A long walk to claim a Chlamain

[PeteR]

I'm getting lazy .... I have a few walk reports still to post (or maybe life is just a bit hectic these days ).

After my walk the weekend before when I was in Glen Dessary on perhaps the best walk I had done so far I had a worry that anything that followed would be some sort of anti-climax. Perhaps my choice of Carn a'Chlamain might appear just that to some, but then I had heard such great things of Glen Tilt that I was hopeful this would live up to expectations. It did

The plan for this walk had been to drive overnight, park up at the car park and get an early start. I had hoped to bag the neighbouring ( ) munro of Beinn Dearg and the wee Corbett in the middle too. I soon gave up on that idea as the realisation dawned on me as I was walking that just the one hill was going to be quite a walk as it was (no matter how easy) and I was wanting to get home at a more sensible time than had been the case recently (work in the morning and all that ). Oh, and I struggled to get myself up an out of the car too (surprising how comfy a kip in the car can be when you just don't want to get yourself up and out ).

When I eventually did get going it was a nice, fresh morning, but a bit misty. Started walking along the waymarked path over the road, where I was spooked by a jogger who seemed to creep up behind me without making a sound

Got some nice light coming through the trees.

Start of the walk

Once I was on the landrover track the mist was showing signs of lifting nice a quickly

Mist lifting

The rifle range was in use on the day, so I was relegated to the track that ran next to the river tilt (which was much wider than I had expected it to be - but then I don't know why I thought it would be some tiny burn ). Didn't mind too much though as there was a fair quantity of water rushing down the river and tumbling over rocks. Soon enough though I was at Gilberts bridge.

Gilberts Bridge

From here the track goes through the bizarre diamond gate and onto another track, bypassing housing below.

Diamond gate

This was where this walk really came into its own, as the true beauty of Glen Tilt started to reveal itself. The track led to a lovely little crossing over a small burn, which revealled a cracking waterfall as I crossed it.

Cracking view

Water

Heading up from this point the path made its way through my beloved bracken ( ) and then opens up nicely as the path crosses over short grass and back down to the landrover track - which the route follows until leaving it at the Forest Lodge to gain height up non to the hill.

Looking down Glen Tilt

Bridge over the River Tilt

Didn't need to cross this bridge, but went on it to see the water tumbling over the rocks. Turns out the planks weren't particularly well nailed down - shocker

It was just great views all the way down the Glen. Maybe the hill wasn't going to be that exciting, but this walk so far was turning out to be enjoyable all the same. And the noise from the river tumbling over rocks made a perfect soundtrack to the day as well

Glen Tilt

More Glen Tilt

And so it was a good stroll to Forest Lodge, where the start of the path up onto the hill was something of a p**s take Lovely and boggy to start with and it that wasn't bad enough for the next hour or so I was bombarded by clegs and other assorted flying, biting little buggers . So long as I kept moviong I seemed ok, but as soon as a stopped for a 'photo opportunity' (otherwise known as a rest ) they swarmed over me. I was being dive bombed from all directions. But the views were still good, which made up for the sustained attacks I was suffering.

View of Glen Tilt on way up mountain path

Glen Tilt the way I had come

It was at this point that the rain started. It was a short, sharp shower, but set the tone for a chunk of the walk. Cloud rolled in, cloud rolled off. It rained a bit, then it stopped and the sun came out. Jacket on, then jacket off. Didn't detract from the enjoyment though

After an initial, steepish climb the path comes out onto a plateau and then the path is fairly gentle as it joins up with the landrover track coming up from Faire Clach-ghlais before the final, very short, climb up to the summit. Despite the clouds best efforts I still managed some nice views

Towards Glas Tulaichean (I think?)

Toward the summit

Beinn a Ghlo (would you believe)

Summit view

Loved the views from the summit, where I was the only one there, so had the place to myself. Normally this would give a sense of isolation, but the landrover track was just a few yards away and half imagined that at any moment a landrover would come trundling up over the hill. The closeness of the track to the summit was perhaps the only downside of the day really

That said, I spent a little while on the top, looking toward Beinn Dearg and wondering "should I?" In the end common sense prevailed and I started to make my way back down to the car, but this time down via the landrover track up Faire Clach-ghlais. Not the most attactive track, but again the views were more than compensation for that

Beinn a Ghlo, again

Carn Liath - Beinn a Ghlo

Spent a fair amount of time on the way down scaring the life out of mountain hares seemingly at will, on account of not seeing at all as they were well camouflaged in the under growth

Mountain Hare

This track did provide perhaps the most interesting view of the hill's summit, which I hadn't got from the route up (although I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the walk up this route had I chosen it).

Carn a Chlamain

The route home

I also got a good view of a possible holiday home (a ruin in Glen Tilt with a very nice position, but not sure MrsR would appreciate living there much)

Glen Tilt holiday home

As I arrived back on the Glen Tilt track took a little detour to a pleasant little waterfall, with a nice natural shelter nearby.

Shelter

Waterfall

Then it was a case of retracing my steps back to the car park. Frogmarched myself as much as I could, but was surprised how much my legs were feeling it.

All in all a good day out and well worth the effort, for Glen Tilt alone. I can well see why so many people love this glen with the water tumbling over the rocks and the views up and down.

[dogplodder]

Enjoyed reading this after walking down Glen Tilt on the return leg from Beinn Dearg last month. Years ago a group of us got permission to drive up the glen to climb Carn a Chlamain in a very short day. But It's such a lovely glen I wouldn't recommend doing it like that - better to walk up and soak it all in.