Yes, I know it sounds an unlikely combination, but the vagaries of
last week's weather had us beginning our May mountain bash on the east
side, and transferring rapidly well to the west following the promise
of sunshine and cloud-free summits.
(Lesson of the week: Use MWIS weather site - if you can't get it,
phone home and get somebody to get it for you! Impressive accuracy in
a complex pressure situation)
Thursday 18th May: Mullach Clach a Blair and Sgurr Gaoith
16 miles on bulldozed tracks can pass under the feet remarkably
quickly! Glenfeshie was a revelation - glorious Scots pine groves, a
pristine river, and fine hills flanking the glen. The route hardly
needs description - it's in any Munro book, with slight variations
according to which bit you ascend and which descend. Being up on the
Moine Mor is a spacious experience, and while if you like features on
your hill, the Mullach will let you down, it does give a wide vista
including Braeriach, Angel's Peak and Cairn Toul, and more summits to
S that I can't really bring myself to look up right now!
Traversing to Gaoith is something of a slog, though much of it is on
tracks, but of course, arriving there at the peak, and meeting the
ground-dropping chasm down into Loch Einich is as dramatic as the
earlier hill is bland.
The sun graced the Gaoith summit, but fled from us on the descent,
where we were hit by a fierce sidewind and a squall which made even
track walking tough for about 20 minutes - but all was dry by the time
we arrived back in the glen.
A pleasant drive past Ruthven barracks had us back at Newtonmore to
the excellent Strathspey Mountain Hostel, where we were joined by a
lone TGO Challenge walker.
Friday 19th May: To Ardgour. Garbh Bheinn.
Took about 2 hours to get to Ardgour, inclulding the Corran Ferry, but
it was apparent that we were on the right track for weather as the sun
broke through over Loch Linnhe.
OK it's obvious, I know, but our first trip to Ardgour so Garbh Bheinn
was a must.
We chose to do the full round of Coire an Iubhair, not just the main
peak, and were delighted we had. The sun came and went, but the
summits were clear most of the day, while Glencoe was swathed in
cloud, and the Mamores and the Ben were under heavy rain. Somehow in
all this variety. MWIS got the forecast right on the nail.
The round of the corrie is rough and relatively trackless, with a
couple of quite low bealachs to negotiate, so its 7.5 miles felt far
more tiring than the Feshie 16 miles! The views are ever changing, and
the country to the west is so remote, you could be in Knoydart - just
as rough too. Superb views of Garbh Bheinn all the way round, till you
arrive at the bealach at the head of Coire an Iubhair, and climb a
steep, moss-filled gully up to the rock-girt upper reaches of Garbh
Bheinn itself. Not a route to descend, by choice!
It's a stiff pull up to the summit, but no difficulties, and the odd
bit of scrambling, with sensational views all around. The summit is
surprisinigly broad, but very rocky, and is as good a viewpoint as it
looks, though there was a lot of cloud over the mainland restricting
that direction.
The descent to the road is steep and unremitting an we were grateful
for poles to ease the knees.
It lives up to its name, Rough Mountain, and it lived up to its
reputation as one of the finest mountains on the mainland of Scotland
- even though "only" a Corbett.!!
We drove from Garbh Bheinn to Strontian, where there is a nice new
bunkhouse at Ariundle. Lots of new wood everywhere, huge rooms, en
suite shower rooms, but some daft design features, like the loo in the
bathroom so 8 guys in a room have to cross their legs when somebody is
showering. Also a very small kitchen - maybe to encourage eating in
the restaurant!
Very welcoming though, and the only bunkhouse in Ardgour as far as I
know,
Will post part 2 and some pics when I get time!
Paul
Leigh
Lancs