The Mountain's Silhouette

Guardbridge to Newport

2026-02-14T08:06:00+00:00

A walk along the Fife Coastal Path from Guardbridge to Newport via Tentsmuir on a fine winter's day

Date: 14 February 2026
Distance: 23.96km
Ascent: 115m
Time: 6.8hrs
Weather: Light winds, blue skies and winter sunshine
Route: View on OS Maps

I left the car under inky black skies and sub-zero temperatures, heading eastward along the A91 through a sleepy Dollar and Muckhart. An owl was flying low over the fields by the Devon just beyond the Crook of Devon, silhouetted against the first hints of dawn in the eastern sky. The temperatures got as low as -5^oC but thankfully the roads were mostly dry, ice only appearing in a few places where there had been standing water.

The sun rose as I followed the A92 northeast, finally dropping into the little town of Newport-on-Tay which sits on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, facing Dundee. Just behind the main street I found some convenient parking and after a quick pause to don hat and gloves, was soon retracing my steps, this time on foot, back out of town to the Forgan Roundabout where I would catch the 99 Stagecoach busto Guardbridge. This bus links Dundee and St Andrews with a service roughly every ten minutes, even fairly early on a Saturday, and so I only had a very short wait at the bus stop.

The journey took less than 15 minutes, passing through Leuchars and its railway station before winding through Guardbridge and crossing the River Eden. On the far side I jumped off the bus and now started to retrace the outward journey, crossing back across the river via the footbridge. On the water there were oyster catchers and a heron. The sun was just rising, catching the rising plumes of mist from the Eden Mill distillery further along the river.

I picked up the way-marked Fife Coastal Path which followed a pleasant footpath behind Guardbridge's main street, before passing through some parkland and then coming back to the main road to cross it just before Leuchars Station. The road wound along between army residences and base buildings, before finally bringing me into Leuchars itself at the church of St Athernase.

I was at the meeting point in plenty of time and spotted a small high street that offered up a Spar selling breakfast rolls and coffee. With these in hand I headed back up to the church and found a spot on the perimeter wall that was catching the warmth of the rising sun and here I sat to wait for the Stocket Hillwalking Club, coming down from Aberdeen.

Their coach pulled up below the churchyard and after a bit of gear faffing we were off, making our way out of Leuchars on the Fife Coastal Path towards Tentsmuir forest. Initially this was down a quiet road but we turned off into parkland where a few early morning dog walkers were enjoying the sunshine.

Further on we passed a farm where there were goats feeding on a pair of trampolines. Beyond the end of the farm track we turned off onto a narrow path that crossed a marshy area over very nice boardwalks. This path ran arrow straight before taking a left turn and then bobbling over undulating ground to finally meet the access road into Tentsmuir.

We now followed the road in to the main car park at Tentsmuir where there is a £4 charge for vehicular access. Annoyingly there is no footpath access so we spent most of the time looking behind us and getting out of the way of cars. Shortly before the car park itself we stopped in the woods for a tea break. The warm sunshine felt wonderful after weeks of cloud and drizzle.

After another short stop at the car park we turned left to follow the main path through the reserve. It runs in a near straigh line parallel to the shore between tall pines with occasional glimpses to the right of sand and the distant sea. We passed the remains of the ice house and a small memorial stone before emerging from the woods at Tentsmuir Point where past storm damage has taken out a lot of trees.

We finally reached the shore at the Tay estuary where there were fine views across the water to Broughty Ferry with the snow-coated Sidlaw hills forming a wintry backdrop under blue skies. Inland there was a hint of cloud building back up.

We stopped here for lunch. Despite the snowy views it was wonderfully warm in the sunshine with hardly a breath of wind. I wandered across the sandflats to reach the edge of the water.

The Fife Coastal Path now turns westward to follow the north shore of the Tay, first along the edge of the pinewoods and then along the grassy foreshore into the small town of Tayport. Closer to civilisation there were more people out walking and cycling and generally enjoying the beautiful day. The waters of the Tay were just about perfect, with just the slightest ripples.

After walking through a caravan park and along the narrow edge of the foreshore between peoples gardens and the rocky beach we threaded our way around Tayport harbour and marina. There were some pretty little historical cottages at the far end.

After this there was the one short steep climb of the day which led to a short section of road walking before dropping down through grassy scrubland to join a shared path running west towards Newport. Along this stretch of the Tay there are a couple of old lighthouses - East and West Tayport Lights - that are now private residences.

After some distance the Tay Road Bridge came into view along with the centre of Dundee itself across the water. After a stretch along the roadside on a pavement we came under the bridge and into the streets of Newport. There is a series of small parks and paths that follow the shore which drops steeply down to the water. In the distance we could see the rail bridge.

The walk ended at the Newport Inn right on the waterfront and from here it was just a short distance back uphill to where I had parked the car.

The excellent weather had held for most of the day but now a thin sheet of cloud was obscuring the sun and it felt colder again. Although snow was forecast I had an uneventful drive back under steely skies once more. An excellent day out.

Glen Lethnot and Ben Tirran

2025-07-05T08:14:00+01:00

A walk down the length of Glen Lethnot in the Angus Glens to Muckle Cairn and a visit to the crash site of a Wellington bomber

Date: 05 July 2025
Distance: 26.59km
Ascent: 905m
Time: 8.2hrs
Hills: Ben Tirran (Corbett (896m))
Weather: Bright and blustery
Route: View on OS Maps

Last year we intended to walk the length of Glen Lethnot and explore the wreck site of a Wellington bomber that crashed close to the summit of Muckle Cairn in 1942. Unfortunately my drive down the glen that morning was brought to a premature halt by a road closed sign. It turned out that a bridge had been washed out the previous winter and the repairs were taking their time. In the meantime a temporary bridge had been installed but its use was restricted to residents of the glen and estate vehicles. We parked up at the road closure and did an alternative walk around the hills on the south side of Glen Lethnot¹.

A couple of months ago we emailed Angus Council and were pleased with their reply, which indicated that the bridge repairs had been completed and the public road once again open. We revisited our plans and agreed on the first Saturday in July to reconvene

The weather forecast for Saturday had been pretty iffy most of the week but I drove via Perth and Dundee under mostly sunny skies. The repaired bridge seemed fairly sturdy and I enjoyed the long and winding road through a mostly quiet lower Glen Lethnot, reaching the large parking area near Waterhead farm just after 9am. The Aberdeen crowd arrived a few minutes later and after some gear faffing we were away, heading northwest up the glen and into the teeth of a howling gale. The early purple heather was lovely along the bonnie banks of the Water of Saughs.

The forecast was for these initially strong winds to drop through the day and we wouldn't be high up until quite a bit later, so we weren't overly worried.

I'd last been up Glen Lethnot several years ago for a micro-adventure, heading up the glen late in the day for a camp on the heathery summit of Cruys before heading back the next morning and going straight into work. We were covering the same ground today but the morning light was very different and my memories sufficiently hazy that it felt like a new experience.

When the main track headed north to climb the sides of the glen we continued on a moderately boggy, grassy footpath that climbed up under craggy slopes to quickly gain height. Near the top where the slope gave us a windbreak we stopped for a brew and some food.

Once over the top the character of the glen changes character. It's more open with rolling heather-clad hills on either side and big skies overhead. The cloud was breaking again and we made good progress on the clear vehicle track that follows the hillside some way above the river. Below we saw a couple of estate buildings, but no people at all. Above a pair of buzzards were enjoying the thermals. We passed the turnoff for Cruys that I had taken on my last visit to the glen.

Eventually we reached the Shieling of Saughs, a basic structure that offers some protection from the weather. Inside were some stacked tables and chairs, and a fair bit of animal muck. We opted to sit on rocks outside and in the sunshine it was a very pleasant place to stop for lunch.

From the Shieling we followed the vehicle track north, climbing steeply up the side glen with the views opening out to Muckle Cairn at the very head of Glen Lethnot. In the sunshine it was possible now to pick out the aircraft wreckage that was our ultimate target for the day. It could be seen catching the light on the hillside, an odd and out of place triangle of grey in a landscape predominantly of greens and browns.

Once the climb was over the path become fainter and boggier, cutting through peat hags and mossy pools, but generally following a fence-line with the hills of Deeside beyond. Mount Keen was revealed, followed a little further on by the austere majesty of Lochnagar, looking hardly any distance away.

Our original plan was to follow this path all the way around to the summit of Muckle Cairn, before dropping down to the crash site from the west, but as we got closer it seemed like a more direct route across the open hillside would be possible. This was a bit of a mistake as the near-kilometre of pool and peat hag and uneven ground took some time to negotiate. Eventually though we reached the tail section of the crashed Vickers Wellington.²

This aircraft came down on 9th August 1942 during a test flight when it suffered damage to a propeller, forcing the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. Sadly four of the five crewmen died in the crash, with the rear gunner being the only survivor. Three of the crewmen were members of the Royal Canadian Airforce and were buried in Fettercairn Cemetary with the fourth a member of the Royal Airforce and buried back in their home region of Tyne and Wear.

After spending some time at the tail section we continued across the hillside to the main crash site some 100m away.³ This is a sobering scar on the hillside with wreckage strewn across a wide area, including the aircraft's rotary engines and a large section of wing. A Canadian flag flutters in the breeze. After skirting the site we paused for a moment to reflect on those who lost their lives here in this bleak spot.

From the wreck site we headed up towards the flat summit of Muckle Cairn where a fenceline runs in a north-south direction. The Aberdeen folk turned north here, mostly retracing their steps back towards the Shieling of Saughs, whilst I turned south, fancying a quick visit to the summit of the Goet. I was last up there in April 2011 on a day of strong winds and lingering winter snow.

The expansive views continued to develop as I headed up towards White Hill, following a grassy vehicle track over the gently undulating ground. Lochanar was visible, dappled in ever-changing light.

I passed a lonesome lochan and headed around the curving ground above Loch Wharral. It was difficult to get a glimpse of Wharral itself, mostly hidden beyond sloping ground, but the bog cotton waving in the wind was worth pausing for.

I continued up the long slope, branching off to cross yet another fence by a prominent stile, which led me more or less directly up to the summit of the Corbett where a trig point is surrounded by a tumble of rocks.

After pausing for a few minutes to enjoy the summit views and a bite to eat I headed off in a northerly direction. From the upper slopes of the Goet I could see the crash site, a scar on the side of Muckle Cairn, with the Deeside hills beyond. The path up the south slope of Mount Keen was an obvious feature in the sunshine.

The grassy path eventually turned into a gravel vehicle track which dropped down the long slopes of the Black Shank and led me almost directly back to the Shieling of Saughs, just as the others arrived. In the warm afternoon sun we took another extended break, fuelling ourselves up for the long walk back down Glen Lethnot.

It was very pleasant strolling back down the glen. The wind was less strong than it had been at first thing. We didn't take many further breaks, but the sight of a long, thin Slow Worm stretched out across the path did make us pause to look at this beautiful creature.

We took a slight detour to the cairned viewpoint that looks down the final stretch of middle Glen Lethnot towards where the cars were parked. This is a fabulous panoramic viewpoint.

We dropped back down the switchbacks between banks of heather, glad to be on the more forgiving grassy footpath for a short while.

Then it was a simple stroll back along to where the cars were parked. Chocolate chip muffins were shared out before the drive back home, broken up by a stop for refreshments in Dundee.

Some websites that also cover the wreck site of the Vickers Wellington Mk1c L7845:

This forum post from 2009 shows the tail section in a different orientation and much closer to the peak bank
Interesting historical photos and details of the crash and graves of those who died
Snowy photos and confirmation of the grid references
Sombre photos of the crash site

Footnotes

Report still in draft... ↩
OS 10-figure grid refs (GPS): NO 38098 76044 and NO 38275 76102 thanks to this undated post from the Deeside Walking Club who visited the crash site ↩
The tail section was moved about 100m from the site of the crash at some point. In recent years it has been stood back up. ↩

Stob a' Choin

2025-04-06T19:30:00+01:00

A loop around the steep-sided Corbett of Stob a' Choin from Inverlochlarig with beautiful views on a clear April day

Date: 06 April 2025
Distance: 11.69km
Ascent: 920m
Time: 6.2hrs
Hills: Stob a' Choin (Corbett)
Weather: Cold start with early mist clearing from the hills to leave a fine, sunny day with a cold east wind
Route: View on OS Maps

With an Omega Block continuing to dominate the weather patterns I was keen to get out into the hills for the first time in a few weeks. After a somewhat lacklustre late winter, April came good and the country basked in seemingly endless sunny skies. There was an easterly wind keeping temperatures in check, but as the weekend approached even that was forecast to drop.

I headed out early on Sunday morning, driving through a sleepy Bridge of Allan, Doune and Callendar before passing by Loch Lubnaig where tendrils of mist were just lifting off the water. The external temperature slowly dropped as I got further into the hills, until the ice warning came on just as a gritter passed me coming in the opposite direction. The sunshine was beautiful with the highest mountains holding onto a cap of cloud.

I turned onto the minor road to Balqhuidder and Loch Voil which seemed quieter now that the camping restrictions have been implemented. I was last down here in May 2010 to climb the Falloch Munros on a similarly sunny spring day. Thankfully there was little early track and I made slow but steady progress down to the large parking area just short of Inverlochlarig. Arriving at 8:30 I was surprised to find an already quite busy car park with one group heading off and another guy getting booted up.

I was soon sorted and after quickly checking the map headed along the road to Inverlochlarig farm where helpful signposts and open gates guide you through the farmyard without much fuss. The morning air was cool with the sun only now just peeking above the hills to the east. It made for very pleasant walking conditions and after leaving the last of the trees behind, I came out into the open glen with the River Larig running cheerfully alongside the track.

My target for the day, the Corbett of Stob a' Choin, dominates the southern side of the Larig. Its steep and imposing looking north ridge rises steeply from the river right to the summit in what appears to be a single line. In fact there are some steep and difficult crags about a third of the way up so the recommended route is to traverse the northeastern flanks to gain the ridge above these difficulties.

I crossed the river by the handy footbridge and then followed the line of an old stone wall over boggy ground to a point where I could start to rise up into the steep coire below the Bealach Coire an Laoigh. Above me a small herd of deer ran off, seeking steeper ground to the east.

The steep slopes meant I gained height quickly and soon I was looking back down to the sunlit River Larig and the Falloch hills to the north which still retained their caps of cloud. A guy had followed me to the bridge but I could see that he was now following the loop in the opposite direction, climbing up steep slopes to the east.

After crossing a fence and picking my way over the allt coming down through a narrow, dark ravine, I headed up into a side coire below the north ridge. The day was warming up nicely and I as I passed from shade back to sunlight I paused here on a boulder to sit and have a snack and drink from the flask. There were a few bird calls but otherwise it was peaceful.

The headwall of the coire was incredibly steep but grassy and I carefully made my way up, eventually emerging on a broad shoulder of the north ridge. I was a bit unsure if I had completely avoided the crags but now could see the ridge rising grassy above me with no further difficulties besides the unrelenting steepness.

The views from here were great and after pausing to take them in I headed up the steep slopes. There wasn't any evidence of a path so it was just a case of picking the best route and making slow but steady progress.

Eventually the steepness relented and I popped out on the north top of Stob a' Choin. It had taken a good couple of hours to get here but the effort was worth it for this must be one of the finest viewpoints in this part of the Highlands. As I'd climbed the lingering cloud had finally blown through and now it was clear with views across the ranges.

I paused here to take a well earned break. On the top there was a fairly brisk and cold east wind, so I sought some shelter just below the summit where in the sun it felt very pleasant. Cloud was lifting off most of the surrounding mountaintops including the nearby Crianlarich Munros as well as the Trossachs, Ben Lomond and the more distant Arrochar Alps.

It was then just a fairly short walk down and out of a hollow and back up to reach the true summit of Stob a' Choin. Here there was a narrow fin of rock with a small cairn.

Once again I found some shelter on the southwest side of the summit and paused here for an early lunch break. The other hillwalker now appeared on the east ridge and slowly made his way to the summit of the Corbett.

