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Am Faochagach
Map A bit more cloudy today but the tops were still clear and the forecast was for sunny intervals with some strong wind and cool temperatures high up. They got that spot on. I drove to the starting point on the the A835, just west of the bridge over the Abhainn an Torrain Duibh. There's room for a few cars there (NH277743) so I parked and set off at 8.45. The route begins directly across the road from the car parking area, where two vertical wooden stumps enable you to climb over the wire fence. This fence is topped with barbed wire but someone had obviously taken exception to this and cut the barbed strands loose next to the crossing point.
Cameron McNeish describes the approach from the A835 as being 'pathless' and the SMC guide also labels it 'trackless'. This was not so, however. The dry weather (hardly any rain for a month) may have helped but after crossing the fence there was quite a distinct path leading away over the peaty, heathery tracts at the NW end of Loch Glascarnoch. The peat had dried out pretty much and although the area looked as if it was normally a quagmire today it was dry and spongy underfooot. Very easy on the feet.
The path led generally NNE and brought me to a river, the Abhainn a Gharbhrain, which the guide books agree can be difficult to cross. Today the water levels were well down though, with many washed stones now high and dry. It was easy to cross without getting my feet wet, which I did, then picking up the path again I followed it past a couple of 20 ft high mounds until I reached the start of the ascent proper. It had all had been fairly level so far.
The gradient was undemanding and the navigation simple as the path was still very distinct so I made reasonable time and eventually overhauled two other walkers, a couple in their early 40s. I said hello and the girl joked about the way she was puffing and wheezing her way up the hill - I don't think she was used to it. Leaving them behind I carried on to the col which was broad on top and littered with a multitude of stones over grassy terrain. Some small cairns helped to show the route which was basically to turn north at this point and ascend onto a long, half-mileish, broad, grass-covered ridge.
After the 845 metre rise in the ground the path curved east at the end as I headed towards the low point of the Meall Gorm ridge. Before getting to the crest of this ridge, however, a side path led off up the stony summit mound directly to the top (11.00). There were two cairns on a broad, barren plateau, one a bit larger but I naturally visited them both. I had started the trek in base layer and unbuttoned shirt but as soon as I had reached the first col conditions had changed. A strong, icy wind was blowing up there and there was no shelter - it was all very even terrain, exposed and freezing cold. Consequently I had donned fleece, anorak, gloves and a balaclava - all a big change from my set-off state.
The wind was absolutely howling past at the top so after a couple of quick summit photos I started back down and soon met the couple again with the lass gamely plodding on and bearing up well. A bit further along, on the long grassy ridge, there was another couple, both wearing red anoraks and shorts, who said that after AF they were going on to Cona Mheall and Beinn Dearg. I said it was a cold day on the tops for that length of trip and I hoped they'd got plenty of warm clothing. The bloke assured me they had but even so it didn't seem like shorts conditions to me and I was glad I was going back down. It didn't take me long to get back to the first col and once I was past there and descending the slopes the wind died down and the temperature began to rise again. I followed the outbound route and by the time I reached the car at 12.45 I was back in my base layer and open shirt. Overall an easy four-hour outing, probably greatly helped by the very dry conditions. Just as well I did it today - rain forecast for the next day. 10 left to go. | ||||||
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