Bagging Sgor Gaoith (January 2023)

Great to get into the hills on Sunday with Dom, even if we did just miss the perfect conditions at the end of last week...!

Setting off from Glenfeshie, we hiked through the old pines before leaving the shelter of the trees and heading up the boulder-strewn flanks of Geal-charn. From the cairn at 920m, most of the day's ascent has been gained, making for a relatively easy hike over the top of Meall Buidhe and on to Sgor Gaoith at 1118m.

The summit of this munro is perched on the edge of the dramatic cliffs that tower above the western shores of Loch Eanaich, giving commanding views across to Braeriach and the Cairngorm 4000s. These crags were lined with large cornices, so extra care is required here in winter...

While it was breezy on the exposed tops, the weather was better than expected, staying dry and with the cloud remaining above 1000m to offer fleeting views of the high Cairngorm plateau from the summit.

All in all, a great hike in a beautiful part of the Cairngorms, coming in at 16km with just over 1400m of climbing (according to my Garmin). If you can, choose a clear day as the summit views must be spectacular when unimpeded by cloud.