KYQ4: Gleouraich

Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Gleouraich

Gairich from Sron a' Chuilinn

Sunday, 19 March 2023

Ascent: 880 metres

Distance: 11 kilometres

Time: 3 hours 14 minutes

Gleouraich 1034m 1hr 55mins

We had arranged to use Neil's cottage at Achmore on Loch Carron as Gregor had a week's holiday to take. The weather forecasts were ominous but Sunday looked like the best day of the week. I was to pick up Gregor at Balloch Station but the first train on Sunday did not arrive until after 10am and after procuring a coffee it was 10:30am before we started the long journey to Loch Quoich.

I had not climbed a Munro since early August last year, the longest gap since 1977 when I had broken my leg. I was slightly nervous but had always enjoyed Gleouraich and hopefully, Spidean Mialach would be possible as well. It was almost 2pm before we set out in grey damp conditions. The rain had yet to start as we followed the path through the thicket of rhododendrons that adorns the walk. Gregor charged on as I found a pace commensurate with my age and hill condition. I would not be beating my best time of 1 hour and 10 minutes back in May 1992. Several walkers were on their descent having enjoyed sunny conditions in the morning. The incoming clouds were already covering the summit of Spidean Mialach and the distant Munros in Knoydart.

The ground was boggy but the stalker's path was a testimony to its constructors as it zigged and zagged upwards to Sron a' Chuilinn. There is then a delightful ascent up the ridge, Druim Seileach, that provides splendid views of Loch Quoich, the adjacent Munro, Sgurr Mhaoraich, and the South Cluanie ridge. The rain began as I reached the bealach before the final 200 metres of ascent. I put on my rain jacket and spent an age struggling to pull my lightweight waterproof trousers over boots and gaiters, they were not designed for this. Another walker stopped to tell me the weather was closing in and it was a long slog in snow across to Spidean Mialach. I presumed that Gregor was already on his way because he gets cold whilst waiting at the summit.

The final section was slow, very slow; the rain gear, the rain and the stop all combined to reduce what was previously known as pace. I had no need to climb Spidean Mialach as I was no longer trying to complete a Munro round. I was free of those shackles. As I neared the summit, I could see Gregor circling the cairn in the mist, he would not want me to sit and have a rest and in any case, I had no food, we had eaten our cheese rolls before arriving at Loch Quoich and I had consumed my energy bar on the ascent. Gregor had already been out to the top heading towards Spidean Mialach and thought it was a long way to its cloud-enveloped summit. We could go down to Fiar Bhealach at 730 metres and head back down Coire Dubh but it is boggy even in summer. Instead, we agreed to return by our route up.

Gregor began to run once we reached Druim Seileach, he would have a run alongside Loch Quoich once down and I would collect him as I drove back towards the dam and the former hotel at Tomdoun that had now been modernised as a luxury house. My descent had been reasonably quick but my quads were not happy with all this exercise after months of not very frequent short outings. I consoled myself with the thought that the forecast for tomorrow was not great and that maybe we could give hillwalking a miss.