 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
ReportsReports
|
CLUB REPORTSInvergarry Bunkhouse August 2007New members share their bunkhouse experiences Bunkhouse RookieInvergarry was the location of my first bunkhouse weekend since joining EKMC last year. I had been quite hesitant about participating in this type of outing as, at my age there are some facilities that I am reluctant to do without and I am partial to certain luxuries such as heat, hot running water, comfortable bed, privacy, to name but a few. So I opted for the B&B option at the end of the road but have to confess that the facilities at the bunkhouse looked more than capable of providing anything that I would have required including a friendly atmosphere, amusing entertainment and a very useful drying room.
The endless supply of delicious food was great and ran like clockwork and seemed like it happened quite effortlessly but I’m sure was because of the organisation and effort put into it by the organisers. This was followed by some home made entertainment in the form of communal ‘singing’ (using the term loosely!), spoon playing, recitations and a very aggressive boys v girls competition - and yes we did win. A very entertaining evening after a good day’s walking – you can’t beat it. All in all I was very impressed with the whole weekend and take my hat off to the people who managed to pull it all together. I believe the only ‘faux pas’ I made was not availing myself of one of Mrs Johnston’s cooked breakfasts who exclaimed ‘Och you’ve not eaten anything!’ even after cereal and two slices of toast. The mistake was not that I hadn’t eaten her breakfast but that I hadn’t taken it as a ‘carry oot’ for Jim Watson! Great fun, great company – keep them coming! Diane Izatt Dirty Weekend?
Despite the lack of sleep I was, ahem, enthusiastic about a day’s hill walking although not as enthused about the weather, despite Brian’s repeated assurances it was ‘getting better’. So we did eventually set off, and, after several conferences between Brian and Bill at early junctions the walk started in earnest. As the ‘young ones,’ Hazel and I led from the front, periodically stopping to let the ‘mature ones’ catch up and being eaten alive by midges for our trouble! We pressed on and, with my lack of hill walking experience and engineering mindset (most direct route = least distance = easiest route), I reached the summit first breathing as if I had just ran 10k, and was rather surprised to see a complete stranger sitting at the summit changing his top! And so followed Hazel, Brian and Bill respectively to begin the rather treacherous and steep descent, being careful to stay in Brian’s slipstream so that when he fell, I could avoid the offending obstacle!
And so, after relatively early rise on the Sunday, we threw our stuff in the car and drove back to Glasgow via Luss for lunch. I was back home after a weekend that despite the 26 mile diversion, early rises, soggy weather and shoes, midges and aching limbs, I thoroughly enjoyed and if at all possible, I’ll be looking to repeat next year. Mark Baird
|
Walking on the Saturday was invigorating and very wet and where there’s wet and warm there are midges! However, we carried on regardless and I managed to get another Munro under my belt (don’t ask me which one as I forget their names before I reach the bottom so you would need to consult my guide Jim Watson). We did have some intermittent views before the rain stopped kidding on and began in earnest but wet is probably a slight understatement as I literally ended up bum down in at least two burns much to the amusement of my walking party. It certainly brought a new look to the carefully applied fake tan on my legs as removing soaking boots, socks, gaiters etc exposed completely ‘bleached’ feet, ankles and calves – not a pretty sight. However, as predicted by Linda Mackie, after a shower, good food and at least one glass of wine, the day was pronounced a huge success!
I can’t say my weekend got off to the best possible start as, after setting off from Glasgow at 10.30pm (due to the fact Hazel and I had been working until 10pm), we travelled for 13 miles before Hazel realised we were going the wrong way and we had to go back through Glasgow to rectify the situation! After a few nervous twitches (deer and a cat on the road), we made it to Invergarry at 2.30am and went straight (and quietly) to bed. I was slightly disappointed that given my extreme fatigue, that it took nearly an hour to drift off to sleep and that I was awoken at 6 by an episode of snoring! 
We made ourselves look respectable - although taking a shower with two women, you don’t know, in the same room a matter of feet away is quite disconcerting! We waited patiently for dinner to be served. I must say it was the best buffet meal I’ve ever had and I could safely say I offset all the calories burned earlier in the day and then some! And so to the evenings entertainment! If I were the director of the Royal Scottish Orchestra, I would seriously consider spoons and mouth organ for the roles of lead instruments in their next production! I still from time to time get the notes from the chorus of Ring of Fire stuck in my head (thanks Jim!). I can honestly say I’ve never had an evening even remotely like it - from the trumpet miming, to the battle of the sexes sing off, from a bit of impromptu musical singing from Mary Reid to the not-so-impromptu chairman’s speech from Wullie Reid and, my personal favourite, the builder’s sick note song by John McIlhagger. The only disappointment of the night was when it ended. 
Exposed: Reputations in Ruins