Wind!

[The English Alpinist]

'Wind is the only ‘show-stopper’ in the hills. It can rain, snow, shine, be minus 10, plus 20, clear or foggy. None of those things are going to physically stop you on the hill or seriously hinder your progress, but wind can – and does, on a regular basis, particularly during the winter months.' Heather Morning, Mountaineering Scotland.

This walk is preceded by 'My First Donalds'
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=110578

I'd call it fun. On Dundreich, a Donald.

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For my trip this month I wanted to make inroads into my Munro count, but on seeing the forecast - in particular the 100kph wind part - I thought a compromise was prudent. Rather than cancelling my plans entirely, I opted to make a start to my Donalds career with the Moorfoot Hills group. As well as safer terrain, the forecast was a mere 90kph here, so within manageable limits I hoped. This was the second day of a pair of walks and the day that said wind was forecast. I slept poorly, laying there listening to it, especially when I could hear lashing rain. I thought about taking the cafe option in Peebles instead, but when morning came it seemed the forecast was spot on - 'only' the wind - so I decided to go for it. I'm glad I did, as I took away a stirring experience of the great outdoors not to mention some gems of education.

Moorfoot Farm.

The little old ruin of Hirendean Castle [has history - see footnotes].

Up the mini glen of River South Esk.

I opted to start from Gladhouse reservoir, which looked more like a choppy foaming sea today, but the route had the advantage of nice dry access tracks through farm territory, and a good approach path up the relatively sheltered glen of River South Esk. Even at these low levels I had to work quite hard for progress, and was concerned what I would meet on the tops. A real blasting, I discovered, which I later learnt was called Malik [footnote]. I managed to stay on my feet at all times, but with the added challenge now of lousy trail quality over the moorland, I wondered just how long it might take me to get through. It took several minutes to get my balaclava on with it flapping crazily about in my fingers, and it would have been easy to lose an entire rucksack and contents. I thought I had lost something or other, as an object flashed by out of the corner of my eye - but it was a beautiful white hare (I guess it had to be extra quick, being rather badly camouflaged when there's no snow around!).

Blackhope Scar is characterized by this.

Summit of Blackhope Scar (2,136 feet). The windmills of Bowbeat south-westerly ahoy.

My route took me right through the arc of the site. Neat.

There be giants - be afraid when they are ice giants.

I had set off bright and early, and progress was only a matter of patience. I successfully tramped, trudged and grimaced my way to the first Donald of the day, Blackhope Scar. It had the satisfaction of a trig point (and being also a Graham, yay), but little else to commend it in terms of the ground. At least the way ahead was obvious, the cloud being well above summit height and even the yellow glow of sunlight bathed the landscape at times. The arc of my route was layed out clearly ahead in the form of 'Bowbeat' - less a Donald, more a Wind Farm! However, I did not feel this detracted from my experience at all, and in fact was rather fascinating. It had an eerie feel with its imposing technological statement, yet being utterly deserted today. I imagined what an ancient wanderer, transplanted in time would make of these mechanized giants. Warning notices spoke of the danger of ice flying off them, and I could well imagine the lethal danger of this, especially at the speed they were swooshing over my head.

They have cockpits!

Summit of Bowbeat (2,054 feet). More windmills ahead, then more moor, then Dundreich.

Last but not least, the summit of Dundreich (2,044 feet), looking north.

I passed on safely enough to Dundreich, third and last but not least of the day's summits. There was more of the same in terms of drab moorland, and extra more in terms of wind-speed it seemed. But there was such a sense of space in the views out there today, that the one word to best describe the walk can only be 'airy'! Assuming the mean wind speed I was experiencing up there was indeed 90kph (55mph), quite close to the borderline of what you can stay upright in, my mind boggles at the Cairgorms mean record of 115mph, and as for the gust speed record - 176mph - well, sometimes there is a lot to be said for trying a few Donalds instead. A fond goodbye to January 2022, and hopefully February's expedition will bring me further Munros, wind permitting.

The descent towards Gladhouse Reservoir, with Gladhouse Cottage down there, and an old corral.

Full circle; the old castle again.

Gladhouse Reservoir, with the Pentland Hills in the background.

Storm Malik: https://news.stv.tv/scotland/wind-gust-of-147mph-recorded-as-storm-malik-causes-travel-chaos

'Bowbeat is one of Scotland's most powerful wind farms
The wind farm was officially opened by former Energy Minister Brian Wilson. The construction of Bowbeat was very challenging and took a year to complete. Access to the site was made up of several kilometres of reinforced forest track to help the construction vehicles and cranes up the site's steep slopes. However, with an average wind speed of around 9.5 metres per second, it’s that same tough terrain that makes Bowbeat an excellent location for a wind farm. In 2015, Bowbeat wind farm generated enough energy to supply nearly 16,000* homes.'
https://uk-ireland.rwe.com/locations/bowbeat-onshore-wind-farm

'The mountain hare lives in the Scottish Highlands and the north of England. They are renowned for turning white in winter to match their upland surroundings.'
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/mountain-hare

'Hirendean Castle had been built by 1620; a confirmation charter mentions “Herendene cum fortalico” It was in this house that Robert Kerr retired to his room in 1624, barred the door, and then stabbed himself several times before cutting his own throat, for reasons unknown.'
https://thecastleguy.co.uk/castle/hirendean-castle/

[natubat]

I've recently been bitten by the Donald-bagging bug too, and being able to do these hills in atrocious weather is one of the attractions, but the recent storms have been too wild even for Donalds to tempt me out. And when they do tempt me out, I usually end up wearing a balaclava too. Donalds seem to have two types of weather: very windy and gale-force.
I saw a lovely white hare on Dollar Law a few weeks ago!