THE BUN CREW

Christmas comes but once a year and this year it came for the Dinosaurs at Reelig Glen and the Bunchrew House Hotel - and very good it was too. Having said that there was a degree of doubt in my mind before we started as poor Sandra could not join us as she was unwell. Given that she and Dave had picked the venue for our Christmas lunch - the question for me was whether she really was unwell or whether she had decided that the lunch would not be up to scratch. Well I needn't have worried - lunch was great and she really was unwell!

After parking at the half washed away bridge we started out on our walk. As you can tell it was bit damp, but not as damp as Pam and Hugh's walk at Torridon!

Here is, or rather isn't, the bridge parapet.

And here is where you end up if you don't notice the parapet has gone.

Soon we were striding past a field full of sheep who had been out for a curry the night before - at least that is what some of their backsides looked like!

Farmer Dave advised us townies that it was all to do with tups and procreation and coloured bags! Isn't nature wonderful?

Meanwhile some of us didn't care and charged on, anxious to get to the hotel with some warmth, food and alcohol.

And then it was time for the first whole bridge photo.

But it being Christmas we had to have a show and here is Singing in the Rain.

This may look like a carefully choreographed spinning of the brollies, but it actually took some time for them to learn to do this fairly simple thing!

And here they are learning.

 Now I know what David Bailey feels like with all those wayward models.

Reelig is a bit primordial.

But it has some of the biggest trees in the country. They grow so tall partly because of the rain that you can see on the lens.

Another bridge, but they wouldn't all huddle together on it for a photo!

Once a schoolteacher........

....always a schoolteacher.

 But after a couple of hours class was over and we were in the Bunchrew House Hotel for food, drinks and the secret joys of Santa, or was that the joys of secret Santa?

Drinks first in the lounge, which we had to ourselves. Either the hotel was very organised or someone had warned them.

 Then it was time to settle down for dinner and Sue said Grace.

 The other table were wa bit more irreverent and just laughed at Pam for not putting her paper hat on.

 Maureen has always been good with children and here she is patiently explaining the cracker joke to Dave. 

 B|y now Susan had lost the will to live and had taken to drink. Charlie was calling the Samaritans.

Dave had an unfortunate accident with the red wine, which upset Susan dreadfully, despite his best efforts to hide the stain under the butter dish.

 Of course, the butter dish was removed and the full horror of his actions became apparent.

He tried to make light of it, but to no avail. You could tell Sandra wasn't there to keep him under control.

 By now the drink was beginning to take effect and Mac, Sue and Sharon got very cosy.

 I was driving, so I am not responsible for this picture of domestic bliss.

 Pudding - yum yum. 

 Dave explains as best he can, the red wine malfunction. 

After dinner it was back to the lounge for coffee and mince pies and secret Santa. Except for Charlie who couldn't find the gents.

 Jacque, or perhaps Sharon, got a pair of bedsocks from Santa. Jacque just couldn't wait to try them on before Sharon got hold of them. As you might guess Jacque wasn't driving. 

After Santa was finished it was time for us all to leave the comfort of the hotel and head to Jim and Jacque's for more food and drink - like we really needed it.

A great Christmas walk and dinner all organised by Dave and poor Sandra. Thanks to them and to Jim and Jacque for putting up with us at their house afterwards.

That is the end of another year of great walks and company. 

Here's to 2014.