Robin Howie: Walk on the wild side

Published on Tuesday 24 February 2009 15:05

JUST back from the Galapagos and high-altitude climbing in Ecuador, the super-fit Rhona was looking for a long winter's day on the hills. We met at Kincraig to climb Sgor Gaoith above Glen Feshie.

Although not a long day in climbing just this one Munro, I wanted to do a circuit of all its subsidiary tops. There are five of them, three of which were Munros until demotion in 1981 … Meall Dubhag, Carn Bn Mr and Geal-charn. Geal-charn and the unnamed-on-my-map, 976m Meall Buidhe, lie on a north-west ridge. Sgoran Dubh Mr, the fifth but finest top, lies north of the main summit.

Five tops may give an erroneous impression. Mostly on an easy plateau with an overall ascent of just over 1,000m, the ten-mile traverse is not an overlong outing on a good day. The plateau is not the place to be in blizzard conditions and for us it was a winter walk on the wild side.

You will need Ordnance Survey map 36, Grantown & Aviemore. The newish car park in Glen Feshie is at map ref 852985, from where it is a short stroll to the road end at Auchlean. Head east towards a large plantation. The track then climbs south-east, but once clear of the trees, leave the track and descend slightly over heathery ground to cross the Allt Fhearnagan. Seek out the best line, aiming for the start of the NNW ridge of Meall Dubhag from where the going improves on ascent, faster walking despite the climb. Later, curve eastwards for the summit.

It is nearly three miles on the gentle plateau over Carn Bn Mr, with the ground seldom dropping below 1,000m, but such is the terrain and the limited ascent that little more than one hour is required to reach Sgor Gaoith, its pointed peak a graceful landmark.

The summit is perched on the very edge of steep, craggy slopes above Glen Einich, hence its name, windy peak. (A gliding club maintains a landing strip in Glen Feshie and takes full advantage of the up-currents prevailing on the western slopes.) After the traverse of the more gentle slopes above Glen Feshie, the approach to the summit on a day of ice and strong winds requires a degree of caution.

Sgor Gaoith, originally tabled as Sgoran Dubh, South, was described by Hugh Munro as being ... "at the edge of a precipice of 2,000 feet, descending to Loch Eunach, grandly situated in an amphitheatre of cliffs. The north summit, some three-quarters of a mile to the north, although locally called Sgoran Dubh Mhor, is, in reality, 23 feet lower than the south top".

There is no doubt that in Munro's time, Sgoran Dubh Mr was regarded as the more commanding hill. It has a large cairn, whereas Sgor Gaoith, even now, has only a few stones on top of a rocky outcrop. Sgoran Dubh Mr's shape, appearance and height are all worthy of Munro status, yet from Sgor Gaoith it involves a climb of only 58m. Pity! Nevertheless, it is one of those must-visit peaks.

Rhona and I had had a late start ... not ideal with the weather forecast to deteriorate. After climbing Sgor Gaoith, it seemed as though all the hard work had been done. That is not how it turned out! On Sgoran Dubh Mr, the bitterly cold wind had increased such that we staggered to the cairn. It was an effort, especially for the much lighter Rhona, to turn into the wind on descent to the north-west ridge. Once there, any hopes of an easy end to the day were soon dashed. Despite the lower level, the wind was just as strong and we encountered ice-covered, bouldery ground that required the use of crampons. We slowly picked our way over 976m Meall Buidhe and on to Geal-charn.

After a steep, south-west descent on the rough slopes of Geal-charn, it was a relief to get down to the Allt Coire na Cloiche at map ref 875007. Thereafter, the good path, then track, on the north bank of the Allt Ruadh quickly led through the lovely wooded descent and so to the road ... just as night was falling. With transport pre-placed, we avoided the two-mile walk back south to the start point.

Factfile

Map Ordnance Survey map 36, Grantown & Aviemore

Distance 10 miles

Height 1,000m

Terrain Path, heathery slopes to stony plateau, then rough descent to path

Start point Glen Feshie car park, map ref 851985

Time 6 to 7 hours

Nearest village Kincraig

Nearest refreshment spot Loch Insh Watersports Centre, Kincraig