After going almost two weeks without a Munro it was time to head off again, this time to a new part of the country for me, the wild country between Loch Lochy and Kintail. I had been looking at Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach for quite some time, almost doing them last year, but never quite getting round to it. The weather had been very kind for the past two days and I felt quite confident that it would last, the forecast was for sunny spells right up to the weekend after all. When Louise suggested that she would be keen to come out again the decision was made easy...but would require an overnight stay within an easy drive of the start point. I made arrangements to stay at a B&B in Spean Bridge that I have used frequently over the past year, staying with Alan and Isobel at the Mahaar. Louise even offered to drive from Craigellachie, so I treated her to the delights of the hungry haggis for tea in Kingussie on the way out. We managed a pint at the commando hotel in Spean Bridge upon arrival, after Alan had given Louise the guided tour of the facilities (Isobel was out babysitting as usual), and that was an experience not to forget in a hurry!! An early night beckoned and the chance to start a new book (into thin air, about the Everest disaster of 1996) and dream about my own mini adventures on the Munro's.
We started early for breakfast, giving ourselves plenty time to chat to Alan and Isobel about what they have been up to since seeing them last, then also the hour or so it would take us to reach the start point at the foot of Gleouraich. The drive up through Laggan and Invergarry was decent enough, though a tad annoying that the mist was lingering far too long, but once we turned off the main road it was a tedious 23k drive along winding single track road to reach our destination. The feeling of desolation out there was only broken by the amount of fine looking houses along the length of the Loch, including the Loch Quoich hotel.
We arrived at our start point at about ten and were ready to go at quarter past, leaving the car parked up safely at an ample parking area at the foot of the exit path (not mentioned in WH it must be said).
From this point we returned a short distance back along the road to the start path, then headed onwards and upwards to our first waypoint, the electricity pylons. We followed the faint, then clear, then faint again, stalkers path up the side of the hill as we headed for the Meall a Mheil, crossing the Allt Uaine and then the Allt a Mheil. The going was more damp than boggy, though it had its moments, and I was more concerned that Louise had been walking for the past three days (and camping out on hill tops in the cairngorms) and would be feeling it in her legs today. Not to worry though, she knows how to dig in and grit her teeth to get through it. We decided on a slower pace though, so as not to tire her out too quickly. Even without extensive views on the way up you got a feel for the remote nature of these two Munro's.
We continued to follow the stalkers path through some rough gorse and heather, and the occasional peat bog, though in the main the underfoot conditions today could not have been any better. At around 500m we came to the three forked streams of the Allt coire Dubh, as we headed to the supposedly soggy Coire Mheil. We branched right here and crossed the streams (something you can never do on Ghostbusters!!!) and continued to follow a groove in the grass (rather than a path) uphill for a short distance. Now according to WH we should have continued uphill to the wide featureless slopes and come out at a cairn on the edge of the corrie rim...however...I found a clear path running through the gorse and persuaded Louise to follow that instead. By doing so we found it turned into a clearer rocky path that led us through the Coire Glas slopes and led us directly to the summit cairn (no need for us to double back on ourselves along the edge of the corrie now either).
As we approached the summit path the weather changed for the better and the mist cleared to allow us a glimpse of blue sky. The higher we walked the better it got and by the time we actually arrived at the summit the cairn was mist free and there were decent views opening up of the route ahead. The only down side was the complete lack of a view of the south glen shiel ridge (which is the best part of these two tops apparently). Still, I was used to such disappointments by now. The summit cairn of Spidean Mialach lies at 996m, the lower of the two tops today, but no less dramatic for it. We lingered at the cairn for quite a while, pleased that the wind was not as bad as forecast, and got quite a few decent pics of the ridge heading down to the Dam and back along to Gleouraich.
The drops off into the corrie were quite dramatic, coupled with the snow cornices still hanging to the edges. I threatened to stand out on one of the safe looking ones but Louise wasn't for taking my picture...spoilsport!! Jelly McBaby came out to join us and posed happily on the summit cairn, waiting for the mist to clear and capture a dramatic shot of him with the SGR in the backdrop but to no avail.
The mist kept blowing through and clearing slightly to give us a tantalising glimpse of the top of something in the distance, though not 100% which top (I think it was Aonach Air Chrith) and revealed a cloud inversion at one point between us and the SGR.
With pictures taken and cloud rolling back in again we headed off along the ridge towards the Fiar Bhealaich at 735m. Once at the bealach we would face a 250m ascent back up steep rocky slopes, then a slight drop down again before a final ascent to the summit. We plodded on into the enveloping cloud and mist, snatching glimpses of the dramatically rocky northern corries and Loch Fearna away to the south far below us (which we passed on the way up but never saw hide nor hair of in the mist).
The further we traversed the thicker the mist got...obscuring everything on the way up the slopes. We were lucky enough to catch sight of a large bird of prey circling in the thermals above us, swooping far out into the clouds then disappearing from sight. It was nice to be in company yet still able to feel utterly alone and isolated from society. The only sounds were that of water running in the streams far below us and the wind in our ears...though if you listened carefully Louise was convinced that she could hear the hum of the earth...until I poured scorn on that theory by suggesting it was the electricity pylons we passed beneath earlier. Tree hugger material I am not!!!
Thankfully, although the path was steep and travelled through some fine rocks, it zig zagged up the slopes, meaning we could take frequent camera breaks. Unfortunately the higher we climbed the less views there were, until eventually we could barely see in front of ourselves. What we could see were plenty of snow cornices on the corries on the way to the summit, including one large one directly beneath the summit cairn. After what felt like ages digging in, dragging ourselves up the slopes, we arrived at the obscured summit cairn of Gleouraich 1035m.
The wind was picking up and standing around wasn't an option, so we ducked down beneath the cairn, on the edge of a cornice, for some much needed shelter. The usual snaps were taken and a quick bite to eat then Jelly McBaby got in on the act...
With two summits safely in the bag it was time to depart and head for the car...following a clear path down through the rocky top...then a stalkers path down and round by the Druim Seilleach...if the weather had been kinder we would have enjoyed extensive views of Loch Quoich below...the SGR ending and the Saddle starting behind us...and Sgurr a Mhaoraich (a future Munro target) to our right...but the weather stayed poor visibility all the way down to almost the glen again...and the wind was extremely biting on the descent (my poor ears were nipping despite wearing a hat). We made it back to the car in a respectable time of 5hrs 15mins...having assessed it at the start as being likely to take 6hrs. Disappointingly once back at the car the weather improved and it looked as though the cloud dissipated totally...certainly on the drive back along the access road the views up top appeared to clear dramatically...fluffing typical!!!!! But we cant complain too much, given that this time last year we were fighting against the snow and gales...oh well I can but continue to dream about beautiful views from lonely summit cairns on clear days with blue skies and Jelly McBaby complaining about melting in the heat...
I really enjoyed reading this report and some tantalising views in the photos. Just going to look on the map to see exactly where you where! SusieThePensioner
ReplyDelete