Trip report from Dave Chaffey
As Steve Smith said over on the Facebook Relative Hills group, this was a cracking RHSoc weekend, with great company and some smashing walks. I couldn't have put it better myself! The weather was as expected for the last weekend in October, but it didn't rain all the time and the walking was less tussocky than I expected. It was also a good venue for celebrating being back in the dry and achievements - I think this was Dangerous Dave Chapman's completion of I'm not sure what!
The highlight for me was bumping into Alex Cameron, Jill Robertson, Steve Smith and Jonathan Woods on Ettrick Pen and heading back along the ridge bagging some Tumps I'd deliberately missed on the way out... Then it was back to the solo bag, bike and selfies. Almost met up with Julie Brown on Grange Fell approaching from different directions.
Without doubt Moffat independent hostel is the most plush I have stayed in and I'd recommend it for anyone heading this way including anyone breaking the journey heading north or south as I used to do with my family when going to Scotland in the 70s from Portsmouth (memories of oversalty porridge in the Balmoral hotel). The new owner said that passing trade like this is one of his mainstays.
Thanks to Chris Ottley for arranging the trip! The next Bagger Rambles is on Mull in March and arranged by Steve Smith - details here.
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