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Been thinking for a while about attempting the Ochill Donald’s (&tops) together.
Last minute holiday approved from work and I decided this was it, I was going for it. Plotted several escape routes where I knew I could bail if it all seemed too much.
Tied in with the husbands day off so I could be dropped off and picked up, meaning there was no road walking to try retrieve my car!
Dropped off at Glen Sherup car park at 0850 and off I went. Lovely gentle walk through the forest, taking the right through the forest at the cairn.
- Wee cairn marking the turning through the forest
Out the forest, through the gate and immediately turn right and following the good track and you’ll find yourself on Innerdownie.
- Innerdownie
- The one & only selfie taken
Followed WH route for the continuation to Whitewisp Hill then Tarmangie Hill. Following the fence line the whole way until the stile (&now a gate beside it) was reached. Through there and up to the small cairn marking Whitewisp Hill. From there, continuing west, picking up the fence line once more. Cut through at a metal gate, and went to both cairns on Tarmangie Hill.
- Whitewisp Hill
- Tarmangie
First mistake made after this, make sure to cross back over the fence here and pick up the path heading south west downhill aiming for Kings Seat. I stayed on the right of the fence until a junction of fences, doubting every step, hopped over, bashed my way through the long grass, being glared at by the sheep until I then picked up said path.
You drop to around 470m. Cross 2 small streams and the ascent up the flank of Kings Seat begins. A steady pull up before reaching the flat summit plateau with a small cairn marking the true summit before continuing to the large wind shelter.
- Kings seat
Again from here, ended up slightly on the wrong path heading for Andrew Gannel, but nothing to be worried about. The path ascending Andrew Gannel was clearly visible so hoping through the long grass once again, the correct path was picked up after a couple of minutes.
Still feeling good at this point, knowing that I hadn’t decided to complete just the Glen Sherup circular or to descent off Kings Seat and knowing I would then get at least Andrew Gannel and The Law before another exit point. Took 20 mins for lunch and to soak it all up before continuing down to approx 520m. Across the fence and the path ascending Andrew Gannel is picked up.
Another steady climb up before the flat featureless summit of Andrew Gannel is reached.
- Andrew Gannel
From here, continuing west and following another fence line and your heading for the Ben Cleuch trio. Crossed the fence where another joins to then head South towards the Law summit. The cairn on top of the Law is at the other side of the fence line, so hopped over that again, then back over to retrace my footsteps.
- The Law
- Looking back to the first 4
Then this pain appeared in my groin, another 10 minutes rest took and some ibruprofen before deciding to continue and do Ben Cleuch & Ben Ever before making a decision on Blairdenon in the hope I’d be able to walk it off.
From here followed WH route of the circular, heading west to the highest summit of the day Ben Cleuch and thereafter S/SE to Ben Ever. En route here, decided nope, had done enough, was chuffed already with what I had achieved and this pain was still niggling. Blairdenon will have to be visited another time.
- Ben Cleuch
- Ben Ever
- Schiehallion far far away
Followed WH route to descend and enjoyed a nice walk through Mill Glen to finish a great day out!
- The wee rocky bit in Mill Glen posed no problems
