Sgùrr a' Mhaoraich is a wonderful, rocky mountain peak which towers over the waters of Loch Quoich in the western highlands. It is a hill which is perhaps underated because it sits in such a wonderful location, ringed by just as wonderful hills, some of which are more famous than it.
With Ben Nevis and hills around the Great Glen forming the backdrop to the S/E, and the magnificent Knoydart Sjyline outlined to the west beyond Sgurr na Ciche and Glen Dessary, Sgùrr a' Mhaoraich is situated amazingly and like all the hills around this area "one worth saving for a day wth a view".
Unusually neither my wife or I had any work, church or children comittments over the weekend and so legged it to the hills. It's a three hour drive up to the dam at Loch Quoich, but a great one on which the scenery seems to get more impressive in stages as the drive evolves, Drumochter, Loch Laggan, Loch Lochy, Loch Quoich. The view of the western mountains from beyond the Quoich Dam is stunning!
Sgùrr a' Mhaoraich is accessed from a path which leaves the roadside a Km or so beyond the dam. It's easy to miss the starting opint which is marked by a metal post but the path goes high onto the ridge and is worth finding. Google streetview is a great bonus in this regard, some frustrating attempts to find the right start point in hillwalks early in my hillkwalking days have largely been eliminated by a quick look online, so that I know exactly what I'm looking for when I arrive.
There are a few parking spots near the start of the path, but I expect that on a summer bank holiday these could fill up quickly. We managed to wedge in to the last available one, and take to the hill. The path ascends quickly, zig-zagging its way under some pylons and up the Bac nan Canaichean ridge to the summit of Sgurr Coire nan Eiricheallach.
From Sgurr Coire nan Eiricheallach the true magnificence of Sgùrr a' Mhaoraich can be seen, as a gnarly rocky ridge leads along and up to it's fine summit. Traces of a mad dry-stone dyke follow some of the ridge, presumably built by the workers of some landowner trynig to keep sheep from wandering onto another estate. The ridge has some opportunities for scrambling, but also a by-passpath which misses all the obstacles. The hardest part of the wlk is the final pull upto the summit, either up the steep bouldery and grassy banks to the south of the ridge, or up a narrow ledge to the north.
The views are just awe-inspiring.
The walking books say that an awkward descent can be made southwards and the day into a circuit. However, despite it being mid-May temperatures were dropping fast when we summitted, and rain looked imminent - so we returned by way of Sgurr Coire nan Eiricheallach, a fast descent back down the track. The track is not a perfect navigationa guide by the way - it does peter out a few times, and so the walker should keep their wits about them and not just blindly plod on!
The views on the way doen the track, especially of Ben Nevis and Gairich were wonderful. The walkhighlands entry suggests 5-7 hours, (presumably for the circuit), but we did the direct there and back in 4 comfortably.
I haven't been in the high hills with my wife for quite a while - so this was an especially good day out. Our daughter spent the day deep in revision for her Highers, and our son came back from Dundee that evening, having completed his degree work. Talsiker by the fire on a cold evening seemed a fitting way to end the day!
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