From this vantage point I could see parts of Loch Katrine, its silvered surface reflecting the bright sun. To the east I could see the very end of Loch Voil and it was evident that there was more cloud over to the east, a darker bank of haze on the far horizon.

The steep characteristic of Stob a' Choin proved to be the case on this side also as I now descended southeast to loop around onto the east ridge, Craig nan Saighhead. The terrain between here and there was quite complex but an old fence line made it fairly easy to drop steeply down into the Bealach Coire an Laoigh. Near the bottom of this slope I said hello to the other hillwalker as he climbed steeply up to the summit.

After crossing the bottom of the gulley it was a steep climb back up the far side. This was a slightly shorter though and soon I was on the rolling ridge that lead south and east in the direction of Loch Katrine.

As I followed the high ground over a series of lumpy tops I got good views back to the summit of Stob a' Choin where the hillwalker was enjoying the views and solitude. This area gave a better angle onto the end of Loch Katrine, with Loch Arklet sitting below the broad outline of Ben Lomond.

As I reached the southern end of the ridge I crossed another gulley and emerged just south of Point 836 where I paused for a second lunch in the sunshine. The views to the south across Loch Katrine and the Trossachs were spectacular.

I watched a couple of boats ply the waters of the loch before packing up and turning northward to now descend back towards the River Larig.

Once again I was following a line of fenceposts, and a faint track emerged as I joined back on the main loop to the Corbett. This made the going a bit easier for a while.

Nevertheless, the terrain still offered some steep sections, which required careful descent on some steep and slippery grass. It was less unrelenting than the ascent, but still provided some moments where caution was necassary.

As I got further north I started to get views onto the steep slopes running up to Stob a' Choin. Some sections I had walked up earlier looked impossibly steep: a trick of the perspective.

Lower down the ridge broaded out but was still steep in places. I aimed for the top of the forestry and enjoyed the views over Inverlochlarig and towards Loch Voil. There was no hint now of the earlier cloud in gloriously blue skies. Looking back gave me a new perspective on the jumbled collection of summits that make up the Stob a' Choin round.

Eventually I came down to a meeting of various fences, marking the spot at which I would leave the ridge and drop back down steep and wet slopes to the River Larig. This slope hadn't looked too bad earlier but proved to once again be fairly steep. I angled towards the footbridge, looking forward to a sit by the river in the sunshine.

Once down at the river I crossed the footbridge and then found a nice boulder sitting mid-stream to sit on and enjoy the last of my food in the hot sunshine with my feet soaking in the cold mountains waters.

After this it was a simple case of following the track abck to the car, passing back through the farm and saying hello to various groups of hillwalkers and people out walking their dogs. Despite the date it felt like a summer's afternoon.

The drive back home was fine but the summer theme continued in Callendar where the ice creams were doing a roaring trade and the traffic volume felt more like August than April!

Round of Glen Sherup

2025-01-02T10:25:00+00:00

An anti-clockwise route around Glen Sherup taking in Ben Shee, Scad Hill, Tarmangie, Whitewisp and Innerdownie.

Date: 02 January 2025
Distance: 16.38km
Ascent: 699m
Time: 4.6hrs
Hills: Ben Shee, Tarmangie, Whitewisp, Innerdownie.
Weather: Blue skies and fresh snow. A cold wind northwesterly wind leading to significant wind chill. Stunning views in clear air.
Route: View on OS Maps

The Christmas period was marked by an extended spell of mild, wet and windy weather that inspired very little enthusiasm for outdoor pursuits. The spell was finally broken on New Year's Day when cold air came in from the north bringing snow and a substantial drop in temperature.

The 2nd January was forecast to be sunny, with light winds and low temperatures all day. I didn't fancy a long drive on potentially icy roads so headed up Glen Devon to the Glen Sherup car park provided by the Woodland Trust. This is a large parking area with plenty of route options and information boards, and it was already busy at 10am when I arrived.

After booting up and shouldering my bag I followed the little connecting path over frozen ground by the river that leads to one of the main tracks running along the south side of the glen. It climbs up between gloomy ranks of plantation pines that had prevented any snow from reaching the ground.

After a km or so a small branching path led me down to Glensherup reservoir which sits nestled between the hills. Its broad dam was covered in snow and the house on the far side looked straight out of a Christmas card with its snowy eaves and cheerful garland hanging on the front door.

I followed the driveway back down the glen, this time on the north side of the river. Progress was a little slow as the surface was icy, especially in the slick tire tracks of a car, and I wasn't keen to slip over this early in the day. Ahead of me I had views up to the wind farm on Steele's Knowe that I had passed by last October. The hillside was bright with sunshine and plastered in fresh snow.

Just before I reached the buildings at Wester Glensherup I picked up a narrow animal trail that left the road behind and climbed up onto the shoulder of the hill. I once again turned back on myself to head westward, now climbing on a gently rising track that finally brought me into the sunshine as the sun crested Innerdownie beyond the reservoir. Suddenly the world was transformed - the snow sparkled and every step produced a cloud of scintillating powder. Although I was heading uphill the snow gave better purchase and I made much better progress up onto the Shank.

Ahead of me Ben Shee - the fairy hill - now stood above the thinning ranks of trees. The track was delightful and soon I was looking down on the dark waters of the reservoir. Just as the track bent to skirt around Ben Shee I picked up a narrow side path that quickly got me up towards the domed summit. I met the well trodden main route higher up, following it for the remainder of the ascent.

The views from the top of Ben Shee were glorious, from the Ochils close at hand, over the Glendevon Reservoirs and out to the southern Highlands, all looking resplendent in white. Ben Chonzie above Comrie and Ben Vorlich by Loch Earn were both distinctive amongst a near continuous vista of snow-capped peaks.

There was a cold wind blowing so I ducked off the summit slightly to find a slight bowl to sit in and enjoy a cup of tea and one of the last mince pies of Christmas.

The descent from Ben Shee was a little slippery but I carefully made my way down the steep path to rejoin the main track which now led me more gently downward to the shallow bealach below Scab Hill.

The track made progress a little quicker although the churned up snow was tough going at times. A hillrunner passed me and then I started to meet a few groups doing the circuit in the opposite direction. Across the head of the glen Tarmangie hill was getting closer and closer. Behind me the distinctive lump of Ben Shee was receding.

The main track bent a little way to avoid the very top of Scab Hill but I followed a narrow and untrodden side trail to reach the indistinctive summit.

I could now see King's Seat Hill and the familiar line of hills above our house. It was almost tempting just to walk back down the hill and figure out how to get the car later on...

Before the drop into the Maddie Moss I turned and started the climb up onto Tarmangie. This was the last steep uphill of the day and brought with it new views, this time down over the Forth. I passed more cheerful hillwalkers, arriving just as a group were leaving the summit of Tarmangie.

From here there were grand views down the length of Glen Sherup with the final hill of the day Innerdownie looking distinctive away in the distance. Beyond Whitewisp hill I could start to see the Lomond Hills in Fife.

The cold northerly wind meant I didn't hang around on the summit too long, again finding some shelter on the south side where I sat and had some lunch.

The path between Tarmangie and Whitewisp was notably more trodden than the path on the other side of the glen with a weel consolidated surface making for better pace. My fingers had gotten really cold during the lunch stop so it was good to get some blood moving and I made it to Whitewisp in quick order, gradually feeling the temperature of my hands rise.

More hello's were said before I continued off Whitewisp and towards Innerdownie. The descent was a little slippery in parts and once down turned boggy but the views all around continued to be distracting with clear sight now over Loch Leven and the hills of Fife.

The minor intermediate top of Bentie Knowe brought fresh perspectives including a look over diminutive Ben Shee to the wintry bulk of Highland Perthshire beyond Strath More.

Innerdownie was now close at hand and it was just a gentle climb up on well packed snow to its summit cairn.

A few roving snow showers could be seen breaking out over the Highlands but the Ochils had stayed clear all day and the winter mid-afternoon light was sensational as I paused to take in the 360 views from this final summit.

This zoom in shows Ben Vorlich above Loch Earn looking positively alpine.

To the south now I had a view over Glenquey Reservoir and the lower hills around Knock Hill and Touch with the Forth, Edinburgh and the Pentlands beyond.

The first steep part of the descent from Innerdownie required some care but then it was a fairly easy walk down along the edge of the forestry to reach a bench overlooking Glen Devon. A couple of walkers emerged from the gloom of the trees into the sudden bright sunshine and were stunned by the change in scenery.

I followed the edge of the trees down to a gate that led into a gloomy firebreak with some of the slipperiest underfoot conditions of the entire day. The ground was bullet hard and the gently descent had to be taken quite gingerly. I was relieved to reach the more distinctive forestry track.

This led down in a gentle series of wide loops, dropping below Innerdownie towards Glensherup Reservoir. The whole track is lined by youthful pine trees which looked out of a fairy tale laden with fresh snow. There were families with sleds enjoying the conditions and the whole thing felt very different from the hilltops.

Near the bottom I came around a corner to find a stunning view back up to Ben Shee which had its flanks illuminated by the golden winter sun.

I revisited the reservoir briefly before picking up the forestry road back to the car park where I was glad to have a final few slugs of warm tea before tackling the icy drive home.

Driving back along the south of the Ochils close to sunset was magical. The hills above Dollar were perfectly lit and then a rainbow sprang up over Kirk Craigs. I stopped the car near the park in Tillicoultry to try and catch it but was just slightly too late. I did enjoy views of a beautiful sunset away towards Stirling.

Ben Vuirich and Beinn a' Ghlo

2024-08-31T10:09:00+01:00

An overnight backpacking trip in Highland Perthshire taking in Ben Vuirich and part of the Beinn a' Ghlo range before returning via the enigmatic Loch Loch

Date: 31 August 2024
Distance: 37.7km
Ascent: 1,705m
Time: 26hrs
Hills: Ben Vuirich (Corbett), Carn nan Gabhar (Munro)
Weather: Clear skies and sunshine on day 1 albeit with a cool wind, before cloud and mist on day 2
Route: View on OS Maps

It had been more than a year since my last camping (mis)adventure and I hoped that the intervening period, slowly building back up towards longer days, runs and cycling, meant I would have a better time of things than last May. At the very least I now take a daily blood thinner so the chances of getting another blood clot should be remote... Nevertheless I was nervous about over committing and decided to do a fairly tame route in Highland Perthshire, combining a new Corbett, Beinn Vuirich, with a revisit to Beinn a' Ghlo and a route back via the enigmatic Loch Loch.

The drive north via Perth and Pitlochry and then up the narrow, twisting A-road towards the Bridge of Cally was all fairly uneventful and I easily found the gravel parking spot that Steven Fallon mentions in his route description. I was the only car there.

The morning was bright, though there was a chill in the air out of the sunshine. The MWIS forecast for this last weekend of August had been almost dream-like; promising light winds, cloud-free hilltops and warm temperatures. It got one out of the three right...

The first part of the walk was a thankfully short trudge down the main road to the grand gates marking the entrance to Tarvie's driveway. This more pleasant piece of tarmac led gradually up through sunlit trees before a narrow path continued north to avoid the main house. I crossed a rusted barbed wire fence and then followed a faint path across a sheep field to regain the Tarvie estate track near a plantation.

A slightly steeper pull brought me to Tarvie Loch with its little boathouse. As I reached the water's edge a huge heron lifted off and disappeared away beyond the loch. The ling heather was past its best but there were still purple patches fringing the shores of the loch.

The vehicle track wound up the open strath with hills on either side. In the distance the ragged, loosely defined western ridge of Ben Vuirich came into view. After crossing the Tarvie Water there was a fork in the road, with one path sticking close to the burn and the other heading up between heather hillocks to an estate building.

It looked like it might be better to stick close to the water and then make for the higher ground so this is what I did. The track continued for a short way before ending, leaving me to plunge into the deep heather and slowly wade my way across boggy ground to reach the ridge. The going was tough but with some perseverance I made it up to the Drum Mor. Here thing's eased a bit as the terrain was rockier, the heather sparse and low and I made better progress up to the top of Carn Dubh.

From here there were grand views back the way I had come, over to the summit of the Corbett itself, and beyond to the great grey whalebacked shape of Beinn a' Ghlo.

After a brief pause at the top I made my way up the final slope to the summit of Ben Vuirich where I discovered the cold wind that would prove MWIS wrong. I sought shelter behind the summit stones and enjoyed a lazy late lunch.

After this I contemplated my onward route. I was going to descend down towards Loch Valigan and then cut over to the track which runs around the southern side of Beinn a' Ghlo. Before that though I wanted to get the view north from Ben Vuirich over Beinn a' Ghlo and down to Loch Loch, hidden in its secretive glen to the northeast. I didn't have to drop far off the summit to get this stunning view.

After taking in this magnificent wild landscape I headed off to the west, following the relatively gentle slope down towards Stac nam Bodach. The going was fairly easy and I decided it would be better to cut across to the track earlier, rather than having to descend the steep slopes from Stac nam Bodach. This meant descending into a shallow bowl with an allt running through it. I was grateful for the opportunity to refill my water bottle.

From the allt there was then a gently rise and a few peat hags to negotiate to finally reach the firmer footing offered by the landrover track. As I joined it I watched a cyclist crest the rise and pause to wait for a companion who was coming up some distance behind.

I wasn't on the track long before a branch took me off and down towards the Allt Coire Lagain which I crossed easily on boulders before picking up a faint track that took me along the base of Airgiod Bheinn and towards the fastness of the great coire on the southeastern side of Beinn a' Ghlo.

I knew that Airgiod Bheinn was steep (having descended that way previously, albeit in winter) but it offered the most logical route from this position to the summit of Carn nan Gabhar, my intended destination for the evening. The route is used enough that there are some established paths and it was one of these that I picked up to quickly gain height away from the glen floor.

I perhaps missed a turn and the path started to steer me back the way I had come, rather than gaining more height so eventually I had to climb up through steep heather to rejoin a more direct route. This led into the base of a steep gully which offered little firm ground. I scrabbled my way up slick rock and grass, glad to finally reach a slightly levelling where the path became more established.

The afternoon was progressing and the light turning hazy. Near at hand though the middle Munro of Beinn a' Ghlo, the wonderfully named Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain, shone in the sunlight, the summer greens contrasting with the grey streaks of scree on its flanks.

Over to my right I could look back across the wide glen I had crossed and up to the summit of Ben Vuirich now almost lost in the hazy distance.

The established path was steep but much easier going than the gully and I made better progress up the increasingly stony slopes to the top of Airgiod Bheinn. As I reached the rocky summit the Munro of Carn nan Gabhar appeared in the background.

The top of Airgiod Bheinn was a good place to stop for a sit down and a bite to eat. I had to find a sheltered spot though as once again the conditions were deceptive and there was still a cold wind blowing hard across the hills. It definitely didn't feel much like an August day.

After the quiet Corbett I could see that Beinn a' Ghlo was much busier with several groups visible making their way to or from the nearby summit of Carn nan Gabhar.

Soon I was one of those small figures crossing this vast near-plateau landscape. I dropped down from Airgiod Bheinn, passing someone snoozing in the afternoon sunshine, before picking up the baggers path coming up from the bealach to the west. Soon I was regaining the height I had lost, with the views now opening up across the range of hills that make up Beinn a' Ghlo.

The path was lost amongst rocks and boulders but it was only a short distance up to the first of the cairns on the summit plateau and the actual summit itself wasn't much further away beyond that.

I reached the trig point shortly after 5pm, just as the last of the daywalkers were heading off. I spotted a couple who had pitched their tent in a good looking spot just west of the summit. A summit camp had been a possibility but this settled my decision to continue north and find a bit of peace away from the summit. Before continuing though I had a sit down and ate some final food, enjoying the late light playing over the hazy hills.

The haziness hid the distant hills but from this position there were still good views away across Glen Tilt and the rolling hills of the southern Cairngorms.

