Distance: 7.9 miles
Time: 4 hours
Hills: Clachnaben, Mt Shade, Threestane Hill
Meteorology: Fine early spring day with plenty of sunshine
Route: View on Everytrail

As others have shown after the disaster that was Saturday, Sunday on the east side of Scotland was a beautiful day. Sunshine, blue skies and a frosty nip higher up. This was to be my first expedition in the car so something reasonably close by was selected. Inspired by L111CHT’s interesting route to Clachnaben we headed to the second car park, just by the AA Call Box on the B974 road towards Fettercairn (NO893650).

Booting up in warm sunshine was a great feeling and we were soon walking along the forest track, still boggy from heavy rain in the week, but feeling marvellous fresh and spring like.

The track winds its way through the forest until it drops down to cross the Burn of Greendams via a small bridge.

From here we should have turned left but instead continued on a posted track until we hit the crossroads at NO901641. Here we turned left onto a red cinder track which took us slightly further west until we eventually wound back round to the junction where L111CHT joined the track at NO895635. We now had beautifully clear views up to Clachnaben and Mount Shade.

After crossing a large stile and admiring the view onto a snowcapped Morvern we began the climb up to Airy Muir.

The views back onto the woods were lovely and the fresh wind cooled us down. Further up the track we paused for a bite of lunch.

Above our lunch spot a small path branched away from the vehicle track at NO882617 and dropped into the gulley between us and the heathery slopes of Clachnaben. We took this route and then heather bashed up to a track further up that would eventually lead to the summit tor.

I didn’t take this easy route though and continued up the steep snow covered slopes, pausing occasionally to catch breath and take in the views. Through a dip in the hills Aberdeen came into view.

The views from the summit of Clachnaben were well worth the slog. It was beautiful in every direction with snow-capped peaks unfolding to the west, close by Mt Battock and further off Morvern and the Mounth foothills. To the east the landscape was soaking up the sunshine.

We scrambled up the icy tor to enjoy the views and blow off the cobwebs. There were a couple of other people about but nothing like the usual Clachnaben crowds. This seemed unusual for a sunny Sunday.

From here we enjoyed a brief scramble on the lovely dry granite before going round the base of the tor until we picked up the main highway up from Glendye.

We followed this down a short distance before branching off on the path to Mt Shade. This dropped us into an impressively steep-sided gully before climbing back up to the small summit cairn.

We had lovely views back to Clachnaben and further out across the lush fields of Glen Dye below Kerloch.

From here we picked up a track that took us down onto the summit of Threestane Hill from which we could pick out a point in the woods where a forestry track descended back to the carpark. The only slight obstacle was an (unelectrified) deer fence which we negotiated and then headed down through thick youthful pines and then an area of desolate stumps and deadwood until we hit the track.

It was then simply a pleasant wander back down the various tracks to the car.

Distance: 3.8 miles
Time: 2 hours
Hill: Dumyat (418m)
Weather: Overcast with occasional rain show

What Dumyat may lack in height it more than makes up for in steepness and craggyness. Although there is a fairly straightforward route up this wee hill just to the west of Stirling we chose a more eccentric route, heading steeply up its western gorge before traversing the south face just below the crags and then scrambling up to the summit.

Leaving the car park on the main road we turned left and followed a winding track along behind a few houses which marked the outskirts of Blairlogie. Almost immediately the ground rose steeply and we followed what appeared to be nothing more than a sheep track up the steep sides of one of the great gullies which slash south-north into this hill. The cloud was low and the occasional spots of rain were falling.

As the gully steepened and then split we crossed across to the flanks of Dumyat, already having gained a good amount of height. We now picked our way across a track that brought us below the main craggy summits. It was a delightful feeling of exposure at times (crossing gullies we could see the road almost between our feet) and with a strong wind we had to carefully negotiate a few of the trickier rocky sections.

After navigating around the final huge gully which separates the subsidiary top from the main summit we headed directly up a mixture of grass and scrambly rocks to emerge on the summit plateau very close to the beacon which marks the top of Dumyat.

