3 at Loch Quioch

[pigeon]

Friday,Sgurr a Mhaoraich
A chance to get away for a quick trip with the tent this weekend so fancied what looked like a couple of easy-ish walks up Loch Quioch.Left Lithgi at about two on Friday afternoon and after a mind numbing drive up the A92 i was on the path and heading for Sgurr a Mhaoraich for half 5.A great path takes you almost to the top of this good hill ,very dry as well,looks like this area has missed most of the downpours the central belt has seen as the Loch looked very low too.

views opening up as i gain some height

Great views opened up back down to Ben Nevis and the views from the top were superb,South Shiel ridge ,the Saddle,Skye,Knoydart Gairich and many others clear to see.

Sgurr a Mhaoraich

the Ben in the distance

South Glen Shiel ridge and Alltbeithe

Gairich and Loch Quioch

Reached the top in 2 hours and sat for half an hour taking photies and enjoyed a can of beer and a pork pie thinking to myself "man,we've a lot of hills to climb yet ".

great views from the top

treats

Ladhar Bhienn -i think

Beinn Sgrithaell

Could have sat there for ages,total peace and quiet and not a breath of wind but i had to get back to the car and get the tent up,never like going the same way down so varied it a bit by returning to about the 850 metre line and then dropping down the grassy slopes south eastish and picking up a path near the stream,back down to the road and at the car in 4 hours dead.Got the tent up at the road side ,had a pot noodle and a tin o' Bud then crashed out.No midges at this stage.
Saturday,
Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich,


No midge last night but when i woke in the morning it was Pidge versus Midge,millions o' the wee shits were swarming outside the tent but this time i was ready.

Pidge v Midge battleground

After last years Cairngorm nightmare i was well prepared ,gloves ,midge net and t-shirts and everything else tucked as i made brekko and packed the tent away.Still a pest though and i ate my grub in the car whilst i waited on Ian and Kev who would join me for todays walk .The lads arrived at half 7 and we drove a short distance back along the road to the parking spot for Spidean Miallach and Gleouraich.Midges here as well so no hanging about and we set of for Spidean quickly.

making our way up Spidean Mialach

Surprisingly this path was pretty dry as well and we made good progress to Spidean Mialach in just under 2 hours.

some locals

The cloud had mostly cleared by this time and again great views were had.

from the top of Spidean

Ian and Kev

A quick break then down and up again to Creag Coire na Fiar Bhealaich(took me ages to type that)where we spoke to 2 guys from Aberdeen going the opposite direction before heading onto Gleouraich.

the bold Jake

looking back to Spidean from Gleouraich

Great views again then it was down the excellent path to the cars and back in about 5 and 3 quarter hours.Met the Aberdonians again and lost Jake for a bit before heading off down the long and winding road,stopping at Invergarry for a swift ale.Two great walks these ,not to taxing with great viewpoints,must return soon to climb some of those big steep buggers we could see down Knoydart and Skye.

team pic on Gleouraich

[Alan S]

Excellent Pigeon cracking pics
The midges at that area are the worst I have ever experienced

[soulminer]

A nice report there on some seriously fine hills. Some stunning scenery around that particular area.

Pigeon wrote :
Could have sat there for ages,total peace and quiet and not a breath of wind

Question : Then why didn't you ? Would have been a great place to camp
Cheers.

[Benjaminnevis]

Looks a good trip but nae sure about the treats.a bottle ah glen coe stout would go better we the pork pie i think ??

[trekker53]

Good report. Truly a beautiful area with fantastic views all around. When I did these plus Garich in late May, the mountains were so quiet, hardly seen a soul and that was in good weather.

[PeteR]

A fine treble there pigeon

Glad you got views on your two days The day I did Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich it rained from start to finish, was mostly horizontal on account of the strong wind, I didn't see a thing and I got thoroughly soaked. To date one of my most enjoyable walks in the hills yet Absolutely loved it. Clearly I am sick in the head I'll never forget the fixed grins on the fces of a couple of young foreign lads when I told them it could be worse, it could be raining They bailed soon after.

