Gairich

About Gairich

Rising as a prominent, symmetric cone above the Loch Quoich dam, this Munro offers a straightforward but rewarding ascent. After crossing the dam and navigating the inevitably boggy lower slopes of Bac nam Faoileann, a clear path leads up the eastern ridge to a summit overlooking the rugged peaks of Knoydart.

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• •The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic Sgùrr Ghairich, meaning 'Peak of Roaring'. This most likely refers to the sound of the wind across its exposed upper slopes or the echoing bellows of red deer stags in Glen Kingie during the autumn rut.
• •Its position on the southern shore of Loch Quoich makes it one of the finest vantage points for surveying the 'Rough Bounds of Knoydart', with clear views of the distinctive pointed profile of Sgùrr na Cìche and the remote Ladhar Bheinn to the west.
• •The standard ascent begins by crossing the Loch Quoich dam, a major component of the 1950s Garry-Moriston hydro-electric scheme which significantly raised the water level and partially submerged the old stalking paths of the glen.
• •Though usually climbed as a lone Munro, the hill is connected to its neighbour, Sgùrr Mòr, by a long and undulating ridge; however, the intervening terrain is notoriously rough and rarely tackled in a single day by those without significant stamina.
• •The lower slopes provide a quintessential West Highland experience, where the designated path frequently transitions into a test of character involving peat hags and black bog that rarely dries out, even in a heatwave.