HWUMC

What's anybody thinking of doing this weekend?
I fancy a walk for one day, but think I'll have to do some homework on the other day.

tommy wrote:What's anybody thinking of doing this weekend?

I'll be at the eJMCS AGM at the Kintail Lodge Hotel, if any fancies a pint on Saturday evening? (Be good to see the countryside again after 4 months or so.... Happy days)

Looks interesting, but it'll have to depend on actually getting some work done this week. I keep getting given loads of strange stuff, I think they're called tutorials.

I have been told that for this hut there is a fireplace, but we need to bring our own fuel.

There is snow forecast from Thursday, a lot of it. Does anybody think we need to

a) pack minimally and carefully in case we can't get the van up the track to the hut and have to walk?
b) throw in a couple of tents in case the road is closed near Spean Bridge and we can't get anywhere?

We will be traveling up on Friday to the Kintail Lodge Hotel, leaving Edinburgh between 9am and 10am.

I'd be prepared to contact you (or whoever wants to take charge of making a decision or not) with a weather report if I encounter any problems along the way.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/ ... html?day=3

Hope this helps

PS. Can't make the pub tonight - just too tired

sarahmagee wrote:I have been told that for this hut there is a fireplace, but we need to bring our own fuel.

There is snow forecast from Thursday, a lot of it. Does anybody think we need to

a) pack minimally and carefully in case we can't get the van up the track to the hut and have to walk?
b) throw in a couple of tents in case the road is closed near Spean Bridge and we can't get anywhere?

There are two fireplaces!
Last time I was there we bought some damp wood from a garage enroute, then burnt the coal that was already there.

Not being able to drive the bus up the ~6km track to the hut is a possibility if there is snow. So it would be prudent to take that into account when packing.

I don't think the mail van (if we are using it for luggage) will have sufficient ground clearance to get up that track even in the best conditions. Of course using the bus roofrack will invalidate the insurance and it is illegal to drive on a public road without insurance...

Don't know about road closures but can't hurt to put some tents in.

mwicks1968 wrote:I'd be prepared to contact you (or whoever wants to take charge of making a decision or not) with a weather report if I encounter any problems along the way.
(

I'd appreciate a txt/call if you encounter any problems en-route.

I REALLY hope we can get the bus up the track to the hut, 6km is a long way when it is late, you are tired, it's dark and you have a heavy bag.

I'm sure Tom said he has taken a bus up the track before, but I don't know which one. Will it make a difference, and do we have any control over which one we get?

JP wrote:I'd appreciate a txt/call if you encounter any problems en-route.

No worries - I'll text you then if needed

Judging by the current forecast, I think you'd be pretty unlucky not to get to the hut with the bus - BTW if you're not allowed to use the roofrack on a Public road, then just load it up when you get to the 6km track, as that's a Private road, surely?

mwicks1968 wrote: BTW if you're not allowed to use the roofrack on a Public road, then just load it up when you get to the 6km track, as that's a Private road, surely?

Oh no! I'm sure the sports union and estates would dissaprove. I don't know what would have made you think of that

I think any of the minibusses should be able to get up the track unless snow makes it impassable. They all have decent groundclearance (although I did once touch bits of the bus on that track that weren't supposed to touch). But I don't think the mail van will make it (if we have to take it to carry luggage because we can't use the roofrack).

Answer to all your heavy luggage in the event of too much snow for a minibus problems - bring a sledge!

If that off-road skateboard isn't used for this purpose, I don't know what its there for!

If it looks like being bad enough that we'd have to walk in I can probably pack so as to leave some space in my bag for sharing the weight of climbers' metalwork or whatever. What's wrong with a little 6km route-march in the evening? Gives you more of an appetite for the tea when you get there.

Just an aside: why are the buses fitted with roof-racks if we're not supposed to use them?

Craig, do you want some company on your planned hike over the Five Sisters of Kintail? Presumably that would entail an early start on Saturday to make the most of the early light and avoid having to do too much of the return under torches.
What time is planned for leaving the hut on Sunday? There probably wouldn't be time to make a job of either Saileag or the Saddle (both ~5 hrs according to munromagic.com) without starting a lot earlier than usual even for weekend Sundays, but does anyone else feel like being crazy?
Of course, the weather may well put paid to both those ideas, in which case I'll be improvising.

StrangeSandwiches wrote:Just an aside: why are the buses fitted with roof-racks if we're not supposed to use them?

The short awnser is that someone F#*&%d up.

The new busses were supplied with aftermarket roofracks dispite the manual clearly stating that under no circumstances should a roofrack be fitted to this bus because it is cheap and s@*&e.

My information is about 6 weeks old so I don't know if the circumstance have changed at all.

Does anyone know who is entitled to drive the mail van if we need it?

JP wrote:
Does anyone know who is entitled to drive the mail van if we need it?

anyone with a valid drivers license and a years driving experience. no test necessary, they just need to fill out the driver declaration form.