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The last time I walked up Tinto was in June just as Covid restrictions were being eased. I had suffered from from a bout of probable Covid in March and this was the first hill I'd attempted since. I had to stop on quite a few occasions and felt breathless often.
I'm glad to say after a good few months of fitting in some Munros, Grahams, Subs and 1 Corbett, I felt a lot better this time. It seemed so much quicker and I found myself not having to stop except for the occasional drink. My chest still felt a bit sore at some of the steeper points. I'm starting to think this may be a lasting side affect from Covid or possibly a sign I still need to work harder on my fitness? (Any advice welcome).
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- Path
As Tinto is such a popular hill I was pleased to see the car park had been extended since my last visit. My Dad who lives closer to Tinto than me had drove by a few times in the summer and saw cars almost blocking the road due how busy it was. It is now large enough for coach trips! I suspect the coach contained the rambling group I spotted on the way down. Today's trip was quite busy and Tinto is a hill for all ages and levels. There were plenty of dogs (including our wee Jura having a ball as usual), young families, groups of young lads (who gave an "awrite" on the way by) and loan elderly walkers in full gear. Its nice to see the hills attracting such a mixture of people. I have to say I didn't see one bit of litter on my journey up and down which is lovely.
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- Jura, doggy calendar shot
Theres not much to comment on the route up Tinto which is very straightforward. I ended up doing it in my running trainers as I realised my boots were still a bit wet from last weeks trip up A'Mharconaich and Geal- Charn. Theres a few boggy sections at the start of the path but they aren't as bad as the look at first. We benefited from the fact that it was a cold crisp morning which meant the mud was harder in some areas. Its a wee bit rocky as you approach the top so boots would have been better for that, especially coming back down.
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- Clear sky at the top!
On a clear day the views from Tinto are amazing. The fact that its one of my most local hills and can be done in under 2 hours makes it an ideal morning jaunt. With more lockdowns looming I can see myself taking a few more trips up Tinto before the year is out!
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- View from the top
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- Dad heading back down
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- Wee Jura at the end
