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After reading ~Merry Walkers report of a coastal walk earlier this week, I fancied a bit of that myself. So..... I planned a nice little outing of about 10 miles with a bus back to the start point. Hoping to see some brand new views by inventing a coastal path in places. One phone call late last night and I'm housebound tied to the computer for the morning and the coastal walk falls by the wayside
As I'm heading off to Lincolnshire to visit my Grandson tomorrow I figure I have to go somewhere so I blast through WH in search of a local I've not done yet.
Mona Gowan fitted the bill, time to get there, do it and get back in time to make dinner for MrsW, packed a bag and got myself out, arriving at my chosen car parking spot (chosen using google earth) about 11.30. It's a nice little spot with room for at least 6 cars.
I was soon ready to go and striding out along the deserted road beside the beautiful, clear river
One benefit of using tarmac roads is the easy river crossings
I am very quickly on the junction where I keep left, intending to return via the right hand route later
Very soon after this I see the logging trail leaving the road at the apex of a corner
now we're talking, off the tarmac (only 2k of it) and away into the peace and quiet of the hills
the track climbs gently, soon providing more pleasant views all around
there is a brief flirtation with the woodland but it doesn't last long
then its back out into the open and still the track has only a gently incline
I pass through the results of the 'scorched earth' policy of the loggers
a string of well constructed grouse butts dot the hillside and still no incline to speak of
looking forward I see the target for the day....Mona Gowan
I'm half way up the hill before I finally meet the incline which zigs and zags toward the summit, I stop to look back and grab a shot of the patchwork quilt that is Aberdeenshire
surprised to find this laying on the stone track, dropped it in a grouse butt for the next gun around
the incline is over all to quickly and a plateaux provides a level wander to the summit cairn
the 'for the records' shot
the cairn is more impressive than the hill
but there are still some great views over the surrounding area
I can see some proper hills away in the haze...
and back the way I came, the rolling hills
I drop down the west side of Mona Gowan and into the hags, I wouldn't recommend this route in a wet time
Mona Gowan is soon well behind me, though that damn cairn is still viisble
the next cairn is not such a massive affair
not hanging about here for long, I turn north toward the start and more hags...
the small bump in front of me is the next point on the route home
I waste no time getting down to the track that encircles the hump but go for the summit path just to get a bit more ascent in for the day
a staggering cairn awaits and I look across it to Mona Gowan (left) and cairnagour hill (right)
a direct line down through the heather now toward the path that runs around the hill
looking down I see the route through the meadow and a visible 'clearway' through the trees beyond
the meadow is lush and green and absolutely full of rabbits......none of whom hung around for photoies
a last look back at the two hills of the day before the welcome cool shade of the plantation
at the ford it's dead ahead to meet the tarmac road as planned
the tarmac road starts at a smallholding beyond the tree line
it is a quiet, undisturbed wander along the tarmac with a small burn running along side, in no time at all I am back at the junction mentioned earlier
its a left turn and back over the bridge in the glory of a warm spring afternoon
I'm soon back at the car feeling a little guilty about the level of enjoyment I got from this short, hurriedly prepared wander.....another beautiful day in the hills made even more so by not pushing myself to the limit (as has been my way in the last few weeks)
