Getting things on an even keel after Covid was obviously not quite so easy as we all thought, so the date for the 2022 dinner meet was run a little later than usual, many people had other arrangements but a good number were able to make it and a good time was had. Joady managed to secure the excellent Milehouse at Kincraig and the weather was kind so the Milehouse garden and hut looked great in the morning light of Saturday morning and we enjoyed a mostly dry weekend.
It was great to see Ann and Mary, who have not let some serious medical issues hold them back from enjoying the outdoors, they are an inspiration. We are all getting older (as is the way) so it was more sedate efforts outdoors. Young Sorley MacRae brought the average age down by a good bit!
Outdoors – Danny and Blair were most formidable in knocking off no less than six Munro’s around Ben Alder on the Friday.
Adam and Joady biked up over a hill, they believe it might have been Mullach Clach a Blair!
( Starva , nae paper map! ) on the Saturday, on Sunday they again took to the bikes.
Mary casually knocked off a big Corbet – Leathad anTaobhain.
Rosie, Sorley, Terry and Morag had a good long walk around Inshriach Forest where some good edible mushrooms were found on the Saturday. Pics below not necessarily edible! Sorley and Rosie were hopefully the willing recipients of some “mycologistical” knowledge and we look forward to Sorley becoming a world renowned photographer of ‘shrooms’.
Anne and Stephen walked by forests and loch routes to Feshie Bridge.
The Indian meal was highly enjoyable as Joady had ordered a takeaway from Aviemore, and was kind enough to scoot up there and pick it up, he also did a sterling job of making sure we all got what we ordered. Adam was, as usual an inspiration musically with young Sorley getting better with every time he picks up a guitar. Terry was his enthusiastic self, songs were sung (and made up) and good laughs had.
Instead of a speaker Joady had organised a film and slide show night. After some initial look over the BoF website and looking over old pictures and who was in them( Mary and Anne excelled at this , spotting younger versions of themselves ) we settle down to watch a film recommended by Blair about a group of African/American folk’s from South Memphis trying ice climbing. We pretty much all agreed it was a truly inspirational film and the slide show /film was a pretty good idea.
https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/episodes/reel-rock-s7-e9
Many thanks to Joady for a great meet!
The meal minus Joady (photographer)
Danny (Mr Patagonia… in case you’re wondering)
Joady … somewhere in the Cairngorms
Adam Peden biking on a high plateau
Danny and Blair camp
Danny/ Blair
Blair Fraser
Fly Agaric ( not edible… except by mad Vikings 1500 years ago). Photo- Sorley MacRae.
Attendance: Joady, Rosie and Sorley MacRae; Terry and Morag Quinn; Anne Bain; Mary Dunlop; Danny Doran; Blair Fraser; Adam Peden; Stephen Johnston.
Hills: Ben Alder six (Danny and Blair); Mullach Clach a’ Blair (Adam and Joady – bikes); Leathad an Tabchbain, Corbet. (Mary)
Walks: Inshriach Forest walk (Rosie, Sorley, Morag, Terry); Loch Insh (Stephen); Loch Insh, Inshriach Forest Feshie Bridge (Anne)
Bikes: Badenoch way to Speyside (Adam, Joady)
Written by Terry Quinn