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Photos at the bottom....
After climbing a Corbett in Glen Cannich the previous week, I had an urge to climb another one - but Saturday was not possible due to a visit to Fraserburgh to look at a van for a friend. Sunday morning I had one violin lesson to do... but then I was free, and the weather didn't look too bad. I thought I could cycle the mile to the power station and save about an hour.
Packed my picnic and map etc, and then discovered the bike rack was missing. Searched the garage three times... nope, it's definitely missing! Right... I'd have to walk!
Arrived at the car park at Inchmore at 12.20 and put on my boots and new gaiters, being momentarily ensnared by the savagely efficient velcro. Eventually got them sorted, and set off along the sunny road to the power station. Birds singing, blue skies... but darker skies approaching. I like to have a nice view so hoped the clouds wouldn't get in the way too much. The power station soon appeared and I took the track up through the woods. Eventually I came to the small dam and new building, where I stopped to eat my lunch and gather my strength for the climb. I'd had a long day previously, and hadn't slept well due to giving myself an upset tummy eating junk food (three chocolate biscuits and a slice of Battenberg is all it took!) and I was feeling pretty rough. I decided to keep going and see what happened.....
The track from the little dam is long and steep and somewhat dull. It made for quick progress though and I spotted the boggy ATV track heading off to the right, which I took. This was very little help, as it was so wet underfoot.... I gave up following it and got out my compass. I don't know what happened to my trusty 23 year old compass, but suddenly it doesn't have a clue where North is, spinning hopelessly and pointing to somewhere completely different, so I figured I had to get to the highest bit anyway, and I set off for the high rocky areas over to my right. I was quite high by now and could see showers sweeping through the glen. Thankfully, I remained dry all day, and the tops stayed cloud free. I was not going to go back now anyway, so squelched onwards.... it was so wet, there was no respite from the bog.....
I made it up to the bottom of the summit area, and thankfully the terrain became momentarily drier and rockier. The last slog up to the top was quite pleasant underfoot.... it just seemed I'd been climbing for hours..... then suddenly, there it was, the summit cairn. The wind was also there, a bitter chill I couldn't escape. There was a good bit of patchy snow that was very slippery and mushy too. I followed someone's footprints for a while, feeling like I wasn't quite so alone, and must be in the right place.
I reached the cairn and tried to get some shelter. It was too cold to linger, so I had a decision to make. As I hadn't taken the bike, I could do the horseshoe.... it looked attractive, and I love flattish ridge walks like that. I decoded to go for it, and set of towards the next lump, and then the next one, Sgurr a' Phollain. There was a bit of up and down, and slushy snow, and more bog, but I was going along faster now and enjoying it. Views were good and still no showers had come my way! My hands got so cold I had to stop and warm them inside my sleeves, and then they were ok for the rest of the day. Reminder: never go up a hill without gloves. It was extremely painful!
I found my way down to the old stalkers' path, and headed up the straight path to Car na Gabhalach. From here I could see the tiny Loch na Beiste down below, which I knew I had to aim for. There's absolutely no path down this boggy swamp of a hillside.... it was very difficult, and I was up to my ankles a lot of the time. Boots remained dry, gaiters did their job, but every time I lifted a foot there was a sucking sound and once I misjudged the depth of a bog and went in it quite deep!
That tiny loch seemed to take forever to get any closer... my legs were starting to feel very wobbly and I was tired out, so I was glad when I eventually reached it - but at the wrong end - and found the path around at the other side. It's a pretty loch and you can look up and all the summits you've climbed!
The rough path from here back to Inchmore was also a swamp, and there was loads of mud... I played 'follow the blue plastic pipe' all the way down and I was very muddy when I eventually reached the road again, at 6.50pm. Honestly, this walk was three times harder than I'd anticipated.... but I felt a great sense of achievement! My husband thinks I'm mad....but I say roll on the next one!
Selection of photos to follow - taken with the phone today as I didn't want to carry the big camera.
- 1. Lunch spot by the river
- 2. The small dam
- 3. Looking across to last week's hill, Sgorr na Diollaid
- 4. The track up from the dam
- 5. Showers, as I climbed higher.....
- 6. Steep hillside
- 7. Is it the top? (no)
- 8. Near the top at last....
- 9. Bluer skies towards the East Coast
- 10. Dramatic skies in the distance
- 11. Almost there....
- 12. At last! The summit!
- 13. Relief! (And cold hands)
- 14. Summit view
- 15. Great scenery... looking back
- 16. Looking back, from the ridge to the next 'top'
- 17. Looking back at the shapely summit as I headed along the ridge
- 18. Towards Sgurr a' Phollain
- 19. Looking back again
- 20. Summit.....
- 21. Boggy path down to join the stalkers' path
- 22. The very obvious path up Can na Gabhalach - a bit of relief for the legs!
- 23. Looking back AGAIN - great views of where I've been....
- 24. Top of Carn na Gabhalach, looking out over the firths..
- 25. The only way is down.....
- 26. At last, the loch! More water!
- 27. Lochside
- 28. Panorama of hills climbed
- 29. Stream to cross.... more water, yippeee
- 30. Follow the blue plastic pipe, tra laaaaa
- 31. Extreme mud on the way through the farm near the road
- 32. Very happy to see the car again!