Spidean Mialach & Gleouraich, by Loch Quoich

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An unexpected good spell of weather was forecast for the next few days so on the Sunday I packed the car with walking and camping equipment and planned a couple of walks in the Kintail area for my first hill climbing venture to the North of The Great Glen (apart from my trip to Skye last year). Left the house at 6 a.m. on the Monday morning intending a two dayer with an overnight camp at Loch Quoich. Drove up the M9 then A9 to Dalwhinnie then Westwards along the A 86 along the top of Loch Laggan to Spean Bridge then North up the A 82 to Invergarry then West on the A87 Road to the Isles before cutting off on a single track road along the top of Loch Garry for the last 15 miles to the North shores of Loch Quoich, a distance of 183 miles taking 3 hours 45 minutes, I arrived at 9;45. five minutes to get the boots on and I was off and walking at 9:50, a short distance along the road then off up the hillside across the Coire Mheil moorland and up the Southern slopes of Spidean Mialach, the first munro of the day. reached the summit in 1 hour 55 minutes, the weather was fantastic and so were the views, the Nevis Range visible in the distant South, remote Knoydart to the West and Kintail and The South Glen Shiel Ridge directly to the North. Stayed on the summit for 40 minutes then headed off Wastwards along the ridge, down a bealach then up onto Creag Coire na Fiar Bhealaich which forms the main part of the reascent before another shallower dip before ascending up onto the days second munro, Gleouraich. On the way two Golden Eagles passed me heading East along Glen Loyne about a minute apart and flying just a bit higher than I was about 3,000 feet, this is the first Golden Eagles I,ve ever seen in the wild and it was a big treat. Got a couple of photos but they are little more than blobs not recognisable as eagles despite them passing quite close. More great views from Gleouraich then down a long South ridge all the way to the road emerging from the trees right at the car, however on the descent while fantasising about making a coffee when I reached the bottom I realised with horror i,d left the cooking stove at home despite bringing spare gas refills and a fry up ! A check of the map showed Fort Augustus was the nearest place which was big enough to have a chippie and as it was only 4:30 I had plenty of time to drive the 27 miles to get there. got a fish supper and a single black pudding and ate the fish supper sitting next to the locks on the caledonian canal as it passes through Fort Augustus, got myself a fridge magnet and a wee toy Nessie for Ellie before driving 26 miles back up Glen Garry but this time past the minor road and on to Loch Cluanie in Glen Shiel where I drove along a track which led down from the parking area at Lundie and had a very dodgy dip half way along but the car done great and made it across, pitched the tent right on the Norhtern shores of Loch Cluanie with tomorrows hills directly on the opposite side of the road and had a couple of cherry ciders and the cold black pudding before getting the head down though it was a pretty uncomfortable night as the foam mat did little to soften the rock hard ground, still at least the night was warm and no hassle whatsoever from midges.