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Once in a LifetimeAfter writing my first Walk Report back in 2015 I decided I would attempt a write up from each outing; over the last 8 years I have succeeded so far. I’m sure I have written this, or similar before, but it has become as much a part of the walk as the preparation, planning, driving, and photo sorting. Some have been great outings, one was a near miss (which has been the most popular – people like drama!), some have been a bit boring to write, and probably read, but all have been enjoyable in some form. Whether at the time, or in hindsight. This is however a once in a lifetime report for me, and it should make the “what’s been your favourite hill?” a far easier question.
I didn’t expect to be writing this report, and it has proven to be the hardest one yet – just in terms of doing it justice. With a backlog of now eight trips, and
exactly a year to the day, it is time to pull the finger out – so here goes!
The organisation of this trip started months ahead of schedule with me initially suggesting to Eilish I was taking a week off work to go hill walking in Torridon / Skye with the boys, knowing full well it was her birthday that week. After taking a bit of grief and quickly “backtracking” I managed to confirm that unfortunately none of the usual suspects could make it, but it made sense to repackage as a hillwalking / birthday getaway. Presumably feeling a bit second fiddle this was the perfect cover story to remove the “is Andy going to propose this holiday” that I have been subject to every trip over the last few years. Now you know where this is going.
The important deed of procuring the ring had been completed under cover of COP26, nearly six months previously in October 2021 and secretly stashed away. Potential parents-in-law had been consulted, so all that remained was the right day, and the right answer.
A previous scouting mission up Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach confirmed the views on Sgùrr a' Mhaoraich would be great, and the long single-track road should hopefully result in a quiet enough hill. And by “quiet enough”, I mean empty... Sgùrr a' Mhaoraich was Plan A, but rest assured there was a Plan B, Plan C and Plan D. Benefits of Plan A was it was day number one of the holidays. Not to use the wrong phrase, but I wanted it “out of the way” – if you have been there, you know what I mean. Plus, the following day was Eilish’s birthday and that would be far too cliché for my liking.
The stars were aligning. It was a Monday (no one goes hillwalking on Monday!), there was little to no remaining snow, or so I thought… (more on that later), and most importantly there was a 70% chance cloud free summits. The only downside was the drizzle reported for some of the morning.
Unsurprisingly I slept rather poorly, but the alarm went off at the crack of dawn and we made our way up to Inverness and across to Loch Quoich. We set off walking as the only car in the layby just after 11:30. I don’t think I’ve ever set off more mentally and physically exhausted.
The beginning
Within about 10 minutes of walking, it was clear the rainclouds from the northwest were gradually going to pull over Sgurr Mhaoriach and rest along the South Glen Shiel ridge. Annoyingly the cloud base was sitting at about 900m and Plan A was covered.
Rain incoming 
It drizzled sufficiently enough to justify donning of full waterproofs and getting the camera hidden away. It always felt like the sun was trying its hardest, or that the cloud base would lift – I put a lot of faith in this 70% cloud free summit gamble.
In all honesty I don’t recall a lot of the early section of the walk, other than feeling exhausted, and sweating way more than normal – it must have been carrying the bag for two… I was well and truly in the spaced-out zone. Writing this and looking back at the photos a year after the walk it is great to see! Having spent several days (and nights) on the surrounding hills to the west of Sgurr a’ Mhaoraich, it is always interesting to see them from a different perspective. I love the, “I’ve been there” and the memories (good or bad) that come flooding back.
I remember vividly that Eilish commented that I was particularly quiet on the way up. I nearly entered panic mode, but I think I managed to brush off with a slightly grumpy statement of fact; I had just driven the width of the country at the crack of dawn and was now lugging both our gear.
Snowy and cloud-capped peak
By now the drizzle had stopped, but I recommended that we keep the waterproofs on. Partly because, as everyone knows, if you take them off it will start raining again, but more so because Eilish had chosen to wear the brightest fluorescent yellow jumper imaginable. Which I doubt she would want pictured in later (this has since been confirmed as a good call from myself!).
Blissfully unaware 
The entire South Glen Shiel Ridge hugging the cloud 
Once we were over the 891m Sgurr Coire nan Eiricheallach and heading briefly down I got the first statements of doubt. Apparently, the next section to the summit looked “un-walkable”.
Fear not, this was not my first rodeo – one step at a time! The path itself is remarkably straightforward but the views north down into Coire a’ Chaorainn are impressive, or daunting, depending on your outlook on these kinds of things. Some of the rock formations looming overhead were equally as impressive.
You shall not pass
The above two photos have proven particularly memorable.
