HWUMC

Anyone else who'd prefer to go for a walk next week instead of taking the train to Rosyth? I can't drive the bus, so we'll either need to persuade someone who can, or pick a target we can get to by train. Finding a driver very much preferred - a return train ticket to Dalwhinnie costs about £35, or £25 to Bridge of Orchy, even with a rail card!

One which looks interesting, though maybe better for having longer daylight hours and more reliable weather, would be to get the train to Dalwhinnie on the Friday night and walk in to Culra bothy. There's a promising ridge walk from Carn Dearg to Beinn Eibhinn, which looks like a decent Saturday, and a round of Beinn Bheoil and Ben Alder with the option of some scrambling on the way up which could make a good Sunday. I've not yet had a look at this route on an OS map, so it may be subject to change. Trains would probably be departing Haymarket at 19:39 on Friday, arriving at Dalwhinnie at 21:58 to walk to the bothy, then leaving Dalwhinnie at 19:39 on Sunday to arrive at Haymarket at 22:01.

Slightly less out-of-the-way would be a trip to Arran. Being in the more 'civilised' South means we'd be camping (£4/person/night, about 4 km from the ferry; would need to book if more than four), and the combination of train and ferry return tickets is still not exactly cheap (£15.45 with rail card + £9.30 = £24.75), but there is at least more of an option for things to do if the weather goes pear-shaped. I'm thinking the round of Beinn Nuis, Beinn Tarsuinn, Cir Mhor, Caisteal Abhail, and Goat Fell looks good for Saturday; Sunday either a low-level walk or a visit to Brodick; both depending on weather and inclination. We'd need to leave Haymarket at 18:00 on Friday at the latest (preferably 17:45) to get the last ferry, arriving 21:25, then the last ferry back leaves Brodick at 19:20 to get us to Haymarket by either 22:41 or 23:41, depending on whether we can walk from Glasgow Central to Glasgow Queen Street inside 10 minutes! Or leave Brodick at 16:40 and get back for 20:21 even if we're slow walkers. Again, a lot easier if someone can drive to Ardrossan, as it means I don't have to get from Riccarton to Haymarket inside 45 minutes!

I don't know how many would want to bothy or camp as early as week 2, so a day trip might be a better option. Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh from the station at Bridge of Orchy? (Has been done as a day trip with the bus.) It would probably need to be on Saturday to get better train times: probably the 07:00 train from Haymarket via Glasgow, arriving 10:45; then the 18:56 train back, arriving at Haymarket at 22:52.

Or if you've got any other suggestions, feel free.

The idea was to do a day trip by bus, if possible. Later today I shall be speaking to Lynn to see if there is a bus available

I'll be heading to rosyth from waverley station (aiming to meet up with eyerybody getting on a haymarket) If anyone wants to join me then send a PM and mob number to arrage to meet