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The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...


Postby PeteR » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:36 pm

Route description: Ben Chonzie via Glen Lednock

Munros included on this walk: Ben Chonzie

Date walked: 29/08/2011

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Ok, so a bit of poetic licence I admit ....... as we're talking about Ben Chonzie :lol: :lol: Two more different hills I don't think you could imagine to describe next to each other :lol:

The Chonzie....a hill which it appears can divide opinion amongst the hill walking fraternity. I approached this walk from Loch Turret, and for my part I thought it was a good little walk, with good views of the surrounding hills of the Lawers range and Loch Earn.

I'd had my boys up for the week, taking them back down the road on the Sunday. Never enjoy the handover, despite the fact I know it has to happen. Had taken the Monday off work with the intention of getting out and doing a good walk, to lose myself in my thoughts. Woke up on the Monday and could tell I was suffering from the early stages of 'man-flu' :lol: - or as any women reading this would call it.....the 'common cold' :lol: :lol:

Plans for a long walk got shelved, but I knew if I didn't get out I would regret it. So it was a late decision to head to Crieff and take on the might of the Chonzie.

Got to say, whatever people think Chonzie lacks in interest is certainly made up for by the approach road to the dam at Loch Turret and the car park there. I'm not sure I've ever seen bigger pot holes :shock: or quite so many in such a short space of time. It was a slow steady zig-zag journey along that road, to finally arrive at a surprisingly large and exceptionally well maintained car park. A stark contrast to the assault course of a road, that's for sure.
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At the start of the route along Loch Turret

The turfed dam was a first for me. Wouldn't fancy having to mow that :lol:

The walk alongside the loch was just a very nice walk all the way. It was a bit chilly when the sun hid behind a cloud, but when it did smile down on me it warmed up nicely :D
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Lochside track

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Toward the Chonzie

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Lochside burn

I made good progress along side the loch - despite the 'man-flu' doing its best to slow me down. Looking back down the loch and again I was thinking the views were not too bad.
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Back down Loch Turret

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And again

The landrover track eventually comes to an end at a lovely small lochan, Lochan Uiane, but there was a good path that took over, making its way up toward the obvious cleft ahead. A bit boggy in places, but improves with height. Lost the path somehow though, but had seen the obvious line of it on the approach, so was able to work my way through the rocks I'd come to in order to get back to the path.
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Chonzie rocks!

The path up onto the saddle and the final push to the summit was excellent and gave me a good excuse for a short stop to admire the views :D
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Loch Turret view

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Loch Turret from Chonzie path

I actually sat here for quite a while. I was loving the view. I also had the place to myself and being out of the wind the silence was magical :D My expectations of this walk really hadn't been that high. Influenced by comments I had heard from plenty of other people, as well as those in the guide books I have on my bookshelf. But so far so good. It was turning out to be a real gem. Very different from the long days I have had in wilder parts of this amazing country this year, but taken on its own merits I was more than satisfied with my day.

Eventually shifted myself and followed the path toward the summit. Somehow, don't know how, I managed to avoid the direct route to the summit, and instead traversed to the right :lol: Managed to find a plastic bottle rattling round the hill, so perhaps my bit of litter duty made the completely unnecessary detour worthwhile :lol: :lol:

But then I was on the summit.
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The mighty cairn on the mighty Chonzie

Good view of the Lawers range and surrounding hills
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Lawers and pals

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Summit view

And the ever present Shiehallion
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Apparently you can see this hill from outer space! Ha ha!

Rather than return via the same route I decided instead to head off on the high ground via Meall na Seide and Carn Chois. An excellent choice if I might say so :D :lol: Makes it a much better all round route.
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Starting on my way down

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View toward Carn Chois

The walk down this way was a great way to keep the interest going and seeing as I was being very lucky with the weather the views ahead and to my right were excellent. I was just wandering about at no great pace, but just soaking it all in and enjoying the solitude for as long as I could. I find these moments on the hills the best therapy whenever I'm feeling a bit down for whatever reason. I can lose myself in my thoughts and somehow at the end of the walk whatever it is that's been on my mind seems somehow less pressing.
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View on descent from Chonzie

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Another fine view coming off Chonzie

Soon enough I was on the summit of Carn Chois, with its trig pillar. Again I stayed a while to enjoy the views from this point too.
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Carn Chois trig pillar

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View from Carn Chois

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Another view from Carn Chois

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Good Crieff

The rest of the walk back to the landrover track this side of the loch was pretty easy, even though the path was a tad steep in places (managed to slip on my bum at one point on the damp grass :lol: :lol: ) and eventually I was back at the car, enjoying a nice view back down the loch from the Turret dam :D
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View from Turret dam

Ok, so it wasn't An Teallach :lol: :lol:

But it was a good walk all the same. Just what the doctor ordered for the 'man-flu' :D I was lucky with the weather for sure too, which definitely added to my enjoyment. Approaching from Loch Turret certainly is the route I would recommend to others; the walk round by the loch is worth the trip alone.

All that was left was to tackle the pot hole assault course back toward Crieff.... :shock: :shock:
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby ChrisW » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:52 pm

Great report PeteR and some unexpected beauty in those pics, having read all I've read about The Chonzie I was not expecting that, I reckon I would enjoy a wander up there.....on a good weather day :wink:

A couple of wee drams will sort that man flu right out :lol:
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby skuk007 » Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:01 pm

Nice report Pete, bringing back the memories. Looks like you took a very similar route to myself.
Did you meet any "Heeland Coos" on the road in? I had to go down a pot-hole to avoid him as he wasn't moving. :)
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby Frogwell » Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:46 pm

Great report :)

Can almost see my house in this picture, but it's hiding behind a tree.

Image
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby Steve B » Wed Sep 07, 2011 10:29 am

Good report and pictures. I did the same route last February. The walk up the Lochside was as you describe and very pleasant. I don't know why you would go up the other way when you can make a reasonable day of a hill.

Took the same return route but it turned into a bit of an epic as visibility was minimal and was done by dead reckoning, sending my mate out in front to walk the bearing etc. Was a tiring day due to that.

Nice to see what the views are like. Thanks for posting.
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby AlisonFox66 » Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:51 am

summit shelter ?
there was one there last Saturday :D
I bagged the cairn as well but I thought the shelter was higher
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby malky_c » Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:58 am

Well you suckered me in with that title :lol:

Ben Chonzie isn't a bad hill at all, particuarly by the Loch Turret route. I like your choice of return route too. Did this once, although we dropped down to Comrie instead as my family had rented a caravan there. It's great being able to walk right back to where you're staying :)
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby spiderman » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:44 pm

I enjoyed your report very much. Your photos fairly captured the atmosphere of the area. I agree that it is a very pleasing circular walk. Can I suggest a good way to finish off the walk( when you get home of course :lol: :lol: )is to have a glass of Glen Turret which uses the water of the river you were alongside.
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Re: The An Teallach of the Southern Highlands...

Postby gordon l » Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:18 pm

I had the pleasure of Ben Chonzie today. Not quite An Teallach as you say but I really enjoyed the walk.The sun was out and I more or less had the hil to myself. I've yet to find a hill that I haven't liked (well apart from Ben Vorlich by Loch Lomond, but that was because my boots were nipping my feet all the way). No such thing as a boring hill!
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