Meall Ghaordaidh

Meall Ghaordaidh from Glen Lochay

Last 200 metres of ascent

Beinn Challuim and Creag Mhor to the south-west

Looking west from the summit to Loch Lyon

Stobbinnein and Ben More to south

Ben Lawers Group from the summit cairn

Descending from the summit looking to the Lawers group

Looking south to Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin

Glen Lochay in spring

Wednesday, 9 April 2019

Ascent:    939 metres

Distance: 10 kilometres

Time:       3 hours 26 minutes

Meall Ghaordaidh       1039m      1hr 58mins

A morning frost meant cobalt skies and sharp visibility, I packed for a short day and left home at 7:30am for the short drive to Glen Lochay. I had decided to climb Meall Ghaordaidh, a shy isolated but massive hill that is hidden from view halfway along this quiet glen. I was attempting to gain some hill fitness for a trip to Skye in a couple of weeks and to break in some new trail shoes that I use for most hill walking trips from April to October. 

Conditions were perfect: cool, sunny and the air absolutely still as I began the walk by the Allt Dhuib Croisg. I had found a parking place about 100 metres west of the farm track that is signed to Meall Ghaordaidh. Sheep were grazing in the lower fields but no lambs yet. There was no need for hat or gloves and I soon stuffed my jacket into the rucksack as I warmed to the climb up the steady grassy slopes, boggy in places but not too difficult to avoid. I took a direct route up a couple of dry gulleys and met the track that had taken a less steep detour. A small cairn marked the start of a path which leads to a broken fence and then climbs steadily to the east end of the bulky ridge. 

Views were opening up to the west to the Mamlorn hills, with Creag Mhor striking a shapely profile. It is a bit of a slog as you progress along the gentle eastern shoulder of the hill before the final 200 metres of ascent. There were still patches of snow to traverse as the path steepened. It is one of those hills that has a series of convex slopes that keep adding another section. The summit has a large cairn that hosts a trig point and provides good views in all directions. It had taken just less than 2 hours, which had been my target, I had kept a steady pace and only had one stop for some water and photos. Checking previous visits tells me that my fastest time was in 2007 when it took 1 hour 26 minutes on an August day when I had already climbed Ben Chonzie.

It was not yet 10:30am so I spent 15 minutes enjoying the summit views before starting the descent. The first section on the steeper slopes was through some snow and ice that was melting quickly and extremely slippery in my trail shoes. Below 750 metres it became an easy stroll down the grassy slopes, good for reflecting on what the year ahead holds. I had been concerned that I had lost my fitness as I was running far less than at any time since 1981 but the walk had gone well. I was back at the car by midday and home by 1pm.

Days like this are almost perfect and are given as they say in Shetland. It had created a sense of anticipation for the months ahead. Last year had been the best weather for walking in May, June and July that I can ever remember but I was too busy selling and moving houses to reap the full benefit. This year will be an attempt to finally complete the 222 Corbetts but they are all in the far north and scattered about so it will require at least half a dozen trips, some with a bike. There is only the trying.