The Cairngorm Club

02/03/2026

Our next coach trip this Sunday 8th March is to Glen Callater, with a number of possibilities in routes - whether to the munro Tolmount, the corbett Creag nan Gabhar or just a bimble to the Callater bothy, there's plenty to see in scenic Glen Callater. Winter is holding on up on the tops, but spring is here - get involved if you want to experience some snow-capped peaks soon.

Before then we have our member's photo night, our last winter evening talk, Wednesday 4th March 7.30pm the Main Hall Fountainwell Church (Formerly Queens Cross Church), 38 Albyn Place, AB10 1YN. There are some excellent photographers in the club and there's been some epic adventures had in the last year, so a great chance to have a look at those and a blether. Non-members welcome too. £3. Tea, Coffee n biscuits available.

Although we are still in our indoor climbing season, there are murmurs of outdoor action .. Yellow Crag anybody?

Our stravaigers are out Friday 13th and heading to the Sands of Forvie, with refreshments at the Trellis Cafe afterwards.

More info on all events on the website: https://cairngormclub.org.uk

02/03/2026

27/02/2026

Our midweek walkers and stravaigers have had some excellent days out recently: Troup Head where the sky and cliffs whirled with Gannets, Elrick and Brimmond Hills, and glorious sunshine for a stravaig around Hazlehead with delicious refreshments at the cafe.

Our next events:
Wed eve 4th March - Members photo evening
Sun 8th - Glen Callater, Tolmount - coach trip
Fri 13th - Sands of Forvie walk
Sat/Sun 20th - Weekend at Inverdran, Crianlarich
Thur 26th - Pollagach Glen
Indoor climbing every Tuesday (though outdoor climbing is awakening..)

23/02/2026

With a two-day weather window opening up after what seemed like an eternity of gales and rain, our lucky group at Blackrock Cottage in Glen Coe got stuck into an epic feast of mountaineering in stunning conditions.

First up, the classic CMD arete traverse up Ben Nevis, in magical conditions and light.

Followed by another early rise to see Stob Coire an Lochan brightening above Broad Gully, ascended and then across to Bidean nam Bian.

An unforgettable two days in the hills which has reminded us all that the sun does actually still exist!!

Thanks to https://www.instagram.com/vay_mutch and https://www.instagram.com/jamievince for the photos - they also have some excellent videos from the event:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUtQoIHjWf5/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUwIwbFDfM1/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUyAEvyCOKr/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DU5djSeiG18/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BPc5awrkl8

Up next:
Thurs 26th - Troup Head circular walk
Wed eve 4th March - Members photo evening
Sun 8th - Glen Callater, Tolmount - coach trip
Fri 13th - Sands of Forvie walk
Sat/Sun 20th - Weekend at Inverdran, Crianlarich

10/02/2026

We think the end of "grey weather world" may just about be in sight.. but not quite in time for us on this past weekend's coach trip to Ben Rinnes. We did encounter lots of impressive rime ice, clinging to the rocky outcrops looming out of the mist as we traversed back and fore to each "Scurran". Well done to all, and particularly some new members out in challenging conditions.

This coming weekend our trip to Blackrock Cottage in Glencoe has had a space become available - a spectacular location - get in touch if you want to snap it up..

Forthcoming:
Friday 13th Feb - easy walk - Hazlehead and Maiden Craig
Friday-Sunday 13-15th Feb - Blackrock Cottage, Glencoe
Wednesday 18th Feb - Club meeting regarding SCIO
Fri-Sun 20th Feb - Winter skills weekend at Muir
Thurs 26th - Coastal walk near Cullen
March ---
Wed eve 4th - Members photos night
Sunday 8th - Glen Callater / Tolmount - coach trip

Indoor climbing every Wednesday

04/02/2026

Anybody else ready for a change of weather?
In the meantime, days out are "character building" but the "upsides" are..
✅ Burning calories
✅ Keeping fit
✅ Honing navigation
✅ Getting winter kit dialled in
..One day soon we'll hopefully be back to 🏔️views and ☀️sunshine, and the hard miles now will make those days easier.. 🤞

03/02/2026

We have two events this week - Wednesday eve sees a talk, short film and Q&A on the challenges of attempting the Black Cuillin ridge traverse, with participants suffering from the complications of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. £3 on the door, 7.30pm at the Garden Room of the Fountainwell Church Hall (Formerly Queens Cross Church) on Albyn Place.

