Hi folks, Well, having recently successfully run another OM Skye meet in May. I thought I would flag up another opportunity for OM members to try the same trip during the dates above. The writeups for the OM 2011 May Skye meet can be found here - Monday & Tuesday and Thursday & Friday. The thread from the OM Skye May 2011 meet can be viewed here. I've now successfully organised this every year for OM Members starting in 2008 although I've guided OM members along the Cuillin Ridge every year since 2006. The OM Skye meets have proved popular since 2006 and have run every year since, no-one has ever been disappointed with these trips. We started initially only running an annual trip each, then last year, due to popular demand, I offered one in September. This trip is on offer again, details of what is on offer for you are below. For £375 per person. You get 7 nights self catering accommodation in a comfortable cottage (already booked for this May) plus a guided traverse of the Cuillin Ridge of Skye from end to end whether it be over 3 or 4 days. As the cottage is not too distant from the ridge we make daily forays in to the ridge completing it section by section spending each night in a comfortable bed and getting a good meal at the end of each day - this has worked well for us in previous years. There are a maximum of six places available and are allocated on the basis of the first six deposits received. Communal cooking for the evening meals has also worked well in the past with me providing the first evening meal for everyone followed by everyone else subsequently providing a meal for the rest of the party. Breakfasts & lunch are your own responsibility.
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The itinery for the ridge traverse is flexible to take into account adverse weather conditions so it may well be that we choose to take a rest day mid way through the week or at some other point if required although if one person is unable to make one of the days they cannot reasonably expect the rest of the party to wait for them. In order to undertake this traverse, you need to be a fit and active hillgoer, able to carry all of your own personal equipment for each day out on the mountains and you will be expected to carry additional climbing equipment as everyone will need to be kitted out with a helmet & harness which can be provided as part of the course fee. There is also likely to be climbing ropes and other equipment to be carried. Interested people also need to be aware this is a committing and sustained ridge traverse often on scrambling ground of grade one standard but also with sections of grade two & three ground where roping up is essential. There are also sections of rock climbing such as the Thearlaich Dubh Gap (severe) and the Inaccessible Pinnacle (an optional but polished Diff) and a number of abseils to be made. Therefore previous experience of scrambling is a must and some previous experience of ropework, preferential. Ideally you should have a good head for hieghts and be comfortable with a degree of exposure. If this sounds daunting - don't be put off! If you have the pre-reqs I've listed here, then you should be fine. The Cuillin Ridge Traverse is the best of its type in the UK and I have a great deal of experience on this ridge - I cannot guarantee success, only the weather & your ability will allow us to achieve this but with my help and your all working together as part of a team (with me) success is a real possibility.
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With regards to your own personal equipment. People must have good quality foul weather kit as even in May (generally regarded as being one of the best months weather-wise to successfully complete a ridge traverse) it can still be wet and cold - exactly as it was this May. Please (and I have to say this every year!) DO NOT COME EXPECTING TO TRAVERSE THE RIDGE IN APPROACH SHOES! Stout leather or fabric boots with a solid sole and preferably a cleated Vibram sole are the order of the day for this traverse and I say this for good reason. People turning up who are deemed to be inappropriately kitted out for the traverse will be excluded from joining us on the ridge. If anyone is wondering about the cost and the tremendous value for money this package represents for OM members - then by all means do some research. If you find any other guiding businesses offering the same or a similar package, they will probably be charging in the region of £600 per person - if not more! To secure your place on this week, a deposit of £100 is required immediately with the balance of £275 due on August 10th 2011 and note we don't do "definite maybe's" or any other sort of provisionality. The first six to pay their deposits get the places. We need four people to book and pay for this event to take place. Should we fail to get four then then I will cancel the event and you will receive a full refund of your money. These terms do not apply to anyone paying either the deposit or the balance and then subsequently withdrawing from the meet. Next year the price will be increasing to over £400 for the week due to increasing accommodation costs - at £375 per person, I'd grab it while you can  Do we have any takers? Regards Iain Gallagher
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| Edited: 01/06/11 18:06 |
PS - It says in my first post that the accommodation is already booked for this May - true - it was at the time when the message was posted and rather than re-write all the text, I copied and pasted that from the May Thread to this one. Ooops - proof reading? I thought I'd done it well, the very same cottage is booked for September 10th - 17th - just in case you are confused  Regards Iain
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I can recommend this trip, I've been on two because the ridge walking is fantastic and you need a guide who knows their way around to get the most out of it - google the cuillin ridge to see why, it's an intimidating place!
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Cheers Ray 
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 Aye - same as Ray, done a few bits with Mr Gallagher, including the Ridge and always had a cracking time. The Ridge is just amazing and there's not a better value package for being guided around.
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 Did this with Iain and Kelvin in May 2010. It's was one amazing week and I don't think it's possible to get better value for money than Iain's offering. Would love to do it again but these dates just don't work for me unfortunately.  Maybe next year.
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 I very much hope that this runs next year as I am now commited to the GR54 in September and the Cullin Ridge is very much on my to do list
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It will during May 14th - 21st 2012. Cost likely to be £425
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 <tentatively nudges hat towards the ring for 2012>
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 As MK says!! If possible. Need to be fully fit by then!!
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Anyone out there interested in the offer of of the OM September 2011 Skye Meet?? Seven nights self catering accommodation and four days of guiding on the Cuillin Ridge for only £375!! Its a bargain folks I'll give it until August 10th and if we don't have a minimum of four people by then, regrettably, I'll have to cancel the event. TTFN Iain
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Love to make it Iain, But would not be "fit enough" by then.   Next year? Hope to see you for some of OMWS 2012. Paul.
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Hey I'm definitely up for this - count me in! Nic
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Hi Folks, Nic243 has booked one place for the OM Skye September 2011 meet. We only need another three takers for the event to be a goer Regards Iain
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| Edited: 18/07/11 19:18 |
Bumpity bump! Any takers for this fantastically cheap & unique offer the OMer's to take a crack at the Cuillin Ridge of Skye??
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Hi folks, The Outdoors Magic September Skye Meet is officially cancelled due to insufficient numbers of people booking on to it. The next OM Skye Meet will be May 19th - 26th 2012. The thread for this will go up in the New Year. Regards Iain
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Hi Iain, If I'm fit, will see you at OMWS12. Would also, (if fit), be interested in Cuillin meet next year. Regards, Paul.
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 Sorry to hear that you did not get enough people to get a meet going in September, but I'm delighted to learn that your proposed dates for May 2012 is when I have a week's leave I'll be keeping a keen eye out for the thread for this, it is a burning ambition of mine to do the Cuilin Ridge.
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