Shalloch on Minnoch - KMC midweek mountaineers 

A wee day out for the midweek mountaineers section of the Kyle Mountain Club.
With some snow on the hills we headed o the Galloways and walked up Shalloch on Minnoch. 

Kyle Mountain Club Annual Dinner Meet 2016

The KMC held its annual dinner meet in Pitlochry.

On the Friday evening Jackie Magill organised an evening to the Festival theatre where members enjoyed a production of Para Handy, here talented actors and actresses showed off their musical and thespian talents, amusing us with a series of short sketches and songs based around the prop in the shape of the “Vital Spark”

During daylight hours with good weather, different members undertook a variety of walks, some venturing up Schiehallion with its improved path and snowy summit, while others went to Beinn Vrackie and a variety of lower level walks.

In the evening a bus took the group to the Pitlochry Golf club where the caterers provided an excellent meal. 

The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the Quaich to Frank Jones for his services to the club and the passing round of the Quaich from which to toast him.

On the Sunday a walk was organised to the Hermitage at Dunkeld . A good choice as the trees looked splendid in their autumn colours.

Len's Last Corbett: 2nd Nov 2016

With the company of some friends I climbed the Corbett Ben Vrackie at Pitlochry in good weather today.

That completes the list of all the 222 Corbetts. Many thanks to all that have helped or accompanied me on my quest. 

Having completed my hillwalking, I had to find something to do with my boots!

Len Foreman

Coppermines Valley, Coniston, LakeDistrict: 21st - 23rd October

The weekend saw 14 members of the Kyle Mountain Club heading to the Lake District. 

 Our base was the Barrow Mountaineering Club Cottage in the Coppermines Valley, Coniston. Our comfortable accommodation had been the former mine manager’s house with what had been the stables now the kitchen.

The area had been extensively mined for copper, possibly back to Roman times, but most extensively in the mid nineteenth century.

Both on Saturday and Sunday we were blessed with glorious weather. On Saturday the majority of the group did a circuit of the Coniston Fells including the Old Man of Coniston, Swirl How and Wetherlam – quite a big day. The extensive remains of the old workings, some reaching up to 700m height, did not detract from the walk and made us appreciate what a difficult and dangerous life the miners must have had. We had great views of most of the major Lakeland Peaks and could see as far south as Morecambe Bay. Cameras were much in use.

Saturday evening was spent at the cottage when a splendid communal meal was enjoyed by all.

Sunday was spent by visiting the likes of Ambleside and Keswick and also admiring the wonderful autumn colours of the surrounding area.