About Me

My photo
Hello! My name is Keith Gault and I've been tramping the hills of the UK and further afield for over 40 years now. This blog records some recent hill days undertaken either on my own, with friends, or with clients under my guided hillwalking Company: Hillways (www.hillways.co.uk). I hope you enjoy my diary; please feel free to comment on any of the walks. I will respond to any direct questions.

Saturday 29 August 2015

Kintail & Glen Carron



The Coulin Forest Hills From Above Glen Carron

Having enjoyed a successful couple of days in Glen Affric, we moved across to Kintail with the intention of finishing the Cluanie Munros as well as the remote hills above Glen Carron.  Unfortunately, the weather refused to co-operate and the loss of one day due to heavy rain forced a re-plan.

Mullach Fraoch-choire & A’ Chralaig


Mullach Fraoch-choire

These 2 steep-sided monsters above the Cluanie Inn were the subject of our first foray and a reasonably comfortable 6 hr day saw us achieve both summits. 


Stob Coire na Cralaig

Parking a mile E of the Cluanie Inn, we headed up the deep cleft of An Caorann Mor taking the vehicle track as far as its termination at 350m.  From here, we struck up across the open hillside climbing ever-steepening grassy slopes into Coire a’ Ghlas-thuill and finally on to the skyline at Stob Coire na Cralaig (1008m).


Approaching Mullach Fraoch-choire

As the clouds parted to give us a welcome, if murky, view along the ridge, we traversed the sharpening ridge high above the surrounding glens and up on to the shapely summit of Mullach Fraoch-choire (1102m; hill of the heathery corrie).


A’ Chralaig

Following a brief, windswept photoshoot, we retraced our steps to Stob Coire na Cralaig before continuing S along the ridge.  The return of the cloud denied us any view, but it didn’t take too long before the big distinctive stone pillar of our 2nd Munro loomed out of the mist: A’ Chralaig (1120m; the creel).


Glen Shiel

Descending from the summit, we followed the long S ridge before plummeting down the very steep grassy slopes of Fuaran Mor Chluainidh as heavy showers swept up Glen Shiel.  Fortunately for once, most of them missed us!

Sgurr Choinnich & Sgurr a’ Chaorachain


Glenuig

These 2 Munros are sometimes done together with the remote lump of Maoile Lunndaidh but today we opted for just the 2 more accessible hills.  Starting from Craig, we followed the recently upgraded track up into Glenuig alongside the Allt a’ Chonais. 


Sgurr a’ Chaorachain From Sgurr Choinnich

Crossing the river at Pollan Buidhe was always going to be a problem and the 2-wire bridge did not inspire much confidence as a safe means of doing so!  Consequently, it was off with boots and socks and a short, icy wade to reach the opposite bank.


When the Going Gets Tough...

We followed the excellent stalker’s path up to a very windy Bealach Bhearnais before turning E and climbing the steep, well-defined ridge that put us on Jenn’s 200th Munro: Sgurr Choinnich (999m; mossy peak).  Hat’s off to Jenn after some difficult weather on many of the summits, at least one thunderstorm and most of the peaks coming in only 4 years!


200 Up!

After an appropriate celebration, we descended E to the intervening bealach before completing one final climb to the trig point on the flat summit of Sgurr a’ Chaorachain (1053m; peak of the torrent).  There were great views for a while, particularly across to the very remote Munros of Lurg Mhor and Bidean a’ Choire Sheasgaich.  The weather had ensured we would have to return another time to capture these distant hills.


Sgurr Choinnich
  
The highlight of the descent was undoubtedly the sight of 2 golden eagles circling just above us - always a great event!  A few red deer also contributed to the Highland scene!



Check out my plans for the summer at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Tuesday 25 August 2015

The Affric Hills



Glen Affric

Difficult though it may be to recall given the pretty rubbish summer we’ve had, but July 2014 saw debilitating high temperatures in the Highlands.  Consequently, last year’s trip to the Affric hills had to be cut short and Matt & Jenn had unfinished business to attend to in their pursuit of Munro glory!


Tom a’ Choinich

Tom a’ Choinich & Toll Creagach

These 2 straightforward hills provided an ideal first day.  The distances were relatively modest and the weather pretty good - clear on top with occasional sunshine and only a cool wind to spoil the party.


Tom a’ Choinich

We started from the Chisolm Bridge a couple of miles short of the road-end in Glen Affric and took the track up Gleann nam Fiadh as far as the Allt Toll Easa, but not before it had deteriorated into a somewhat boggy wee path.  Turning right uphill, we followed the burn up to the lip of Toll Easa before turning left and climbing the craggy spur of Creag na h-Inghinn.  From here, a well-defined ridge led us rather pleasantly to Tom a’ Choinich (1112m; hill of the moss).


