A Waiting Game on Sgorr Ghaoith

[Anne C]

Cloud well down by Anne C, on Flickr

I love walking in the Cairngorms, whether high or low level. The sub Arctic tundra is gorgeous, the paths tend to be drier than the west , the Caledonian pine forest is stunning and of course the views over big sculpted corries and lochans are epic.My heart will always lie in the west but I’ve really grown to appreciate how special and different this whole area is.

Somehow, it had been at least two decades since I’d last been up Sgor Ghaoith or the ‘The Windy Peak’ .) Increasingly, I find myself drawn to hills which sit above the sea or with lovely lochans to look down on and Sgorr Ghaoith potentially offered this par excellence, giving an eagle’s eye perspective on lonely Loch Einich.That said, I’d seen nothing on my last sojourn as the clag had come in with a vengeance and I’d left the summit really disappointed.

The night before, we stayed in a wee place in Kingussie which we use quite often, cheap but clean and spacious and only a 20 min drive from our starting point next day.The forecast however was a bit dicey – low cloud and rain was due to move in by lunchtime so we needed to get an early start and be up on the summit by mid morning.No rest for the wicked- alarms set!

At 7.45am next morning, we pulled in to the forestry car park off the Glen Feshie road near Achlean.There was only one other car there which was a relief , as it’s not a big parking area and fills up very quickly in summer.

Setting off by Anne C, on Flickr

Off we set on a cool bright morning following the broad forestry track, the air filled with the fresh scent of pines.Using the excellent instructions on the Walkhighlands website which I’d downloaded, we made our way through the woodland, ignored a right hand path to the river and kept left, then took the right turn at a larger path junction.Soon we began to climb up through the very beautiful Scots Pine forest and which got our lungs working. There were gorgeous views to the rolling hills on the other side of the glen, already golden and sunlit. Beautiful country.

Above the forest by Anne C, on Flickr

The way ahead by Anne C, on Flickr

After crossing a small burn, we found ourselves on an excellent, almost flat path which crossed the mid slopes of Meall Buidhe on our left. This was quite a long section but made for delightfully easy walking. Dead ahead, I could see the rising final traverse which would take us onto Sgor Ghaoith’s wide approach ridge.

Untitled by Anne C, on Flickr

A bit worryingly however, I could also see that cloud was beginning to sweep in from the south, far earlier than the forecast! It looked as if my plan for views was going to be scuppered already and it would be second time unlucky.

Across a couple of small burns and ahead, the path finally began to climb again.At this point, a look at the map on my phone suggested we were only at the 600m (2,000 feet) contour, with a 500m or so climb up to the ridge! Ooft! Disappointing that we were still so low down!

After about half an hour, we reached a big cairn at the 810m mark where a younger couple caught up with us and we exchanged similar views that this was a bit of a stiff pull up! But in no time, we were on the wide grassy col, the low point of the broad ridge which leads to the summit.

The cairn at 810m by Anne C, on Flickr

Ominously, cloud was really thickening and coming in at an incredibly fast rate of knots!

Braeriach starting to cloud over by Anne C, on Flickr

In fact, almost immediately, a brisk wind brought the first rain, causing us to haul on the waterproofs. Woolly hat on too – it was suddenly SO cold! We had certainly timed it perfectly, making our way along the flat path to the summit as the mist and rain settled in for good. We could barely make out the rocky summit ahead and as for views to the loch…in Glasgow parlance, nae chance!

Fifteen minutes later, the rocky perch of Sgor Ghaoith was living up to its name and we hunkered down to try to keep out of the gale. It was only 10.30am and I felt quite aggrieved that all my planning and effort to keep ahead of the predicted bad weather at noon, had come to nought.

Got out the cheese and ham sandwiches, comfort food as well as fuel, as we were both feeling a bit defeated.The cloud swept in thicker than ever, chilling us to the bone. The couple who were ahead had disappeared, perhaps continuing the round and sensibly, getting off the summit! Stubbornly, I wanted to give it a bit more time to clear though it really looked like a lost cause.
Every few mins I peered upwards and imagined I saw brightness but then the clag swept in heavier than ever.

After half a hour of sitting about, we were both frozen, despite all the layers, hats and mitts.With Chris in a ‘sod this for a game of soldiers’ mood, we started packing up to leave.But looking back along the I noticed two people coming over a secondary bump on the ridge and realised they were silhouetted by a sudden flash of brightness.

It’s clearing…just by Anne C, on Flickr

Seconds later, the cloud began lifting and breaking up in front of our eyes.

In less than a minute it had lifted completely and the boiling mass of mist which had blocked views of Loch Einich just dissipated.

Wow! There was the loch below! Gorgeous and atmospheric too, given that the mist was still swirling about.

Loch Einich appearing by Anne C, on Flickr

Loch Einich by Anne C, on Flickr

Loch Einich by Anne C, on Flickr

The translation of Loch Einich is Loch of the Washerwomen or Wives but this seems quite odd.Chris looked up the Gaelic ‘bible’ re translation - Dwelly’s - but couldn’t find anything.However, he wondered whether the spelling had been confused or slightly Anglicised over the years and that it should be Loch Eunaich - loch of the birds and similar to the Munro above Loch Awe.However, the jury is out!

Braeriach, the big beastie opposite and such a beautiful mountain, began to clear too.It’s great sculpted corries looked magnificent, rearing above Loch Einich.

