Meall Chuaich/East Drumochter

Fourteen members left the Wellmeadow at 8.0am on board a coach courtesy of JP Coaches as per usual, knowing that mountain weather forecast promised rain and high winds for the Drumochter hills later on.

Setting off on the walk in from a layby on the A9 things didn’t look too bad but before too long the rain came on but the hill was till visible and things looked not too bad. Shortly after the A and C parties split as per their chosen routes, (nobody hade elected to walk the B route as the strong southerly wind would have been in their faces as they climbed), the heavens opened and despite the usual optimistic outlook of hillwalkers, it was clear that it had set in.

The walkers found some suitable shelter where they settled for refreshments and considered their options, to proceed up Meall Chuaich through the downpour and look forward to the 50mph winds as they climbed or to beat a retreat back to the layby and either walk on to Dalwhinnie and possible shelter or preferably to contact the coach driver and ask him to collect the bedraggled from where they had started. Luck was on their side when they spotted their coach back in that layby.

The unanimous decision was made to head home but to stop at The House of Bruar on the way.

No peaks were conquered on the day but that stop with coffee, tea, soup and cakes made up for it!