Catherine had read the weather forecast.
She took "Saturday will be a wet day" rather too literally, by going full-length into a stream as the advance party of 6 walked up Corrieairack Pass. Praise be to General Wade, for the changing facilities at his nearby bothy !
Meanwhile the Retired Gentlemen's Association (of Brian T, Loch and Andrew) plus Mark, had a dry but windy scramble in the Lake District before arriving at Newtonmore on Saturday evening.
Sunday the weather was less bad, so there was walkabout in the Northern Corries up Fiacaill Ridge, around the plateau, and also across to Chalamain Gap. Mike and Maria found safety from the cornices by climbing Fingers Ridge (IV).
The Retired Gentlemen had really aimed at the high pressure arriving Monday, and sure enough, the mist cleared from Cairn Gorm Summit right on cue at noon.
We enjoyed an excellent panorama across the Gorms. Some very icy cramponing led down west to Fiacaill Coire Cas, from which we had a tour to gawp at the Sneachda cornices.
I have been coming to Sneachda for over 20 years, and never seen 'owt that big there.
On Tuesday, Brian T accompanied Andrew, Loch, and Mark to the summit of Meall nan Taramachan (near Killin) and having assured himself of our safety, returned to the car.
Having smeared on our factor 50 suncream (yes.... true !) we marched across to the Taramachan Ridge under bright blue skies and heat bouncing off the snow.
The technical part of this delightful circuit, is the very pointy Meall Garbh. The east side had formed a pair of huge snow aretes, untrodden and white. The going turned a little too soft near the top, as these merged into a knife-edge for a few metres, and my axe went through into thin air.
The summit was just big enough for 3 of us to stand, and getting off involved a rocky slither above a long steep slope.
Next the narrow but short arete led to the "bad step"; which was easily circumvented in winter by facing in, and down-climbing about 50 metres of steep snow.
The route continued over a series of easier ridges and slopes, to make a very enjoyable round of about 6 hours.
ANDREW