Loch Einich and Braeriach by Anne C, on Flickr

Those big sculpted corries by Anne C, on Flickr

Braeriach by Anne C, on Flickr

Braeriach ‘s corries by Anne C, on Flickr

I know our mountains are small compared to the big ranges elsewhere in the world and I (boringly) may have expressed this opinion before but our hills are so ancient, they seem to me to have been honed over the millennia into the equivalent of fine antiques.Maybe that’s what makes our landscapes so beautiful; they have been extra long in the making plus Scotland seems to sit at just the right latitude to make our uplands extra colourful and special, all year round.I remember being stunned by the incredible Lord of the Rings landscapes of the Lofoten Islands in Norway, possibly the finest scenery that superb country offers but the colours just didn’t compare and were far less varied, even in terms of light.

Untitled by Anne C, on Flickr

I was also interested to read that W H Murray of Himalayan fame and who had climbed all over the world, mulled over which valley he thought was the loveliest of all the places he’d visited - Hindu Kush, Norway, Canada etc - and he came up, finally with Glen Affric!

Back to our day on Sgor Ghaoith and we spent about an hour on the summit, exploring the ridge and admiring the views from different angles. How lucky we were, as it turned out! The forecast was wrong but in a good way, as the afternoon turned out to be glorious.Mind you, if we’d given up sooner I wouldn’t have been writing that last sentence but shaking my fist!

Looking north to Meall a Bhuachaille…another favourite…

Meall a Bhuachaille by Anne C, on Flickr

Looking north by Anne C, on Flickr

Some good views too of Lurcher’s Crag looking very clear after the rain…

Lurcher’s Crag by Anne C, on Flickr

Along the summit, the alternative route off…

The summit by Anne C, on Flickr

As we headed back down, the mountain was now mobbed; I didn’t realise it was so popular.But of course, it is so benign and the path is good all the way (a few boggy bits but easily avoided) so it must make for a good first Munro.

Looking back to the summit which we could now see…

The summit by Anne C, on Flickr

Myself looking happy!

Happy! by Anne C, on Flickr

Goodbye finally to Braeriach and the plateau…

Clear now by Anne C, on Flickr

South to Meall Cuaich and Drumochter and Ben Alder…

Towards Drumochter and Ben Alder by Anne C, on Flickr

We had a brief sit down on the return, overtaken now by much younger hikers ( oh dear, we are the oldies on walks these days!) resting on the long flattish section of path before we made our way down into the forest and back to the car.

Back to the car by Anne C, on Flickr

No hardship with such beautiful country to enjoy and the heather in full bloom…pinks and purples by the side of the path and carpeting the moorland…

Heather in full bloom by Anne C, on Flickr

Heather lining the path by Anne C, on Flickr

Those colours! by Anne C, on Flickr

Cairngorm landscape by Anne C, on Flickr

Layer upon layer towards Drumochter…

Cairngorm looking east by Anne C, on Flickr

Would we do this hill again? Yes! We both agreed it had been a great day and perhaps under real winter conditions of snow the views would be gorgeous in a different way and the slopes not dangerous as long as we had crampons and ice axes( and kept back from possible corniced edges.)

Back to the forest by Anne C, on Flickr

August colours by Anne C, on Flickr

Some mountains I’m glad to have ‘done’ but don’t ever want to do again for various reasons but this was definitely one to return to for a third time (or more) even if it had teased us at first with cloud and rain.

We rounded things off , it still being quite early with a pop into the lovely cafe in Kincraig which does some really nice food and cakes…

The Kincraig Cafe by Anne C, on Flickr

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

Gorgeous photos and great narrative- thank you for posting!

Tim

[Anne C]

Many thanks for kind words Tim, great to know you enjoyed the report and photos.Would love to see it all under snow.

[litljortindan]

Brilliant result! Especially with enduring grim conditions prior to getting the views and contemplating an early bath so to speak. And a pleasure to read.

I've not travelled that much but from the little I've seen I'd say we have a good variety in mountains and landscape compared to some other places. I think also that if you get the right conditions then any hill or valley can be the best but I suppose you can form attachements to the familiar, thinking in particular of my local bump up the road (Fourman Hill 344m) that has given so much enjoyment over the years.

[johnbythell]

Fantastic - especially those views down onto to Loch Einich! Thanks for the report!

[Anne C]

Brilliant result! Especially with enduring grim conditions prior to getting the views and contemplating an early bath so to speak. And a pleasure to read.

I've not travelled that much but from the little I've seen I'd say we have a good variety in mountains and landscape compared to some other places. I think also that if you get the right conditions then any hill or valley can be the best but I suppose you can form attachements to the familiar, thinking in particular of my local bump up the road (Fourman Hill 344m) that has given so much enjoyment over the years.

Great to hear you enjoyed the report litljortindan. Yes, patience (which I generally do not possess ) paid off.
Yes, with what you know and memories attached to that, landscapes become very special indeed.

[Anne C]

Fantastic - especially those views down onto to Loch Einich! Thanks for the report!

Glad you enjoyed it John! Loved those views down to the loch…a long wait for them (in more ways than one) but well worth it.

[EmmaKTunskeen]

Very well rewarded and worth the wait SG was an early solo hill for me, via Geal Charn https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=75375, and one of those hills & routes I'm consequently very fond of. Often wonder when I might do it again, but as you say, a snowy winter day would be special, especially with sun .

[Anne C]

Many thanks Emma! Read your report - reindeer and ptarmigan! Terrific! Beautiful creatures, both.Certainly a hill I’ll do again, maybe the whole round next time .