Now keen to find a spot for the tent I dropped off the summit picking up a narrow path that led north down a wide ridge. I followed this path, occasionally leaving it either east or west to inspect possible sites. I got an interesting view down steep slopes to the very end of Loch Loch, now far below me. Ben Vuirich continued to be illuminated by the late afternoon sunshine.

Eventually, just as I was giving up hope, I came down a strange bank of ground-down quartzite to a spot just before the rise up to Meall a' Mhuirich. Here there was a lovely flat, dry spot with enough space to get the tent up.

It was a good spot with views north up the Tarff Water towards the distant central Cainrgorms and nearer at hand, those hills around the head of Glen Ey, including the distinctive grey slopes of Carn an Righ which had featured on one of my very early wild camping adventures.

Closer at hand were the hills of Beinn a' Ghlo, with a vast yawning coire off to the west leading down into gloomy Glen Tilt where the sun had already long set.

With the tent up I was able to relax into a pleasant evening, cooking dinner and chilling out in the door of the tent as the sun sank lower. The cold wind never let up and the temperature dropped as the sun got closer to the horizon. Above me I watched as the summit of Carn nan Gabhar was swallowed by mist.

With the sun gone and mist building the temperatures dropped quite rapidly and I was glad to finally get wrapped up in my sleeping bag with my Kindle and some music on headphones. When I looked out later on the stars had been swallowed up by a covering of clouds.

Although I set my alarm for sunrise when I poked my head out the pre-dawn didn't look overly promising so I rolled over and went to sleep for another couple of hours. I eventually roused myself a little before 7:30am with the world looking rather more grey than the day before.

There was a general sheet of thick cloud overhead and billowings of broken mist in the glens below. I had a slow, lazy breakfast whilst I contemplated my route options. I was keen to get down to the banks of Loch Loch and picked out a likely looking route that offered a more gently route down into Glen Loch from just beyond the summit where I had camped.

From Loch Loch I would be able to pick up a track down through lower Glen Loch and into Gleann Fearnach, and from there I could either continue all the way down to the main road, or cut back across low hills and moorland to Tarvie.

I got everything packed away and was off by around 8:30. The cloud base continued to rise and fall but stayed just high enough that I could follow the fall of the northeastern ridge of Meall a' Mhuirich and then pick my way carefully down below Meall Gharran.

I started off on a ridge but the deep heather eventually drove me down into a grassy gully where an allt was flowing down towards the glen. There were occassionaly views down the length of Loch Loch and ahead Carn an Righ was slowly being cleared of mist.

The ground was quite steep towards the bottom of the slop but I carefully picked a line and it eventually eased until I was down at the banks of the An Lochain, winding its way between the dramatic slopes of upper Glen Loch.

I was only a short distance north of Loch Loch and there was a good path to follow which now sped up my progress. The path led my to a crossing of the Allt Lochain and then I picked my way along to the end of the loch itself where the path became more established.

A cold wind was blowing down the glen, ruffling the surface of the loch. It was a wild and lonely place to be early on a Sunday morning. The path mostly stuck close to the shoreline, occasionally rising over a small headland. I was soon at the narrow neck separating the two halves of the loch where a very short river moves water between one part and the other. Ben Vuirich could now be seen with a cap of cloud south of the loch.

There was one larger headland to cross which gave good views back up the loch. The slopes of Beinn a' Ghlo and the location of my camp site could now be seen as the cloud gradually lifted from the summits.

At the gravelly beach at the end of the loch I paused for a mid-morning snack break, enjoying a seat on the grassy edge and contemplating this cold, and lonely place.

The good track continued on beyond the loch and I was soon back on more familiar ground, gradually winding down towards where the junction of yesterday's track would be met.

Here the first people of the day were met, a group of three mountain bikers out enjoying these splending gravel tracks. They passed me with a wave and were soon climbing up into Gleann Fearnach. I followed at a more leisurely pace. Behind Beinn a' Ghlo continued to hold onto its cap of cloud and I was glad I hadn't opted to return along the hills.

At Daldhu I paused briefly to admire the lush garden they had growing behind tall fences and then headed down into the wider plains of Gleann Fearnach.

My legs still felt good and I didn't fancy the amount of tarmac that would come of continuing down to the road, so shortly after gaining the west bank of the river I left the track behind and struck out on a bearing that would take me across the shoulder of the hills and back to the Tarvie.

The going was fairly slow without a path and the terrain being a mix of tussock and peat bog. But I persevered, crossing several fences and generally trying to keep to higher, drier ground where possible. I contemplated heading up onto one of the summits, either north or south of the pass but ultimately decided to stick to my more direct course.

At the watershed I paused for a break. The day continued to be cloudy and a cold wind blew across these moors. I spotted what might have been a hunting party in the distance but they disappeared up a different track.

The land now fell gently towards the Tarvie. A sort of path appeared out of the heather and bog but it was muddy and occasionally disappeared completely. It did make progress a bit quicker and eventually I saw Tarvie Loch appear with its boathouse and stand of trees. It was a relief to sit at the dam for a final break.

Now I was on familiar ground and I retraced my steps of the previous morning, down the track, across fields, through the woods and down Tarvie driveway to the road and ultimately the car.

It had been a great little trip, and I was delighted that my legs hadn't given me any problems.

Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime

2024-05-20T10:43:00+01:00

A day walk in the Arrochar Alps taking in the Munros of Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime and returning via the Cobbler path to Succoth

Date: 20 May 2024
Distance: 14.53km
Ascent: 1325m
Time: 6.8hrs
Hills: Beinn Narnain (Munro, 926m), Beinn Ime (Munro, 1,011m)
Weather: Clammy and cool with cloud stubbornly below Munro height all day
Route: View on OS Maps

The mountain weather forecast promised an improving day with early clag clearing from the summits of the hills. Based on this I had relaxed drive over to the car park at Succoth, the traditional starting point for the Cobbler. I arrived at around 11:30 and easily got a parking spot on this midweek morning. It was humid and calm over Loch Long with the higher hilltops lost in the clouds.

I crossed the main road to pick up the well marked footpath that heads towards the Cobbler. A few paces on after a stream crossing there was a vague branch off through boggy ground which eventually became a soggy path leading straight up the hillside following the route of an old waterpipe, the foundations now the only thing remaining.

It was warm work climbing up through the trees but height was gained quickly and soon enough I emerged to more open ground, the path now wending its way up between patches of bluebells. Above a junction with a vehicle track the path had seen some construction work and now headed up towards the crags of Creag an Fithich.

As I approached the cloudbase I thought it prudent to take a short break and enjoy the views that had now opened up down the length of Loch Long.

Suitably refreshed I restarted the climb and soon found myself in the clag. I followed the track up to the intermediate summit of Cruach nam Miseag without getting any views around me. From here there was a brief descent before picking up a narrow path that clung precipitously to the eastern face of the Beinn Narnain as it found a route that wound between and over crags. There were no difficulties and I gained height quickly. Shortly before reaching the Spearhead I passed a pair of walkers heading down, the first other people I'd seen.

Out of the mist the Spearhead loomed dark and imposing, a towering buttress of rock that at first glance seems impassable. However, the path wends below the buttress and then climbs steeply up a grassy gully up the east side, soon emerging on top with just a short distance to the summit plateau of Beinn Narnain, the first Munro of the day.

I still had hope that the forecast clearing would arrive, so after a brief visit to the top of the hill I found myself a comfortable place to sit and eat my lunch and then read a few chapters of my book, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. Before I knew it an hour had passed, but sadly there was no sign of a clearance or even a thinning of the clouds.

I was starting to feel a bit cold so packed up and headed off, passing by the trig point and summit cairn before picking up a path on the north side of the summit that started to wind down through boulders. It was long before I picked up a clear path that led all the way down to the bealach - one of a number of significant path workings that have taken place in the Arrochar Alps - making the place look more like the Lake District.

As I dropped down I started to get misty views of the crenelated summit of the Cobbler. 150m below the summit of Beinn Narnain and the views suddenly opened out. There was cloud billowing about the bealachs but Loch Long could be seen again, as well as the Cobbler and lower surrounding hills. A couple of guys were making their way up Beinn Narnain.

The winding path down to the bealach brought excellent views of the northeastern side of The Cobbler. To the north I could see beyond the Bealach a' Mhaim to where the winding path heading up Beinn Ime disappeared back into the mist. It didn't look like I'd be getting any summit views today...

Once down at the bealach I followed the clear track north, climbing Beinn Ime's gentle slopes and soon being enveloped back in the mist. I passed a few more hillwalkers but as the time approached 4pm it was clear most people were on their way back down. I reached the rocky summit cairn of Beinn Ime and paused for another break in the clouds. I was last here late in the afternoon in April 2009 when we had traversed over from diminutive Ben Vane.

Whilst I sat having a final snack break on top a couple of guys came up from the north. They were doing a similar route to my round of Ben Vane and Beinn Ime. After a brief pause at the top they carried on. I lingered a little longer to see if the stubborn cloud would ever lift - it didn't and so a few minutes later I found myself following them, retracing my steps back down to the Bealach a' Mhaim.

It was nice to drop back below the claustrophobic cloud and I could now enjoy the relatively long walk out that would see me pass between Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler before dropping down through the woods to Succoth.

There are some impressive erratics and other large boulders in the narrow gap between the two hills with the pass winding around and sometimes through these. Above me the last of the cloud was hanging about the Cobbler's spires, whilst Narnain continued to be shrouded. At least I hadn't missed the chance of a view!

I eventually reached the Narnain Boulders, from which you get the classic view back up to the Cobbler. I found a good perch here for a final snack break.

It seemed like the cloud was finally going to lift, but actually by the time I turned away from the Allt a' Bhalachain the tops were once again shrouded. The way led me down through more patches of bluebells and then plunged into the damps, following a series of long switchbacks that eventually brought me back down to the road.

I reached the car and changed out of my hill clothes before heading off around the end of Loch Long to find a fish supper in Arrochar. Down at sea level it was a mild, muggy evening with no breeze to keep the midgies away. I started off sitting on a bench by the shore but eventually had to walk and eat to escape the bites.

It was about this time, just after 7pm, that the much promised clearing occurred. Suddenly the clouds were rolled back to leave a sunny and warm evening. Apart from the midges, it was perfection... It made for a very pleasant drive home through the sunny southern Highlands, stopping at Loch Lomond to enjoy the views.

Gulvain

2023-05-25T10:17:00+01:00

A short overnight trip to the Munro of Gulvain located near Fort William in the Northwest Highlands

Date: 25th-26th May 2023
Distance: 29km
Ascent: 1,348m
Time: 28hrs
Hills: Gulvain South Top (Munro Top), Gulvain [Gaor Bheinn] (Munro)
Weather: Warm and sunny with a cool, gusting wind at height. Becoming cloudier.
Route: View on OS Maps

Medical Prologue: in mid-December 2022 I fell over on ice and managed to fracture my kneecap. Whilst in a brace and fairly inactive I developed a DVT and was put on a course of blood thinners. Since coming off them in April and working with a physiotheraptist for my knee recovery I had been slowly ramping back up exercise, with regular walking, cycling and some gentle running. This trip came after a few active days where I had not suffered from any pain or discomfort either during or after completing both a long bike ride and a half day out in the Trossachs. I was therefore feeling good about trying for a new Munro and breaking up the driving by doing a wild camp...

It was 11 in the morning, bright sunshine and a bit of a breeze blowing, and yet as I sorted out my pack and changed into walking shoes I was getting eaten alive by midges! They hastened my departure and I was soon crossing the busy Road to the Isles and winding my way past the few buildings on the far side before picking up the hilltrack signed by Scotways to Strathan, 10 miles away across the hills.

The stroll up through the lower stretches of Gleann Fionnlighe was beautiful. The birch trees were a bright spring green and in a blue sky lazy white clouds drifted by. There was birdsong amongst the trees and bluebells still lingering in the shade by the river.

The track dropped down to cross the river near Uachan and here I got my first glimpse of Gulvain up towards the head of the glen. The track now wound along close by the river and after nearly an hour of walking I stopped for a brief snack break and to replenish my water bottle.

Beyond the ruined building at Dail nan Uamhachan the track was a bit rougher and waterlogged in places but I continued to progress up the glen, the occassional view of Gulvain showing its broad southern slopes growing ever closer. The trees finally gave way to open glen and near a stone sheepfold I stopped on a derilict dry stone wall to enjoy lunch in the hot sunshine.

From here it was just a short distance to a bridge crossing the Allt a' Choire Rheidh and then across boggy ground to finally reach the slopes of Gulvain. To the left I had views up Coire Rheidh to the Corbett of Braigh nan Uamhachan which I had considered including in this outing. The thought of a couple of miles of rough ground followed by a steep and pathless ascent to Gulvain was somewhat offputting on a hot day though.

The track up the south side of Gulvain can be clearly seen from the walk in and proved to be a mostly pleasant, albeit steep and unrelenting, affair. After a steep lower section it turned into a series of wide switchbacks that I took at an easy pace, pausing often to admire the expanding views back down Gleann Fionnlighe and over to the hills of Ardgour.

As I passed the 400m mark I saw the first fellow hillwalkers of the day. First a guy who had made his second visit to Gulvain, this time continuing on to the Munro summit. The second was someone who I'd last spoken to on the Clachlet Traverse back in 2020. We stopped and had a good chat, remarking on the excellent weather and the quietness of a midweek Munro.

I continued up, reaching the rockier upper section where I passed another couple making their way down. They would be the last people I would see until the following lunchtime. The tough height gain was rewarded by increasingly expansive views. The pointy line of summits marking Streap just to the west caught my eye as the gradient finally started to relent.

Off to the east I could now see Ben Nevis, still decorated with snow patches, across Loch Eil. The views to the south were increasingly hazy and there seemed to be smoke rising in the direction of Loch Shiel.

The path brought me up the final, more gradual slopes to the top at 855m which marked the southern end of Gulvain's ridge. I could see the south top now very close by, and peeking out beyond it, the more distant true summit.

I paused here for a quick snack break. On exposed ground the wind was really gusting and so I sought some shelter on the northern side of the hill which gave views down upper Glen Mallie as it wound its way towards Loch Arkaig.

After a brief pause to enjoy the views I followed the path across some undulating terrain before it headed up the slopes to the south top. Once again there was a clear path which climbed uphill, only disappearing briefly as the route traversed a short boulderfield.

After a little more effort I reached the trig point marking the 961m high South Top: just 20m shorter than the main summit now seen another km or so away. From here there were stunning views in all directions.

The main draw were the hills and mountains of the Rough Bounds of Knoydart, now seen beyond the gap marking where Loch Arkaig lay. I could see along the ridges all the way to the distinctive summit of Sgurr na Ciche.

After another short break on the South Top I made my way north, heading for the Munro summit. The descent was fairly gentle, taking me past a grassy balcony with pools of water which would have made for a good camping spot.

The ridge curved between the steep western slopes and the more gentle slopes of Coire a' Chaorainn (a location where Chris Townsend camped during his 2019 TGO Challenge) to the east. It was easy going terrain and there were no difficulties.

The views were excellent with views over the empty coires towards the hills around the head of Glenfinnan.

After descending to the low point it was then a similar, gentle incline back up towards the summit itself. There were some craggy buttresses on the western side of the summit slopes but the path rose above them and it once again proved easy going, even with the gusting wind.

The path wound its way up the final grassy slopes and I soon found myself approaching the substantial cairn, marking the 987m high summit of Gulvain.

Again there was a cool and gusting wind blowing so I sat with my back to the cairn on the eastern side and enjoyed a final, extended break. It was around 4 in the afternoon and there was a peace over the hills. I drifted into a peaceful reverie which was only briefly disturbed when a small helicopter came down from the north and passed through the glen to the west of Gulvain.

With the afternoon drawing to a close, my thoughts turned to the evening and finding a suitable camp spot. Although I could have stopped up on the summit I wanted to make a little more inroad into my planned route and drop down the northeast ridge of Gulvain and then up and onto the lumpy hill of Mullach Coire nan Geur-oirean which could be seem some way off to the northeast, sitting above Loch Arkaig. This would then allow me to cross Glen Mallie in the morning and return to the car by way of the Corbett Meall a' Phubuill, located to the east of Gulvain.

