Members present: Katharine Bagshaw (G), Bob Kelly, Brian Street, Andrew Croughton.

Day 1 - Friday

A glorious day! The day started off with blue skies, over the Lake District, good icy conditions under foot with ample snow on the tops.

A quick accent of Sharp edge on Blencathra offered a good break in the journey north to Mill cottage in Feshiebridge Cairngorm. The start of the route was clear, just the odd patch of consolidated snow and ice, leading to the frozen tarn just below the ridge proper, despite having left my insoles back in Manchester inside my other boots, it was not too arduous under foot.

After a quick stop to don crampons we set off over the ridge, while the couple that had been following us from the top of the ascent path stopped slightly longer in order to don harnesses, crampons, extra gloves, sort out ice axes and generally faff for England.

As we progressed along the ridge it became obvious that ice axes were not going to give much purchase on the thin covering of ice and dusting of snow that covered the already highly polished and slippery rock underneath, so we stopped to pose for a few pictures. As we looked back down the ridge we could still see Mr. and Mrs. Faff, faffing at the bottom of the ridge. They had enquired about the possibility of further snow, on the way up, to which I had given them that day's forecast.

It was at the final section of the ridge, for us, when we looked back to see that Mr. And Mrs. Faff were still sat at the bottom of the ridge that we considered it might have been better to give them the next day's snow forecast instead, as they could well still be there until then. As we finally neared the summit of Blencathra itself we had great views across the Lake District and could see that most of the summits still had a good covering of snow on them. Two seconds later the wind chill dropped the temperature to well below freezing, the clag came down with the speed of a blanket being spread over a bed and suddenly we were in freezing, windblown, conditions with very little visibility of any kind - must be time to stop for lunch!

After lunch we headed back down out of the clag via the broader descent ridge and back to the car, glad to have had the crampons still on our feet across the frozen turf, allowing a much easier descent with very few slips, just the odd trip. As we had returned at a reasonable hour we now headed to Keswick, in order to by some new insoles, before continuing north, to Mill Cottage and the Cairngorms on Saturday.

As we neared Aviemore, Bob Kelly rang to inform us that the approach track to the hut was snowed in and he and Kath intended to drop off their gear and park at the water sports centre about a mile away.

We decided to head to Aviemore for Haggis and chips as we had already passed the junction for Inch. Bob headed in to Aviemore to collect the key for the hut so they could return and get the fire going. Brian decided as we arrived that the track was not that over snowed and we headed down it to the hut, with the bottom of the car scraping along the iced up track underneath. We reached the hut relatively easily despite going slightly off track outside the hut door.

It was only after several minutes of pushing and shoving to get the car back on to the previously worn tracks we were happy to leave the car where it sat, (That's when it started to snow again, Doh!.) time to get the beer and whisky out.

Day two - Saturday

Bob and Kath set off early for Bynack More, and the barns of Bynack, while Brian and I decided a 8am lie in was called for before intending to head off to Fiacail ridge and Corrie an Snechda for a short day of scrambling in the expected snow and ice. It was not until we had started the attempt to get the car back up the sloping track that we realised our folly from the night before.

The track was cloaked in a fresh covering of snow, which concealed the ice underneath. This combined with the high, compacted snow ridge along the centre of the track gave way to an arduous hour and a half of digging and pushing in order to stop the car grounding on the ice and inch it up the incline. It was not until the final section of the steepest part of the track that the distinctive smell of a burning clutch signalled the demise of the car and the realisation that we were not going to make it on to the hills that day. To add insult to injury, it was looking like a glorious day to be up on a hill. We waited for an hour for the recovery truck but they were struggling to find our location, so Brian decided that we would attempt to get into Aviemore where we could be found more readily.

The car was driveable but the road conditions did little to aid our progress. When the recovery vehicle finally arrived from Inverness we had already surmised that the option available to us were to:

1. have the car towed to the nearest garage to await repair on Monday at the earliest. This would mean an extra day, waiting around, and no guarantee that it would even be done by then.
2. try and drive the car back the next day and hope that what little clutch activity we had would get us safely back to Manchester.