It's good to see though all the great views I missed when I was there, although I've been back since to pick off most of the south glen sheil ridge of course. If the weather does improve sufficiently sometime this year I will be entering a period of negotiation with MrsR to see if I can pay a visit to the wilds of Knoydart for a weekend camping

[Frigate]

Well worth the drive, a cracking day

[pollyh33]

Smashing report Pigeon

Glad to hear that you took on the midge and won! (ish)!!!

Was dreading unzipping my tent this morning (in Glen Nevis) but luckily there were none about

[gammy leg walker]

Another fine report pigeon,still got Sgurr"a"Mhaoraich to do,have a wee hankering if I ever get close to completing this may well be the last one.

[pigeon]

Excellent Pigeon cracking pics
The midges at that area are the worst I have ever experienced

Thanks Alan,hate the midge,evil is the only word

A nice report there on some seriously fine hills. Some stunning scenery around that particular area.

Pigeon wrote :
Could have sat there for ages,total peace and quiet and not a breath of wind

Question : Then why didn't you ? Would have been a great place to camp
Cheers.

No into lugging tents and aw that up hills SM,struggle to get myself up them

Looks a good trip but nae sure about the treats.a bottle ah glen coe stout would go better we the pork pie i think ??

You could be right Benjamin,i'll try that next time

Good report. Truly a beautiful area with fantastic views all around. When I did these plus Garich in late May, the mountains were so quiet, hardly seen a soul and that was in good weather.

Cheers trekker,it was very quiet ,seen the 2 guys from Aberdeen and only one other couple over the 2 hikes ,magic

A fine treble there pigeon

Glad you got views on your two days The day I did Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich it rained from start to finish, was mostly horizontal on account of the strong wind, I didn't see a thing and I got thoroughly soaked. To date one of my most enjoyable walks in the hills yet Absolutely loved it. Clearly I am sick in the head I'll never forget the fixed grins on the fces of a couple of young foreign lads when I told them it could be worse, it could be raining They bailed soon after.

It's good to see though all the great views I missed when I was there, although I've been back since to pick off most of the south glen sheil ridge of course. If the weather does improve sufficiently sometime this year I will be entering a period of negotiation with MrsR to see if I can pay a visit to the wilds of Knoydart for a weekend camping

Cheers pete,been doing some research into the Knoydart wilds and i see there is a bothy and a wee campsite at Barisdale,think the walk in from Kinlochourn is about 6 miles,all you need now is some good weather and permission from MrsR and you're good to go

Well worth the drive, a cracking day

Just a shame you and Ian couldn't make the Friday Kev,we shall return though

Smashing report Pigeon

Glad to hear that you took on the midge and won! (ish)!!!

Was dreading unzipping my tent this morning (in Glen Nevis) but luckily there were none about

You got a lucky break with the midge then polly.Didn't exactly escape scot free from Loch Quioch,doing a bit of itching now but no-where near as bad as last time though

[pigeon]

Another fine report pigeon,still got Sgurr"a"Mhaoraich to do,have a wee hankering if I ever get close to completing this may well be the last one.

Would be a fine choice Gammy,looking forward to the report

[rockhopper]

Enjoyed that - some great photos esp on the first day Haven't been in the hills here yet but hope to sometime. Not a lot worse than getting out the tent in the morning and being hit by hordes of midges - they just seem to get everywhere - cheers

[Scotjamie]

Glad you got views on your two days The day I did Spidean Mialach and Gleouraich it rained from start to finish, was mostly horizontal on account of the strong wind, I didn't see a thing and I got thoroughly soaked.

Pretty well describes my experience on these two hills as well - so good to see pics of what I missed. Thanks for great report, Pigeon, which urges me to return to these in better weather....maybe for GLW's top-out

[Ian Bayne]

A couple of great hills a good report pidg well worth the journey even though kev drove great day out

[pigeon]

Cheers RH and scotjamie,these would make good winter hills,if you could get down the road that is

A couple of great hills a good report pidg well worth the journey even though kev drove great day out

Ye canny beat havin' a chauffeur for the day Ian