The initial descent was trackless and dropped down through some fairly steep boulder and scree fields. I carefully made my way down, losing 150 meters or so of height before the slope eased and became more pleasant and grassy.

The long ridge forms one side of the huge, wild Coire Sgreamach which drops down towards distant Loch Arkaig. The going was much easier on the grassy ridge and there was even a clear path for much of the way, though perhaps one used more often by deer than human. In the distance down at the bealach I could see quite a few deer gathering as the evening sunlight developed.

Unfortunately it was around this time, about 6 or so hours since setting off, that my left leg started to develop quite a bit of pain and I ended up limping down to the wall marking, presumably, an estate boundary.

Progress was now slow but I was still keen to get to a decent camping spot so after crossing the wall I headed slowly back uphill and then contoured around to where there was a fine view down Loch Arkaig to the hills of the Rough Bounds. After examing a couple of different spots I settled on a pleasant looking area which offered a grassy spot for the tent and some nearby water. The incredibly dry run of weather meant that I hadn't seen any running water since starting the ascent of Gulvain.

The tent was soon up and I gathered water from the slow seep of bog nearby. Now I could rest my leg and enjoy the long evening, gazing out of the tent window towards Sgurr na Ciche and the other hills above Glen Dessary.

It was a pleasant evening, broken only by the helicopter making a return journey, this time passing almost directly over the tent before heading off to the northeast.

I passed the time by enjoying the views and reading several chapters of The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Some cloud had built during the evening and the sun disappeared behind it, the light show fizzling out before it ever really got going. After the sun finally disappeared to leave a grey dusk I zipped up the tent and quickly drifted off into a pleasantly deep sleep.

I slept soundly and didn't poke my head out of the tent until around 5:30 the next morning.

I slept for another few hours, finally rousing at 8:30. The weather had changed with cloud descending to give a nearly uniform grey sky. The Munro summits were shrouded.

A short walk around the area showed that my leg pain had not really subsided and so I decided the best course of action was to take the most direct route back to the car, dropping into the glen below and to the east of Gulvain, and heading back out without trying for another summit. I was disappointed but the main thing was to get out of this quite remote area safely and to that end I wanted to give myself as much of the day as possible.

I had a fairly relaxed breakfast, taking my time over coffee, before getting everything packed up and heading off. I first of all ascended the short distance to the top of the rounded hill on which I had camped. Here there were more deer and I came across a fine half antler which got strapped to the bag.

From here I was able to survey my route across the somewhat featureless area that marked the watershed between Gleann Fionnlighe and Glen Mallie. My aim was to follow the lower slopes of Gulvain before making for the forested narrowing of upper Gleann Fionnlighe. I was doubtful I would find much in the way of paths or tracks until I was back on the southern side of Gulvain.

With my leg still painful it was slow but steady progress back down to the wall and then across the pathless, occasionally peat-hag filled terrain at the foot of Gulvain's northeast ridge. I crossed several small streams and was glad to be able to refill my water bottle with fresh, moving burn water.

As I drew closer to the small, boggy lochan marking the watershed I could see what looked to be a path or track down in the flatter part of the glen and decided to see what it was like. It turned out to be a track made by trial bikes. Although there was a lot of churn and I had to avoid some of the muddier sections, it still made progress a bit quicker and I followed it as it dropped towards the trees. As I headed south it became increasingly more like a real path which had been torn up by the passing of the bikes.

As I reached the trees the path dropped steeply down to finally reach the river and as the time was around midday I stopped here on the stony banks for lunch, enjoying a final brew of coffee from the stove.

As I was eating I heard voices behind me, and three folk appeared laden down under big backpacks. They had come over the hill from a bothy to the east and were as surprised as I was to see someone in this remote stretch. They continued down the far bank of the river and I was soon following them.

I crossed the river where a small orange flag marked the trail bike crossing and followed the path on the other side, the backpackers now some way in the distance. The path was mostly easy to follow but occassionally seemed to disappear as these things are want to do.

Eventually the land on the east bank steepened and so I crossed back over and then, not finding an obvious path, climbed up the slopes to find the path was now running some way above the river. Once located this once again sped up progress and I found myself looking back up the southern slopes of Gulvain.

My slow but steady progress had brought me back to the track through Gleann Fionnlighe and despite my continuing limp I felt confident of making it back to the car from this point.

The walk out was fairly uneventful. The low cloud briefly started to break but never really turned into full sunshine again. I passed a couple of other people out for a walk but on the whole it was a slow, quiet wander back to the car.

I broke up the journey home with a stop for fish and chips in Tyndrum which was welcome after a very slow crawl through the Friday afternoon traffic in Fort William.

Medical Epilogue: I went to the GP the following Monday and was referred for an ultrasound scan a couple of days later where a second blood clot was found. This explained the onset of pain I experienced late in the afternoon as I headed off Gulvain. As this was the second DVT in a short space of time I was put back onto blood thinners and given advice about compression socks... If anyone else has experience of staying active after a DVT diagnosis I would be very interested to hear from you...

Ben Cleuch Evening Run

2022-07-10T19:14:00+01:00

A late evening run around the route of the Maddy Moss Mash hillrun on a day of soaring temperatures

Date: 10 July 2022
Distance: 9.87km
Ascent: 694m
Time: 1.6hrs
Hills: Ben Cleuch
Weather: Incredibly warm summer's evening
Route: View on OS Maps

The day had been scorchingly hot, and even at 8pm it was still in the mid-20s. The sun was shining and the evening sky streaked with wispy cirrus clouds

The sun was already behind the hills so it meant the first part of the run along the path above the Mill Glen and then the steep lower slopes of the Law was mercifully shaded.

By the time I got to the sunlit upper slopes there was a bit of a breeze about which kept a cap on the temperatures. I slogged up and over the several false summits to finally reach the cairn marking the top of the Law.

The views were fantastic and surprisingly I had the hills to myself. The narrow grassy ridge that runs north from the Law beckoned and provided some suitable ground to actually get some running in. I joined the broad eastern slopes of Ben Cleuch, following the path, boggy in places, up towards the top of the hill.

I reached the cairn and trig point and stopped here to have a breather, take on some water and enjoy the fabulous light bathing the landscape. The distant highlands could be seen with Ben Lomond and the Trossachs clear against the horizon to the west. Away north the windfarm was picked out by the light.

The run back eastward towards Andrew Gannel Hill is great fun with just a few boggy pools to avoid and soon I was past the peaty bealach and trundling up the other side. The sun was sinking ever lower and gave some dramatic light beyond Ben Cleuch.

I took another break for water on the top of Andrew Gannel Hill before taking the descent east down towards the Maddy Moss below King's Seat.

Again the downhill running here is excellent and I enjoyed the views out east along the spine of the Ochils towards Innerdownie.

I negotiated the bogs and pools at the bealach and then picked up the path which descends the long ridge back towards Tillicoultry. I was able to pick up speed here and enjoyed the run below Andrew Gannel and The Law.

Before long I was picking my way back down the steep slopes above Tillicoultry to my timing point.

Earlier in the week the Maddy Moss Mash had been run with the fastest runners completing this course in just over 50 minutes. It took me about 90...

North Third Reservoir Circuit

2022-05-29T10:32:00+01:00

A short but pleasant circuit around the North Third Reservoir in the Touch Hills close to Stirling

Date: 29th May 2022
Distance: 5.39km
Ascent: 157m
Time: 2hrs
Hills: Lewis Hill
Weather: A beautiful spring day with warm sunshine
Route: View on OS Maps

After a pleasant Saturday night spent catching up with family in Stirling, we headed out on the Sunday morning to stretch the legs and get some fresh air. It was a beautiful late spring day with blue skies and fluffy white clouds.

We parked up on the side of the minor road that runs along the west side of the North Third Reservoir. We followed the road northwest for a few hundred meters before turning off onto a pleasant path that paralleled one of the main burns that runs into the reservoir.

A slightly crumbling footbridge took us across the burn and then down to the end of the reservoir. After a dry spring the water level was very low. The path continues besides the reservoir, slightly above the boggy ground along the water's edge. A few people were camping along here.

The path winds its way through short stretches of beautiful woodland and along a couple of sections of boardwalk that keep feet dry above some boggy bits. As the end of the reservoir approached the path returned to the water's edge to then cut across the dam itself. The spillway was bone dry with grass growing up between the cobbles. From here there were views northward across ranks of forestry.

Across the dam the path now heads up the small Windy Yet Glen that runs east away from the reservoir. A path rises up through the woods via a series of switchbacks and there is a steep mountain biking run that drops down through the trees. Height is gained quickly and we were soon looking out across the trees towards the mountains of the Trossachs.

At the top of the hill we diverted briefly to visit the site of an ancient hill fort before picking the path back up which now runs back towards the reservoir. The trees are more sparse up here and there were still patches of bluebells. We caught glimpses of the views southeast where the Firth of Forth was a glimmering patch of silver.

The path now follows the crest of the escarpment of Sauchie Craig with views down the steep cliffs to the reservoir. We found a good spot with a few well placed boulders to sit and enjoy a cuppa and some cake.

From here the path continues along the heights, passing the trig point which marks the 266m summit of Lewis Hill before then starting to drop back down towards the road. The views across the rolling green and heathery hills, dotted with wind turbines, are splendid.

At the end of the plateau the path drops gently down through the woods with the views dwindling as we headed back into the trees.

The path brought us back out right at the car marking the end of a very pleasant 5km circuit that we had ambled around in a couple of hours.

The South Shiel Ridge

2021-06-18T10:32:00+01:00

An overnight camping trip to the Northwest Highlands taking in all seven Munros of the South Shiel Ridge with a wild camp towards the western end and a return via the Quoich glens south of the ridge

Date: 18 June 2021
Distance: 46.11km
Ascent: 2413m
Time: 31.3hrs
Hills: Creag a' Mhaim (Munro), Druim Shionnach (Munro), Druim Shionnach West Top (Munro Top), Aonach air Chrith (Munro), Maol Chinn-dearg (Munro), Sgurr an Doire Leathain (Munro), Sgurr an Lochain (Munro), Creag nan Damh (Munro)
Weather: Warm, sunny, little wind
Route: View on OS Maps

Back in April 2011 I came to Glen Shiel with an ambitious plan; a full circuit of both the northern and southern ridges starting and finishing at the Cluanie Inn. I set off with high hopes; enjoying a full traverse of the Brothers Ridge before starting on the Five Sisters of Kintail. Here a combination of near-drought conditions, increasing wild fire risk and a very windy night left me dehydrated and exhausted as I completed the Five Sisters and dropped down to reach the road near Shiel Bridge. The thought of another day and night in similar conditions on the South Shiel Ridge did not appeal and so I caught the bus back up to the Cluanie Inn and headed home, vowing to return…

More than ten years later I once again found myself parking up at the Cluanie Inn, this time ready to tackle the South Shiel Ridge. The forecast was excellent for both Friday and Saturday and I’d enjoyed a pretty pleasant drive up the A9 and across to the west via Spean Bridge and Invergarry. Parking east of the Cluanie Inn was in short supply but I managed to squeeze into one last space.

After a croissant and the last of my coffee I shouldered my pack and headed off along the tarmac’d road that leads to Cluanie Lodge and then over the hill towards Loch Loyne. To the south I looked at the long march of the South Shiel Ridge, seven Munros representing one of the highest single day hill hauls outside of somewhere like the Lake District.

The road climbs gently up the hillside, revealing panoramic views over Loch Cluanie and the Munros to the north of the glen. There has been planting going on in this area and the view looks like it should improve greatly over the next decade or two as trees mature and the harsh tide lines of Loch Cluanie are somewhat softened.

As the road turned sharply left and crossed over the Allt Ghubias I stopped to refill my water bottle. Conscious of dehydration on that previous ridge walk, I wanted to refill at every opportunity. I also slathered on some sunscreen as the clear blue sky indicated a long day in the sun. High above me I could see a couple of hillwalkers leaving Creag a' Mhaim at the eastern end of the ridge.

The road wound its way up to the watershed before starting to drop gently down towards Loch Loyne. On my right now were the rocky flanks of Creag a' Mhaimh.

The views were excellent back north and opened up more as I left the road and wound my way up a stony path onto the slopes above. Soon I had a view over Loch Loyne to pointy Beinn Tee and along the hills lining the Great Glen.

It was hot work in the sunshine but the path is excellent with just a couple of rockier sections and a bit of bog. The views developed nicely as I gained height, including over to Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach, the rocky mountains that sit above Loch Quoich. Further off the distinctive whaleback of Ben Nevis could be seen, snow patches picking out its upper slopes.

The path winds its way back and forth across the slope, rising in an easy series of switchbacks with views alternating from the hills beyond Cluanie to the north, to the peaks of the central Highlands further south.

With just a final rise I was soon enough up at the summit of the first Munro. Here there are panoramic views all around. Westward the eye is drawn to the ranks of the South Shiel Ridge. To the north there were clear views of the Cluanie and Affric Munros beyond the calm, reflective surface of Loch Cluanie.

Off to the east the land dropped towards the Great Glen. I stopped for refreshments and to send a quick message home. It was a little before 1pm and an afternoon of fantastic ridge walking now awaited me.

I dropped down easy slopes following the clear path that led onwards to the next Munro, Druim Shionnach with its southern spur cradling a dark lochan. Beyond it across the winding River Loyne there was a grandstand view onto the ridge linking the Loch Quoich Munros which are both wild and rugged on their northern sides.

As the ground rose towards the Munro the broad ridge became narrower and more interesting with some easy scrambling along the crest.

The scrambling was over all too soon and as the flattened summit appeared I picked the clear path back up and wound my way the final few steps up to the summit of Munro two on the ridge. Creag a' Mhaim already looked some distance back behind me and in front I now had a clearer view down the length of the glen towards the Five Sisters. Off to the north the twin peaked top of Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan could be seen with some snow patches clinging to its slopes.

The conditions were just about perfect. There was still a little chill in the breeze but the sunshine was warm and it looked set to be a fair afternoon. I applied some sunscreen and had a bite of lunch, watching as someone appeared on the next Munro to the west.

The ridge now drew me on westward, easy slopes dropping down to a glassy bealach which enjoyed views down to the blue waters of Lochan nan Leac. Ahead of me the next Munro of Aonach air Chrith, with a crenelated summit ridge, could be seen drawing closer beyond the intermediate western top of Druim Shionnach. The eastward heading hillwalker appeared and we stopped for a chat. The upper slopes of Coire an t-Slugain had some interesting rock formations and I spent some time looking back down to the Cluanie Inn and across to Affric.

The path wound gently up to the west top of Druim Shionnach where I met another eastward walker enjoying the weather and the views. After this meeting I deviated briefly from the ridge to pick up some water from a bubbling spring that I could just about make out from further up the slope. On a warm, almost windless day I was glad to take a long cooling drink and refill my water bottle.

After this brief refreshment break I continued on towards Aonach air Chrith. The views from the ridge here started to open up nicely with the hills of Knoydart now starting to come into view beyond Loch Quoich.

As I gained height on the east ridge of Aonach air Chrith its dramatic northern ridge, pinnacled and rocky, was revealed. This looks to be an interesting scramble coming up from west of the Cluanie Inn.

The east ridge presented no difficulties at all and I was soon on the final pull up to the summit. At 1,021m this is the high point of the South Shiel Ridge and has commanding views in all directions.

Eastward I could look back along the fine series of summits I had already traversed. To the south beyond the Loch Quoich Munros I could see the distinctive profile of Ben Nevis. To the north the Brothers and Sisters of Glen Shiel. To the west I could look along the remainder of the South Shiel Ridge with the Cuillin on Skye a dark presence in the background. It was sensational.

