[Closed] Camban bothy trip report. (motley crew content)

(Not that Motley Crue before anyone starts)

Well 8 of us got to Bearnock Hostel 6 miles from Cannich on Thursday evening to be met by Donald (where's ya troosers) who may or not, be the owner. The rooms & facilities were pretty decent as far as hostels go, 2 en suite rooms between 8 of us with a good communal cooking/eating/lounging area & at £20 a night we thought it was ok.
Friday morning we set off for the Bog Cotton Cafe in Cannich for brekkie (which had good reports on Trip Advisor), but about 2 miles down the road we hit our 1st hiccup. Liam.
He'd had some time off earlier this year with a trapped nerve in his back & due to some 'tomfoolery' the night before & a giant rucksack, his back 'went' again & he decided it would be risky to venture very far into the hills, so he went back to the hostel where Donald sorted him out with a room in the big house, 4 poster bed & everything 😆
Us 7 carried on to the caff & sat outside for a fry up.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/15126152430_aa3b4a1b11.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/15126152430_aa3b4a1b11.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/p3Du8y ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 006[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

The weather was kind & we ambled on up Glen Affric at a very steady pace, Dave & Ben were the most inexperienced as far as this kind of biking goes but are both pretty fit, Richie's done a bothy trip before so knew what to expect. We took photo's of each other taking photo's...

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/15309723761_9a6a3f548c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/15309723761_9a6a3f548c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pjSkuv ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 010[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

& cracked on. We had a good laugh at Dave on his hybrid with skinnyish tyres but to be fair he did ok, baling out a few times to everyone's amusement! [url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/15313102352_45816c8e9b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/15313102352_45816c8e9b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pkaDQ5 ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 019[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

We didn't see any other bikers & only a few walkers, 3 of which were waiting outside Alltbeithe hostel waiting for the key holder. (I did fancy a bash on the Argo parked outside mind)

Before the trip I had mentioned that the bothy may well be occupied by the time we got there but it wasn't & Ben looked happy..

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3926/15289896186_7069ef0288.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3926/15289896186_7069ef0288.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pi7HrL ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 024[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

Richie was happier (the smiling Dutchman!)...
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3897/15290485346_948d54db27.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3897/15290485346_948d54db27.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/piaJzG ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 025[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

But Dave had his war face on!..

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/15289913376_5b30ee78ec.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/15289913376_5b30ee78ec.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pi7Ny9 ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 026[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

& I was just happy about the weather!...

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/15312970195_e59c071571.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/15312970195_e59c071571.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pk9Yxv ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 027[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

We got sorted & set up for an evening of merriment, the lounge...

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3848/15126432417_d8d0394136.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3848/15126432417_d8d0394136.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/p3EVmV ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 028[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

Where we all got as merry as newts...

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/15309830281_cd73a5a6e4.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3869/15309830281_cd73a5a6e4.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pjSTa4 ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 029[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

The stags were roaring throughout the night but we (mainly) had a good nights kip. Next morning the hard lads (Dave, Ben, Richie & Stu) went for a skinny dip in the pool which was too far for me to photograph but they came back & after being suitably refreshed & fed on copious quantities of coffee, bacon, sausages & rolls we set off from Hotel Camban...

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/15313023245_3a82edb2ea.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/15313023245_3a82edb2ea.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pkafja ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 032[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

After realising how sore my ass was (FROM CARRYING A RUCKSACK FOR 44KM THE DAY BEFORE) we set off back down the glen, stopping for a photo at the YH...

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/15312675682_846e5e529b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/15312675682_846e5e529b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pk8sZG ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 035[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

(yes that is a Marin Quake that Gareth dragged up there)

On the way back I may, or may not have spotted my 1st Golden Eagle at the West end of Loch Affrich. Whatever it was was distant & massive, lots bigger than a Buzzard & darker, but I can't be certain.
Last photo I took was of Steve & Stu looking back up the glen..
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3925/15126500297_21cd494f98.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3925/15126500297_21cd494f98.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/p3Fgxg ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 041[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

We buzzed back to Cannich, my backside was tender & Old Trusty Rusty making some odd transmission noises. We'd been drinking lovely spring (ahem, river,) water on the way back but the 2 bottles of orange Fanta went down a treat at the Spar!
The sting in the tail was the road climb out of Cannich back to the hostel. my arse was giving me some proper 'ouchiness' & my gears were crunchy to say the least but we plodded on to the end & the shower I has was the best in a long long time.

Everyone shook my hand & thanked me for organising it all & told me to get another sorted for next year, which was gratifying. 🙂

Meol Bhuide is on the cards for next August!