Meall a’ Ghiubhais – 887m
25th January 2010
Distance: 5 ½ miles
Ascent: 950m
Weather: Cold, bright and sunny
Two Feet Four Paws: Anne, Stewart, Molly and Milly
Both Stewart and I had endured lengthy weather induced lay-offs from the hills. Deep, deep snow and icy roads had completely trashed our new year plans. The weather gods were looking favourably upon the north west highlands and we both fancied a trip to Torridon. The last time I summited Meall a’ Ghiubhais the cloud base was down to the bonnet of the car so I was looking forward to a view this time.
We started by following the left hand loop of the Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail on the A832. The Mountain Trail is furnished with a plethora of cairns, informative, obscure and frankly quite irritating by the time you have reached the summit of the trail.
Perfect for hillwalking numpties, I suppose we all have to start somewhere but I am sure that most people can work out what a rock, tree and heather look like!
As we climbed higher above the forest, views of Slioch and Gleann Bianisdale opened out.
The path is very rough once you reach the open hillside but is very easy to follow as it is liberally marked with cairns.
In several places the snow was very hard packed and we ended up on all fours in places much to the amusement of the dogs.
We continued up to the summit of the Mountain Trail to be greeted with our first view of Beinn Eighe.
From the frozen lochans we decided to head up the band of snow to the col below the summit it was far easier to crampon up the hard snow than to slip and slide amongst the icy rocks.
It was hard work to the summit as we were both lacking match fitness but the effort was worth it.
We reached the lochans and de-cramponed. We then continued down the other side of the Mountain Trail loop giving fantastic views up and down the gorge of the Kinlochewe Fault.
We arrived back at the car park tired but invigorated. A perfect day of winter hillwalking.
twofeetfourpaws 