Rannoch Mountaineering Club 

www.climbrannoch.co.uk

AA? The Boys Got In!

The Bothy Meet

This years bothy meet was different from most others in the diverse modes of transport and routes to the bothy;

Friday-Saturday

JD and Colin – cycled from Kinlochleven to bothy, then did Beinn na Lap (Editors note…Beinn na Lap is a very serious undertaking must NOT be attempted from Corrour Station, best done from Kinlochleven).

Shandboy – train to Corrour then did Stob Ban before abseil ropes jammed enforcing a hanging belay.

Bish – spaceship from another planet.

Big Riceboy – train to Corrour then Glas Bheinn, placing a new marker-cairn on the way.

Iain – train to Corrour, then prepared a ‘Powerpoint’ presentation.

Big Al – train to Corrour then mighty Beinnn a’Bhainne (Scotlands most remote pile of keech, apart from Riceboys new addition)

Gordon – cycled from Kinlochleven dragging his dog behind him.

Tim – cycled from Spean Bridge until failing light enforced a hanging belay.

Morton – train to Corrour on Friday night, stumbled all round Lochaber in the pissing rain and dark to the bothy……then walked back out from the bothy on Saturday morning to Beinn na Lap (best done from Kinlochleven), then walking back to the bothy!!

Saturday Night

There was no need for a fire in the bothy, the overwhelming warmth from the feeling of companionship and the general conviviality between the group was quite overpowering. Indeed, JD was so overpowered and emotional, that he was unable to speak and could not stand up.

Riceboy was so overcome by my desperate plight in attempting to complete a "Boozer’s Dozen" that he kindly delivered the coup-de-grace….can number 13. Good to see that the ‘Bastard Squad’ ideology still lives on. Shandboy, after spending the night drinking cans (and knocking his stove over), decided to ‘tip-toe’ to bed late on, carrying all his empties with him!!…..the inevitable slip and crash resulted in a charivari the likes of which has not been heard since wee Iain’s debacle at Alicante Airport several years ago, when he tumbled-down-an-up-escalator with his trolley in close pursuit.

Sunday

After a big breakfast – Double 2 Double 2 (2200 calories, and 22 cups of tea) the lads once again scattered into all corners of Lochaber. The largest group, however, ended up at Corrour Station some doing Beinn na Lap (best done from Kinlochleven) and others Leum Ullium…….unlike the cast of ‘Trainspotting’ we didn’t stop at the wee wooden bridge 50yards from the station and say "This is fucken shite", because it was just such a brilliant day.

FOOTNOTE…for those of you not of a crossword persuasion….

AA? THE BOYS GOT IN! …….anagram of STAOINEAG BOTHY