The 3 Musketeers opened
their 2014 Munro count in trying conditions this weekend. This is hardly surprising, given the extent
that winter has exerted itself upon the Scottish mountains this year.
Glen Nevis
Ben Nevis & Steall Meadow
We had originally planned
to do the Glenfinnan Munros (Sgùrr nan Coireachan & Sgùrr Thuilm) on
Saturday, but a wild and windy forecast of 100kt winds soon put paid to
that. We sought refuge in upper Glen
Nevis, a first visit for Jennifer & Matt, where the hurricane-force winds left
us alone to admire the majestic beauty of the place.
The sound of a turbulent
Water of Nevis - in full spate as it thundered through the Nevis Gorge –
enhanced the relative tranquillity of Steall meadow which appeals in any
weather. The 3-cable bridge was safely
traversed (in some style, it has to be said) as we positioned ourselves for a
close-up view of the UK’s most impressive waterfall – in full voice after all
the rain and a healthy dose of snow-melt!
It is an unfortunate
inevitability that I only see this place when the weather is bad enough to
preclude a visit to the high tops.
Nevertheless, it is still an impressive mountain amphitheatre and never
disappoints.
Gulvain
Sunday saw more benign
conditions so we returned to Plan A, joined by Doctor Jon, for an attempt at
that awkward and insular Munro, Gulvain.
The 7Km walk up Glen
Fionnlighe was a splish-splosh sort of affair.
The track that leads all the way to the foot of the mountain is solid
enough, but it can get pretty cratered and puddled after prolonged rain,
particularly in it’s upper reaches.
Preparing ourselves for the impending climb, our spirits were greatly
lifted by the sight of a golden eagle circling above us – close to where I saw
one on my last visit!
Gulvain's South Top
Stunning though it was to
see, the majestic raptor could do nothing to ease the brutish 700m climb up
unrelenting (wet) grassy slopes that is required to attain the summit
ridge. It’s official: Gulvain does not
get easier with return visits!
Fortunately, a sustained thaw during the preceding 36hrs had pushed the
snowline well up the mountain and we didn’t need the crampons until we reached
the intermediate spot height of 855m.
This, the first of 3 distinct tops on the upper mountain, heralds the
end of the continuous climbing and opens up the summit ridge. The summit itself is also visible from here.
We shared the ridge with a
couple of ptarmigan as we battled with the awkward crosswind up on to Gulvain’s
South Top (961m; and home to an Ordnance Survey trig point)! From here, it is one Km of quality
ridge-walking linked by a 100m descent
and 120m re-ascent in order to attain the final summit: Gulvain (987m; filthy or noisy hill). Today, the summit cairn was completely buried
and it was a cold, wind-swept place so we lingered not!
The return (as it
generally is with Gulvain) was back exactly the same way, the hardest bit being
trying to remain upright on the steep and slippery wet grassy lower slopes of
the mountain. We all failed at that
one! The eagle was still there, and so
was the long, rough, wet track that led, after a hard 7hrs 40mins day, back to
the waiting car.
Check out my plans for this coming winter at:
http://www.hillways.co.uk/winter-hillwalking.htm
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