Location: Glen Garry
Map: OS Landranger 33
Distance: 9 miles ( 14km )
Time: 5 - 7 hours
Terrain: Mountain walk The
area around Loch Quoich, just west of Glen Garry, has the distinction
of being one of the wettest places in Scotland. In December 1954, 10
inches of rain fell in a 22-hour period and the annual average is in
the region of 135 inches. It's not surprising then that the North of
Scotland Hydro Board has harnessed the waters of Loch Quoich for
hydroclectricity and in so doing changed what was a seven-mile natural
loch into a 10-mile-long
reservoir. By raising the waters by 100 feet they drowned the small
village of Kinlochquoich and doubled the maximum breadth of the loch.
Such loss of human habitation has given the area a real wilderness
feel, despite the presence of a single-track road that runs along the
north shore of the loch between Glen Garry and Kinloch Hourn.
Gairich, 3,0l5ft / 9l9m, stands in splendid isolation on the south side
of the loch, gazing across the neck of water towards the Glengarry
twins of
Gleouraieh and Spidean Mialach. A little way along the road lies
another magnificent Munro, Sgurr a’ Mhaoraich. The finest way to climb
Gairich would be to canoe across the loch and climb the hill by
its broad north ridge. It would then be possible tocanoe back across
the loch and add Sgurr a‘ Mhaoraich to the day’s tally.
This would also avoid the sometimes horrendously boggy approaches to
Gairich on the normal route from the dam on Loch Quoich.
On reaching the crest of the east ridge the ridge widens out on to the
Bac nam Foid where it usually becomes increasingly bogy and cut up by
peat hags. Soon however the route climbs through rocky outcrops
with
various tracks crossing the south-east slopes of the hill and it’s easy
to follow them too far west, but by keeping on a rising traverse as
close to the crest it is possible to pick a line through the
difficulties to the surprisingly broad summit ridge and cairn from where
the Cuillin of Skye, Ben Nevis, the Munros to the north of Loch Quoich
and best of all, the rough bounds of the Knoydart hills provide a
splendid outlook. Route:
Start / finish at Loch Quoich dam ( GR: NH070024 ).
From the A87 8km west of lnvergarry, take the No Through Road to
Kinlochhourn for about 17km to the dam.
From the S end ot the dam a path leads to an old stalkers‘ path that
runs S over boggy moors to the edge of a forestry plantation.
Here another path runs due W up the Druim na Geld Salaich.
Once the broad ridge crest is reached the path peters out but the going
is easy and the broad ridge should be followed W to the final steep
pull to
Gairich.
At the toot of this final rise a path reappears, but after a while it
runs out on to the S face. Don't be tempted by it but continue climbing
on the crest oi the ridge to the spacious summit and large cairn.
Return the same way.
