as we have to hand manse barn back on 3/8/14, we have decided to hold a final meet on 18th & 19th july. its a celebration for everyone who built , stayed in or helped maintain before we hand back the keys.i urge everyone to come along especially the older members who helped get the barn up and running. as well as some climbing or walking, weather permitting we will have a barbecue and fire on the beach, were we can chew the fat with members old and new. space might be at a premium so be prepared to camp or bivvy on the beach or around the hut.

i was disappointed i couldn't attend big Russell,s meet at the cic hut this weekend , but i had some stuff to do in Glasgow. Sundays forecast was showing the cairngorms best chance for some climbing. me and billy left Glasgow at 7am, arriving at the coire cas car park at 9.40am. we were wanting to practice some short roping together for our future trip to the alps. we headed over to hells lum crag via the goat track, really weird seeing coire an t sneachda without snow although there was a few large patches of snow on some northern aspects.

Bank holiday wknd, and room for 1 more in the car so couldn’t turn it down. Hopped straight from the National Express from Bristol into Jamie L’s flash new racer, and alongside Andrew Thurston and Stephen Owen headed out of Glasgow on the Friday for my first taste of the Skye ridge. A dollop of chips in the real food café en route and we were off the mainland and camping just past the midnight.

with the weather forecast pretty poor, arran looked good for a saturday corbett bagging walk. i caught the last ferry to brodick at 8.30pm, and was sitting having a cuppa at 10pm in the campsite in glen rosa. my plan was to do the 4 corbetts and go over the a chir ridge. i packed a rope, helmet, harness and a small rack for the ridge but decided to leave it as it weighed a bit too heavy to cart round the whole day.

Lets just get it done says Dan!

Mothers day,the clocks going forward,us both on short leases and needing to be back early we shot up the Coe for Sron Na Lairig.

The walk in is a good track and gradual rise to 420meters so we made good time to the start of the route proper. As the mist gave way to patches of clear sky we could see the return route heavily corniced and had some debate about the route out but all looked clear at the bottom of the bealach.

Great weekend at the Cairngorm Meet, lots of teams out climbing in the spindrift on saturday and a good windy walk around the Cairngorm on sunday. Everyone was well behaved ( ? ) and made the best of the weather and conditions. Im sure everyone has a story to tell but my memories are of freezing belays,dropped mitts,good banter,too much whisky,blue skyes,great company and having to pish on a frozen HMS before leaving pitch one of Invernookie.
Thanks everyone.

some snaps here on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/96689562@N05/sets/72157641792418285/

I,ll keep this short,

Jo,Harry,Michael,Jules,Jim B, Helen and myself took a stroll up the Brack to see what was what conditions wise. Crap..but its not always about the climbing..today was a total laugh a minute..falling down holes ( see Jo ),getting blinded by snow ( see Jules),nearly getting an axe through your boot because of it ( see Michael ), a 60 year old climbers hawmaws (see Helen ),ripping an eyelet off a new boot (see Harry ). It was one of those " you had to be there " days..all rounded off by a pint at the Village Inn .

A thank-you to Michael for organising an excellent Burns Supper on Wednesday, in an excellent venue with great beer, especially the "meal-in-a-glass" stout.
Highlight for me was Chris's Walk On The Wild Side with its spontaneous audience participation, and Mudman's Tam is always a tour de force,but it was all good and thanks to all who performed and those who encouraged the performers. I'm sure the Bard himself would have approved.

R