Morrone and Grampian Cottage, Braemar July 31 to Aug 13

2 magnificent weeks in Braemar for the first family reunion for 3 years followed the Munro party. Timed to include Betty's memorial service when Janie, Tim , Laura and Martha could be with us. We took both Morrone and Grampian Cottage and mostly incredible weather particularly for the 2nd week We swam in the Rivers Dee, Lui and Quoich most days, had happy sing songs round campfire in the evening, had one night camping up Glen Quioch, celebrated Anna's 6th birthday and many other excitements. Happy days.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mxmFoHy-0Y

Betty's Memorial Service , Braemar - Aug 1, 2022

 Betty, Mary's mother, died on July 7, 2021. She had died over a year earlier on St Simons Is, Georgia., but because of Covid, there had been no funeral service.  Her ashes were mailed over to Inverness by Janie and scattered on Morrone Hill after the service. The Rev Kenneth McKenzie ( the Queen's chaplain at Crathes, Balmoral ) took the service. Duncan sang beautifully. We had a celebration tea at Morrone afterwards largely catered by the brilliant Vicky who was our kids' nanny at Parkley Craigs in the late 1980's. Betty was given a good send off. We felt she would have approved.

Final Munro party

 60 or so family and friends gathered at the Duke of Gordon Hotel, Kingussie on July 29, after two previous postponements due to Covid. Meghan produced a lovely video of the 2 days, the link to which I'll try to attach here. It includes the 2 week family reunion we had with the family in Braemar thereafter.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mxmFoHy-0Y

Meall Chuach was the 282nd and final Munro for me and what an occasion. Piped to the top even, by  courtesy  and generosity of M, D and J.

A pre dinner reception, a  good dinner - smoked salmon, venison, and raspberry pie with plenteous supply of wine ( ordered by me through Wine Soc ) - , speeches (John Foster proposed my health and I replied) followed by a ceilidh till near midnight. Much reference to AWR and his climbing diaries whose portrait Ros brought up from Aberdeen. I presented Cormac with his membership card for a life membership of NTS promising the same to the other grandchildren in due course.

We all disbursed after breakfast on the Sunday morning. Generally I felt it to have been a huge success after months if not years of planning. 

Now on to the Corbetts !