Meall a' Ghiubhais - a lazy Loch Maree afternoon

[malky_c]

Corbetts: Meall a' Ghiubhais.
Date: 24/06/2018.
Distance: 8.5 km.
Ascent: 930 m.
Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes.
Weather: Warm and sunny.

I decided to meet up with my parents and head west on Sunday - they were on holiday in Cannich, so I cycled over to Beauly to get a lift with them. Initially, dad and I had planned to go up Beinn a' Mhuinidh from Kinlochewe, but after having lunch at the Beinn Eighe visitor centre, we decided that Meall a' Ghiubhais would be a more straightforward objective. Although I've been up here 3 (well 2.95 as we went to the wrong summit the first time) times, I still haven't had a view from it.

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It ended up pretty similar to last time we were out here to go up Ruadh-stac Beag a couple of years back, except a little shorter. Like that time, mum went around the Kinlochewe Mountain Trail at her own pace while we pushed on ahead, using the trail for easy access to the hill.


Dad on the Mountain Trail

I always remember that my university department built a footbridge somewhere in Torridon a couple of years before I arrived there, but I can never remember whether it was on this trail or in Coire Mhic Nobuil. Plaque confirms that it was here!


The work of some of my predecessors


Beinn a’ Mhuinidh


Slioch


Beinn Airigh Charr and Meall Mheinnidh across Loch Maree


Ascending the Mountain Trail


East end of Beinn Eighe

It was nice to have a leisurely break at the summit of the Mountain Trail, particularly in this weather. Then it was off the path a short distance further on and onto the hillside. Dad managed to slip over in the only bit of bog on this side of the hill and then roll over in it just to make sure the dirt was well spread all over him. How I laughed (actually I didn't too much as that is usually rewarded with an even bigger slip for me!)


Meall a’ Ghiubhais from the Mountain Trail summit

We must've come pretty much the same way up on our first visit in 2001, when I had just thought of it as a bit of a warm-up for the 'proper hills' . I certainly remember wading up through deep snow with HighlandSC a few years ago, but couldn't really tell what the ground was like underfoot then. Turns out the ascent can be done 80% on turf with a few irritating scree runs to cross in places. It was pretty busy today, with at least 5 other people in various stages of descent.


Dad on the way up


A’ Maighdhean and Ruadh Stac Mor behind Slioch

Warm-up for the proper hills indeed - this is a great viewpoint in its own right -probably second only to Slioch for panoramas down Loch Maree. However these are better seen from the lower summit, which we went over to after another break out of the breeze.


Beinn Eighe from Meall a’ Ghiubhais


Beinn Dearg and Beinn Alligin


Beinn Eighe and Ruadh-stac Beag


A’ Maighdhean and Slioch


Loch Maree and Beinn Airigh Charr


Beinn a’ Mhuinnidh and the Fannaichs

Then it was down by a fairly similar route, picking up the remainder of the Mountain Trail for the descent back to Loch Maree. Dad definitely gets less and less happy with scree and rubble as the years go by, so we probably didn't get down much faster than we went up.


Slioch


Gleann Bianasdail and Beinn a’ Mhuinidh


Slioch


Towards Kinlochewe


Slioch from the descent

Conveniently mum had only just finished the Mountain Trail 20 minutes or so before us, so didn't have to wait long. As the midges were lurking, we got moving pretty rapidly in the direction of home.

Unfortunately there was a bad crash blocking the road when we reached Garve (sadly one of the drivers involved died later on), and we were faced with the choice of waiting until the road re-opened or taking a 120 mile diversion via Lochcarron, Auchtertyre and Glen Shiel. We grudgingly went for the detour, having to go back to Beauly first so I could get my bike. Cycling home, I finally arrived at 11:30pm, although it was still pretty light.


Beauly Firth and Fannaichs on my cycle back from Beauly


Kessock Bridge

[BlackPanther]

Lovely hill this one with great views, fourth time lucky? We have been up there twice, and the first time I wondered, why the Mountain Trail is called "tourist route". Most Sunday tourists would pee their pants on that path

We might have passed you somewhere on the way in the morning, we drove from Beauly to Struy, to climb Beinn a' Bha'ach Ard. Our car was still playing up and we couldn't risk a longer drive, but it was such a nice day it would be a sin to stay indoors!

So sad about the Garve accident There was another one on the A862 just outside of Beauly on Monday, also with one fatality.

[Mal Grey]

The Mountain Trail is arguably the finest "nature trail" walk I've ever come across. Add the fabulous viewpoint of M a G to that, and you've got one heck of a day out, with time to take it at your own pace. A "lazy" day in these hills is absolutely the best way to savour them.