Gleouraich

In July 2018 I drove from Fort William to just beyond Invergarry and then for 14 miles along the single track road by the side of Loch Garry and Loch Quoich (Loch Cuaich on the OS 1:25000 map).

Initially, I parked near the bridge over the inlet of the portion of the loch that now floods Glen Quoich and took this panoramic photo.

However, the walk to the summit of Gleouraich actually starts at about NH029 030 so I drove back to the nearby parking area.

The path starts opposite a car park.

The path goods through a small wood, mainly of rhododendron bushes, before emerging onto the open hillside.....

...with views looking up the loch.

The path climbs up by the Allt Coire Peitireach...

...which now has a small dam and approach road for the mini HEP plant down by the loch side.

The stalker's path is incredibly well built with numerous zig zags and with really gentle gradients that make climbing Gleouraich one of the easiest Munros I've climbed.

Click on the photo to see the panorama of the entire Loch Quoich which is, of course, part of a major HEP system. Across the loch is the Munro, Glairich.

As the path climbs there is a view of Spidean Mialach. This and Gleouraich are often climbed together but I've decided to climb each hill separately to avoid the time pressures that can happen when doing longer routes, especially since today I've a tabled booked in one of the best restaurants in Fort William!

Looking back down the hill with the zig zags visible on at least five levels .

The weather is a change from the the last few sunny days, with showers and grey skies and much lower temperatures.

Looking up Loch Quoich a shower is making its way towards me. The road to Kinloch Hourn can be seen winding along the loch.

Another example of the zig zags that reduce the gradient on this path to about 1 in 10 for much of the way.

The path now turns to run along the steep hillside above Glen Quoich.

A helicopter view of the bridge over the lcoh in Glen Quoich. Water levels were very low in July 2018.

Across the loch is Sgurr Coire nan Eiricheallach with Sgurr a Mhaoraich just to the left, In the distance is the South Glen Shiel Ridge.

Onwards and upwards.

A curious feature is the short length of dyke (stone wall). Is it related to stalking I wonder?

The path now becomes a little more exciting running along the step hillside...

...and there is a slight feeling of exposure for anyone prone to vertigo - you would not want to trip or you'd go bouncing down the slope.

A little further on the slope eases and I feel more secure!

A curious feature of the glen is what appears to be two short airstrips. Beyond are the Munros of the South Glen Shiel ridge.

Click on the photo to see a larger image.

The summit of Gleouraich finally comes into view near the spot height 814m.

Since the car park I've been leap-frogging two walkers who started at teh same time as me and are intent on climbing both hills. Whilst I put on my waterproofs, they pass me again.

There's a curious construction at the end of the stalker's path which is probably a staking hide as...

...it gives good views into Coire Peitireach where no doubt deer will congregate.

After the hide the hill-walkers' path starts and goes all the way to the summit, initially up grassy slopes...

...and along the edge of the cliffs of Fraoch Choire on the north west side of the hill.

The mist clears a little and there's a view downhill.

Further up the hill it becomes stonier..

...and the ridge narrows ..

...before the path winds through boulders to reach....

....the summit dome.

There's a large cairn but, by now, the mist has come in quite thickly and there's no view.

This is my 185th Munro, which for some reason feels significant. Only another 15 to reach 200 I suspect is the reason. The two walkers arrive just after me and I ask them to take a photo of this slightly bedraggled hill walker. It's taken just two and a half hours to summit (1035m).

Whilst the summit remains stubbornly stuck under a veil of cloud a little down the hill I've a view again and all I have to do now is wander down the hill.