I loitered up for here some time, enjoying these serene views, and the fact I had the place to myself. By now it was after 3pm and the light was starting to change as the sun shifted westward. With the good conditions continuing I was keen to make progress along the ridge and so continued on, picking up the west ridge of Aonach air Chrith and heading for the next summit, Maol Chinn-dearg.

The next stretch of ridge is delightful, narrowing to a slender crest high above Glen Quoich. The path drops down a couple of stony scrambles and then hugs the crest of a series of rocky crenellations.

I made good progress and was soon looking back up the slab slopes of Aonach air Chrith, one of the roughest stretches of the entire ridge line.

Beyond this point it became gentler and grassier again and after reaching the next bealach I followed the winding path up the long eastern ridge of Maol Chinn-dearg. More of Loch Quoich had come into view and the Rough Bounds offered tantalising views. Nearer at hand was the Munro of Sgurr a' Mhaoraich which I had been up on a sublime day in late October 2010.

The good path meant that I was soon almost at the summit of Maol Chinn-dearg, pausing for a moment to look back at the rocky spine of Aonach air Chrith behind me.

Another few steps brought me to the lofty summit cairn marking the 981m high Munro. From here the eye was immediately drawn westward along a sinuous stretch of ridge leading to the next top, Sgurr an Doire Leathain. Beyond it the Five Sisters were drawing closer, as well as the hills near Glenelg.

After a 15 minute or so break for refreshments I resumed my steady progress, dropping down the grassy slopes towards the next bealach. I soon met a guy coming east and had a pleasant chat in the late afternoon sunshine.

By the time I was climbing back up beyond the bealach he had made it to the top of Maol Chinn-dearg.

Sgurr an Doire Leathain has a straightforward eastern ridge, with one distinctive buttress on it. Over my shoulder Loch Cluanie was about to disappear beyond the hills. The light was becoming distinctly golden and it was wonderful to be solitudinous in this huge mountain landscape.

There was a remnant snow patch at the headwall just below the summit which I curved around and above to reach the summit itself which is some way to the north of the main line of the ridge. This is probably one of the very few places where you could go wrong on the ridge in poor weather. However, I wasn't having any trouble on that front and from here there were views away to Ben Nevis and off towards the heartland of Knoydart and the western coast.

Suddenly the views west had changed with the pyramid shape of Sgurr an Lochain being revealed in front of the blue waters of Loch Duich.

The summit cairn is somewhat paltry but enjoys fine views from this 1,010m Munro. The late afternoon was growing a little hazy with mountain peaks now standing up against skies that were getting increasingly cloud. Still there was enough sunshine about to pick out the details of the rocks on the ridge stretching back to the east.

Sgurr an Lochain was my final Munro for the day, with my plan being to camp beyond it, leaving the last Munro of Creag nan Damh for the following morning. I was contemplating an out and back to bag a nearby Corbett but would make a final decision on that at the bealach the next day. For now I was content with an easy walk along the ridge between Sgurr an Doire Leathain and Sgurr an Lochain which stood prominently ahead.

I wended my way along the path and was soon climbing up through a series of rising balconies towards the top. Below me the eponymous loch looked quite inviting but I didn't have too much concern about the viability of a summit camp with the current fairly benign conditions.

Sgurr an Doire Leathain looks like a big lump from the west.

In no time at all I was at the summit of Sgurr an Lochain at 1,004m. There were fine views all around from this pronounced summit and I was almost tempted to camp up here.

The views were spectacular, with the peaks of Knoydart now looking close at hand.

Pondering camping options I gave the map another look and used the zoom on my camera to check out a couple of potential options. Ultimately I decided that the summit of the next intermediate top, Sgurr Beag, looked a great option and would have the benefit of not being on the main baggers path just in case there were any late evening or night folk about on the ridge.

With my mind made up I dropped off the top of Sgurr an Lochain and made my way towards the day's final stretch of uphill.

At the bealach I ignored the bagger's path heading off to the left and continued to follow the fence line up Sgurr Beag. The path here was much fainter but the ground was easy going and I was soon enjoying the fine views back to Sgurr an Lochain.

I came across a stone shelter nestled under the summit of the hill before the final pull to the top. The clear skies of earlier had rapidly given way to a roof of cloud, the sun managing to find a last few chinks.

Once on top I did a bit of scouting around to find the best spot for the tent, selecting a nice soft site with good views both east and west. By the time I had the tent up and had gathered water for the evening the sky was almost completely clouded over.

It suddenly felt quite a bit chillier and I was glad to have the shelter of the tent and a hot drink inside me. During the evening the sun would occasionally find a small hole and shine down onto the landscape but these moments were fleeting. At 8pm I tuned into the radio commentary of the Scotland vs England group match taking place in Wembley as part of Euro 2020 (delayed by Covid).

Throughout the evening there was some pleasant light on the hills but nothing spectacular. Late in the evening a head torch appeared to the east and slowly made its way below me, eventually heading up Sgurr an Lochain. I felt pleased about my choice of campsite off the main path.

Just a few days before midsummer it was still late well into the evening but after the football finished it wasn't long before I had my head down for sleep.

Day 2 - 19th June

Dawn came as murky as the previous evening. I'd set the alarm for sunrise, a little after 4am, but on poking my head out of the tent it was apparent there was just going to be a brief glimmer of gold as the low cloud stretched far to the east. I zipped up the tent and went back to sleep, waiting for a slightly more civilised hour to get up.

I slept well for another few hours, eventually emerging to find the expected grey day. I had my usual breakfast of coffee and trail bars whilst staying cosy in my sleeping bag. The cloud was sitting above the summits so there were at least some limited views to enjoy.

I was dithering about what to do on this second day, beyond picking up the final Munro on the ridge which lay just to the west. One option was to do an out and back to the summit of Buidhe Bheinn. This is one of two summits of a similar height separated by a long ridge. I'd previously been up to the northern summit as part of a day that took in the Forcan Ridge, the Saddle and Sgurr na Sgine. Resurveying in 2012 had determined that the southern summit was slightly higher and so was now officially the Corbett summit. However, this ridge is long and arduous going and would add on at least a couple of hours to an already long day. Instead I decided to stick to my original plan of looping back to the car by way of the glens to the south of the Glen Shiel Ridge.

Once everything was packed up and the only sign I'd been there was a small patch of flattened grass, I headed off west, returning to the summit of Sgurr Beag and picking up the path that now descended to the next bealach.

The bealach itself was lumpy and boggy but the path wound its way across and soon I was heading up the far side to the final Munro of the ridge.

There were good views back to Sgurr Beag and down into the glen which I would be tramping through in a couple of hours' time. The silver burn snaking its way down towards the Quoich was very distinctive despite the flat light.

From here I got a view of the long crenelated ridge of Buidhe Bheinn, confirming my plans not to add it on to today's mileage.

The path led me up to the summit of Creag nan Damh where I was now almost in the clouds that were billowing through on a wind that was steadily picking up.

The cairn is a rather half hearted affair but as I sat for a short while the cloud did rise again and I got some views back along the ridge. The sunshine of the previous day seemed a distant memory but I was glad I'd had good conditions for 6 of the 7 Munros!

After a short break I continued on, now aiming for the next bealach and the low point at the western end of the South Shiel Ridge. From there it should be possible to drop down off the ridge and into the glen to the south. Before that though there was a mild bit of scrambly rock to traverse.

It was only a short climb up some greasy rock, but did feel a little out of character for the mostly easy going ridge. From here there were lofty views down to the wide bealach to the south of Buidhe Bheinn. I had come that way in the teeth of a storm a few years previous whilst escaping from Knoydart.

I crested the top of the scramble and now there was a section of stone wall to follow leading me on towards the bealach. The views down Glen Shiel to Loch Duich were excellent.

I was now dropping down to the Bealach duibh Leac and as the cloud cleared in front the hulking shape of the Saddle emerged.

I wasn't sure how distinct the path would be on the south side of the bealach so as I approached the low point I took one last look down into Glen Shiel and then headed down the gentle slopes, thinking I might intersect the path fairly quickly.

Despite the lack of a clear path the descent was easy enough and I lost height at a gentle pace, following the rough line of the path as it appeared on the map. At times there was a clear path but at others it seemed to get lost amongst grass and boulders, only to reappear some way further down.

As I got lower I could see the more distinct vehicle track that comes down from the south side of the upper glen and eventually angled over some boggy ground to reach this.

This look me along the north bank of the burn with Gleouraich seen in the distance. Above me and to the left were the shoulders of the South Shiel Ridge. I was now heading back towards the car, though it was a long way away still.

One thing I hadn't accounted for in coming west was the late running of the TGO Challenge. I had thoroughly expected to have these quiet glens to myself, but coming down the bealach were a couple of people with large backpacks, and there was a small group someway in front of me.

On the clear track I started to make good progress. Around one bend I came across a small herd of Highland Cattle. Most were off to one side or the other, but a handful were on the track itself. There were calves around so slightly warily I picked my way around, giving them a wide berth. All went well and they took very little interest in me.

The track rose gently up and as I'd been on the go for a few hours I decided it was a good time to stop for a brew and a snack. I found a nice rocky perch and set up the stove for a cuppa. I was sitting enjoying tea and some chocolate when I looked back up the glen and suddenly noticed that the whole herd of cattle was now on the move and heading my way. It seemed that the backpackers behind had taken a slightly less subtle approach and had ended up getting all of the cows moving along the track, effectively driving them along in front of them.

I rather rapidly finished my tea and got everything packed up in time to not get trampled, pulling my pack back on and setting a rather hasty pace eastward...

I made some ground quickly, turning back to see that the cattle had reached where I'd stopped for tea and were fanning back out across the hillside. It looked like the backpackers had made it through with a diversion down along the side of the burn. Relieved I moderated my pace and walked on, dropping down the last few kilometres of the West Quoich Glen to reach the lonely farmhouse at Alltbeithe.

I picked my way around the house and outbuildings, getting a brief glimpse down to Loch Quoich and the bridge that carries the narrow road towards Kinlochhourn.

By now the day was improving and there were hints of sunshine and blue sky as the cloud started to break up. The way was now gently uphill, climbing into East Glen Quoich.

Somewhere around here I caught up with the pair ahead of me, who did indeed turn out to be TGO Challengers. We had a good blether before I left them to enjoy their break. I made my way up towards the next watershed with the hills of the South Shiel Ridge continuing to unfold on my left hand side.

Across the watershed and the track continued to be pretty good for the most part, occasionally turning a bit more grassy or boggy, but allowing good progress. The ridges of the north side of Gleouraich and Spider Mialach were very impressive on my right. Soon enough though the far end of the South Sheil Ridge could be glimpsed, along with my route up and over to get back to the car.

The land now started to slope gently down to where the burn, gathering waters and forming the River Loyne, meandered its way into Loch Loyne some way further east. Here the track got a lot more grassy and less well trodden. It made for some very pleasant walking.

Eventually I came to the point where a path branched off uphill, climbing away from the River Loyne and towards the shoulder at the eastern end of the South Shiel Ridge where I had been the previous morning.

The path was a good stalkers' one, and brought me quickly up into Coire Odhar, passing a series of waterfalls before emerging out on the shoulder with views down to Loch Loyne below. The afternoon was advancing now and the light was excellent after the cloud and gloom of the morning. At the high point I paused for a final snack break, fuelling up for the descent down the hard surfaced track to the road.

Shortly after the snack stop I reached the point where I had branched off to ascend to the ridge the previous day. Below me I could see the old road to the isles and I dropped rapidly down to it on the good path.

This just left me with 5 or so km to tramp back downhill to the car. It had been a long, unrelenting day and I was grateful that I hadn't tried tacking on the Corbett too!

Coming around the corner there were some very nice views down to Loch Cluanie with the light much better than the previous day.

My pace got me down fairly rapidly and soon enough I was down in the glen looking west along the line of the ridge which I had now successfully traversed. A couple of ladies who were staying overnight and planning the ridge for the next day quizzed me about how long it would take and whether there was much scrambling. I left them to head to the pub as I reached the car, ready for a quick change of clothes before starting the journey home.

The drive home was fairly long but not unpleasant, including stopping to take in some fabulous light besides Loch Lochy. Eventually I was back home feeling very satisfied with an enjoyable overnighter and 7 new Munro ticks.

The Clachlet Traverse

2020-09-26T08:22:00+01:00

An overnight backpacking trip to complete the classic traverse of the Black Mount hills from Victoria Bridge over to the Glencoe Ski Centre, completing the loop by following the West Highland Way south

Trip Statistics

Date: 26-27th September 2020
Distance: 35.98km
Ascent: 2,126m
Time: 30hrs
Hills: Stob a' Choire Odhair (Munro), Stob Ghabhar (Munro), Clach Leathad (Munro Top), Creise (Munro), Meall a' Bhuiridh (Munro)
Weather: Sunny almost the entire time. A chill northerly wind on Saturday. Calm and warm on Sunday
Route: View on OS Maps

Saturday 26th September

In order to complete my Munros in the area between Etive and Rannoch Moor I’d always planned to do the Clachlet Traverse of the Black Mount hills. Traditionally a route that ran between the Inveroran Hotel and Kingshouse Hotel taking in the four Munro summits of Stob a’ Choire Odhair, Stob Ghabhar, Creise and Meall a’ Bhuiridh, it is now more typically done between the respective car parks at Victoria Bridge and the Glencoe Ski Centre! Often done in a single day as a through walk, I wanted to loop back along the West Highland Way to avoid any public transport shenanigans and thought the route would suit a wild camp, breaking up the walk with an overnight stop somewhere around the summit of Creise, possibly even dropping onto the Corbett Being Mhic Chosgaig to the north.

Previous trips in the same area

One weekend last summer I’d packed my bag for this route but had been put off by forecast galeforce winds. This time the weather forecast was looking too good to miss and so I rolled away from home at 6:15 on a Saturday morning and headed for Victoria Bridge near the Bridge of Orchy. Apart from a couple of slow campervans it wasn’t too bad a drive. The large parking area was almost full (of campervans) but I managed to squeeze the car in besides a massive RV, trying my best not to be too noisy as I did a final gear sort and scoffed down a couple of croissants with some coffee.

The path alongside the Abhainn Shira was as delightful as always and I made quick progress along to the Clashgour Hut where a side path leads up besides the tumbling Allt Toaig.

There were strong hints of autumnal colours in the trees and bracken. Although calm down in the glen, as I steadily gained height a strong northerly wind made its presence felt - cold and fresh! The sunshine made for perfect walking temperatures and I made good progress upwards with Stob Ghabhar and Stob a’ Choire Odhair drawing closer.

There was plenty of evidence of heavy summer rains as I crossed the scoured channel of the Allt Caolain Duibh before taking the side track that leads up to the south ridge of Stob a’ Choire Odhair. This climbs up through a deep and rough channel lower down before becoming better constructed higher up. The views quickly opened out behind me towards the Ben Cruachan range. Off to the left a passing shower darkened the skies but produced a brief rainbow over Stob Ghabhar.

The rain didn’t amount to much and as I emerged onto the broader upper slopes the sun was back out. As the views over to Stob Ghabhar developed behind me I came up to the summit cairn.

A pair of walkers who had departed the car park as I arrived were just leaving, so I had the top of this first Munro to myself. Here the chill northerly wind made its presence felt and after taking a couple of photos at the cairn I found a slightly more sheltered spot to sit and enjoy the views out over the Rannoch Moor. The views over the burnished surface of Loch Tulla to the wall of Rannoch and away across the southern Highlands were excellent.

To the north there was a stubborn band of cloud sitting around the summits of the northern Black Mount hills of Clach Leathad and Meall a' Bhuiridh. The cloud was varying in height though and Bidein nam Bian above Glencoe was completely cloud free. Out of the wind I had a short snack break

I headed off the summit, catching a glimpse of the two in front of me who were now heading for Stob Ghabhar. The lochan in Coirean Lochain was briefly visible as I followed the fairly clear path down the west ridge of the mountain with Ben Cruachan visible in the distance.

