We’ve had some great holiday weekends recently! Here’s a round up of some of the trips from our members.
New Year 2019/20 at Oban
17 AYR members passed the New Year over 3 nights at Oban Youth Hostel. The hostel is 5 star grade and we pretty well had the annexe with its 6 twin bed rooms, cooking facilities and lounge to ourselves – very comfortable. On the day of New Year’s eve we all went walking various circuits on the north end of Lismore island, some by ferry from Oban, others on the short ferry route from Port Appin. The weather was unusually good with blue sky and hardly a breath of wind. Views were stunningly beautiful and the day’s experience exceptional. Some finished the day with coffee and cream scones in a pub lounge with picture windows overlooking the sea.
The hostel gave us exclusive use of the dining room in the evening providing a cheap and good two-course evening meal for the group to celebrate the occasion in style. Most then went on to a local New Year ceilidh which was deemed excellent and the remainder went bar-hopping to the Wetherspoons pub while waiting for midnight. The New Year burst out with a magnificent firework display from McCaig’s monument on the hill and prolonged foghorns from the ships in the harbour. Next day remained dry though cloudy and on the mainland we undertook either short walks from Pulpit Hill or a more adventurous circular route from Oban via Connell and the remoteness of the Black Lochs. A pair of Golden Eagles were spotted en route on the latter.
We were lucky to find the Cuan Mor restaurant able to take 15 of us for a final evening meal on New Year’s day. We had some delay in getting served but the food and choices were worth waiting for. The weather about-turned completely for the journey home next day with pouring rain all the way back to Edinburgh. We were very lucky to have had the good weather window we did.
Holiday Weekend 13th to 16th September – Eskdale
We had a very successful weekend at Eskdale Hostel on the west side of the Lake District. Ten members stayed in the hostel and were joined by two others on the walks. On Saturday a large group set out to climb Scafell Pike and Scafell starting from the car park at the north end of Wast Water and finishing back at the hostel. After reaching the summit of Scafell Pike, the group split with some continuing on to Scafell and the others returning directly to the Hostel.
On Sunday, the main group set out on a circular from the hostel to climb Green Crag, Harter Fell and Hard Knot. With the weather starting to deteriorate, most of the group decided to head back after Green Crag with only three completing the planned walk. Those who didn’t join the main group each day did some interesting local walks and also took time out to experience the narrow-gauge railway that runs from Dalegarth to Ravenglass on the coast. Most of the group attended a Sunday evening meal at the Woolpack Inn.
(Text by Graham Morrison; photos by Neil Milton)
Isle of Rum, September 2017
Rum Island Weekend was a great success, apart from a few minor issues.
The crossing on Friday was very rough which resulted in a few being sick – no wonder. But like true brave AYR members they carried on regardless.
Due to me sleeping in on Friday morning three of us missed the boat, so we eventually crossed over on Saturday, very calm crossing I must add.
Rum is very special in so many ways. No doubt we will be back in the future.
Backpacking Weekend, June 2017 – Glen Shiel to Cluanie via Glen Quoich
The weather on this year’s backpack didn’t quite live up to the glorious sunshine we enjoyed last year in Torridon, and no doubt the rainy forecast contributed to the high drop-out rate as the weekend approached. However, a small, hardy group braved the elements and ventured into the remote back country of Glen Quoich. Seldom visited and overlooked by a dozen towering munros, this really is an area for those who relish the wilderness which Scotland has to offer. We only came across two other people on the whole trip, but a surprising number of highland cattle which seem to thrive on the rough ground.
The weekend was by no means a total washout, and in fact we enjoyed a glorious sunset on the Friday night from our camp high up on the Bealach Duibh Leac – a fitting reward for all the effort of climbing fully laden to 725 metres above sea level. The views were quite memorable (see the pictures, below). The rain set in later in the weekend, but even then we were still able to see the mountains for much of the time. By late on Sunday the rivers were in spate (fortunately we didn’t need to cross any !), which also made for dramatic scenery. On Sunday night we camped by a thundering waterfall just a few hundred metres from the Cluanie Inn, where we enjoyed an extended pub stop. After our exertions there was absolutely no guilt about treating ourselves to a high calorie bar meal and a pint or two.
