Christmas Dinner weekend meet at Morvich Outdoor Centre. 20-22 December 2024
Who knew that a condom was an essential part of your mountain first aid kit?
Morvich Outdoor Centre is a traditional venue for our Christmas dinner weekend meet. But we had been there only once in the last four years, so it was good to return to the comfortable, well appointed outdoor centre. A recurring theme of the meet reports for Christmas’s in the recent past has been stormy winds or deep snow. True to form, the weather forecast for our Christmas meet was for gale force winds, gusting to storm force on the Munro summits.
The weather did nothing to hinder a great Christmas dinner and social evening, though, with an excellent menu of vegetable soup, spring rolls, curry, venison casserole, nut roast, apple pie, chocolate chickpea cake, cheese cake and cheese. thanks to Richard, Fiona, Peter, Dan, Jill, Martin, Jim, Becky, Cal and Arthur for producing all that; to Mel for organising and to the rest of the company for being willing kitchen porters. The social highlight of the evening was Maz’ Christmas quiz with teams guessing what mountain related items were in Santa’s hat. And, of course, a condom was one of the items - useful for securing dressings, a compression bandage, even as a tourniquet. The uses are limited only by your imagination.
Despite the weather, a small team of Mel, Martin, Cal, Jill, Richard and Max were keen to try and get over to the Falls of Glomach on Saturday. Martin writes -Conditions were benign until we'd left the forest and started to climb into the Bealach na Sroine. At that point the winds increased from behind us, gusting strongly and hustling us along. A number of stops were required to adjust layers, particularly when a hail shower came through. Around us streams were full and small waterfalls were evident across the glen. We were all glad to descend from the wind towards the falls, which were spectacular! A multi-stage fall of water, which just kept revealing more of itself the further you descended beside it. At no point could you see the whole fall, but it still took your breath away (and blew spray back upwards!). A quick lunch break was snatched behind an outcrop before climbing back up onto the windy plateau. Stiff gusts and hail showers had most people reaching for ski goggles. A chatty descent through the forest and across the footbridge, constructed by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal squadron, had the group back at the hut as dusk was falling and in plenty of time to enjoy the fire, stretch and relax before the evening festivities.
Peter and Marion also braved the elements on the Plock of Kyle. Ged, Ewen and Arthur sneaked up the lee side of Beinn Mhialairigh on the Glenelg peninsula and a group headed up Glen Licht. Perhaps the weather was worse on Sunday or we were less enthusiastic about braving the elements but most efforts were quickly abandoned and folk headed off home.
Taking part: Richard, Ged, Irene,Dan, Jim, Michael, Jill, Martin, Peter B., Cal, Arthur, Mel, fiona, Marion, Peter M., becky, Ewen and Maz
Words and Photos: Martin, Maz and Arthur
