Creag nan Gabhar & Morrone
Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:41 pm
After 5 days in the garage I finally have my car back so time to get out and do a couple of hills before I find myself back in work bemoaning my lack of days out.
I liked the look of Creag nan Gabhar, having walked up Glen Callater so many times over the years (heading for various different Munros) I had never done this Corbett.
An easy first kilometre to get the legs going then a right turn up a bulldozed track and the climbing starts. It's quite a steep climb initially heading North before turning and heading South up a broad ridge.
The gradient eases along the ridge with views opening up down to Braemar and Ben Avon, over to Lochnagar, down to Loch Callater and the hills beyond as well as up Glen Clunie.
After an hour and three quarters I was on the summit.
Initially, my plan was to head for Loch Callater and then return on the main track but on the summit of Creag nan Gabhar I decided to take in Morrone as well so I just retraced my steps.
Back at the car in under 3 hours and looking forward to Morrone. Creag nan Gabhar was good fun, strange how you can be in an area you are so familiar with and just a different track gives totally different angles and views of hills - what a change from the usual walk up Glen Callater.
Back at the car park I headed South along the road for about 100 yards to the end of the fence on the right where a small track meanders down to a bridge over Clunie Water. Once over the bridge, the track follows the far bank to the corner of the fence then follows the fence away from the river and up to the minor road that runs down to Braemar. The track up Morrone is only about 20 yards down the road towards Braemar so very quickly I'm heading up on to the lower slopes of the hill. The gradient was comfortable and it was an easy walk, gaining height fairly quickly.
When I reached a point where the views to the North were visible I just had to stop and take them in. This is probably the best hill I've ever been on for views to the Cairngorms - absolutely stunning.
The views are so good from this hill that the mast and building just don't matter. I was on the summit for longer than any hill recently just taking in all the hills in a 360 panorama
Like Creag nan Gabhar it would be better to do this hill as a circular but I decided to just retrace my steps and head back down the same way I came.
Back down in the glen it's surprising how warm it is, a really warm finish in the late August sunshine.
Back at the car the temperature gauge is showing 75, probably an exaggeration but it was really warm in the sun. It made for a good walk putting these two Corbetts together.
I liked the look of Creag nan Gabhar, having walked up Glen Callater so many times over the years (heading for various different Munros) I had never done this Corbett.
An easy first kilometre to get the legs going then a right turn up a bulldozed track and the climbing starts. It's quite a steep climb initially heading North before turning and heading South up a broad ridge.
The gradient eases along the ridge with views opening up down to Braemar and Ben Avon, over to Lochnagar, down to Loch Callater and the hills beyond as well as up Glen Clunie.
After an hour and three quarters I was on the summit.
Initially, my plan was to head for Loch Callater and then return on the main track but on the summit of Creag nan Gabhar I decided to take in Morrone as well so I just retraced my steps.
Back at the car in under 3 hours and looking forward to Morrone. Creag nan Gabhar was good fun, strange how you can be in an area you are so familiar with and just a different track gives totally different angles and views of hills - what a change from the usual walk up Glen Callater.
Back at the car park I headed South along the road for about 100 yards to the end of the fence on the right where a small track meanders down to a bridge over Clunie Water. Once over the bridge, the track follows the far bank to the corner of the fence then follows the fence away from the river and up to the minor road that runs down to Braemar. The track up Morrone is only about 20 yards down the road towards Braemar so very quickly I'm heading up on to the lower slopes of the hill. The gradient was comfortable and it was an easy walk, gaining height fairly quickly.
When I reached a point where the views to the North were visible I just had to stop and take them in. This is probably the best hill I've ever been on for views to the Cairngorms - absolutely stunning.
The views are so good from this hill that the mast and building just don't matter. I was on the summit for longer than any hill recently just taking in all the hills in a 360 panorama
Like Creag nan Gabhar it would be better to do this hill as a circular but I decided to just retrace my steps and head back down the same way I came.
Back down in the glen it's surprising how warm it is, a really warm finish in the late August sunshine.
Back at the car the temperature gauge is showing 75, probably an exaggeration but it was really warm in the sun. It made for a good walk putting these two Corbetts together.