Gairich from Loch Quoich Dam...

One solitary Munro so far this year, and that was back in January, even our recent CMB trip to Kinlochleven provided no more than a low level trek over the Devil's Staircase to Kinlochleven, it really has been a bad few months weather wise. Discussions had been on-going this week as to the potential to double my current Munro year total on the weekend just passed. A number of options had been mooted, mostly north-west initially, but I settled on a return to one of my favourite spots in Britain, the beautiful Loch Quoich. I have previously been here twice, both times with Louise, and climbed the three Munro's on the north shore of the loch. This trip gave me the opportunity to traverse the Munro on the south shore of the loch, Gairich, with the possibility to push on and attempt Sgurr an Fhuarain (Corbett) and Sgurr Mor (Munro) which are more commonly bagged from Loch Arkaig further south. I was to be joined on this walk by an old friend (Chris Bain) and a new companion (Fiona McKay) from work. We had arranged to meet in Mintlaw at five on Sunday morning, I would collect Fiona on my way through Longside and we would wait for Chris at the main roundabout in Mintlaw...unfortunately Chris slept in (he denied that he had forgotten to turn his clock forward) and we had to delay our departure by an hour, instead meeting up with him in New Pitsligo at six. Chris spent the first leg of the journey taking pelters in the back seat for his tardiness.

Fiona elected to drive, she had just taken delivery of a new car and wanted to give it a decent spin, if one of us agreed to drive on the way back as she wasn't used to driving distances. Chris and I mumbled something that sounded like agreement and off we set on the long road to Loch Quoich Dam, passing through Inverness-Fort Augustus-Invergarry en route.

We arrived at the Dam, a third of the way along the minor road to Kinloch Hourn, around nine and located a spot to park next to the Dam. There was already a blue van sitting in the parking spot with two guys who appeared to be fishing. Chris took an instant suspicion towards them, especially when he noted that there appeared to be a freshly cut section of roofing with the lead removed from the building beneath the Dam, and then set the fear into Fiona that the car would be stolen by the time we returned later in the day!!

Quarter past nine and off we set, leaving the car to the mercy of the (poachers/pikeys) ahem, gentlemen in the car park. First we had to cross the Dam, and our first obstacle of the day was the apparently locked gate leading onto the Dam. I rattled the right side of the gate and found it to be locked, then assumed that the left side of the gate would also be locked so put my foot on to it in preparation to climb over when it swung open away from me..."put that in your blog" I have indeed Mr Bain.

I have been on some remote, rough, craggy, steep, dangerous Munro's in my travels but none with a drowning warning before...

Thankfully the drowning warning was for the loch only, not the Munro, so we continued on our merry way. Gairich can be seen from the moment you arrive at the Dam, but the view from the middle of the Dam shows almost the entire route ahead, through the boggy path along the shore, up onto the ridge of Druim na Gaid Salaich, and then the ascent of the craggy north-east corrie. But first of all we had to get across there!

 

The path around the loch was every bit as boggy as we had been expecting, possibly even more so in places, and the going was rather slow to begin with as every footstep had to be carefully chosen to avoid slipping in the goo, or sinking in the gunk...unfortunately Fiona had to learn this by experience and stepped into a sink hole up to her knee! She even managed to leave a perfect footprint behind in the water-filled hole!

I had only just been discussing the merits of her buying a set of gaiters for just such an occurrence, not that they would have saved her on this occasion, when she plunged in! This also allowed Chris to explain why it is best to also carry a spare set of socks in your pack. Thankfully Fiona did not let this little mishap deter her from keeping her eyes on the prize and we were soon back on our way. We passed the southern end of Lochan an Fhigheadair before crossing a low bealach on the moor, then descending towards the forestry below the Bealach na Faire, and crossing the stalker's path heading from the loch to Glen Kingie.

We crossed the path, which is nothing like crossing the streams (Ghostbusters) and carried on up the slope ahead of Druim na Gaid Salaich in zig zag style. This path soon disappears as the ridge flattens out and becomes a faint trail through the peat bogs on the extensive plateau of Bac nam Foid. Although the air was chill and clear the visibility was no more than hazy at best. From our position I would have been hoping for clear unobstructed views of Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich (Munro's) to the north and Fraoch Bheinn and Sgurr Mhurlagain (Corbett's) to the south-west, but such was the strength of the haze that the only clear view of anything was Gairich straight ahead.

Most of the snow from the past few months has gone and only some stubborn patches remain scarring the corries and rock faces. We continued on to the foot of the steep slope, passing a number of small frozen lochans on Bac nam Foid. The stalkers path ascends in a series of zig zags to the foot of the steeper slopes, well to the left of the ridge. The east ridge we were ascending has one section of minor scrambling to negotiate before the summit can be reached, which we managed with all the grace and nimbleness expected of three fortysomethings on their first Munro trek in a matter of weeks.

Once beyond the minor scramble and final band of snow we pulled up onto the snowy topped summit and approached the cairn and shelter at 919m. Jelly McBaby appeared for the obligatory pic and had three takes before he could keep his balance on the windy top long enough for me to snap him.

Fiona and Chris were happy to oblige when I asked for a summit snap, even though Chris was clearly too hungry to put his sandwich down for even a second. As well as gaiters and spare socks I think Fiona would agree that a Kirby grip can come in handy also...

Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich, and even Sgurr a Mhaoraich on the north shore of Loch Quoich were becoming slightly more visible finally...

Sgurr an Fhuarain and Sgurr Mor could almost be made out at the far end of the plateau...but could in no way be considered achievable today!

With the temperature dropping in the wind chill it was time to finish lunch and beat a retreat off the summit. The route out was reversed on the return, with great care being taken on the scramble down the steeper section and through the snow, and the only point of note was when I accidentally hit Chris with a snowball on the back of the head which ran down into his jacket...oops!

Fiona even managed to avoid stepping in the same hole on the way back, possibly helped by taking an impromptu detour off path and heading closer to the loch shore on the return route, and we made it back to the car again just before four o'clock. All that remained now was the return drive home and to that end I agreed to drive so that Fiona could stretch out in the back, and Chris could imitate a nodding dog in the front passenger seat from time to time.

 

I now have the chance to double my years tally again tomorrow when I head to Ullapool and an attempt at Ben More Assynt and Conival...fingers crossed that the weather stays kind for me.

 

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