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Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!


Postby Graeme D » Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:55 pm

Munros included on this walk: Sgiath Chùil

Date walked: 14/04/2014

Time taken: 3.8 hours

Distance: 14.2 km

Ascent: 885m

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It was the second Monday of my Easter holidays but for some of my comrades, notably those in Fife and Dundee, today marked their return to the trenches. I still had a week of my leave to come though and therefore could head for the hills rather than the front. 8)

I was on a fairly tight schedule and had spent the weekend mulling over my options. In the end, Sgiath Chuil jumped out of the crowd. I was looking for a reasonably short drive combined with a relatively short route. I had probably driven past this particular red flag more than any other but had always left it unclaimed. I always thought it would fit the bill for a short winter ascent from Glen Dochart across the frozen bogs but today looked like a fine day for it too. However, I opted for the more appealing looking ascent from Glen Lochay and therefore the long ascent up the ridge from the north.

There were 4 or 5 vehicles parked at the Meall Ghaordaidh sign when I drove past but only 2 in the parking area just shy of Kenknock. An older couple was just setting off from one of them and I was only 5 minutes or so behind them.

As I passed Kenknock, my sense of smell was overwhelmed by an array of seriously pungent agricultural aromas emanating from the fields and outbuildings. Combined with the spring sunshine and gentle breeze, this did the perfect job of clearing the head this fine Monday morn.

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Up Glen Lochay from Kenknock

I was soon at the 4 way junction (which is now a real eyesore what with discarded bits of farming and construction gear scattered around) and then over the bridge across the River Lochay and onto the zig-zagging access track for the pipeline housing on the hillside.

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Midden

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Bridge over the Lochay

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River Lochay upstream from the bridge

With each switchback, the views alternated from up the glen towards Beinn Challum to down the glen towards Meall Ghaordaidh. I was generating a fair bit of heat by now and the softshell was removed long before the stile and the end of the track at the pipe house.

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Before the track steepens, across a lovely wee lochan towards Beinn Challum

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Climbing above Glen Lochay - Challum and Creag Mhor ahead

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Up close to the pipeline

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Pipeline running across Glen Lochay and up the hillside towards Glen Lyon

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Gaordaidh from the pipeline house and the end of the track

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Stile leading to the open hillside

From there I took a meandering line over fairly rough but not too boggy terrain towards the still fairly undefined north ridge of Sgiath Chuil, enjoying the views across upper Glen Lochay towards Creag Mhor and Beinn Heasgarnich, criss-crossing the Allt Innisdaimh several times before finally committing to the ridge. There were some fabulous examples of snow bridges across the stream at various locations and generally large patches of pristine looking snow that were almost too nice to spoil by putting big size 9 prints in them!

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Up the Allt Innisdaimh - Meall a'Churain to the right

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Creag Mhor and Beinn Heasgarnich

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Meall a'Churain

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Zoomed in on the big beast of Heasgarnich

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One of many snow bridges

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A lot of snow melt in the Allt

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Creag Mhor and Heasgarnich

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Creag Mhor

I found it very tough going from about 700 metres or so, the point where the ridge steepens for the climb up onto the northern top of Meall a'Churain, but my efforts were increasingly rewarded with views across Beinn Cheathaich and Meall Glas towards Ben Lui.

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Across Glen Lochay and Meall nan Subh towards the Glen Lyon hills

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Tough going onto Meall a'Churain

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East across the coire and the outliers

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Beinn Cheathaich, Meal Glas, Beinn nan Imirean and a distant Ben Lui

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Meall Ghaordaidh and the Tarmachan and Lawers bunch

Eventually the unmistakable forms of Ben More and Stob Binnein appeared above my line of vision and the gradient eased for the final undulating kilometre or so from Meall a'Churain to the Munro summit of Sgiath Chuil.

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Crianlarich Munros

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Along the ridge to the Munro summit

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The Loch Earn Munros and a big sunken cornice

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Cornice, summit and Crianlarich Munros

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Lui zoomed

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Zoomed over the cornice to Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin

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Almost there!

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Meall Ghaordaidh

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Ben More and Stob Binnien from the summit

I could gladly have sat at the summit indefinitely and enjoyed the views, the cloud formations, the sunshine and the solitude, but time had marched on and I was aware of my deadline. So after a quick bite of lunch and a few photos it was back off down the ridge, more or less retracing my steps with a quick stop by the spectacular waterfall that I had missed on the way up.

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It's been a long time turning blue!

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The other direction - towards Challum

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The view unspoilt by me this time - shame about the backpack!

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This was a bit of a surprise bonus on the descent


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Graeme D
 
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby Scotjamie » Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:35 pm

.......how many holidays.......?
a seriously good TR Graeme, with great pics :clap:
Very jealous.
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby pigeon » Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:39 am

Aye some nice pics Graeme,quite like Glen Lochy,had a few good days from there,the junk around the farm is a bit of a mess though :shock: ,One day i'll do Ben Challum from this side,good report again :wink:
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby kevsbald » Fri Apr 18, 2014 4:35 pm

As good as the day we had on Beinn Mhic-Mhonnaidh? :roll:
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby Fife Flyer » Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:32 pm

Great report Graeme with some stunning photo's :clap:

Looks like you had some cracking weather, unusual to get days like that during the school hols :wink:
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby PeteR » Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:43 pm

Some nice photos Graeme :clap:

I think this hill gets a bit of an unfair reputation, given its steepness and the fact it can be a bit boggy on the climb from either side, but I'm with you on the rewards you get. I certainly found the reward of the views more than paid back the effort required.
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby Graeme D » Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:51 pm

Thanks for the comments folks! :D

kevsbald wrote:As good as the day we had on Beinn Mhic-Mhonnaidh? :roll:


:think: :think: :think: :think: Hmm, let me think a moment......... no, I think the Son of a Bitch hill just shades it! :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby philiarana » Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:39 pm

Hi,
A group of us attempted Sgiath Chuil and Meal Glas about a month and a half ago, but unfortunately turned back before the top of Sgiath Chuil due to pretty extreme wind and decided to leave it for another day rather than get blown off the hill! So we are attempting it again this Sunday. Wanted to ask, where was the bridge to cross the river? We waded across last time (there and back) and subsequently had wet socks and boots all the way through the walk -unavoidable as the water came nearly up to our knees! Although the water level may be lower now, I'd rather use a bridge if there is one!
thanks
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby Graeme D » Tue Apr 29, 2014 4:01 pm

philiarana wrote:Hi,
A group of us attempted Sgiath Chuil and Meal Glas about a month and a half ago, but unfortunately turned back before the top of Sgiath Chuil due to pretty extreme wind and decided to leave it for another day rather than get blown off the hill! So we are attempting it again this Sunday. Wanted to ask, where was the bridge to cross the river? We waded across last time (there and back) and subsequently had wet socks and boots all the way through the walk -unavoidable as the water came nearly up to our knees! Although the water level may be lower now, I'd rather use a bridge if there is one!
thanks


Sounds like you went over the ford at Lubchurran. The bridge is a much better option! :D It's just to the left of the second photo, near the road junction and gate a short distance past Kenknock farm. You cannae miss it unless you're walking with Gammy Leg Walker in which case the clag will be down to ground level! :lol:
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby jonny616 » Tue Apr 29, 2014 7:26 pm

I did the ford thing when it was iced over until I got halfway across :lol: :lol: great views from there on a good day. Great set of photos :clap:
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Re: Sgiath Chuil - way more cool than being in school!

Postby scottishkennyg » Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:43 pm

Some cool photographs with some great colours....
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