Gairich, Loch Quoich
LOCH LOCHY, GLEN GARRY AND KNOYDART
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1. The walk begins at the Loch Quoich dam; there is parking just west of the dam on the left side of the road. The dam was completed in 1962 as part of one of the largest of the hydro-electric schemes which brought electricity to the Highlands for the first time; the dam is almost 320 metres long and 38 metres high, and feeds the Quoich power station further down the glen. Begin the walk by crossing the top of the dam. There is a good view of the day's objective, Gairich, across the waters of the loch, its craggy northeast face looking impressive.
Photo ©Chris Eilbeck, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
2. Once across the dam, follow the rough and very boggy path which keeps close to the shore of the reservoir at first. After about a kilometre the path begins to climb away from the water, and passes the southern end of Lochan an-Fhigheadair. The going improves as the path crosses a low bealach on the moor before descending towards the forestry below the Bealach na Faire, where it joins another old path. Don't go through the gate into the trees, but turn right on a rough path which climbs uphill beside the forest fence; this soon joins the stalkers path up from Glen Kingie.
Photo ©Chris Eilbeck, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
3. The path, now thankfully dry and easy to walk, ascends Druim na Gaid Salaich in a series of zigzags. It peters out to just a faint peaty trail once the ridge flattens out into an extensive plateau of Bac nam Foid. Continue towards Gairich to the west; the path becomes clearer once more at the foot of the steeper slopes.
Photo ©Bill Copland, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
4. The stalkers path keeps well to the left of the ridge at first before zig-zagging sharply to the right to ascend to the foot of the steep nose. The original stalkers path cuts left again from here as shown on the OS maps, however a new path worn by Munro-baggers continues up the ridge and is the clearer of the two routes these days. The east ridge of Gairich is very steep higher up and there is one section of very simple scrambling up knobbly rock; the summit is reached not too far beyond. The large cairn is at 919 metres on a small plateau, making Gairich one of the smallest of the Munros. The isolated position makes it a superb viewpoint however, particularly for the vast waters of Loch Quoich and into Knoydart and the Glendessary mountains to the west. The return is by the same route.
Photo ©Chris Eilbeck, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
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