Little Glen Shee

[U059361]

Participants: Isabel and Joe
Weather: Sunny, ground frozen with snow higher up.
Wildlife: 3 roe deer on hill, 6 mountain hares, 10 grouse.
Special Interest: old slate quarries, old farm buildings.

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We were heading for Glen Lyon when we hit the closed road at Sma' Glen. Would have meant a long detour round by Dunkeld and back to Aberfeldy so we decided on an alternative at Little Glen Shee. Parked at car park where the road goes over a ford. There is a footbridge to walk over. Walked along the farm track past the farm with the same name and on up the glen. Good walking till reach the end of the glen when track is buried in snow.

Looking back down Little Glen Shee over ruined Rosegraig.

Thankfully the snow was frozen and so where it was deep it was holding our weight fine. Through a few gates and past a couple of tree plantations and view on to Strath Braan opens up. We stopped here and had lunch. Put on the sun tan lotion as it was very bright.

Our lunch stop, the track continues down into Strath Braan.

As we were walking back with plenty of time to spare, decided to get adventurous and headed over to the hill opposite. Followed a fence over and the burn at a well built wooden fence. A bit boggy here but thankfully deep in snow and largely frozen otherwise we wouldn't have made it. Saw a dead sheep's head sticking out the bog on the other side, obviously seriously boggy over there. A bit better going up the slope. When we reached a patch of burnt heather, we surprised three roe deer, who took off up the hill. We'd see them again at the Paps and chase them down the other side. The Sloggan Burn is well named for the present conditions as we were slogging up the hill. Plenty of deep frozen snow with frost on top. Took a long time to get to the top of the slope and then made our way over to the Paps. Mountain hares burst out of the turf at regular intervals and grouse let everything for miles know we were about.

Walking up the hill to the top.

Isabel went down a hole above a burn, but rolled out without any damage. We continued when her dignity returned. Finally reached the Paps. Great view but time getting on.

The view south over Little Glenshee farm

View north over Strath Braan to Beinn a' Ghlo.

We had a wee rest and an apple before descending, enjoying sliding down a bank of snow. Then on down to the old quarry.

The quarry and remains of buildings with the Paps

From there we made for the trees, we didn't want to wade across the burn, it's quite big here now. Over a few fences and then the car park once more. Took us 4 hours to do the hill and we were roaming in the gloaming getting back. Great wee adventure though.