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Having had grand cráic on Bidean nam Bian on Sunday and with a settled weather front this week Colla, the cailleach and the dog took a wee ceilidh to Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach above the drowned Gleann a Ghairidh lands.
If you wish to know the Eachdraidh of these famous lands before they were emptied of people ,debased and then drowned i suggest "The People of Glengarry" by Mairianne MacLean .... a nis caite bheil mi, oh tha
Aye the forecast being very promising appeared to be with us as we arrived at the Loch Cioch dam and i will call it Cioch as there is no Q in the Ghaidhlig alphabet
- Sealltainn siar gu an Garbh Criochan agus Sgorr nan Ciche
Tha an rathad suas a bhein math gu dearbh ... the path up the hill is very good and quickly we were gaining the height with the sun shining and good breeze blowing from the SE
- An drochaid
As we broke the col i got the first glimpse of the "Druim Siar Seile " or South Sheil Ridge ,she was looking just grand and i have her in my sights now
- Druim Siar Seile leis Sgurr an Lochan
- Dubh is Geal
It is an enjoyable pull up to the summit and the seallaidh (views) were good all round we were really enjoying Gleouraich of the roaring
- Seallaidh air ais
- Agus a ribhist
As we broke the mullach (summit) we had a sgionneil look along the ridge line to Spidean Mialach with everything sharply in focus it looked a nice walk
- An Cárn is Spidean Mialach
- Garbh Coire Bheag
Its no hard going at all at this point and we were not to be long reaching Creag Coire an Fiar Bhealaich still in the sunshine
although its a deciever Gleouraich and looking back you can see the fair drop in height
- Gleouraich
It is well named the Bealach but in account of the meaning the Gaelic fiar can be "contorted" ,"twisted" ,"meandering" all in all i expected a hard shift down and back up this bealach
we were not disappointed
- An Fiar Bhealaich
By this time the céo was lurking out East and so by the time we reached the top it was what you Galldachd call "claggy" there is a wee cárn at 960ish m past that and no to far away is the mullach Spidean Mialach "the lousy peak" ! ...
I m no sure if this refers to the bealaich and its haul up and down or maybes the Spidean is just always céoach/claggy either way i Collaciotach called on the ancestors to blow this "clag" away while Mrs Colla sat in the well made Cárn
- An Cárn Spidean Mialach
Ach uill tha sin e ruid eile bha an cinneadh agam a eisdeachd .....my people were listening and they took the clag away fairly sharpish and dumped her on Gleouraich
- Loch Fearna is Gairich
- Dubh is Geal a ribhist
- dol fódha na greine
It is a pleasure this munro cráic especially "anns a Ghearraidh" when the light i think is at its best.
It was 2pm ish and already the sun was dropping so we followed her down at an easy pace with excellent sky and views to Na Garbh Criochan where a pink sky promised.
Looking back up the route in the coire the sun was splashing her last on Spidean Mialach the lousy peak
- grian air Spidean
There is a beauty in the air at this time of year short days but if clear a clarity rarily got ,looking West, as the sun dipped the sky was so clear it looked like it could crack !
- An Grian agus na Garbh Chriochan
- An iarmailt a Ghearraidh
The land of MacDonnel may be emptied now and by any measure half drowned although that said she retains a modicum of beauty yet for all the desolation of "An Fudach nan Gaidheil" ..... tuilleadh mi air ais
- Loch Cioch is Na Garbh Criochan
Cheerie for now
