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So, with a scary job interview looming, unemployment getting me down and the weather looking not too shabby, I decided it was time I stopped whining about being stuck inside and made a break for my nearest favourite glen, Glen Clova. Well, actually, I usually drive through Clova on my way to Glen Doll, my
actual favourite, but having browsed the walks on this fine website I realised I was missing out on the delights of Clova. Initially I'd given Mayar & Driesh the old side-eye, trying to decide if I was brave enough to try them out, but I concluded bravery wasn't the issue - experience was. I think I need a bit of training before working my way up to a Munro. I picked the Loch Brandy walk, checked all the weather forecasts, and off I went on Tuesday.
The drive was nice as usual, I'm pretty familiar with it and so it didn't take much more than an hour to get from my house to the car park in Clova. No other cars were there until I was just setting off when one more pulled up, so I knew it'd be a quiet day. And once I was there, I knew why. The weather had lied - it was overcast, wall-to-wall cloud, and no sunshine to be seen. Pretty disappointing, mainly because I'm a keen amateur photographer and had been excited to get pics of the loch. Good light is essential, and there wasn't much of that.
But I didn't make the trip to be disheartened! After all, the toilets were open despite the sign saying they were shut during weekdays in winter, and if THAT wasn't a good sign I don't know what was. Camera in bag, hat firmly on, lined trousers and boots... I headed off with what turned out to be misplaced enthusiasm for a wee bit of a climb.
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- doesn't look too bad!
Because folks, I was
unfit. I mean, I'm 28 and in no way overweight, but I know fine that's no guarantee of fitness. It was a good thing after all I'd eschewed the Munros in favour of this walk - I'd never have managed them! I was pretty embarrassed even twenty minutes in, even though nobody was about to see me except some sheep who did not look impressed. Easy for them, with their sauntering around on hillsides...
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- "Out of breath?" scoffed the sheep. "Pathetic."
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- cloud abounding
I decided the best way to approach this wasn't to jauntily stride up the hill but to stop every wee while and let myself catch my breath. I hadn't eaten enough before I started and my asthma was being a bit of a pain, so this sounded sensible. I sat down and took some photos, of Laird's Chamber to one side and back down the valley to the other.
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- Laird's Chamber
Drank some water, started off again. Every time I thought I'd made progress, a higher bit of path would appear! This will be a no-brainer to all of you experienced climbers, of course!
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- yes body, I'm going up there...
Once I took more breaks though, it became easier and I started to enjoy it. The first reward was seeing the Snug up ahead, reassuring me with its imposing height that I was going the right way. There was even some leftover snow, which I was surprised to see. Low-level in Dundee we haven't had any this year.
I pushed myself on, taking about a trillion photos en route and being annoyed with them all due to the awful light, and eventually I reached Loch Brandy! There was nobody there and although I'd spotted a couple of people behind me on the path up, they were far enough behind that I had about fifteen mins alone to take photos, eat my sandwich, and be literally blown around by the strongest wind I have ever experienced...!
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- Loch Brandy & Snug
I'm not kidding, that wind appeared from nowhere and made exploring around the loch extremely difficult. I'm a small person and I was buffeted to the side off the path a number of times. Taking photos was a challenge, but I managed a few dozen. Even without sun, the loch looked lovely.
I struggled along the path to take a few shots the other way too.
You've probably worked out by now that I'm a bit of a numpty. I watched the other couple coming back from right down at the loch and realised that 1) I could actually get down there which would be more interesting and 2) I bet it was less windy down there, they didn't look as if they were battling a mini tornado. It was a bit boggy but I headed down to the lochside. I learned from an info board in the car park there's a rare type of moss here, but sad to say I wouldn't have known it if you'd thrown it at me. I wish I had studied it beforehand! Also a rare dragonfly lives here, but it was clearly too sensible to venture out in the wind so I didn't see it.
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- more Snug
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- this wee pond was still frozen in places!
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- lochside... this could be the moss? well, it's SOME moss anyway...
Very peaceful down by the water, much less hilariously windy, and so I sat on a rock and ate much-needed chocolate. The wind was blowing hard on the loch, it looked pretty cool as an effect, sadly without my tripod & lenses there was no point trying to capture it. I called a hello to the dragonfly but it probably laughed at me while remaining hidden.
Time to head home. I shouted "this is ridiculous!" into the wind and after a comedy moment when my hat blew off and I had to run awkwardly over rocks to fetch it, I climbed down the rocky path. This involved actually sitting on my bum and shuffling down, because the wind was holding me up at the edge, preventing me from walking down! Incredible and a bit scary, I needed to get home!
Phew, back on the path...
Looks a lot less daunting going downhill! I was almost skipping back down, it was so easy, and the wind was gone so I had a lovely stroll back. Still no sun, but at least there was no rain either.
Came across the sheep again, and this time I waved and told them their snootiness had been misplaced. They apologised. One seemed particularly contemplative.
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- "We misjudged you, chickadee. Look at this waterfall!"
I thought about a drink in the hotel, felt I deserved it, but I had a long drive home and I've never fancied drinking alone. Maybe I need to start! The other couple's car was gone, and so it ended as it began: me in the car park being grateful for the toilets being open. I'm nothing if not glamorous.
I won't blame you if you laugh at my complete inexperience, it was a bit stupid - but I'll get better and hopefully in a few months I'll be atop a Munro!