The cloud had lifted off the Black Mount hills and from the west ridge there were excellent views across the River Ba. Sunshine was picking out the rocks and buttresses of Stob Ghabhar and it felt very pleasant as I dropped out of the worst of the wind.

The path follows the high ground around the head of Coire Toaig, crossing various lumps and outcroppings before gently rising up to the ridge that leads up towards the Aonach Eagach ridge (not quite as fearsome as its near neighbour in Glencoe). Behind me Stob a' Choire Odhair receded into the distance, strong autumn colours along the ridge picked out by the sunshine.

A good path follows the lower ridge with views down to Coirein Lochain and up to the rugged summit of Stob Ghabhar. Once the boulders are met the path becomes more vague and aware of the two people somewhere above me I picked out my own line upwards. The ascent is stiff but soon over and it was a pleasure to emerge on the grassy slopes just short of where the ridge narrows to the Aonach Eagach.

This spot offered a nice view down the winding line of the Abhain Shira to Loch Tulla with the Bridge of Orchy hills beyond. This also brought me back into the wind and made me a little trepidatious about the ridge ahead. Whilst not knife-edge narrow, it also isn't a place for putting a foot in the wrong place or being knocked unsteady by a gusting wind.

There was a gentle grassy pull up to the point where the ridge proper started. I was soon there, and saw that the two folk in front of me were already well along the ridge and didn't seem to be having any difficulty with the wind.

It is a delightful stretch of ridge walking. You could do most of it with hands in pockets, although for the most part I stuck to the crest, where there were a couple of moments where hands went onto rock to steady myself. It is airy and the views all around were excellent. It is also sadly short-lived and I soon found myself approaching the cairn that marks where the normal route comes up from the glen below.

From here there were expansive views out west towards Ben Cruachan and Ben Starav. Nearer at hand the final slope to the summit of Stob Ghabhar beckoned. Looking back over the line of the Aonach Eagach I could see the hazy peaks of the southern Highlands stretching out beyond the Rannoch Wall.

Drawing my attention away from the views I headed up the final slope to the summit, passing the two walkers as they headed back down off the top. This meant that once again I arrived to an empty summit with panoramic views in all directions. Considering it was around midday on a sunny Saturday in September I was genuinely surprised to find it so quiet.

The chill wind was still around so after a few photos I dropped slightly off the summit and found a comfy spot to sit down for lunch. The views were grand and even the clouds that had stubbornly hung around Ben Nevis were now lifting. One of the most impressive views is over the Coirein Lochain and out past Stob a' Choire Odhair to Rannoch Moor beyond.

A few folk had started arriving as I finished off my lunch so it was good to get packed up and way, dropping northwest of the summit which quickly took me away from people once again. The angled summit slopes quickly give way to a rolling grassy plateau that curves around Coire Lochain. Strangely there was almost no wind here and in the sunshine it felt like strolling along on a summer's day.

Peak upon peak stretched out in front of me with the route of the Clachlet Traverse now obvious as it wound its way round to Clach Leathad. I briefly detoured away from the route to a rocky point overlooking the far side of Coirein Lochain. There were now figures strung out along the length of the Aonach Eagach. Down below the blue-green waters of the lochan in Coirein Lochain were ruffled by the strong winds.

I now rejoined my intended route, dropping down onto the undulating ridge of Aonach Mor, leading roughly north away from Stob Ghabhar. There are deep coires on either side and as I picked my way over the lumps and bumps I caught sight of the small herd of goats that are often found around Stob Ghabhar.

As I headed along the ridge the hills of Glen Etive and Glencoe grew a little closer. To the east the buttressed slopes of Stob Ghabhar and Stob a' Choire Odhair looked very impressive, their northern slopes deep in the shadows.

Part way along the Aonach More a loosely defined ridge drops eastward down to the Bealach Fuar-chathaid which provides the link onto Clach Leathad and the northern part of the Black Mount. As I looked over the bealach I could see four tiny figures leave the summit of Clach Leathad and head in my direction.

The ridge was a little steeper than it first appeared, especially in the lower section where it was either a steep grassy gully or a more rocky series of drops. I ended up between the two and was glad to reach the bealach itself. This has a rocky dome in the middle which I skirted around to the north, pausing briefly for an afternoon snack break with views along to Glen Etive.

Through a gap in the hills the dark profile of Buchaille Etive Mor was visible with the Crowberry Tower a distinct feature.

Once across the bealach the equally steep slope up Clach Leathad had to be tackled. There are a number of crags on this hillside but a good look upwards confirmed a line of weakness. There was a faint path lower down but it was quickly lost to a wet and rocky hillside. I just picked the best line up and made reasonable progress. I met the two pairs of walkers coming down and had a good chat about the superb weather conditions and our respective plans.

The steep slope eventually relented and I emerged onto the broad ridge which runs northwest up to the bouldery summit slopes. The quality of light made the day feel like it was far advanced, though in reality it was still mid-afternoon. I enjoyed the views north towards Glencoe and the nearby slopes of Creise. Stob Ghabhar now looked a long way off to the southwest.

There was a false summit and then a further sweep of boulders and windblown grass to cross before I finally reached the large cairn and wind shelter on the summit of Clach Leathad. Suddenly I was looking out over the yawning coire to monolithic Meall a' Bhuiridh beyond.

From here there was a grand view along the sweeping ridge leading to Creise, the actual Munro summit, still some way off. I could also see down to the Kingshouse Hotel far below, and follow the line of the A82, busy with traffic, out over Rannoch Moor. Surprisingly I once again had a summit to myself so I sat down for a snack break in the shelter of the substantial cairn.

The afternoon vistas were grand and I was feeling optimistic about a summit camp, despite the wind. Looking out over the southern slopes of Creise it looked like there might be a suitable area at the head of the ridge that led down to the Corbett of Beinn Mhic Chosgaig. As I was contemplating the views there was suddenly music in the air and a man with a speaker (and a dog) came up to the summit. I had to regretfully inform him that this wasn't the Munro summit (it's just a metre short of Creise!)

I once again shouldered my bag and headed off now almost due north, following a clear trail that followed the edge of the cliffs with grand views across the coire containing Loch an Easain.

At the midpoint of the ridge, a subsidiary ridge drops down to the east leading straight to Meall a' Bhuiridh and my eventual onward route. Creise now stood close by and finally it got a bit busier with a few groups making their way off the summit. As the angle changes Meall a' Chuiridh appeared more pyramid-like, whilst off to the west the Glen Etive peaks were fading slightly into the warm haze that had developed.

In short order I was stood at the summit cairn of Creise, my third Munro of the day. It was about 3:30pm and so had taken me about 7 hours to get here.

Knowing that I was very likely going to be back here, possibly the next morning, I soon got out of the wind and dropped down to find a comfortable spot to sit and enjoy the views. There were a couple of people near the cairn but it seemed that in general most people were now heading back down. From this vantage point the long ridgeback of Buchaille Etive Mor and the deep trench of Glen Etive were dominant features and the lengthening shadows picked out their features beautifully.

I dropped down off the summit to get a clear view of the Buchaille with Ben Nevis beyond it. The light was hazy and magical. Stob Ghabhar was a distant bump at the centre of radiating ridges.

After half an hour of lazying in the sun and enjoying the views it was time to make a decision. I was fairly committed to the idea of heading to the Corbett with the notion that I would likely find a suitable camping spot on the way, and if not, that the Corbett summit offered what looked to be flattish ground with potential water sources nearby. Hunkered down behind Creise it would hopefully be sheltered from the worst of the wind.

After packing up and heading back to the summit I noticed there was another cairn just a little further north which might offer good views onto the Buchaille, so I headed there first. This was when, just a few steps below the summit, I came upon an absolutely perfect area for camping - a small balcony just off the summit with flat, springy turf and sheltered from the wind coming in from the northeast. Even though I still had 3 hours of daylight I quickly decided this was where I would be stopping for the night.

The views from the north top were excellent and after enjoying them I dropped down to my camping area and soon found the perfect spot for the tent with a grand view over Glen Etive and the Buchaille. I soon had the tent up and was able to enjoy a very relaxed afternoon. I did briefly contemplate heading over to the Corbett, or even dropping down and bagging the very northern top of Creise, but once I was relaxed in the sunshine these ideas quickly dispersed.

I spent the next few hours wandering around my wonderful camp site, occasionally popping up to the summit to see how the changing light was affecting the views. I also had some hot food and found a good spot to indulge in a bit of reading whilst looking out over Glen Etive below me where there was still a lot of vehicular activity as Saturday afternoon drew to a close

By around 6pm the light had changed dramatically with the landscape turning coppery in the evening sun. The nose of the Buchaille was now deep in shadow.

I took another walk up to the summit of Creise. The hills were empty by this point, summit after summit fading off into the haze. The wind was still bitterly cold and blowing strongly. Over at the north top there was stunning light now catching just the very top of Meall a' Bhuiridh.

The Moon had risen over the Bridge of Orchy hills which were now glowing with a soft reddish light that spilled out over Rannoch Moor.

The sun dropped ever lower into the west, eventually sinking into a hazy layer of cloud that sadly robbed it of a final show. Gloaming spread across the mountains almost as soon as the sun disappeared.

It cooled quickly after sunset and so I retired to the tent to enjoy a hot dinner and listen to a podcast or two cosied up in my sleeping bag. When I later went outside to brush my teeth the stars were out though it had remained a hazy evening. Mars burned red over Rannoch Moor and Jupiter and Saturn shone brightly in the south.

Sunday 27th September

I went back to the tent and headed to sleep, not waking up again until around 3am when it had grown noticeably colder. Looking outside, the haze had disappeared completely and the sky shone with stars. Orion had now risen over the ridge to the southeast and in the west the Milky Way could easily be seen.

I put on an extra insulating layer and zipped up my sleeping bag against the chill, soon drifting back off to sleep. I next awoke with the faint light of pre-dawn filtering into the tent. Orion could be seen over Creise with Venus shining like a spotlight in the south.

After dozing for a while longer I finally got out of the tent about 15 minutes before sunrise. The views were beautiful with a very light mist filling all the glens and straths around, the mountain tops rising clear above it all. The water on Rannoch Moor was picked out under the rapidly lightening sky.

I headed up to the summit of Creise, soon spotting a fellow pair of early risers on the neighbouring summit of Meall a' Bhuiridh. There was barely any remnant of the strong, cold wind that had been blowing the previous evening and so I was able to stand comfortably at the summit cairn waiting for the sun to make an appearance.

At around 07:11 the sun crested the Lawers Range far off in Perthshire. It was a magical moment. The light quickly spread, lighting up the curving ridge of Creise and the higher summits to my north.

My intention at this point was to head back to bed and get another hour or so of sleep, but the early light was intoxicating and I ended up staying outside and watching as everything gradually lit up. It was particularly apparent as the sun increasingly illuminated the rocks of the Buchaille.

The light spilled over a misty Rannoch Moor, the haze lifting and catching the rays of the sun. Countless ridges and summits were picked up as the angle of the sun changed over the next half hour or so.

Eventually I tore myself from the show long enough to sit down at the tent and warm up with a hot breakfast. It was a pleasure after the cold night to feel the sun hit the tent and start to slowly warm it up. I lay back in my sleeping bag and dozed for about a half hour or so.

When I emerged again it was to find a perfect Highland morning. Light cloud had built up slightly but it was still bright and sunny with barely a breath of wind. I still had a fair bit of ground to cover and so I slowly got everything packed away, happy to be taking down a dry and well-aired tent. I left behind nothing more than a faint impression in the grass - it had been the perfect campsite.

I took a final walk up to the summit of Creise, enjoying the perfect solitude at this early hour on a Sunday morning. I thought the folk on Meall a' Bhuiridh at dawn might have come over here but never saw any sign of them.

I headed south, following the rough trail towards the middle top of the ridge where I would descend towards Meall a' Bhuiridh. As I was walking the quiet morning was punctuated by the thwump of distant rotor blades. I watched as a coastguard rescue helicopter flew low down Glen Etive, disappearing around the corner past the Buchaille.

From the top of the ridge I took one last look at the panorama of hills. In the far distance across Rannoch Moor I could clearly identify the Glen Roy hills I had been on the previous month, with Ben Alder also close by. A few puddles of water gathered in the hollows of rocks were frozen solid, showing it had been an icy night up here.

I dropped down from the plateau onto the ridge. It's steepest at the top and there were a couple of scrabbly steps to negotiate but otherwise the descent presented very little difficulty. The views quickly opened out over Coire an Easain where two or three stags could be heard bellowing, their calls echoing off the steep cliffs on either side.

I made quick progress down to the low point where the Kingshouse could be seen down by the main road, and Meall a' Bhuiridh dominated the view ahead. Behind me the rough ridge could be better appreciated as it climbed back up to Creise.

I regained height quickly. The ridge was again fairly straightforward with a clear path to follow over some rocky ground. At a couple of points there were opportunities for some very mild scrambling. I finally met people coming over towards Creise.

The views opened back out over Rannoch Moor and towards the Bridge of Orchy as I neared the summit. Loch Tulla could be seen, utterly still. I could see the line of the West Highland Way crossing the open terrain on the edge of the moor - I would soon be down there.

I soon emerged onto the rough summit area marked by a small cairn. This marked the final summit of the Clachlet Traverse. The views stretched out across Rannoch Moor.

I had the summit to myself for a few minutes before the strange sight of three people in orange high-vis clothing appeared. It turned out they were Network Rail technicians up here to work on the radio signalling equipment that lives on top of the mountain. A subsequent tweet from Network Rail itself revealed their purpose in more detail.

Other people eventually reached the summit and after a couple of pleasant conversations I decided it was time to head off. The upper part of the mountain is rocky, but a clear track zig zags down on the western side, far away from the ski paraphernalia. A mountain rescue person, evidently out for some exercise, passed me as we descended.

There were good views as I descended but all too soon I came to the top of the main part of the ski centre. Here I lost the path, and not having done any research, decided the best thing would be to follow one of the vehicle tracks down to the main buildings below.

I wound past various buildings and then down the length of a chairlift that was still under construction. I came down to the big building which turned out to be at the top of the main chairlift coming up from the car park. It was very popular with mountain bikers who were coming up in droves, grabbing their bikes and heading back down the mountain. According to the map there was a path that would cut off a corner over to the WHW but now on the ground it seemed that at least the first part of this was being used by bikes going quite quickly. I decided instead to follow the footpath down to the car park and pick up the WHW from there.

The footpath was fairly busy, though less so than the chairlift, and although boggy in places, provided a reasonably quick descent down the last slope. I trooped through the car park and was very glad to pick up a linking path that soon took me to the WHW as it came up from the direction of the Kingshouse Hotel.

Away from the hustle and bustle I found it relatively quiet on the WHW, though it was slightly irksome to have to immediately regain height. The benefit of this were the excellent views behind me into Glencoe, a view so familiar from the road.

The light was fairly hazy now but there were still good views across the Moor. This is one of the highlights of the WHW and I now was able to amble along at a comfortable pace, enjoying the sights of Rannoch Moor from this different and more elevated vantage point.

As I rounded the corner at the top of the hill to start my descent towards the River Ba and the looming Black Mount hills I met one of the couples I had spoken to on the Clachlet Traverse the previous day. After confirming I had had an excellent overnight camp they happily told me it was all downhill for me from here...

The Way is pretty hard going on the feet, being a mixture of vehicle track and embedded rock, but it did make for fast progress. I passed walkers every few minutes but it wasn't really that busy for a sunny Sunday afternoon. The Black Mount hills grew closer and it was fun to follow the line of summits I had traversed heading north. The east ridge of Meall a' Bhuiridh looked fine and would have offered a good shortcut, avoiding most of the ski centre woes.

I passed the ruin of the Ba Cottage and then reached the River Ba where I turned aside briefly to have a lunch stop whilst my feet cooled off in the water. It was exceedingly pleasant in the warm sunshine.

From here it was then a final up and over the last hill, with the hills beyond Loch Tulla growing ever closer. Behind me I had a last view of the Black Mount hills with Creise and Meall a' Bhuiridh both disappearing.

