Sunny Angus Glens: Corwharn

[malky_c]

Timely this -makes a nice counterpart to davetherave's Hill of Whirren report, being another Graham in the Angus Glens.

I had had my eye on Corwharn for quite some time, and had been planning on combining it with Cat Law in a nice looking circuit around Glen Uig next time I was in Dundee.

As it happened, the older of my two nephews (11) needed rescuing from a trip around Matalan etc, so I decided to compromise and take him with me, but just do Corwharn, as I didn't think his attention span would appreciate the full traverse. We had done Cat Law a couple of times anyway, so no major loss.

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I missed a couple of turnings just after Kirriemuir in trying to find the road up the west side of Glen Prosen. When I finally got on the right road, it turned out it was closed due to a landslip, so I ended up having to go back to the main Clova road and up the east side Glenprosen Village road.

After this messing around, we didn't start walking until about 11.30am. I wasn't too concerned though, as the walk was only about 6km with 350m of ascent. No way that could take very long, I thought!

Driesh and Hill of Strone from start of route

Corwharn (L) and shoulder of Eskielawn (R)

I underestimated slightly, as Cameron wanted to slide on every bit of ice and jump into every icy bog! Anyway, we made our way up the path which crosses over to the Backwater Reservoir. This was extremely icy lower down where water had flowed in the tyre ruts, and higher up, the path was covered in with extremely hard snow. Crampons or microspikes would have made the going a bit easier here. We had neither. I had left my crampons at home and Cameron was wearing his wellies!

Fortunatley, one of the other reasons I had chosen Corwharn for today was that it barely has any bits you can fall off. So while the going to the high point on the path was rather slow and slithery, I wasn't too concerned about safety.

At the high point, the route dipped a bit to the col, following a wire fence. The views were spectacular from here, with everything above 600m looking like a hunk of christmas cake. Particuarly impressive were the corries holding Loch Wharral and Loch Brandy and the Snub. The fence made a useful handrail, but the easiest descent was sliding.

Looking over to Corries Wharral and Brandy

Corwharn from shoulder of Eskielawn

The route to the summit was straightforward. For all the slippyness of the snow, it appeared to be much preferable to the summer version, which would be through endless peat hags. There was a large, rather slender cairn on the summit plateau, but for some reason it was not quite on the highest point (or even on a bump of any kind!) We stopped for a quick bite and to admire the view, but the wind was bitingly cold, so we didn't hang around.

West to Mount Blair

Cameron near the summit, with Mayar and the White Glen in the background

Glen Uig and Cat Law

NW towards Glen Shee - Creag Leacach and others in there somewhere!

From Corwharn to the E side of Glen Clova (including Wharral, Brandy, Ben Tirran)

Cameron on the summit, looking towards the Airlie Tower

Having taken 2 hours to reach the summit, I thought we would try a more direct return route straight down the NE face. This was quite steep, but I managed to choose a route where there was the odd bit of heather poking through the snow, which made for something to brake against. Cameron was happy to fearlessly launch himself down this slope headfirst, but I was a bit more cautious. Seems he can happily throw himself at sheets of ice and hard snow like this, whereas every time I do something similar, I end up with a dislocated shoulder!

Descent in reverse

Fortunately no such injuries today, and even with some playing in the snow, we made it back to the car in about 45 minutes.

[davetherave]

Malky_c

Was planning a similar route for this weekend but never made it out, was exhausted after Hill of Wirren.

I assume Cameron enjoyed honing his skills on the Angus Glens, good place for a young guy to start.

here is a GPX file of the route i planned, but never got round to doing. hopefully get it done next week.

cat law and corwharn.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[malky_c]

Well he certainly enjoyed himself. Not sure if he learned much - If he didn't fling himself so enthusiastically at ice/rocks/big drops etc, I'd take him somewhere more adventurous (Driesh/Mayar/Ben Tirran maybe)!

That route is fairly similar to the one I had in mind actually -hopefully I'll read your report on it in the next week or so...

If you don't already know, the road between Easter Lednathie and Wester Dalinch is closed for 3 weeks while they repair an embankment (looks like there may have been a landslip). Shouldn't affect you if you are planning on starting where you've shown though.

I'll probably do Hill of Wirren next time I'm down that way actually. It is just that and the three Glen Isla hills I have left of the Angus Glens Grahams to do.

[Alastair S]

I was in sunny Angus on Sunday too - I was up Mayar with fine views over to Blackwater Resevoir - so we could both be specks in each others photos

I was too knackered to do a report last night but will do so tonight. By the sounds of it the wind wasn't an issue for you, but up the tops it was blowing a gale - 50mph+. Had a great day though

[malky_c]

I'll be interested to read that. I enjoyed myself, but part of me was wishing I was up on some of the higher tops. Assuming you had ice/hard packed snow issues as well?

Wind was strong enough to make hanging around at the top rather chilly, but not excessive. Makes quite a difference when you get another 300m or so higher!

I remember doing Broad Cairn and Cairn Bannoch from Glen Clova in 2005 -very similar to what you describe. Wind made things almost impossible -couldn't look in the direction I wanted to walk and could hardly walk in it either...

[Alastair S]

I'll be interested to read that.

Now posted