The first, because Eilish was rambling about Lord of the Rings and how everything up here felt like middle earth. Having never fully watched the films, I can’t comment on the accuracy of this statement (yes, I know…). There was also accompanying sing songs; from Lord of the Rings remixes to the Samsung washing machine finishing tune and the classic (frighteningly accurate) statement of “I’m in a really weird mood today”. She said it, I just remembered it!
The second, because the cloud had now just lifted off the summit and appeared like it would be clear for the next wee while. More ominously I knew the planned route to the summit had quite a large north facing snow patch, on what could be classed as a steep slope… The alternative bypass to the left of the snow looked like the most minor of scrambles – but today was on a “no scrambling or scree promise”.
I hadn’t seen Snow Buntings before so was quite intrigued by the family just off the path – cute little birds who didn’t seem too bothered by our presence.
What you looking at?!
After the welcomed distraction of the Snow Buntings, within a minute or so the path reached an abrupt end at the aforementioned snow patch. Without crampons or axe I wouldn’t have attempted on my own, never mind with Eilish.
We were maybe a couple of hundred meters away from the summit at most, but Eilish had decided she had had an enjoyable day and reaching the summit wasn’t the end goal. Little did she know, it was the ONLY goal for today!
Anyway, I couldn’t convince her, so I decided I would leave her (safely) and run up to the summit by myself. If Plan A was a failure, I may as well reach the summit… The detour was easy, a bit steep and scrambly in parts, but nothing difficult to get up, or down.
I reached the summit alone, doh! 
Spot the other person who was meant to be at the summit…
There wasn’t another soul in sight (which was a key factor for success that was out with my control), and everything was exactly as I had envisaged it being. I knew I had to try again.
I rushed back down from my 211th Munro. Plan A = failed!
On return I tried my very best to convince Eilish that the views were breath-taking, which in my defence, they are! It is one of my favourite type of hills where the best views are saved and hidden right for the very summit.
Unfortunately, young Bilbo (
)wasn’t having any of it and was just excited to head down and reach the accommodation for the next few nights. It took a few attempts and various angles of persuasion, but I had achieved diddly squat. She had well and truly dug her boots into the ground. Unfortunately, they were only dug in figuratively speaking…
I can’t remember the exact phrase but a tad of light blackmail with a dangled carrot, seemed to work wonders. You could almost hear the lightbulb switch on; the secret wasn’t quite ruined but I could tell the thought swirling around in her head was “maybe I did make the right decision to get my nails done” (as she had for every recent trip!).
Well would you look at that… Over the mental hurdle. 
I had carried the tripod and convinced Eilish we should get a photo together as we rarely do – particularly in the hills. I directed Eilish into the right location and triple checked I had the camera on the right self-timer. Now all that remained was to sneak the ring out from the emergency bivvi and execute the final part of Plan A.
Perfect 
It was a total blur, but Plan A was indeed executed successfully! Equally delighted how the photos turned out – something to remember forever. Thankfully the timer worked, or that would have been an awkward one to recapture for this report!!!
The mind can block out a lot, and straight after getting on one knee it hit me like a tonne of bricks…. I WAS STARVING!
Easily the best hoisin duck wrap, Jelly Babies, and apple that I have enjoyed at the summit. And trust me, there has been many!
One ring to rule them all
If the camera was facing the opposite direction, there would have been a similar reaction of sheer joy when I opened up my duck wrap.
Look at those nails!
Me as a rather delighted hillwalker
The ring was retrieved and safely stored in the security of the emergency bivvi until official sizing could take place. After a more detailed check that we hadn’t left anything at the summit than usual we were ready to make our way down. We quickly agreed we would just retrace our steps down. There wasn’t any real consideration of heading onwards to Am Bathaich, although it looks like a great circular option so I will save that for another day.
The route down was exceptionally joyous and light work was made of the “impossible to get up section”...
The cloud had well and truly lifted 
Still there
Ptarmigan
A Stonechat?
Within what felt like hardly any time at all we were back at the car and ready to drive out and get phone signal to share the news with our nearest and dearest.
By now there was one other car parked next to us. When I went to take my walking boots off, I noticed their front tyre was pancake flat. Give the remoteness of the location, and lack of phone signal, any other day I would have been inclined to wait an hour or so to see if they needed a lift out. That option didn’t seem overly practical today so instead we left Eilish’s emergency tyre sealant and foot pump which would hopefully have been enough to get them out to civilisation.
You always get that post hill buzz when you first set off in the car, but this time was on steroids! Doubt that feeling will ever be replicated.
211 Munros across numerous weekends away and not once have I been moaned at for setting off into the hills (apparently… I get grumpy if I don’t get out) – that’s when you know they’re the right one for you!
Thanks for reading!
Andy
