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After a leisurely day wandering around St Andrews with Dr Duncan, I felt well up for another hill on the Tuesday, and the forecast was good ...
....so on Monday evening our thoughts turned to the question of which hill?
Dr Duncan has been working crazily long hours, so we decided that an early start was unnecessary; and anyway he wasn't up for a long drive from Dundee. The two possibilities that quickly emerged were: Mount Keen, and Schiehallion. Pics I've seen of the former haven't inspired me, whereas when I viewed Schiehallion from the Glen Lyon north ridge a few years ago, it seemed quite characterful. So that's what we went for.
A fairly cursory look at the map, and we decided also that we'd take "the tourist route" - ie straight up and down on the path that starts at the Braes of Foss.
20210720-111308. A leisurely start sees us arrive at the Braes of Foss at about 11.00. Where we find the car park is completely rammed. However, we'd passed a new overspill car park a couple of hundred metres back up the road, where there was oodles of space; and from where there was a great view of the whaleback (though not from the whaleback angle, which is really up on the north Glen Lyon ridge - the following pic from August 2015).
It's easy walking up the path, initially quite a mild slope, but increasing after a couple of kilometres.
There are a good few walkers, but not so many that it spoils the experience.
20210720-120208. This is the view looking back down the path about 45 minutes after setting off.
20210720-133414. Then just slow steady plodding (for me at least) until we get over the steep section, and see ahead of us the summit.
20210720-133446. Pano in a slightly more southerly direction from the same point as the last pic, showing the Glen Lyon north ridge, and in the distance, behind it, the Ben Lawers hills.
20210720-135638. View looking back again as we approach the summit. Quite a long section of boulder-hopping...
20210720-141846... with stretches of rock pavement.
Once at the summit we are - surrounded with, overwhelmed by millions of flying ants. Heaven only knows what they're doing, topping out on a Munro, but I'm not in a position to enquire about their motivations. They don't sting or bite, of course, but the sheer number of them is quite a nuisance.
However, we manage to locate a sheltered (from the ants) spot looking south out to Glen Lyon and Ben Lawers, where we sit in the sun, and munch contemplatively on our sandwiches.
20210720-144741. Some very fine views from here, this one looking NNW towards Dunalastair Water.
20210720-145800. Then it's back the way we came, but a deal quicker (I think Newton had something to say about this...).
0210720-164153-2. A last look back from the main car park...
20210720-165019-2. ... and again from the overspill car park.
I was more impressed with Schiehallion that I expected to be!!
