Settling Scores on Spidean Mialach

[Beaner001]

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After doing five Munros in East Affric we spent a pleasant Saturday night in Cannich Camp Site, me and dugs in a tent and Andy in one of the two camping pods available. This meant no long drive home while weary from the hills and the option was there to do a walk on the Sunday if we felt ok; we are not used to multiple days in the hills so the idea was only pencilled in. As usual we emailed each other during the week with ideas of where to go and what to attempt. One given was that it would be north of the Great Glen as we were up there anyway and it saved travelling distance. Therefore over breakfast in the Cannich Campsite Café (which opened at 9am & is thoroughly recommended) we pondered our options. We felt quite good considering but we did not want to chance our luck with another epic, therefore one of the ideas we had toyed with was a return to Spidean Mialach which evaded us back in May in thick fog, we miss interpreted the 977m cairn for the true summit cairn 996m, DOH! See report below:
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=42477

We decided on a direct route up using the path we came down last time and we would come down the exact same way.
The drive from Cannich to Loch Quoich takes longer than expected and it takes ages to go along the single track road to the start point. This however was broken up when we spotted two Golden Eagles circling together high above us; we duly stopped the car and spent 5 minutes watching them, geez three eagles spotted in one weekend. Once past the dam and on a wee bit we noticed the small cairn marking the start of the route up to Spidean and to save us time we parked on the verge not far from it.

Cairn marking start of the walk on the roadside

Gairich from just out of the shrubs at start of walk

Loch Quioch

Booted up we went through the gap in the vegetation and started the hike uphill on the rough stalkers path between Meall nan Carn and Meall a’Mheil. On the last decent down this path my Black and White Springer Lochy found a sheeps skull which he would not give up without a fight and guess what, he found the exact same skull again!! Unreal, although he gave it up much quicker this time as I was armed to the teeth with biccies!! This was to be the first and last dilemma of the day, the weather was really nice but the jackets were on and off a half dozen times as rain showers passed over.

Dogs enjoying the sunshine

Cooling off

Once we had gained height the route drops a wee bit down to the Allt Uaine stream and then up again level with Loch Fearna, this section was extremely boggy and indeed stayed that way till well past the foot of the mountain. We kept following the rough path up and soon the steepish ascent of Spidean started.

Andy looking up to Gleouraich

Loch Fearna and Gairich, we would take a line over these two to the summit

Steep ascent

up, up, up

The first thing you notice is how picturesque Loch Fearna looks, and I noticed a small beach on it’s north west shore, if it was closer we may have gone over to let the dogs swim but we had a mountain to even scores with. The path is quite rough but simple to see and follow, other than the odd boggy section where people have made their own way so you do the same till you rejoin it a wee bit further on. You take a kind of diagonal direction across the hill and gain height really quickly. About ¾ of the way up we lost the path so we go the map out to check where the summit was as the mist came down, we figured if we stayed in a direct line from Gairich (which we could see) over Loch Fearna then we would pop out at the summit, and indeed we did. The last few meters ascent were bliss as the mist disappeared and it was warm and views were a plenty.

Just before the summit

View along ridge to 977m cairn which fooled us last time

What a way to even up the score, we felt like we had bled the mountain dry this time as we saw the whole Glen Shiel Ridge which we missed last time. Very happy. We lunched at the top and spent around twenty minutes savouring the views to unknown distant hills and the great weather we got.

Start of the South Glen Shiel ridge

South Glen Shiel Ridge

Gleouraich from Spidean Summit

Andy resting on summit

Me and dogs summit pic

Soon we had to get going as we realised we had made great time, we followed the path off the summit and it takes you all the way back down to the Allt Uaine stream.

The path down

Calling the dogs back

Boggy section ahead

Dogs sniffing out treats

Roy rolling in the grass after getting clarted in mud

This time we decided not to cross it and we headed directly for the road that had been built for the hydro scheme to the east of Meall a’Mheil.

Sensing a finish line

We figured we could make better time on the road than over the marshy, boggy ground we crossed on the way in. It was really easy going once on the road, steep in places but better on the tired legs. We were soon back at the car in under 3.15 hours and were set upon by Midges instantly. The dogs got a quick feed and then we were on our way home after an excellent weekend in the mountains north of the Great Glen and of course we settled and old score and some with Spidean!!!

[Huff_n_Puff]

Glad to see the successful return trip - really felt for you over the first one

Looks a great day!

[SAVAGEALICE]

Well done guys. Top effort after such a biggie the day before. photo of your dug clarted in mud made me laugh! They never change. I've got a 13 year old Springer that is just the same! Unfortunately arthritis in her back legs means she can't go on the hill anymore Lovely to see yours enjoying it

[martin.h]

Nice one Matthew and Andy, so that's what it looks like up there, suprising what's revealed once the veil of cloud has lifted.
Good on yer.

[Beaner001]

Glad to see the successful return trip - really felt for you over the first one

Looks a great day!

Many thanks, we seemed to luck out with the weather and glad for it, great views when there is no fog, reiterates why we do this!

[Beaner001]

Well done guys. Top effort after such a biggie the day before. photo of your dug clarted in mud made me laugh! They never change. I've got a 13 year old Springer that is just the same! Unfortunately arthritis in her back legs means she can't go on the hill anymore Lovely to see yours enjoying it

Yeah, he disspears and comes back yelded but is so chuffed with himself. I think the mud helps cool them off, just means near the end of a walk i've to find a stream or loch to chuck them in to clean off
Shame re your ones legs, 13 is a good age though, bet shes had a wonderful life running the hills though and just appreciates a warm bed a nice food now!!

[Beaner001]

Nice one Matthew and Andy, so that's what it looks like up there, suprising what's revealed once the veil of cloud has lifted.
Good on yer.

Cheers Martin, defo worth a visit in good weather and easy enough to follow when you can see more than 20 feet!! Great views too

[spiderwebb]

Good effort, love the muddy dog pics made me laugh too and reminded me of Sam, he was a mud and water dog, at least until he went walkabout for 4 days in the Fannichs, wasnt so keen on water after that

[Beaner001]

Good effort, love the muddy dog pics made me laugh too and reminded me of Sam, he was a mud and water dog, at least until he went walkabout for 4 days in the Fannichs, wasnt so keen on water after that

Hehe menace!! Their faces are a picture when yarded with mud, couldn't be happier
On the hill is fine but on a twenty minute leg stretch before bed is too far