Crianlarich Youth Hostel – AGM & Burns Supper – 16th/17th January 2026

Blogger: Graeme Wilmott

FRIDAY

Members of the 45 Degrees Mountaineering Club travelled from near and far to gather for our AGM and Burns Supper meet, with Crianlarich Youth Hostel providing a base befitting both mountain adventures and later revelry. Parked right in the middle of Munro country, it’s a belter of a base that can save hours of driving we could instead spend getting lost on hills (or on trains!). You could pretty much trip out the door and straight onto the hills, which is exactly what a couple of the members did.

Crianlarich Youth Hostel

En route to the meet, Louise managed to squeeze in some half-marathon training with a ten mile dash along part of the West Highland Way. Meanwhile Tim undertook training of a different kind, wandering along behind with beer in hand, mentally preparing himself for the rigours of the Burns celebrations to come. Tim wasn’t the only one getting some swally practice in; cue the Rod & Reel.

Louise during half-marathon training

Neil, Raymond, Fraz & Jimmy enjoying something for the cold, pre-meet

Members attending: Jim Aire, Jason Bostock, Raymond Evenden, James Fraser, Neil Fraser, George Henderson, Susan Henderson, Stephen Hogarth, Marie Lever, Mike Lever, Louise McCulloch, Alyn McNaughton, Craig O’Connor, Mike Partington, Norrie Shand, Gerry Weir, Graeme Wilmott, Tim Woodcock.

Once everyone was suitably fed and refreshed, four teams lined up for the inaugural “45 Degrees Big Fat Quiz of Everything”, masterminded by Mike Lever. At one point it looked like it might descend into a contact sport. Victory eventually went to Marie’s team, despite the exceptionally long musical intros, although some felt curst restriction! Whatever side you were on, the controversy fuelled lively debate long into the night as plans were made for Saturday.

Some of the club members on Friday night

Marie and the prize they didn’t win!

SATURDAY

Ben Vane may be the smallest Munro at only 915 metres, but its steep and rocky slopes make it serious winter terrain when conditions align. Louise and Tim found exactly that. What started as a straight-forward plan quickly turned into a full winter outing: deep snow underfoot and visibility deteriorating as height was gained. They were first on the hill, with no track to follow, breaking trail the entire way and sharpening their navigation skills – no small feat given their well-documented hut-finding abilities.

Tim & Louise on Ben Vane

Beinn Dorain, Scotland’s iconic “poet’s mountain” immortalised by Duncan Bàn MacIntyre in Moladh Beinn Dòbhrainn, was tackled by Stephen from Bridge of Orchy at first light – and very much against his good lassie’s wishes. The weather was pure dreich, the kind that soaks ambition as quickly as gloves. Snow deepened with height and progress slowed, though unlike the rest of the club that day, Stephen never needed to deploy crampons. At the summit he dived into his storm shelter for a quick piece, checked in on by passing climbers – proof, if it were needed, that mountain folk are among the friendliest you’ll meet. Then it was straight back down and back to the van within five hours. Job done. Hill bagged. Domestic harmony… still under negotiation.

Stephen didn’t manage to get his camera out so we’ll need to settle for one of Steve Fallon’s instead

Mike P and Alyn headed straight out from the hut for Cruach Ardrain, avoiding cars entirely by taking the forestry tracks and north ridge. The going was steady over Grey Heights (686m) and Meall Dhamh (814m), before turning steep, pathless and thigh-deep in snow with visibility down to around ten metres.

Mike P trailblazing the steep ascent.

Clouds beginning to clear for the descent into Coire Ardrain.

Fraz, Neil, Jim, Craig and Graeme tackled Ben Challum. It wasn’t long before they were following “Fraz’s Way” with a highly illegal manoeuvre over the railway tracks, bypassing several other Munroists in the process. Moving swiftly across boggy ground into full winter conditions was easier for some than others………it was almost as if they were fuelled by Nitro. By the first summit, full whiteout conditions prevailed.

The Ben Challum fivesome.

Some of the party were keen to invent a new “efficient” route, but the Chairman was unimpressed when one member did a heider into deep snow.

New route developer taking a dive, a disapproving chairman looking on!

The summit was busy but provided space for lunch and a wee dram before returning down, inevitably by Fraz’s Way. It felt boggier on the way down, although that may simply have been Neil’s boots squelching. More dubbing required in future.

A well-earned dram on the summit, in the official 45 Degree MC glass.

Not everyone chose the hills. Raymond, Norrie, Gerry, Jason, Mike and Marie planned to catch the 10:15 train to Tyndrum and walk the eight miles back along the West Highland Way. As Rabbie himself may have put it: “the best laid schemes o’ Mike an’ Marie gang aft agley”. Failing to board the correct carriages, they alighted at Tyndrum Upper, while the rest of the group were at Tyndrum Lower. With no phone signal, communication was impossible. Eventually, Team A set off down the WHW and stumbled upon the “B Levers” further along the track. The remainder of the walk passed pleasantly and without further drama in reasonable conditions.

Tyndrum Upper & Tyndrum Lower station locations.

Lord Bostock & Raymond locating one half of the “B Levers”.

Saturday Night
All parties returned safely in time for the evening’s programme. First up: the AGM. Another strong year for the club, offering excellent value, great meet venues, superb hill days, and evenings filled with music, laughter and occasional mischief. Thanks go to the committee for keeping everything running smoothly – though, without the brilliant membership, none of it would happen.

Then came the main event: the Burns Supper. The casting director excelled once again. Stephen delivered the Selkirk Grace with style. Jason, wearing Louise’s mini-kilt with alarming confidence, led the March of the Haggis carrying two truly massive chieftains – a performance many will try to forget, though few will succeed.

Jason gavotting with a pair of huge haggi.

Raymond with his entry for the ‘biggest haggis’ competition.

A late programme change followed when Lorn declared himself unfit to address the haggis. After a brief but impressive warm-up involving lunges, arm swings and what may have been shadow-swordplay, Norrie stripped down to match kit and delivered a spectacular Address, worthy of the mighty beasts before him.

Norrie honouring the chieftain o’ the puddin’ race!

The food was superb: delicious homemade soups, a proper Burns supper, with haggis generously donated by the Chairman and widely declared the best many had ever tasted, followed by some more homemade fayre for pudding. The meal was punctuated by Burns songs from Norrie, Gerry, and Tim; proof once again that our wee club punches well above its weight musically.

The sangsters were canty, the music was fine!

The “Toast tae the Lassies” saw Graeme introduce a new format using a whiteboard and a barrage of acronyms, leaving us laughing like Fanatical Unhinged Crazy Kids. Louise’s reply was equally inventive, ending with a song she and Tim had written themselves, offering practical advice to some of the men folks nocturnal attire: “Laddies, whar’s yer troosers!”.

A homage to Louise’s hut locating skills from ‘The Toast tae the Lassies’

The formalities may have ended, but the night was far from over. As plates were cleared and chairs shuffled back, the whisky appeared, and the music took centre stage. Club musicians struck up a run of classic singalongs and well-loved 45 Degrees’ favourites, with voices rising in enthusiasm if not always in tune. Tales grew taller, choruses louder and laughter more frequent as the celebration rolled on deep into the night, fuelled by good company, good songs and a frankly heroic amount of whisky.

SUNDAY

Sunday morning saw everyone pitching in to clean up before heading home. The meet had been enjoyed so much that the venue has already been rebooked for next year.

Slàinte mhath!