This month, in your Jacobites Newsletter, we have for your delectation:

1. Meets in February 2012
2. Thursday Night Mini Lectures in February 2012
3. Club Journal 2011
4. An Offer of Coaching at Glasgow TCA
5. “Wind Farm” Planning Application near Inver
6. Google Group
7. Newsletter Feedback
8. And Finally ….

I'm sure there is something I've missed here, but do keep an eye on the Website, as I tend to post LATE News items there, unsurprisingly under “News”


1. Meets in February  2012

We have 3 meets in February, however:

A. Muir Cottage, Inverey – 10th to 12th February 2012
B.1. Mill Cottage, Feshiebridge – 24th to 26th February 2012
B.2. CIC Hut, Ben Nevis - 24th to 26th February 2012

The CIC Hut meet is managed slightly differently to other meets: potential attendees are balloted in pairs, as attendees are usually climbers and climbing in pairs is the norm.
Also, keep in touch with the Meets Secretaries about this meet, as the CIC Hut was damaged in January this year due to high winds.  Repairs have been affected, I'm lead to believe, but you never know what the precise, current situation will be with the hut.

Finally in this section a reminder of when Ballots are scheduled.

Ballots as required in January are scheduled thus:

A. Muir Cottage, Inverey – 2nd February 2012
B.1. Mill Cottage, Feshiebridge – 16th February 2012
B.2. CIC Hut, Ben Nevis – 16th February 2012

And advance warning of the first Ballot in March:

Glen Affric Chalet Park, Cannich – 1st March



2. Thursday Night Mini Lectures in January

We have 2 talks this month, with the proceeds going to the Torridon and Achnasheen MRT.

9th February: Ian Jones, “The General Jones Show”
23rd February: Tim Kearsey, “Why are Mountains there?  How our understanding of how mountains form has changed through time”

All talks are in the Cumberland 8pm for an 8:30pm start.



3. Another Call for Contributions to the 2011 Journal

Walter Robison will be compiling the 2011 club Journal for issue in spring next year; and he would like to hear from anyone would like to contribute articles, stories, pictures, anecdotes, or anything else!

If you want to contribute, please let Walter now, email: journal@jacobitesmc.co.uk



4. An Offer of Coaching at Glasgow TCA

An offer to coaching at a special rate for a group of club members is available at the recently opened The Climbing Academy (TCA), Glasgow.  Many thanks to Tim Clarke for identifying this opportunity for club members.

For a group of 5 minimum to 10 maximum people, ideally 8 at £15 each, you'd get:
- 'life' membership (£10 normally)
- Entry (£8 normally)
- Hire of rock shoes
- 1 hr 15mins instruction
- As long as you like to climb thereafter that day

Rob from TCA says: “As you can see, this is a good deal for non climbers and would suit many of the walkers who may like to try bouldering but may be intimidated …. by Alien Rock. It is also a good deal for a first visit for the climbers.”

Expert climbers in the club have visited TCA Glasgow already, and were impressed with the number and quality of route settings, as well as the good lighting, cafeteria, and general ambience. The staff and Rob in particular are friendly and helpful.  People can go online to their WEBSITE to check it out.  Easy access from the M8 makes it worth a day trip from Edinburgh during these winter months.

Get in touch with the President ( president@jacobitesmc.co.uk ), or any other committee member, and we'll see if we can drum up the numbers to take advantage of this offer.



5. A Wind Turbine Planning Application near Inver

There has been a planning application to build a Wind Turbine near Inver, our club hut.  Details can be found HERE:

The turbine would be about 3Km further along the road from the Inver layby, near to an existing mast at roughly Grid Ref. NH123545 (if I've read the documentation correctly – it wasn't that clear).  According to the Photo montage documents, the turbine would be clearly visible on the horizon to the west, as seen from the layby we all park in.  I have no idea about the visibility from Inver itself – you will have to examine the documents yourself and come to your own view on the matter, I do not want to speculate further!

The Club has no official position on this proposal at present, however if views from the membership are strong and sufficient in number, a club view might be expressed to the relevant body.  However, this does not of course, prevent you from expressing your opinion individually.  What we do know at the moment is that a group of local people are objecting to the proposal, according to the Loch Ewe Visitor Centre.

If you have an opinion, please express these to Mike, the Club President ( president@jacobitesmc.co.uk ).



6. Google Group

Another reminder about the Club Google Group.  You can contribute to documents posted on the website for each Club Meet.  Simply follow the instructions to join the Group on the Website HERE:

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH with me ASAP if you are having problems accessing the group and the documents – its really very simple, and I'm more than willing to help you, by email, phone, or even to show you face-to-face (at Alien on Tuesday evening for example, as well as at the Pub – must there go sometime soon!).



7. Newsletter Feedback

Is there anything you want me to advertise in the Newsletter?  Is there anything you want on the Website?  If so, get in touch with me – newsletter@jacobitesmc.co.uk

The next deadline is 30th February 2012.



8. And Finally …..

This month's Jacobites MC Album of the Month, is “Anna Calvi” the debut album by Anna Calvi (unsurprisingly, I'd guess!).  Modern atmospheric pop music, with a novel slant on the electric guitar.  I've not listened to this much, but I think it could be a “grower”!  Enjoy.



Mike Wicks ( newsletter@jacobitesmc.co.uk )
Newsletter Editor,
Jacobites MC
1st February 2012