On Saturday is our next coach trip to Ben Rinnes - spaces are still available and we'll be leaving from the slightly later time of 8am. It will be a shorter day out than the recent Lochnagar trip at about 13km. Hopefully the shiny new indicator at the top isn't too covered in rime ice.

Other upcoming events:
Friday 13th Feb - easy walk - Hazlehead and Maiden Craig
Friday-Sunday 13-15th Feb - Blackrock Cottage, Glencoe
Wednesday 18th Feb - Club meeting regarding SCIO
Fri-Sun 20th Feb - Winter skills weekend at Muir
Indoor climbing every Wednesday

Ben Rinnes photos (c) Masa Sakano, https://flic.kr/p/iCBqRz, Graeme Yuill https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5647497

29/01/2026

Red and amber were our colours for the weekend.

Firstly the weather came howling, splashing and drifting - moderating our ambitions for mountain activities on Saturday, with driving rain, rivers swollen and avalanche alerts daunting for higher up .

We headed out carefully and kept it lower down, our waterproofs making us stand out as bright specks amongst the grey haze on the snow-clad hills. We needed to burn some calories though, because later that night was the feast.

Safely back in our cosy cottage, the next wave of red and amber flowed forth - in wine, beer and whisky glasses, as we were fed and entertained in the traditions of a Burns night, with music, poetry, tales and banter into the wee hours of the night.

Our next events:
Thursday 29th Jan - Midweek walk: Elrick Hill to Brimmond Hill
Wednesday eve 4th Feb - Cuillin Ridge evening talk
Saturday 7th Feb - Coach trip - Ben Rinnes
Friday 13th Feb - easy walk - Hazlehead and Maiden Craig
Friday-Sunday 13-15th Feb - Blackrock Cottage, Glencoe
Wednesday 18th Feb - Club meeting regarding SCIO
Fri-Sun 20th Feb - Winter skills weekend at Muir
Indoor climbing every Wednesday

26/01/2026

Our annual Lochnagar trip was pushed back by a week, which meant we could now take the coach along Glen Muick. Even so, there was still plenty of snow waiting to greet the first day trip of the year. It started off bright and we dared to hope we might dodge the forecast, but higher up, once we split into three groups - we all disappeared into the grey void.

The classic route, the north-east ridge, and the Black Spout were all climbed. Other groups spent the day practising winter skills around Conachcraig, one group headed for Meikle Pap, and a visit to the Shieling of Mark would probably have been the cosiest option of all... if it weren’t for our meal upstairs at the Boat Inn on the way home.

A cracking day out and a brilliant way to get 2026 under way.

Our next events:
Thursday 29th Jan - Midweek walk: Elrick Hill to Brimmond Hill
Wednesday eve 4th Feb - Cuillin Ridge evening talk
Saturday 7th Feb - Coach trip - Ben Rinnes
Friday 13th Feb - easy walk - Hazlehead and Maiden Craig
Friday-Sunday 13-15th Feb - Blackrock Cottage, Glencoe
Wednesday 18th Feb - Club meeting regarding SCIO
Indoor climbing every Wednesday

08/01/2026

RESCHEDULED: Our Lochnagar trip this Sunday 11th has been rescheduled to the 18th. This may allow those still snowed in some more time to dig out their car, and allow our coach to proceed along the track to Glen Muick more safely (and the added bonus of missing some very high forecast winds). If you have already booked, please email the organiser to let them know if you can/cannot make it on the new date.

05/01/2026

Happy new year to all our members and followers. Our first 2026 event - the talk on the evening of Wednesday 7th - has unfortunately been cancelled due to the road conditions around Aberdeen. Our first adventure of the year will be our annual coach trip to Lochnagar on Sunday 11th, with both the summit and lower level walks possible, in what will definitely be a landscape covered in snow. One away or another we'll make a start on burning off those festive calories!

Wednesday 7th - evening talk - CANCELLED - to be rearranged
Sunday 11th - Lochnagar coach trip
Friday 16th - Easy walk - Newmachar to Dyce
Fri-Sun 23-25 - Burns Supper Weekend at Muir Cottage
Thursday 29th - Mid-level walk - Brimmond and Elrick hills
Indoor climbing - every Wednesday

February 4th - evening talk - Cuillin ridge
Sunday Feb 7th - Ben Rinnes coach trip

19/12/2025

Those of you who were at our annual dinner or AGM back in November may have noticed a slideshow playing on the screen of photos taken from an assortment of the club's activities in the last year - here it is now for everybody else, quite a wide range of adventures. Many thanks to all those in the club who took time to take and share photos of these events.