We decided on B and went to the pub. Whilst we sat in the Cairngorm hotel we spied a couple of familiar faces heading towards the bar. It was Brian and Ann, a local couple, to Aviemore, whom we had met while skiing in Italy the previous year. So the silver lining to the day was re-acquainting ourselves with friends we had not seen for a year. (Plus Brian got a beer in which to drown his sorrows.)

Bob and Kath on the other hand had a much better day and managed an ascent of Bynack More starting from the visitor centre car park at Glenmore lodge in the light of a big full moon. The path from Glenmore lodge was powder snow as they headed along the Pass of Ryvoan. They then continued passed Lochan Uaine and east towards Bynack stables and the river Nethy, before crossing the river and following the path, falling into lots of snow covered holes, SE over the lower shoulder of Bynack More and up to its highest point then heading up the north ridge to the summit itself. From here they headed back down to the corrie of Bynack Beg and under the shoulder back into Strath Nethy, which they then followed back to the car park at Glenmore lodge.

On her return to the hut Kath was glad of the shower, stating that it was the greatest experience of the day. We all then spent the rest of the evening cooking meals in the forlorn hope that the heat from the ovens would warm the kitchen. It didn't, but the huge chunks of coal burning away on the lounge stove generated plenty of heat keeping us all warm for the night, whilst we drank wine and whisky and I typed up the report for the day.

Day three - Sunday

Brian and I had resigned ourselves to the fact that Sunday would only mean carting our gear to the top of the track where the car sat, and hope we could nurse the car back to Manchester before what remained of the clutch gave way totally. Fortunately (and surprisingly) - it did!

Bob and Kath unsurprisingly had a better Sunday and were again away pre-dawn to get another crisp moonlit walk in. They were up at the Coire Cas car park at half eight and trogged (Bob's word but I like it - BS) up and around to Coire an t'Sneachda. Visibility was not good at that point and they could not clearly see the climbs but set their minds on Jacobs ladder. The first effective pitch went un-roped but as the gully narrowed, the rope was brought out because of the amount of ice. After this pitch, the difficulty eased and the rest of the climb was finished without the need for the rope. Meanwhile, it had started to snow in the gully and as they topped out they met high winds and no visibility at all - pretty much a white out. They navigated around to the cairn at the top of Fiacail Coire Cas with no drama but did manage to pick up a couple of young skiers on the way who were heading off into the plateau thinking they were heading back to the slopes. Having sent them on the right track bob and Kath zipped down the ridge and were back at half past two ready for a clear run back to Manchester

Summary

Bob Kelly - "Thank you for arranging - what turned out for Katharine and I - a great meet".

Katharine Bagshaw - "Yes, thanks to you both, the hut was great too, I'd for sure go there again".

Brian & Andrew - "Some you win and some you lose but we had an excellent Friday, had a good rest, drank and ate well and of course had great company. Also, the clutch was sorted and so nothing broken that couldn't be fixed!"

As I write this (23/12) it is absolutely perfect conditions outside with a cloudless blue sky, lots of snow and cold and that is just in lowlands of Cheshire! Occasionally, just occasionally, you get such winter days in Scotland and these make up for all the claggy and rained out expeditions to the North! Have I whetted your appetite or put you off?

There are just eight spaces available for this meet and at the time of writing five of these have already been taken up! Cost is a measly £7/night. As always, cash (or cheque) in the claw secures the place!

Here are some directions and facts about Mill Cottage as provided by my co-meet leader Andrew?

Mill Cottage is 0.25 miles to the North West of Feshiebridge off the B970. Follow the old A9 to Kincraig, between Kingussie & Aviemore, take the side road to Kincraig (turn east), over bridge & past the Loch Insh Watersports Centre. Left at the T-junction & left into the Forestry Commission car park, taking the left fork onto an unpaved track above the car park. Turn down the right fork after passing below the pylon line, here you will find the hut (approximately 300 yards from the main road). Grid reference NH844047, OS sheet 35 - Kingussie. SMC hut guide - "The hut has 8 bunks & a six berth alpine platform, all with mattresses; full cooking & dining facilities are supplied, all electric. Shower, toilets, drying room, multi-fuel stove in lounge with firewood & coal."