Loch Ossian Overview

an overview by Archie Cameron

It seemed like a good idea to attend the first Loch Ossian trip way back in 1989. What could be better than escaping from the crowded city to a weekend of country runs and quiet contemplation? Little did I suspect that from those small beginnings would grow weekends of such varied and amusing divertissements. As I recall that first occasion, just a one night affair, the main events consisted of racing round the Loch, followed by a quick dip in the Loch, then some beer and delicious food highlighted by excellent home baking.

The Saturday night’s entertainment continued with wild ceilidh dancing and a touch of disco dancing for light relief. Only a few hardy stalwarts had the staying power to pioneer the Westerlands tradition of club song writing and singing which carried on until the not so wee small hours of the morning.

Sunday would usually involve a long hill run or walk, depending on ones inclination or ability following the previous night’s entertainment and the further consumption of gargantuan quantities of home baking before decanting back to Glasgow.

Since that first occasion, the weekend has expanded into two nights and the activities have developed somewhat. It’s amazing how revealing and memory-jogging the act of trawling through some well chosen photographs can be! Just who is that statuesque brunette wearing a pearl necklace, fetching blue dress and black stockings posing provocatively for the camera? Surely not Dave Calder? Who are the three babes dressed in swimsuits, performing the Haka to a backdrop of snow-capped Ben Alder and sunny Loch Ossian? Yes, you’ve guessed it; a slightly younger Isabel, Gillian and Maureen. Now isn’t that the baldy-headed wee shite bellydancing in a sarong and crop top to an assembled, agog, Westerlands audience? They say the camera never ties and that’s just a very small sample of the strange happenings recorded at Loch Ossian.

To strike a more sombre note, the importance of Loch Ossian traditions cannot be overemphasized. The performance of the HokeyCokey on the train platform at the beginning and end of each weekend is de rigueur. A swim in the loch no matter what weather conditions prevail and preferably after the ‘run round the Loch’, is also a feature. The highlight, however, must be the ceremonial early morning club singing and song-writing performed by the true ‘die-hards’, no matter what objections emit from the weaker members of Westerlands who have retired to bed for some ZZ~~Z’s.

Tom Rigg has now departed from the hostel with fond memories of us and I’m sure the new warden Alan seems to at least tolerate us but personally speaking I feel the essence of Loch ossian is summed up by enid blyton as she used to write in her famous five books…….we all went home tired but happy.

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