The 45 Degrees MC Burns Supper held at the end of January  is always  eagerly anticipated coming after a longer than average gap between meets. If the weather plays kind, there is the opportunity for some intrepid winter hillwalking – and if it doesn’t the social element of the meet more than makes up for the lack of mountaineering adventures.

The location for the 2025 event was the Blackwater Hostel, in the village of Kinlochleven – superbly situated with dozens of Munros within a short drive (or even a walk). There are also a number of lower-level walks if conditions or inclination dictate.

We last held our Burns Supper here in 2020, shortly before lockdown kicked in and it fits the bill perfectly with comfortable dorms, a decent sized kitchen and room for a communal table set-up. Friday and Saturday 24^th/25^th January had been booked and as usual an excellent turnout was expected.

We hadn’t reckoned though for a powerful and record-breaking extratropical cyclone which hit Ireland, the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom on 24 January 2025. This was serious weather indeed with, in Scotland, the central belt most heavily affected. However, storm Éowyn, no matter how hard it was blowyn was going to stop our members gowyn – even though a few had to delay their departure until Saturday morning.

Members attending: Jim Aire, John Calder, Angus Campbell, Raymond Evenden ,James Fraser,  George Henderson, Alyson Harrison, Dave Harrison, Susan Henderson, Marie Lever, Mike Lever, Tanya MacKenzie, Alyn McNaughton, Craig O’Connor, Mike Partington, Paddy Marrs, Craig Sephton, Norrie Shand, Ewen Stewart, Gerry Weir, Graeme Wilmott.

Guests: Douglas Reid, Malcom Russell

Most of us would be arriving from the south but Gerry and Malcy had the advantage of spending the previous couple of nights in the Corryhully bothy in Glenfinnan which gave Gerry the opportunity to bag the two adjacent Munros and to spend the bothy night dispensing advice to Malcy on the importance of polyphenols in the diet! Their journey down to the hostel was a bit less perilous than the others.

Norrie had arrived first and negotiated an early entry. During the course of the afternoon and evening those who had tackled the journey made their arrival with extra credit to Mike and Marie who had driven up from Merseyside via Greenock. Their fondness for haggis was a great inspiration.

With everyone in unwind mode, a relaxing drink or two was taken before meals were prepared and scoffed, with a special mention for Dougie’s home-made cottage pie.

As ever, a drink or two turned into a drink or twenty-two and with the juke box blasting out some old favourites, George found his dancing shoes. The lack of willing partners didn’t seem to bother him too much.

An early taste of a few whiskies was inevitable with James’ mystery bottle concealed in a Daily Record providing intrigue. The chances are it came from an illicit still somewhere in the Ochils, but it actually didn’t taste too bad.

On Saturday morning, the weather had calmed down significantly, and a few were keen to get out and sample the wintery conditions.

Craig S was one of the early risers and he made the short journey along the south side of Loch Leven to continue his corbett-bagging mission on the conical peak of Garbh Bheinn. He was rewarded with fine views west along the loch and over the Pap of Glencoe. Sadly, Tanya was unable to join him as she scooted back to Kincraig to check their house was still standing – fortunately she returned later with positive news.

John, Alyn and Jim Aire couldn’t resist the temptation of the snow-covered Mamores range practically on the doorstep and they also made an early start before enjoying  a proper winter’s day outing on the Munros of Stob Coire a Chairn and Am Bodach.

George, Susan, James, Mike L and Marie headed in the other direction and made an anticlockwise trek up to the superbly located Blackwater Dam and Reservoir which sits high above the village alongside the giant pipes which feed diverted water down to the power station. Beside the dam sits the poignant sight of a cemetery where lie the remains of several navvies who died during site construction. It is said a few perished when attempting to return to camp after an evening’s drinking in the Kingshouse – despite a decent swally in the hostel the previous night, there would be no immediate need for the grave-diggers services this weekend.

Craig O and Graeme had a similar plan, but they took the clockwise route, not wishing to embarrass the older party by swiftly disappearing into the horizon ahead of them.

Mike Partington made the journey up on Saturday and stretched his legs along Glencoe’s Lost Valley – enjoying a scene he later committed to canvas in art class.

Ewen and Paddy also travelled north on Saturday and their target for the day was the Munro of Beinn Sgulaird – not a particularly long hike but the ridge is rocky, rough and the summit requires well over 1000 metres of ascent. Photographic evidence shows them smiling so it couldn’t have been too bad.

Those that didn’t venture far from the village at least managed a wee walk around the locale, with several visiting the impressive Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall which pours down from the Mamores. There may also have been some more liquid pouring down in the Highland Getaway Inn.

As usual though, the kitchen was a flurry of activity during the afternoon with neep hacking, tattie peeling and table setting in preparation for the evening’s activities.

At 6.00 pm with everyone having returned, showered and changed the members gathered for the 2025 AGM. The business was concluded in a record breaking 22 minutes – mainly because the Chairman’s address was postponed until the beginning of the meal.

James had sourced two absolute stoaters of haggis; Jim had been on soup duty and enough desserts had been brought and prepared to feed the whole village!

Several of the company made the effort to have a proper scrub-up before the meal and look out their best tartanalia.

Before the feast began James took his chance to welcome the company, to reflect on the past year’s activity and to reminisce on the previous 10 years of the club’s activities.

Mike L delivered the Selkirk Grace in his best Ayrshire accent and the hungry hoard fairly sipped and slurped their way through the soup course.

John Calder had been nominated to undertake the March of the Haggis. As the bagpipes played Scotland the Brave, John did a couple of laps round the table in what was a very original combination of a march, a waltz and a sailor’s hornpipe. Fortunately, the haggis remained on the salver.

With the haggis duly delivered, Norrie went through an enthusiastic address, the blade in his walie nieve whistling vigorously  – luckily no heids were sned.

Soon, everyone’s weel-swall’d kytes belyve  were bent like drums with the excellent haggis and the plethora of puddings on offer.

Gerry, Alyn and Norrie served up some musical interludes and Raymond gave a recitation of To a Mouse to the members whose plans had certainly gang aft agley quite a few times in the past.

After a few more songs it was time for the traditional Toast tae the Lassies, this time to be delivered by George. An amusing and at times tender speech followed with tributes (and wee leg-pulls)  directed to the lady members of the club past and present, with special mention to Susan without who keeps him on track and without whom his Munro and Corbett tally would have been considerably lower!

Yet more song followed before the night’s guest speaker would enter to provide a Reply fae the Lassies. Granny Brenda Boschenstein made an elegant entry albeit aided by a walking stick. Her splendid dress would have (and possibly already had) graced the high street of Kingussie and her neatly permed hair delivered a distinguished air of class.

Although she had never before attended a meet, there was a mischievous glint in her eye that was very familiar to the members.  The large glass of Caol Ila that remained close to her hand gave a further clue as to the true identity of our guest – and the deep sniff before she began her speech was a dead giveaway!

Brenda/George proceeded to give an entertaining “reply” with amusing anecdotes on the escapades and character of the male members of the club before shuffling off to get her entry in for the next series of  RuPaul’s Drag Race.

After that followed the usual mix of music, laughter, banter and rapidly refilled glasses until one by one, stamina took its leave, and the company drifted off to bed.

The next morning it was all hands to the pump again as furniture was put back in its original place (or near enough) and the place swept and cleaned before departure by 10.00 am. Once again the Burns Night had lived up to its reputation and members are already looking forward to next year’s event in Crianlarich.