There was then a final descent along the edge of the plantation which led to a short stretch amongst brighter, more native woodland, with evidence of autumn appearing.

Before I knew it though I was at Forest Lodge, crossing Victoria Bridge and looking west to Stob Ghabhar and the views I had enjoyed the previous morning. The light was very different now and my feet were sore from the WHW so it felt good to roll up at the car, the full Clachlet Loop complete.

The drive back home was fairly boring, stuck in a long line of cars heading from Glencoe back towards the central belt. I did get home in time to enjoy a glass of fizz in the sunshine to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary!

The Hills East of Glen Roy

2020-08-29T10:40:00+01:00

An overnight backpacking trip taking in a Corbett and three Munros to the east of Glen Roy in the West Highlands. An overnight camp below the summit of Creag Meagaidh was followed by a return along the Burn of Agie.

Date: 29-30th August 2020
Distance: 36.72km
Ascent: 2084m
Time: 26.8hrs
Hills: Carn Dearg (Corbett), Beinn Teallach (Munro), Beinn a' Chaorainn North Top (Munro Top), Beinn a' Chaorainn (Munro), Beinn a' Chaorainn South Top (Munro Top), Creag Meagaidh (Munro)
Weather: Sunshine and showers with a persistent and cold northerly wind
Route: View on OS Maps

Saturday 29th August

In these strange Covid times seemingly the most important part of planning a hill walk is identifying a starting point where you won't be fighting for the last parking spot. Given that Glen Roy is typically used to access a handful of Corbetts, I decided it would be a good place to park up and then walk over to a couple of nearby Munros that were still on my target list, Beinn Teallach and Beinn a' Chaorainn, that are usually accessed from near Roughburn on the A85.

Back in October 2010 I did the Creag Megaidh three via the standard route from Aberader on the shore of Loch Laggan, but I was keen to get back and figured a summit camp would extend the route nicely into a worthwhile overnight trip.

Coming from this direction did mean some extra driving was required, but the opportunity to see Glen Roy and the famous "Parallel Roads" was enough to see me driving past Laggan and down to Roybridge where a single track road climbs up through wooded hills and then winds through this stunning, remote glen.

It was a mostly pleasant journey despite roadworks on the A9 upgrade near Perth and the first time I had come this particular way since moving to the central belt. My plan had worked out and I found a very empty parking area to pull up in just downstream of Braeroy Lodge. There was work ongoing closer to the lodge to install a mobile phone mast.

As a side note: Glen Roy is famous for the "parallel roads, a series of terraces carved into the sides of the glen which formed as a vast lake drained away to different levels as the glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age. They are very obvious all the way along the glen and there is a car park much closer to Roybridge from where you can admire this strange post-glacial landscape.

After a short gear faff I was away, leaving the car in the care of a few sheep that were munching amongst the bracken by the river. I crossed the Roy River via the sturdy footbridge just short of Braeroy Lodge and started working my way uphill. I was aiming to pick up a slanting ridge that rose towards the summit of Carn Bhrunachain.

The ground was steep but presented no technical difficulties. I crossed the two major parallel roads and soon the views were opening up down the glen below me. The slanted ridge was also steep but gave me a rapid gain in height. I came across smatterings of blaeberries that the deer had missed and munched on these as I climbed. Down in the glen I watched a couple of pairs of cyclists head along the road towards Braeroy Lodge.

As I got towards the top of the slope the views to the south opened up with the Grey Corries rising up beyond the hills of lower Glen Roy. In the distance further west the bulk of the Aonachs was hidden by dark clouds.

Finally the slope relented and I picked my way up to the summit of Carn Bhrunachain. Strangely, anticipating being alone until I reached the Munros, I could see a couple of figures silhouetted on the summit of the nearby Corbett of Carn Dearg, which was my next target. Though the weather had been very pleasant up until now, the views north revealed that there were a few showers moving through on the cool northerly wind. Up on the tops it certainly didn't feel like the end of August.

I crossed the open ground and then worked my way up the final slopes of Carn Dearg, emerging onto the ridge just south of the summit and making my way up to the cairn. The two people had taken a more direct line off the summit so I could now see them heading to the hill I had just left. At this point the weather was pretty good with decent views south to the Grey Corries. The Aonachs were under a blanket of cloud, as was Creag Meagaidh off to my east, the Window a distinctive notch in the hills. Beinn Teallach, the neighbouring Munro looked very diminutive.

I also had my first view of the two Munros, Beinn Teallach and Beinn a' Chaorainn, that were my primary objectives for this trip. They stood above Loch Sguadaig and a wide area of boggy, wild ground that didn't look like it saw many people.

As I watched, the previously pleasant day quickly worsened with a squally shower blowing in. Thankfully it was quickly followed by sunshine and I watched as the light rapidly changed.

After a short snack break I made my way off Carn Dearg, angling northeast and dropping down easy slopes towards the ground near Loch Sgurdaig. There was one short steep section down a greasy bank, but otherwise it was easy going on grass and tussock. The sun by now was shining again and down in the glen it was much warmer. I shed a layer or two before continuing on.

The ground around the loch was boggy and there was a certain amount of bog hopping and peat wading as I made my way towards the green banks of a stream coming down from the western end of Beinn Teallach.

Following the stream led me up onto a loosely defined ridge that climbed steeply up this northwestern shoulder of Beinn Teallach. It was steep but grassy with sheep dotted about further above the slope and a few more blaeberries to snack on. The clouds rolled back in as I reached the top.

From here I had my first view down Loch Treig and saw that more showers were rolling through, both to my north and south. The weather forecast had said these should all have died out by now but it seemed they were around to stay. I now followed the higher ground as it swung in a big arc around towards the summit of Beinn Teallach at the eastern end of the mountain.

It was quite rocky and there was no particularly direct route, but I made steady progress towards the summit, looping around high above Loch Sgaudaig and the distant hills marking the Burn of Agie that I would follow back the next day.

Just before the final climb I found a good spot out of the wind and stopped for a lunch break with views towards Loch Treig. The clouds continued to build and it felt much cooler when I finally headed up to the cairn.

There are two cairns on two separate summits separate by a narrow gully. I visited both, although unfortunately now the weather had closed in around me and I was in an unpleasant cloud. Despite hanging around, getting colder and colder, it never really brightened again and eventually I decided it was time to be moving on.

Now being on the bagger's route there was a clear path heading down the northeast ridge of Beinn Teallach. Beinn a' Chaorainn could be glimpsed across the narrow glen separating the two hills, its upper slopes disappearing into the clag.

As I descended there was a brief clearing in the weather and I had a sweeping view northward where a rainbow was tracking along the line of the Roy River.

Eventually though this shower made its way to where I was and resulted in the longest and most drenching downpour of the afternoon. I lost the path on the lower, wet slopes and cut directly down the final slopes of Tom Mor and then across the boggy bealach to reach the slopes of Beinn a' Chaorainn.

With the rain driving into me from the north, I put on my waterproof and plodded upwards, hoping the shower wouldn't last for too long.

The steep section of climbing to gain the broad ridge was soon over and with it came an improvement in the weather. The surrounding hills were once again revealed and I was able to peel the waterproofs back off. The plateau was grassy and easy underfoot as I turned south towards the first top on the Beinn a' Chaorainn plateau. There were more showers in the north but it looked like I would enjoy at least twenty or so minutes of sunshine before the next band arrived!

With Creag Meagaidh now looking much closer to hand I finally got up to the North Top of Beinn a' Chaorainn just as the next band of weather arrived. Visibility plummeted to just a short distance in front of me as I arrived at the cairn. The gloomy crags marking the actual Munro summit could just be seen through the clag.

It is a fine ridge which curves around part of the eastern lip of the massive Coire na h-Uamha. This would be a spectacular section of walking on a better day. I was soon climbing up to the summit cairn marking the 1,052m Munro. It was cold and damp and I found a sheltered spot to have a sit and see if conditions would improve at all.

I left my bag at the summit and briefly headed over to the south top. Again, there were glimpses of views over Fersit towards Loch Treig, with some heavy showers coming down towards Laggan.

After it became clear that the views weren't going to improve any time soon I returned to the main summit for a quick snack break and then headed back to the north top, this time continuing onto the east ridge and heading towards Creag Meagaidh. There was something of a path and the ridge was gently angled making for some good walking despite the weather conditions. There were good views back across Coire na h-Uamha to the craggy heights of Beinn a' Chaorainn, impressive even through the murk.

After crossing the Bealach a' Bharnish I started up the long western shoulder of Creag Meagaidh. There was a line of fence posts paralleled by a clear track. As I climbed the clouds parted a little and it was brighter for a while as I gained height. Behind me I had a good view of Beinn a' Chaorainn and to the northwest I could see distant peaks arrayed under a band of clouds. There were still a number of showers around and it didn't look promising for a clear summit camp.

Following the fence I gained height steadily until I was looking over the yawning Coire nan Laogh towards the ripples on the Creag Meagaidh plateau. I was hopefully of getting some views from the top but as I joined the final slope the cloud once again started moving in.

I arrived at the summit just before 6pm. The hills were quiet with just the sound of the wind whistling up and over the crags.There was a promise of some nice light in the northwest so I found a bit of shelter to see whether it would turn into anything.

There was some nice light at times but gradually more cloud swept in and the distant views were lost. Keen now to get the tent up I did a quick perusal of the map and the terrain below me. I wanted to drop down off the summit to get some shelter from the wind and though my initial plan had been to camp above one of the great eastern coires, I now decided to try an area just below the summit which had the advantage of being much closer and sheltered.

I dropped down off the summit and soon came to a promising looking area. There was a small area of flattish land just before it dropped down into a rocky bowl below the summit. Here I found a good spot for the tent - it wasn't perfectly level but I thought it would do the job. Despite not having wild camped for more than four years I got the tent up without much trouble and soon had everything unpacked. It seemed like there might be some nice light in the evening so I filled up my water bottle from a nearby trickle and settled in to get some hot food. It really didn't feel like August in the hills as I pulled on hat and glove and every layer of insulation I had brought with me.

As dusk approached there was some nice light over the Beinn Eibhinn range towards Ben Alder, but it was relatively fleeting and as night fell a light rain started falling. I retired to my sleeping bag to enjoy a podcast episode or two before drifting off to sleep.

Sunday 30th August

I awoke to cloying mist shrouding the world around me. There were no views and so I had a lazy breakfast, staying in my warm sleeping bag for as long as possible.

After packing everything up and making sure I left nothing except a patch of flattened grass, I headed briefly back up to the summit which remained firmly in the clag. From here I headed east along the plateau, pausing briefly at Mad Meg's cairn and then dropping down to the bealach above the Window.

A group of people were just packing up their tent as I passed them by and struck out over the pathless terrain leading away west from the Window. I skirted along the shore of Lochan Uaine and the series of small tributary lochans that eventually flow out as the Uishe nam Fichead. This would serve me as a handrail all the way back to Glen Roy, though it was a fair distance away, 7 or 8km, with some twists and turns along the way.

The lochans were very atmospheric with the northern cliffs of Creag Meagaidh rising up into the mist beyond them. As I wandered along a steady rain started to fall.

For the first 3km there is no path marked on the OS map. On the ground there were occasional faint hints of a path but it was probably more deer than human made. Thankfully though the terrain on the north bank of the river proved fairly firm and a mixture of heather and tussock. Occasionally there was a side stream to negotiate but none of these proved much hassle.

In the low cloud and rain the views weren't particularly special but it was a privilege to walk through this quiet landscape, not a sign of humans in any direction. Eventually I got down to where the burn that drains out of the Coire Buidhe on the north side of Beinn a' Chaorainn joins the Uisge nam Fichead. Here there were some swarths of grass beside the river which would make for a pleasant campsite. Beyond this, at least according to the map, a path should begin. Unfortunately there was a reasonably sizeable landslip at the far end of this area which I got around by following the bank immediately above the water. Beyond this I finally picked up the path,

The path wasn't always the clearest and occasionally got lost in the bog but mostly helped me to follow the Uisge nam Fichead. The rain had petered out and it was a little brighter as I approached Crag Tharsuinn and the drop down towards the Burn of Agie which promised an interesting series of cascades. Behind me only the feet of Creag Meagaidh could be seen, receding into the distance.

I soon came to the first of these falls as the river dropped through a series of rocky bands. The path wound its way along the north bank and I kept leaving it to see the waterfalls. There was quite a range, with pools and rapids leading one into the next as I lost height. I was also cheered to see a few breaks in the cloud and the sun finally making an appearance.

Further down, after seeing a rainbow, the sun truly came out and the day warmed up rapidly. I took a couple of layers off by the falls before continuing down, soon finding a narrow footbridge that would take me over to the south bank just as the gorge ended and the river widened once again.

The path was very boggy beyond the bridge and so it was good to get back down to the river side as it curved around towards Glen Roy. As it was almost lunchtime I decided to stop here in the sunshine for lunch. It was exceedingly pleasant, to the point where the midges eventually found me.

After lunch it was clear that the good weather was only going to be brief. I picked up the path which now started to climb up to the final shoulder separating me from Glen Roy. Behind me a shower was rushing down from the high ground and caught me as I crested the path. I stopped to put on waterproofs and then continued, now dropping down on an excellent path into Glen Roy.

There were a couple of zig-zags and then I was crossing boggy ground to reach the small cottage at Annat. Here a vehicle track was picked up which took me down to the Roy River. The parallel roads were immediately obvious on the surrounding hillsides which were now bright in the returning sunshine.

There wasn't much further to go now and it was a simple case of following the track through Glen Roy. I crossed the river on a sturdy bridge just before Braeroy Lodge where a couple were enjoying a snack break. I made my way along to the Turret Bridge which was framed nicely by purple heather.

I followed the track past Braeroy Lodge which was simultaneously both very quiet and seemed a hive of activity with some generators droning away in outbuildings and a couple of vehicles moving around. Once past the trees I came out at the mast construction site where people were camped by the river and eventually reached the car to finish a very satisfying loop, despite the vagaries of the late August weather.

I had a break at the car before starting the long drive back. On the way out of the glen I stopped at the viewpoint to take in the scenic views of the parallel roads. Then it was just a case of the long drive road which passed quickly as I listened to almost the entire second series of 13 Minutes to the Moon, a highly recommended podcast from the BBC World Service concerning the dramatic story of Apollo 13.

The South Glen Lochay Hills

2020-07-18T09:26:00+01:00

The two Munros and a Corbett on the south side of Glen Lochay completed as a circuit from near Kennock Farm on a day of sunshine and showers

Date: 18 July 2020
Distance: 26.42km
Ascent: 1560m
Time: 7.9hrs
Hills: Meall a' Churain (Munro Top), Sgiath Chuil (Munro), Beinn Cheathaich (Munro Top), Meall Glas (Munro), Beinn nan Imirean (Corbett)
Weather: Cold for July with a persistent westerly wind and showers on and off all day
Route: View on OS Maps

Back in March 2014 on a stormy weekend my friend Rich and I were defeated on an attempt to backpack around the Glen Lochay hills. After a tough slog up to the 900m point, white-out conditions on the final rocky ridge to the first Munro of Sgiath Chuil caused us to reconsider our options. We opted to retreat and descend from the bealach, seeking shelter in the glen. The strong wind never really dropped and after a very blustery night we walked back out to the car without having achieved our objectives.

In May 2015 I climbed Creag Mhor and Beinn Heasgarnich on the north side of Glen Lochay. Ben Challum had been combined with a neighbouring Corbett from Glen Dochart back in 2012. In terms of Munros this just left Sgiath Chuil and Meall Glas on the south side of the glen. Accessible from either Lochay or Glen Dochart to the south I chose the former approach based on it being the weekend and the thought that the road through Glen Dochart was probably likely to be busier in these strange post-Covid times.

