CONTENTS
EPPING FOREST OUTDOOR GROUP
On 24th October, Twenty-one EFOG members and friends met up for a weekend at Tarbet on the banks of Loch Lomond. Some travelled by train, a couple by car, one by air and eight by coach from Victoria. There was plenty of rain about that weekend.
(Photographs by Paul Ferris)
Ben Lomond from above Tarbet - 24th October 2008
It is difficult to maintain that the Silverline coach from Victoria was comfortable - 2.30 am
Those of us that travelled by coach - Alex, Ann, Chris, Duncan, Paul, Steve, Susan and Val - used a Silverline Coach Service this time. Supposed to be luxury, but it was just uncomfortable - not enough leg-room. Anyway, it got us to Glasgow before the cafeteria in the bus station opened and we hung around there before having breakfast and boarding a much nicer 'local' coach that took us through the Glasgow rush-hour and out to the Highlands. Tarbet was wet when we arrived, but not pouring - and Shearing's Tarbet Hotel allowed us to use their facilities (toilets) and leave our luggage in the lounge until check-in at 3pm.
Glasgow Buchanan Street Bus Station - 7.15 am -Breakfast
Just arrived at Tarbet Hotel - 9.57 am 
We had another breakfast in Tarbet at 10.15 am - Having deposited our luggage, we set out to explore the village. Essentially -apart from a few houses - there is the hotel, a tourist information office, a post office, a converted kirk now restaurant, two bus stops and a nice little tea room. Having already visited one of the bus stops and the hotel, we went to the tea room. Then we went to the information office, then we went to the hotel, then we went for a walk.
- visited the Tourist Information Office 
- and the coach-travellers set out at mid-day for an introductory walk. The kirk is now a restaurant.The walk was a relatively short one, from Tarbet/Arrochar Station onto the tree-covered hillside above Loch Lomond. A mixture of sunshine and showers - initially quite good underfoot for it is a well-used path, but in some parts quite boggy. When Paul suddenly decided to lie down, we had the first fall of a grand total of 31 on this trip - definitely a record for EFOG!
Returning from the walk, some of the Group took a sightseeing boat-trip from Tarbet Pier onto Loch Lomond. This was a good idea to do it at that time, because subsequently the Loch was flooded (or at least the pier was) and the boat couldn't sail.
Within a short time - the weather had brightened 
Autumn colours in a mixed-woodland 
This is probably a dwelling place of the shee. 
The darkness of a conifer plantation 
A wealth of colours 
Loch Lomond from above Tarbet As more of the Group arrived during the day, our opportunity for all to meet up came at our evening meal and in the lounge afterwards.
Val puts her feet up (photo :Madeleine Scott)
Some of the Group in the lounge (photo :Madeleine Scott)...........................................
