Report on Meall nan Tarmachan
Saturday 14th January 2006

During the club night on Thursday night I decided to organise a walk for Saturday as the forecast looked promising and I hadn’t been out this year yet.  It was a late decision but I put it on the website to see if anyone wanted to join us.  Carol-Ann, Alison and myself were collected by Alan at 7am.

When we reached Killin we had to stop for a photo opportunity at the falls as the water was a raging torrent. No it wasn’t just me with my camera, Alan had his new video camera with him and warned us that we would be fed up with his camera by the end of the day, and how right he was!! (only kidding, Alan), the film of our day was very professionally done.

We set off to start our walk at 9.35am, weather glorious and views good.  We all set off huffing and puffing trying to work off those over endulged Christmas and New Year festive pounds.  First walk of the year for us, and oh how it showed! although Allan was semi fit with his new fitness regime - running after his baby daughter and her mother, at least Ii'm sure thats what he said his new year resolution was.

I am sure Allan got some good video footage of us struggling up the hill, first of many this year.  Nearing the ridge we found a small bank of snow - so Ithought Ii would test out the new avalanche prediction techniques for a laugh just in case Allan had forgotten all about them being shown at the club night.

I think his words were I'm losing the will to live put that dvd off, he has a very short attention span, but thats not all thats short! (apparently his daughter has more hair than him).

We summited the munro Meall nan Tarmachan and met Ben and Kirsty from Edinburugh (see left hand photo on fourth row below) who duly took our photos and for once one of us had our craggy web site cards to give them.  From there it was on to the ridge only to be closed in by rising mist and some cloud but this did not dampen Allan's filming opportunities.  The best of this was a chance to get some photos and film of a broken specter although he missed the best bit - me falling on my ass as it was quite icy on some slope's .  We all carefully crossed the ridge Meal Garbh onto Beinn nan Eachan before decending off the ridge.

Now as we all know Craggy members always like shortcuts on the way back to the pub, but as usual it turned out to be a long slog over rough ground and probably not that much of a short cut, Carol-ann and Alison will testify to that.  Got the slight impression they thought Allan and I were lost, not at all just taking them on another character building excercise.  We did eventually get back to the track and headed for the obligatory pint in the pub next to a nice roaring fire.

Off course this is the second time I have done this hill (see report from February 2005) and yet to get a view so will have to go back again another day to see the fine views from the ridge.

Michael Nicol