenta, not being Scottish, delegated the traditional reading of the 'Ode to a Haggis' to a native, which Calum carried out with great pride and gusto! Desert (not wanted judging by the groans when it was announced, but certainly not rejected judging by the clean plates that were returned!) was apple and cherry pies, with custard. The food was washed down by healthy quantities of wine, whisky and Tia Maria (courtesy of Andy & Verity!). Everyone was too stuffed to move after such mass consumption, but happily took part in a game of Christmas taboo, also produced by Verity - bit of cupboard clearing me thinks!

Sunday

Snow overnight. Magical Winter Wonderland. Jo headed off on a solo navigational trip up Sgor Gaibhre (at the eastern end of Loch Ossian) before heading west to Carn Dearg and back to the Youth Hostel. Rob, Martha and Tony climbed the same hills but in the opposite direction! Calum, Fiona, Nina, Josie, Laubie and others headed across the railway lines and up the horseshoe shaped hill opposite the station (Leum Uilleim and Beinn A'Bhric). After initial low cloud the skies cleared affording magnificent views to all cardinal points.

Back in the hostel, late afternoon tea was drunk and the leftovers of the previous nights' feast was fried up and scoffed. However, worries began to increase as the hut was cleaned and tidied and time was marching towards departure (only one train in the evening on a Sunday) with three people still out on the hill. We'd packed their rucksacs in preparation, and almost as late as they could have left it, they finally arrived back - one way of getting out of the cleaning!!!

Back in Bridge of Orchy, whilst some headed to the Hotel for tea, some of us were doing battle trying to get the yellow peril started. The battery was so, so, SO flat that even the Ilieve beastmobile had problems jump-starting it!

A highly successful meet in a very popular venue. By complete fluke a cancellation by another club a couple of weeks later allows the club a rare second opportunity to get to Loch Ossian, which again was filled to capacity (with only four returns!).

JL