Glen Affric

"Leonard Trim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Friday night saw a dozen of us drinking pints of Red
Cuillin in the Slater's Arms, Cannich. We had to work out
the tricky problem of how to get twelve people and twelve
rucksacks into two cars to Strawberry Cottage at the west
end of Loch Affric in one go (landlord's restrictions). We
managed but it was bloody uncomfortable for five very
bumpy miles from the locked gate onwards.

Is this near Althnamulloch (only bit I can see on the
map)? How or who did you speak to in order to get a car
in that far, and did you use the track on the south side
of the Loch?

Quoted message said:

Strawberry Cottage is a wee gem, despite the very
inappropriate name. Solar powered electric lighting,
running water and a log fire. Saturday morning most of the
club headed off to do the five Munros from Mam Sodhail
north and then east. I had done these previously and so
headed west along the glen. A gentle hours walk took me to
the hostel which I checked out for a possible future visit
with my daughter. The I took the path up onto the hills
and headed for Sgurr nan Ceathramhnan. The cloud was
shifting around at about the 3000 foot mark so sometimes
visibility was fine the next down to a hundred metres or
so. On the summit it was so thick I had to use my compass
to make sure of the ridge out to Mullach na Dheiragain.
That is a long, long ridge. Met a few guys who had come up
from Iron Lodge. Enjoyed my lunch and then retraced my
steps including going back over Ceathramhnan as I did not
fancy trying to hit off a bit of successful contouring in
the poor visibility. The ridge back to the bealach seemed
interminable. The walk east back along the path to
Strawberry Cottage was surprisingly pleasant. No midges,
no sore feet, no blisters. Surprising as I was wearing a
brand new pair of boots which had just done a ten hour
day. Chicken curry, a bottle of wine, roaring log fire and
pleasant company till late ensured a good nights sleep.
Next day dawned wet and misty. Yesterday's long hard day,
and dare I say it, last night's drink ensured no one felt
like venturing out on the hill, so it was tidy up and head
home for Fife in time for tea.
PS No midges worth mentioning. No one even put anti-midge
cream on.

Munros 243/284

Good report Len, I've been in Glen Affric but not visited
the hills you climbed. A couple of "pleasants", no midges
and back to Fife for tea. Couldn't get any better :-)

KRO

Leonard Trim said:

Strawberry Cottage is a wee gem, despite the very
inappropriate name. Solar powered electric lighting,
running water and a log fire.

Sounds excellent. We're booked in for the second May Bank
Holiday weekends next year, so it's bound to rain that
week, book your holidays abroad now. Are we really limited
to 2 vehicles?

S.

The message <[email hidden]>
from "KRO" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Is this near Althnamulloch (only bit I can see on the
map)? How or who did you speak to in order to get a car in
that far, and did you use the track on the south side of
the Loch?

It is just opposite Althnamulloch, on the opposite side of
the river. Strawberry Cottage is owned by An Teallach
Mountaineering Club. Contact them for hire. Sorry I don't
have the address, although I daresay I could get it off the
club secretary if you are particularly interested. If you
hire you get two keys which will allow two vehicles access
through the locked gates onto the track on the south side of
the loch. Hope this helps.

--
Len Trim [email hidden]

The message <[email hidden]>
from Simon Caldwell <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Are we really limited to 2 vehicles?

Our club secretary was most adamant about this so I take it
that the restriction was part of the booking conditions.

--
Len Trim [email hidden]

As late as 1983 Athnamulloch was a working sheiling.. A man
from Cannich would drive his cattle up and spend the summer
there before returning at the onset of Autumn...

This is the latest transhumance I have come across in
Scotland.. Any other examples?

Hitched a lift with him out of Cannich at this time during
th winter.

Richard Webb