Glen Lochay was busy lower down with mild campers camped by their cars along the river. The parking area short of Kenknock was also busy at 10am but I managed to squeeze the car into a final space. The weather had been sunny through Stirling, Doune and Callander but had clouded over coming through Lochearnhead and Killin. The forecast was for a few showers but improving by lunchtime so I wasn’t too concerned...

I trundled down the road to the farm at Kenknock and took a left turn at the crossroads before the large hydro pipe to follow the zig-zag hydro road up the hillside. There was a gate and a stile (with dog gate) to negotiate and I caught a glimpse of deer in the woods. The views down Glen Lochay opened up with the distant hills shrouded in showers. Below me at the farm hundreds of sheep were being herded and it was fascinating to watch the ebb and flow of them as the dog got them all sorted out.

At the top of the road another stile (also with dog gate) took me onto the open hillside. I followed the burn, a faint path coming and going before crossing the river and making for the higher, drier ground as directly as I could. At this point the showers visible in the west found me and turned into fifteen minutes or so of cold rain blown horizontally by a strong wind. It wasn’t particularly pleasant and at this point I was all for getting to the first summit and then returning home! It certainly didn't feel like mid-July.

Thankfully the rain petered out and in the wind and occasional sun I soon dried out again. The hills north of the glen were capped with cloud but conditions were improving on the hills closer to me which was encouraging. The ridge was straightforward, with just a couple of steep grassy sections. I have been running and cycling throughout lockdown and my hill fitness seemed pretty good.

When I emerged at the summit of Meall a’ Churain, the 917m high Munro Top south of Sgiath Chuil, it was surprising how little time it had taken (about an hour from the top of the hydro pipe). Arriving here also coincided with a general improvement in the weather and it was quite sunny as I headed along the final broad ridge to the Munro summit, just 4m higher at 921m.

As I neared the Munro summit I could look back to the northeast and see the rocky ridge that Rich and I had been climbing in the whiteout. I think it was the right choice to turn back.

The wind was very strong on the summit and after taking some photos at the cairn I found a sheltered spot to have a quick snack. A couple of folk were coming up the final slopes from the Glen Dochart side. For ten or so minutes it was a little brighter and there were patchy blue skies off to the east over Meall Geordaidh and the Lawers Range.

The promising weather didn't hold and as I popped back up to the summit I could see more dark bands of showers blowing in from the west beyond Crianlarich.

The descent and re-ascent to reach the second Munro is notorious in bagging circles for both its steepness and total loss of height. From 921m you lose 300m down to the bealach below, all of which then has to be regained. I tried my best to find a reasonable way down, angling southwest on a loosely defined ridge. Just above some crags I picked up a quite well defined deer trod but sadly this led me to some very steep and unpleasant ground. Once down this though the slope started to ease and I made it to the bealach in one piece.

I’d studied the other side carefully as I descended and identified a promising route up to join the ridge to the north of Beinn Cheathaich, a Munro top at 937m high. By now another shower had passed through and blue sky once again appeared to the west. Now Sgiath Chuil had cloud curling around its summit.

The slopes of Beinn Cheathaich are rough but presented no technical difficulties. Only the very final pull up to the ridgeline was steep but it was soon over and the views opened back out. I could see down to the farm at Kenknock in Glen Lochay with Meall Geordaidh climbing behind it. The hills of Mamlorn were now clear of the earlier cloud.

The weather seemed much more cheerful at this point with the sun shining on me as I followed the broad ridge up to the summit of this Munro Top. It offers excellent views back across the low bealach to Sgiath Chuil and around a pleasing sweep of wide ridge to the Munro of Meall Glas. A couple of people could be seen but overall these hills seem fairly quiet and mostly overlooked.

With the clouds now breaking and sunshine streaming down I was hopeful that this was the promised improvement in the weather. I now had excellent views of all the hills surrounding Glen Lochay, from Ben Challum in the west to Beinn Hearsgarnich to the north.

The route from here followed a grassy ridge over a spot height at 908m and then up to the Munro summit of Meall Glas.

I descended the grassy slopes and made my way up to the spot height. The path bypasses this flat summit but it wasn't much of a diversion to reach it and there were some good views to the Crianlarich hills which were emerging as the showers moved away.

After this I rejoined the main path and headed up to Meal Glas. A couple passed me on their way back down and we briefly said hello. Unfortunately the weather closed in again and I found myself back in misty, rainy conditions as I made my way up to the Munro summit.

It was fairly dismal at the top, with the surrounding hills now hidden from view behind sweeping veils of cloud and rain. I stood at the top for a short time before hunkering down for a snack break. I spent a little bit of time pondering my route back to the car. The Corbett of Beinn nam Imrein was just to the west and didn't look too much further, and from the foot of its north ridge I would pick up a good track back down into Glen Lochay.

The weather didn't really improve and despite it being summer I was getting colder sitting around so I decided to make a move, leaving the summit and heading down the slopes of Meall Glas. Initially this took me back eastward to avoid some crags but once down the initial steepness I turned southwest and followed grassy slopes down towards the boggy looking land at the head of the Allt Glas.

On the way down it started to brighten up a little and I came across a delightful little tumbling waterfall.

The ground at the bottom proved less boggy than I feared and I was able to cut straight across to the broad southeastern ridge of Beinn nan Imirean. The initial climb was up grassy slopes which brought me to a shelf containing a wind blown lochan with views over to Ben More and its neighbours. The light was now improving to the west although there was definitely still a threat of showers. Behind me Meall Glas was revealed as a great dome of a hill, with the more elegantly shaped Sgiath Chuil beyond it.

It was now just a short way up to the summit of the Corbett. I arrived just as more showers were appearing over the Mamlorns. There was a good rock to shelter behind though and as it was still mid-afternoon I decided I could wait to see whether any better light blew in. This is a good location for views, with Ben Challum now very close in the west, and good views back over the other Glen Lochay hills I had traversed.

More showers blew in so I hunkered down, enjoying the last of my snacks. When it cleared up again there was some good light over the hills to the south and east.

The skies almost started to look summery at this point with fluffy white clouds in a blue sky. They provided a nice backdrop to the hills of Mamlorn. Over on Meall Glas I watched the last pair of walkers leave the summit and head back down towards Glen Dochard.

As time was advancing I finally got my things together and headed off. The good weather stuck with me briefly as I started the descent, now following the easy angled north ridge leading me down towards Glen Lochay.

As the slope reached a steep end I turned east into the side glen below Meall Glas. Heavy showers were once again sweeping over Mamlorn. I crossed over a small burn and then an area of tussock and bog to reach the top of the vehicle track marked on the OS 50k map. A huge herd of deer were grazing the slopes further east but didn't seem particularly perturbed by my presence.

It was now a simple case of following the track down to the River Lochay itself. There were good views to some waterfalls as the burn came tumbling down just to the west of the track. As I dropped into the glen the sun came out once again.

It was easy to ford the river at this point and soon I was on the main track through Glen Lochay that would eventually lead me back to the car.

Although the track through Glen Lochay is long, it is easy going and I started covering the distance quickly, especially as the conditions were good with the wind to my back. Ben Challum was picked out by the early evening sunshine and looked very dramatic as I got further down the glen.

I thought I was going to get back in the dry when suddenly the sky behind me darkened and yet another shower swept down the glen. I paused to don waterproofs before continuing the walk. Thankfully it petered out fairly quickly and I was soon looking up the long ridge to Sgiath Chuil where the walk had started a few hours previous.

I was now winding my way between sheep fields and then reached the crossroads and the short stretch of tarmac back to the car. It was a little after 6pm and I was the last car left in the parking area. I didn't hang around though as, in the shelter of the trees near the river, the midges soon found me.

Driving out was fine until I got to within a couple of miles of Killin where it was suddenly absolute carnage with mild campers setting up all along the riverbank. There were even people pitching giant marquee/tents half on the road! I was glad to make it out and on to the main road, enjoying a pleasant drive home in brighter evening conditions.

Beinn Each and Stuc a' Chroin

2020-07-06T08:18:00+01:00

Beinn Each accessed from Loch Lubnaig with a detour up to the Munro of Stuc a' Chroin

Date: 06 July 2020
Distance: 14.0km
Ascent: 1238m
Time: 5hrs
Hills: Beinn Each (Corbett), Stuc a' Chroin (Munro)
Weather: Sunny, strong cool wind all day
Route: View on OS Maps

On the 23rd March the country went into lockdown due to the rapid spread of COVID19. In the fifteen or so weeks since then I have stuck to walks from my door. During the full lockdown this was limited to a daily dog walk through the local woods. As lockdown eased I started to venture into the lower Ochils immediately above my house and then further into the Ochils, exploring new routes and appreciating what I had available to me.

On 3rd July the “five mile” limit on non-essential trips was finally lifted and so the Highlands beckoned. After sitting frustratedly through a great spring of beautiful weather the forecast for the first weekend in July was typically apocalyptic with rain and high winds the order of the day. However, I also had the Monday off and though the forecast was still iffy, the day itself dawned bright and clear with a cool breeze.

After a quick gear faff Cob and I headed off, leaving the county in the car for only the second time since late March (the other time was a quick essential errand to Stirling). The world felt reasonably normal through the hillfoots, Bridge of Allan and Doune. Callander was a ghost town. A few sets of roadworks slowed me down but soon we were alongside Loch Lubnaig and pulling into the large layby where the start of the Right of Way to Loch Earn via Glen Ample is clearly signed.

The first section is a delightful path that runs between the burn and a construction site at Ardchullerie More. Then it is up through a gloomy stretch of forestry which gradually turns greener and mossy as you climb before putting you out on a land rover track now high above the Ardchullerie Burn.

Following this track north we were soon out of the trees and enjoying this narrow glen with views developing back to Loch Lubnaig and ahead to the lower slopes of Beinn Each. After a few days of rain the side burns were all chattering merrily but there were no problems with getting across any of them.

The narrow footpath to Beinn Each itself is clearly signed from the top of the pass and after a quick break to watch a construction helicopter countering up the pass we headed up it, a delightful line through green bracken with the Eas an Eoin burn off to our right.

Soon enough the burn is left behind and a series of rising traverses gain the west side of Beinn Each’s southern ridge. The path rises and falls along the edge of the ridge for some distance before turning up and over a couple of intermediate summits.

The views across to Ben Ledi were developing nicely and in the distance I could see the Crianlarich hills stubbornly holding onto some morning cloud. The conditions on Beinn Each were good though with bright sunshine occasionally broken by a cloud moving through. There was fierce northwesterly wind which had me searching for my gloves buried somewhere in the rucksack.

There were a few more rising shoulders to get up and over but each of these brought increasingly impressive views, first down Glen Ample towards Lochearnhead and the Lawers range, and then to the pointed summit of Stuc a' Chroin.

The final climb is a little steep and scrabbly but we were rewarded with an empty summit and stunning views across to Stuc a’ Chroin and down the length of Glen Ample to the distant Lawers hills beyond Loch Earn.

Away to the southeast we could see down the length of Gleann a’ Chroin and away off to the Ochils and Stirling. We found a hollow tucked out of the wind and sat down for a rest and some snacks.

The plan from here was to descend down north to the Bealach nan Cabar and then, either continue up to Stuc a' Chroin via the lumpy interconnecting ridge, or drop down into Glen Ample.

The initial descent north from Beinn Each is steep but on a clear path and after negotiating a couple of scrabbly steps I followed a series of zig zags down to the bealach.

The land here is a series of rocky escarpments that are gentle on the south side but drop precipitously to the north. It was fun picking our way along these, occasionally saving to double back when we found ourselves at a steep drop. There is a path that we followed occasionally though this mostly seems to bypass the steps on their east side.

At the far end the ridge then turns east to wind its way up to Stuc a' Chroin. After briefly checking that the descent from here into Glen Ample looked feasible we turned east and headed uphill again.

There were excellent views as we climbed down Glen Ample to Lochearnhead and beyond it the dark shapes of the Lawers range. As the morning had progressed there cloud had lifted from the nearby Munros and everything was looking very summery.

The path mostly follows a line of rusted fenceposts. We made life difficult for ourselves by dropping into a boggy hollow that led to a very craggy section. We had to turn north for a while where we picked up the main path again and we soon up to the final shoulder. From here it was just a short climb up to the summit plateau of Stuc a' Chroin.

After the very quiet journey along the ridge it was something of a shock to find a half dozen groups of people on the Munro summit with more people heading up from Ben Vorlich. I took the opportunity in a lull to visit the summit cairn, enjoying the views across the glen to neighbouring Ben Vorlich.

Then we had an amble around the summit area until we found a quiet spot to sit down and have lunch looking out over Lochan a' Chroin and across to Beinn Each and Ben Ledi.

After lunch it was back the way we had come, dropping down the slopes to the low point above Glen Ample. I passed a group of people coming up from Beinn Each but otherwise it was a return to solitude. I followed the clear path which stuck to the high point rather than dropping into the boggy bowl and this proved much better.

At the point I had checked out early we left the ridge and dropped steeply down the grassy slopes into Glen Ample. Although I had to pick my way down carefully there were no major issues. The worst part was when one of my trail shoes decided to come apart at the seam which made for some interesting moments on the slippery grass.

Eventually we reached the track in Glen Ample where it was warm and sunny. After a cooling splash in the burn we turned south and followed the track up to the watershed. Looking up to Beinn Each I was happy with my choice of descent as the slopes here were covered in bracken.

Up at the watershed we met back with our outward route, following the track back down to Ardchullerie. It was a delight to amble down here in the warm afternoon sunshine. The descent back to the road was straightforward and made for a very pleasant end to the walk.

The drive home was remarkable only for the fact that in the afternoon Callander had come alive and looked very touristy, crowds of people around and folk sitting in beer gardens and enjoying takeaway from cafes along the high street.

Ben Cleuch

2019-09-23T16:22:00+01:00

A short autumn evening walk over Ben Cleuch and its neighbours in the Ochil Hills above Tillicoultry

Date: 23rd September 2019
Distance: 11.14km
Ascent: 786m
Time: 2.5hrs
Hills: Ben Cleuch (Graham)
Weather: Bright sunshine and a strong breeze
Route: View on OS Maps

It was one of those perfect late September afternoons, the sun warm and golden, the hills beckoning as I finished work for the day. I grabbed a flask of tea and headed out the door for a couple of hours strolling along the tops above the house.

In Mill Glen all was ripe autumn colour and the white tumble of water. Beyond the last bridge Cob and I picked up the hill path that climbs the steep, unrelenting slopes of the Law. As expected the hills were quiet as we followed the path up to this first summit with its panoramic views across the lowlands to the steel grey line of the Forth under cloud-streaked skies.

There was a stiff breeze snapping at the long tussocks and as we dropped off the back of the Law and climbed up to Ben Cleuch's east ridge we came across a 21st birthday balloon tangled in the fence. Rooting in my pack I found a safety pin which I used to pop the balloons, stuffing the wreckage into a side pocket.

After this slight tangent we were soon up onto the summit of Ben Cleuch itself enjoying the views westward into the lowering sun. The silhouetted shapes of the hills of the southern Highlands drew the eye. A trio of folk were out enjoying the views but they headed west towards Ben Ever whilst instead we turned back east, retracing our steps back to the bealach north of the Law.

After crossing the fence it is an easy up and over to reach Andrew Gannel Hill¹ with only some minor bog hopping in the dips. I found a good perch just off the summit where I was mostly sheltered from the wind. Here I enjoyed a hot drink and the evening views south across the Forth and back to the Law and Ben Cleuch.

With dinner time fast approaching we lingered only a short while on the summit before making our way east off the hill, dropping down the slope to reach the bealach before King's Seat Hill. From here the ancient right of way between Tillicoultry and Blackford is joined for a pleasant descent back down above the Gannel Burn.

Rather than descending straight to Tillicoultry we instead left the main track about halfway down and crossed over to follow the steep path down the side of the Kirk Burn, making our way back home through familiar fields above the town.

A fine sunset over the quarry marked the end of an excellent evening.

Supposedly Andrew Gannel died in a storm in the vicinity of this hill sometime around 1860. ↩