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- Looking back down the road towards the car park
Between getting Covid and a large dose of post viral fatigue, a puppy, and then a pretty poor winter I was feeling rather unfit and out of hill condition by the time we got to March. This was the first proper big day I'd had out in a while so I selected something that should be fairly chilled, easy going and in an area I'd not really explored too much to try and shake some life into my legs. I tend not to go hillwalking much in winter as my focus is usually getting out climbing so while I get into the hills a lot, it's usually with a purpose that doesn't just involve enjoying the process of walking! For once it was nice not to be racing weather, other people for a route, or with a partner who is either dawdling or almost as bad, sprinting.
- Looking back down Glen Lochay towards the Tarmachan Ridge
With some days to use up before changing jobs I decided to take a mid week day for a wander in an attempt to avoid bumping into too many people. And it was a stunner. Disappointingly warm from a prospective climbing conditions perspective, but walking along the road from the car in summer trousers and a short sleeve I certainly wasn't going to complain. Sadly I still had boots on in case the crampons needed to come out the bag (unless there's climbing involved I tend to avoid boots at all costs in favour of fell running shoes), but you can't win them all. The last time I was in this area was at the tail end of the beast from the east when we decided to make up for everything being warm with a quick circuit of the Tarmachan ridge in soft spring snow. The drive up Glen Lochay is truly a gem, made all the better by only coming across one car on my journey up. The low wan, winter light was bringing the hillsides out in a lovely golden glow while the skeletal trees allowed so much more of a view than they would in the height of summer.
- The long and winding but mercifully flat estate track looking west
The walk starts up a steep hydro access road before breaking out along an estate track. Some glens feel remote and untouched despite the hand of man but it's hard to say the same here with numerous deer fences, concrete pipes and various estate buildings and structures visible for the majority of the walk along the western reaches of the glen. It's still a lovely place to be though, and thankfully quite flat so it's possible to make good progress before breaking off the Land Rover track and breaking off up the hillside.
- Lovely skies and clear air
I stopped not far off the track for a quick drink and a snack for breakfast, and to contemplate whether I should have brought shorts. Shorts in the hills in March, who'd have thought it? The start of the meander up onto the ridge of Sron nan Eun is rather damp and grassy but thanks to a dry winter it wasn't nearly as boggy as I could imagine it getting. At about 800m it flattens out for a period which allows you to catch your breath a bit and begin to enjoy views above the surrounding hills.
- Picuresque pools at the plateau
- The summit of Creag Mhor appears into view
Looking at the map it's amazing how close the top of Creag Mhor comes to the A82 and the distinctive incut of Gleann Achadg-innis Chailein but it feels as though it could be a hundred miles away from the likes of the West Highland Way. The views across to Beinn Dorain and Beinn Dothaidh and the tail end of Glen Lyon, despite knowing where they sit, feel wonderfully remote. I suppose the minimal path once you break off the main estate track has something to do with this. It was still warm on the top of Creag Mhor but as I dropped onto the north facing slope and out of the sun the temperature plummeted.
- Better winter conditions than some crags came into this year...
Solid ground, white with frost, and even mini ice falls cascading over the craggy features took you from spring back into the depths of winter. Nothing that needed the crampons but I did put a jumper on. At this point a light aircraft buzzed over and went through the gap between Creag Mhor and Beinn Heasgarnaich. It must have been a stunning day up there with some incredible views thanks to the clear air. Whether they were strictly adhering to flight rules is another matter!
- Stunning views in all directions
- Loch Lyon lying below to the north
There's that archetypal rolling hill terrain of a bog and stream to cross at the bottom but it was a fine point to top up with water so I availed myself of those facilities before I got another sweat on up the rather steep slope that was facing me. Unfit legs definitely felt the climb out from the watershed of the Allt Bad a'Mhaim and on to the summit of Stob an Fhir-Bhogha. The summit here definitely has character and it was nice to walk on firm ground across to the summit of Beinn Heasgarnaich where the snow finally appeared. Past the first crest the terrain is nothing exceptional and the views not dramatic, but they're the sort of views that despite their accessibility make you feel a million miles from anywhere. Something about rolling hagland and lots of water gullies coming off all the hills is so distinctive to this area, but then most areas of Scotland have their own distinctive individualities once you explore and get to know them.
- Ben Cruachan in the distance to the west
- Some great light
- Of course the cloud came down just as I reached the summit of Beinn Heasgarnich
With the east face plastered in old snow I made the most of it and took a direct line down through Coire Ban Mor by glissading at every opportunity. The advantage of the boots is the less aggressive soles than my usual Speedcross which definitely made for more fun on the steep snow. I was certainly glad of the white covering for the name certainly gives a solid idea of what this ground is like when not covered in snow; boggy!
- Glissades galore
From here you end up above the crags of Creag na h'Achlarich which you skirt round to the north and then east faces which drops you down onto more flat hagland. I soon picked up a quad track which pretty much took a straight line in a north westerly direction towards the road linking Glen Lochay to the dam over in Loch Lyon. Once the road was in sight I decided to pick the straightest line to the road through the broken ground on the north end of Creag nam Bodach, skirting the north side of Lochan Learg nan Lunn. From here it was a simple march back along a tarmac road, passing a discarded pizza box, and a hydro pickup.
- Back on the hydro road
It's not rugged ground, it's not treacherous and it's not the most dramatic of environments but the hills of Perthshire and their furthest reaches still hold a special place in my heart after so many hiking, cycling and drives about as a kid. On a spring day with the golden glow of winter light it certainly felt a long way from the office! By the time I got back to the car I knew I wasn't back at full fighting strength, I'd only just beaten the book time (5.5hrs moving, 6.5hrs car to car). That and my legs felt surprisingly tired. It was a great day out though, just a shame that aside from a few small song birds I didn't see a single piece of wildlife. It's funny how the land some hills are on have so little while others have so much. Of course I'm sure it has nothing to do with persecution and over-management in the name of profiting from shooting parties...