Carn Eighe From Tom a’ Choinich

Having admired the spectacular, if slightly hazy, panoramic view, we descended steeply E to the Bealach Toll Easa (872m) before a fairly easy climb over a wide grassy ridge placed us on the flat summit of Toll Creagach (1054m; rocky hollow).


Toll Creagach

Then it was simply a matter of descending the gentle S slopes of the mountain to intercept the outward track in Gleann nam Fiadh and retrace our steps back to the car.  An easy Day 1 with the serious risk of heat exhaustion now a distant memory!


Mam Sodhail From Carn Eighe

Mam Sodhail, Carn Eighe & Beinn Fhionnlaidh

There’s no easy way of capturing these 3 remote Munros including as they do, the 2 highest mountains N of the Great Glen.  But in the end, sacrificing a circular route for better conditions underfoot gave us a 9 hr out-and-back day with reasonably good going and a successful haul of all 3 Munros!


Glen Affric

Starting from the road-end in Glen Affric, we followed the track above the N shore of Loch Affric for 5 Km before taking the long-established stalker’s path up into Coire Leachavie (now a well-engineered vehicle track for the first kilometer due to a new hydro installation). 


Sgurr na Lapaich From Mam Sodhail

At 800m, we turned N and climbed up to the skyline before following the long narrow ridge that leads to the imposing hollow stone cairn that crowns the summit of Mam Sodhail (1181m; hill of the barns).  Unsurprisingly, given the mountain’s height and position, the views are mightily impressive in all directions and stretched from the Cairngorms to Ben Nevis to Torridon in a single sweep!


Beinn Fhionnlaidh & Carn Eighe From Mam Sodhail 

It’s a short hop down and then up to the adjoining slightly higher twin of Carn Eighe (1183m; file hill).  The view is much the same but now includes Loch Mullardoch and the adjoining peaks.

 
Loch Mullardoch

From the summit, a fairly steep, well-defined ridge drops quickly to the Bealach Beag (832m) from where easy grassy slopes lead to the very remote, but always welcome, summit of Beinn Fhionnlaidh (1005m; Finlay’s hill).


Beinn Fhionnlaidh

The knowledge of just how far you’ve come (and therefore, just how far you’ve got to go) always takes the edge off the elation of reaching such a remote summit.  Nevertheless, we were happy with our route strategy and the return to the car passed fairly painlessly, contouring around Carn Eighe and back over Mam Sodhail before the stalker’s path and vehicle tracks returned us to our start point.


Carn Eighe & Mam Sodhail From Beinn Fhionnlaidh

Having achieved what we set out to do with Matt & Jenn completing the Affric Munros, it was time for a day off and a move across to Kintail for some more unfinished business on the west coast.  Somewhat predictably however, the weather was about to change….


Evening Light on Scots Pines in Glen Affric


Check out my plans for the summer at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/   

Saturday 15 August 2015

The Pentland Hills (all 26.2 miles of ‘em)!



The 'Before' Shot!

Sitting firmly in the ‘it seemed a good idea at the time’ camp, this weekend’s canter over, around and through the Pentlands proved to be an interesting (if tiring) twist on familiar ground.


Carnethy Hill

The 26.2 mile course is the Gold Route for next month’s Pentland Push (http://pentlandpush.com/the-push/) in aid of St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh.  Trying out the full course a month before the event itself seemed a good idea to Caroline who has entered.  Aileen thought it would be useful training for her trip to Kilimanjaro in October.  I did as I was told.


Castlelaw Hill

Reasonable weather and an early start ensured a good chance of achieving our target time of 8hrs 40 mins which 2 separate training sessions over the 2 halves of the course had suggested as being realistic.  They had also revealed that the eastern half of the course over the hills was definitely more interesting than the western half over the moors around the North Esk Reservoir near Carlops.  This again proved to be the case!


The Eastern Pentlands

In the end we achieved 8hrs 30 mins for the 26.2 mile course with a total height climbed of 2167m/7110’.  Next week’s visit to the Affric hills and Kintail will seem like a walk in the park by comparison!  Good luck to both girls on their charitable endeavours for great causes (St Columba’s Hospice and Breast Cancer Now).


Glencorse Reservoir

Here’s a record of the day, best told in pictures……….   


Approaching Allermuir Hill (2 miles/1hr) 
  


Climbing Turnhouse Hill (6 miles/1hr 45 mins)




The Howe (9 miles/2hrs 40 mins) 

North Esk Reservoir (14½ miles/4 hrs 50 mins)

Spittal Hill (15 miles/5hrs 15 mins)
West Kip (17 miles/6 hrs)

The Howe (19 miles/6hrs 45 mins)

Loganlea Reservoir (21 miles/7 hrs)

Check out my plans for the summer at:  http://www.hillways.co.uk/