How Do Ptarmigan Hillwalking and Mountaineering Club Meets Work?

Updated 2026-10-19

Ptarmigan Hillwalking and Mountaineering Club is an Edinburgh-based club that runs a monthly Sunday bus to the Highlands, and occasionally to the Borders or the Lake District. On a meet you choose your own route at your own pace, and you can leave and rejoin the bus at any point along the way. The bus convener records the day's routes and groups of at least two or three people, so you are not walking alone unless you choose to be. The format suits hillwalkers with some experience who want transport and company without a guided, fixed-route walk.

The monthly Sunday bus

The core of the programme is one bus day a month, usually on a Sunday. The destination is normally the Highlands, with the Borders or the Lake District appearing occasionally. Because the bus is the transport, you get through routes and variations that are awkward to arrange by car, and someone else handles the driving.

You set your own route and pace

The club deliberately gives members freedom to do their own routes at their own pace. You are not tied to a led walk or a fixed group. Leaving and rejoining the bus at different points is allowed, which is what opens up linear and through routes rather than only circular walks.

How groups are organised

The bus convener notes all the day's routes and the groups of at least two or three people walking them. In practice this means you can join a group heading for a route that matches your ability and interest, or walk with people you already know. The convener can also advise on routes and on who to walk with, which is useful on a first outing.

What a typical day looks like

Expect a roughly six-hour day in the hills. The monthly newsletter suggests a variety of walking routes, which helps you pick something before the bus leaves. Members' interests range widely, from hill-running and serious climbing to low-level walking, geology, bird-watching and botany, so the routes on offer are not all summit days.

Kit you need to bring

The club states that you should have the necessary equipment for a typical six-hour day, including:

Basic first aid supplies
An emergency whistle
Food and drink
Clothing including full waterproofs
An OS map of the area or equivalent, plus a compass, and the knowledge to use them

In winter, extra clothing, an ice axe and crampons are often essential for safety. The club does not lead walks or provide formal tuition, but experienced members are generally happy to pass on advice.

Joining a meet as a guest

Potential new members start as guests without any commitment, so you can try a bus day before deciding on membership. The club welcomes people who already have some experience of hill walking.

To book a place on a bus, email the bookings contact listed on the site. For general information, use the enquiries contact. Both addresses are given on the club website.

Who the meets suit

Your situation	How the meets fit
You have some hillwalking experience and want transport to the Highlands	Good fit — the monthly bus is the main offering
You prefer your own route and pace over a led walk	Good fit — the club explicitly allows this
You are a complete beginner with no hill experience	Less suitable — the club asks for some experience and expects you to navigate
You want formal instruction or guided walks	Not provided — the club offers advice from experienced members, not tuition
You want winter mountaineering	Possible, but you need your own winter kit; ice axe and crampons are often essential