When Archie sent our Xmas card he said keep 30th April free there’s going to be a celebration. Tricia got quite excited as she thought it must be a wedding, so she looked through her selection of hats to find one suitable for the occasion. Unfortunately for her, when we met Archie on the Scotland trip the celebration was to join him to celebrate him doing his last Munro.
There are possibly some new members of the club that don’t know Archie but he was a member of the club for many years. When he lived in Hastings every May I, and other members of the club would go with him for 8 or 9 days Munro bagging. I managed 112 with him and then he got a job in Glasgow some years ago so he was well placed, weather permitting, to carry on bagging.
Tricia and I joined Bob Wathey another old member and his wife Sandra, Bob drove and we arrived in Aviemore on 29th April. Archie had chosen his last Munro to be Carn Gorm he felt it probably the easiest so that his daughters (non walkers / mountaineers) could join him. 
The car park being over 2000ft up, no walk in, just a plod to the top, 23 made it and a celebration with a few glasses of champagne on the summit. Back down for a meal in the evening , a few beers in the local hotel with a rock band playing, cloudless skies all day, amazing views Scotland at its best, The next day Tricia and I got the train back to Battle, Bob and Sandra stayed on to visit his friend Alan Kimber a local guide who lives in Fort William. All in all a good weekend. Congratulations Archie I don’t think I’ll make 284 getting to old.
Mike