4 at Glenshee
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:20 pmStarting out from the car park on the A93 the wildlife already looked promising with a potential peregrine sighting as we drove up (it was difficult to get a good look and keep the car on the road though, so I chose to avoid the crash ...)
We crossed an old stone bridge and made our way up the glen beside the river, turning left and up the shoulder of the hill instead of climbing Carn an Tuirc from the main path. Already we were seeing a few mountain hares, still half in their winter coats. At first we stopped, got our our cameras and snapped away. Soon we realised there were literally hundreds of them - "look, another 4 over there, and 3 more there", we soon stopped saying to each other.
Obviously the mountain hares were a bit of an attraction - at least to the golden eagle that flew overhead. Unfortunately we didn't see it catch anything - can't have everything.
From Carn an Tuirc we hot-footed it off to the next Munro - Cairn of Claise. This was a fairly easy walk with a gentle slope up to the top. The wind was getting up a bit by this time, but the sun was out.
From Cairn of Claise we cut across country to avoid doubling back along the dry stone wall, and caught the path to Tolmount, the 3d Munro of the day. The tops were getting a bit busier now, but everyone seemed to pass by at a distance, with a nod of a head, or raised hand in acknowledgement. A quick stop for a bite to eat and we were 'haring' off to the 4th Munro - Tom Buidhe. This was reached fairly quickly, with the opportunity to tramp through an enjoyable patch of snow:
We contemplated going on to Glas Maol but our legs just didn't have the energy left. So instead we came back down round the edge of Garbh Choire and back to the car park, sun kissed, exhausted, and ready for the 2 hour drive back to Edinburgh, whereupon I looked at my pictures and discovered I'd somehow set the date stamp to 'on' on my new camera ... Panorama stitches ruined then
This was my first real excursion in the Cairngorms, and the first time I've done more than 2 Munros in 1 day. Really enjoyable, so more Cairngorm adventures beckon soon.
Tick Risk: low to negligble (in my amateur but extremely paranoid opinion) based on an Spring walk. No liability accepted for anyone following my advice!
Route taken was hand plotted and not from the GPS - but should be roughly accurate. Paths on the hill are pretty clear at all times although we did do some cutting cross country.
We crossed an old stone bridge and made our way up the glen beside the river, turning left and up the shoulder of the hill instead of climbing Carn an Tuirc from the main path. Already we were seeing a few mountain hares, still half in their winter coats. At first we stopped, got our our cameras and snapped away. Soon we realised there were literally hundreds of them - "look, another 4 over there, and 3 more there", we soon stopped saying to each other.
- View from the car park up to Carn an Tuirc
- 1 of many, many mountain hares
Obviously the mountain hares were a bit of an attraction - at least to the golden eagle that flew overhead. Unfortunately we didn't see it catch anything - can't have everything.
- View from top of Carn an Tuirc
From Carn an Tuirc we hot-footed it off to the next Munro - Cairn of Claise. This was a fairly easy walk with a gentle slope up to the top. The wind was getting up a bit by this time, but the sun was out.
- View to Glas Maol from Cairn of Claise
From Cairn of Claise we cut across country to avoid doubling back along the dry stone wall, and caught the path to Tolmount, the 3d Munro of the day. The tops were getting a bit busier now, but everyone seemed to pass by at a distance, with a nod of a head, or raised hand in acknowledgement. A quick stop for a bite to eat and we were 'haring' off to the 4th Munro - Tom Buidhe. This was reached fairly quickly, with the opportunity to tramp through an enjoyable patch of snow:
We contemplated going on to Glas Maol but our legs just didn't have the energy left. So instead we came back down round the edge of Garbh Choire and back to the car park, sun kissed, exhausted, and ready for the 2 hour drive back to Edinburgh, whereupon I looked at my pictures and discovered I'd somehow set the date stamp to 'on' on my new camera ... Panorama stitches ruined then
This was my first real excursion in the Cairngorms, and the first time I've done more than 2 Munros in 1 day. Really enjoyable, so more Cairngorm adventures beckon soon.
Tick Risk: low to negligble (in my amateur but extremely paranoid opinion) based on an Spring walk. No liability accepted for anyone following my advice!
Route taken was hand plotted and not from the GPS - but should be roughly accurate. Paths on the hill are pretty clear at all times although we did do some cutting cross country.