The wind here was incredibly strong and after a short conversation with a downhill mountain bike with sheltered on the eastern side of the beacon had enjoyed a drink and some homemade cake.

As we were eating the views improved somewhat, particularly to the north where the Lawyers group could be seen as well as Ben Ledi and the mountains around Crianlarich. We didn’t spend too long in the wind though, instead dropping down a steep route running east towards the main Ochils range. As we did the sun came out properly and we enjoyed beautiful views down over the Forth where dramatic clouds were sweeping rain down through the lowlands.

We picked up a good track which presumably services the water storage tanks located further up the hill. This took us down below Dumyat giving good views back up the gullies set up nicely by a foreground of bright yellow gorse.

We arrived back at the car approximately 2 hours after starting and were back home in time for lunch. This hill definitely has a lot to offer and given its convenient location is definitely one to visit again.

Time: 4hrs 50mins (including stops)
Distance: 7.3 miles
Munro: Ben Lomond (974m)
Route: Click here to view on 1:50,000 OS Map

The drive to Rowardennan on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond was a tantalising one with the mountains wreathed in mist but a watery sun illuminating the valley. However, as the potholes got worse so did the weather until we found ourselves booting up under a sombre sky. The car park was already full (despite closed toilets) and a string of people could be seen heading up onto the slopes.

The air was still and muggy as we climbed up the steep slopes of the Ptarmigan, passing plenty of people and pausing only occasionally to peer through the mist at the faint outline of the Loch below and the track ahead above. A gaggle of French students, inadequately dressed, were strung out along the track and didn’t appear too impressed with the Scottish weather.

The climb was unrelenting until we reached the top of the Ptarmigan and above 1600ft or so we were deep in the cloud, clothes dripping with moisture. Close to a Lochan near the summit we paused for a bite to eat.

The final steep scramble from the Ptarmigan to Ben Lomond’s summit was greasy but fun and the swirling clouds eliminated any exposure. The summit trig point was reached only 2 hours after starting.

It was busy on top with many people labouring up the tourist route. We stopped here just on the sheltered south side to enjoy lunch and coffee.

After our food we headed along the ridge on the north side checking out some impressive cornicing and scrambling on the rocks above the tourist route. We emerged from the mist and joined the Tourist Path for a few hundred metres before turning off again and striking out into the empty lands to the south of Lomond’s summit cone.

As we descended further down, though sheltered from the wind, it was clear that the cloud was at last starting to break. Scattered parties could be seen along the bumps of the Ptarmigan and light sparkled over Loch Lomond. We followed a watercourse down until the land got flatter. A red grouse was found among the tussocks and then a line of sheep.

We crossed a small stream and then contoured around a rise to find ourselves above the Ptarmigan route once more but with the spectacular sight of the Arrochar Alps now on display beneath a sky of fluffy white clouds. Suddenly many photos were taken.

We dropped steeply down to the Ptarmigan path and made our way back to Rowardennan. The day was now wonderfully warm and we returned to the shores of Loch Lomond in short sleeves as a summer feel came to the place. It was such a contrast to the near freezing temperatures on the summit (which of course was now clear!).

Hills: Carn na Drochaide (Corbett, 818m)
Distance: 13 miles
Time: 4.5 hours (including stops)
Weather: “Wintry”
Route: Keiloch, Slugain Ruin, Carn Na Drochaide, Quioch RoW, Keiloch

It seemed the hillwalkers forecast on Sunday morning had been wrong; for much of the journey out from Aberdeen on the 201 Stagecoach the skies were blue and the first hills looked beautiful. Morven in particular, with a cap of pristine fresh snow (we had seen the clouds march towards Aberdeen on Thursday but they had never hit), looked stunning. We passed through Ballater where there was a thin covering of snow on the green by the church, but it was only really as we entered the trees a few miles before Crathie that things changed. The bus driver commented “it was like going through the wardrobe into Narnia”. All of sudden the branches were laden with snow, and fresh flakes were drifting down onto a ground that was increasingly white and winter-like.

