Mona Gowan from Ballater

[RICHARDCFF]

Not having a car right now, a few weeks ago we had taken the bus to Ballater and walked up Morven via Tullich. After looking at the map the following week I realised that it was perfectly feasible to reach Mona Gowan from Ballater as well. With a decent weather forecast for the weekend I therefore decided to have another go at bagging by bus.

Sarnies packed, I left Aberdeen on the earliest bus, just after 8am, and alighted in the centre of Ballater at 9.45. From here my route led me WNW along the Braemar road past the Craigendarroch Hotel. There is a pavement all the way. After passing the turn-off to the B972 and just before Bridge of Gairn there is a turn-off to the right marked Lary.

Turn-off to Lary

There follows about 4km of road walking leading NW above the east bank of the Gairn. The tarmac was a wee bit slippy in places with ice. Nevertheless the walk was pleasant enough and I encountered only two cars.

The road to Lary

About an hour after starting the walk I reached the end of the public road at Lary. Here the route leads straight on (NE) onto an estate track through a gate which was open today.

End of the public road

After a few km walking along this track the view opens out and there is a grand vista ahead towards Cairnagour Hill, Mona Gowan, the notch in the ridge marking the Slacks of Glencarvie and, over to the right, Morven.

Mon Gowan in the distance

In front of these hills lies Morven Lodge, which is soon reached. The gated entrance has seen better days.

Entrance to Morven Lodge

The old stables too are dilapidated

Old stables at Morven Lodge

There are a number of other abandoned houses on the slopes to the north west of the lodge, possibly at one time houses for shepherds or keepers?

Ruined buildings near Morven Lodge

The route now skirts round these buildings, following a winding estate track which climbs steeply NW passing at least one line of grouse butts. After a km or two a new estate track leading up to Mona Gowan comes into view.

Cairnagour and Mona Gowan

I turned right onto this track at around grid point 332045 and continued to climb, now heading NNE directly upwards. Another line of grouse butts is reached at the end of this track. There was a chilly breeze but visibility was good. Mount Keen, Lochnagar, Ben Avon all pretty clear.

Looking south to Mount Keen

Ben Avon to the west

The track ends and then there is a climb up open country following a fence, towards the cairn on the summit.

Summit cairn on Mona Gowan

At the top a decision had to be made. I was there around 1pm, three hours after getting off the bus. There was a bus back at 15:07 but I was unsure I would get down in enough time to catch it if I returned by the same route. As I was enjoying the walk I decided to head east towards the Slacks of Glencarvie and then return to Ballater via Tullich, the same route that we had walked a couple of weeks previously. Hopefully that would still get me back in good time for the following bus, at 17:07.

I then headed E about 1km or so to the fairly unremarkable Slacks of Glencarvie.

Slacks of Glencarvie, Morven beyond

Muir burn looking NW from Mona Gowan

I decided at this point to contour firstly east across open grass and heather for a km or so, and then south along the western slopes of Morven, then descending to roughly grid reference 359026 where I would join the track that leads to Tullich. In retrospect this was probably a bad decision as the going was quite tough through deep/ spongy grass and heather. Eventually, though, I reached the track. At this point the sun came out affording quite nice views of the slopes of Morven while the sun was setting in the west

Southern slopes of Morven

Light was beginning to fade as I headed for the path towards Tullich

The way to Tullich and home

The path to Tullich is a lovely walk through mixed woodland, however today I found it quite muddy in places; also a bit gloomy with the light continuing to fade.

Gathering gloom on the path to Tullich

By the time I reached Tullich, crossed the A93 and made for the Deeside Way that took me back to Ballater it was dark. I eventually reached the main bus stop in Ballater with only ten minutes to spare. After a fairly cold bus ride to Aberdeen I was nevertheless ‘home in time for tea’.