I hopped off the bus at Keiloch and zipped up against the fresh westerly wind that was coming straight down from the upper reaches of the Dee. The tramp along the Invercauld estate road was fine with views onto the nearby hills. A quarter of a mile or so in front of me a solitary walker emerged from the trees and was engulfed in a spiralling column of spin drift – it would have made a great photo but my camera was tucked away against the elements, deep in the folds of a dry bag!

As I took the Slugain track I got a view of Carn na Drochaide. It was to be my last of the day until I came off the traverse.

Slugain is a remote and lonely feeling place, even in the summer when I was last here. It seems to attract a covering of mist and with snow billowing through the gap at its head it was eyes down and keep on trooping. Only one pair of footprints, going both there and back, were a sign of human passage on the good double track. Against the wind there was neither sight nor sound of animal and even the chattering burn seemed to be muted by the conditions. At its worse I was considering turning back but the weather has funny ways and each time this happened the sun peeked through the clouds and offered me a glimpse of the hills in front of me. I pressed on thinking I could at least make it to the ruin at the head of the glen and then, if necessary, return back by the same route.

In fact the climb up the delightful path through the fairy glen was the most enjoyable part of the day so far. In the tight confines between steep slopes it was sheltered from the wind and the snow drifted down in picture-postcard perfection. I spied three chaps taking a brew stop down by the river – they commented on what a lovely day it was! They were joking. They will return later in the story.

At the ruin itself I met another couple of brave folk who had come up, had lunch, and decided to head back down. To be honest I didn’t blame them! Here I stopped to don waterproof trousers and add another layer to head and hands. I then broke trail in the fresh, deep snow heading up the track to the top of the glen. The wee lochan just above the ruin was a sorry sight, ringed by ice and snow but I picked out a route above it onto Carn na Drochaide’s north-eastern slopes. I had planned to take in the other summits here but visibility was pretty much 0. Instead I took a bearing towards the summit and strode out into the mist.

Immediately I fell waist deep into a snow covered burn. After that initial problem though the going was reasonable with heather patches providing better going. Eventually I picked up a track which took me up to the western end of the summit where a small cairn/shelter had been built. As I came across the top from my relatively sheltered side the full force of the wind hit me and I got well and truly blown. I made for the shelter and basically had to lie down to keep out of the wind. Everything was rapidly icing up as I sipped a cup of tea and strained to see across to the actual summit.

Luckily though I caught a break and after packing away my bag I looked around my shelter to find the briefest of gaps in the rolling snow clouds. Suddenly the mountains all around Braemar had opened up. I rapidly retrieved the camera from the bag and reeled off a few shots. No sooner had it arrived though than it disappeared, the visibility reducing and the view vanishing.

I pressed onto the summit and found the large cairn. Still being battered by the wind and with no view I barely paused to set a bearing and make my way south, heading essentially for Braemar.

As I descended the heathery slopes down towards the day I was rewarded with a second opportunity to admire the view. This time sun lit up the White Mounth which looked glorious. I could even see west someway down the Dee.

I descended further, losing height and aiming for the public right of way which comes around from Quioch. As the snow transition into a number of small burns snaking across the hillside the snow again rolled in, thick and heavy and reducing visibility again. The track was easy to find though!

It was then simply a case of head down against the snow and marching back to Keiloch. Once back in the trees it was lovely, snow falling from laden branches and a smell of freshness in the air.

I crossed the Slugain burn and rejoined the track from Invercauld. Coming down the track from the Slugain were three figures who I thought might be the chaps from the Gleann. They weren’t but turned out to be a party from the Cairngorm Club who had been to the South Summit of Beinn a’Bhuird but had turned back as it got icy. They were heading to Keiloch to catch their coach and kindly offered me a lift, first to the Fife in Braemar for a pint, and then back to Aberdeen. At the Fife I met the three guys from the Gleann who were also from the Cairngorm Club.

An excellent afternoon out – things for the next one though are a pair of goggles and a waterproof/windproof pair of mitts!