Glen Doll & Corrie Fee

[quagga64]

Decided to try and bag Driesh and Mayar, two munros to the Southeast of the main Cairngorm range as I thought this area would be my best chance of the least amount of snow cover after my experience of knee deep snow at Drumochter Pass on the 30th of January. Roads were fine on the drive up the A9 to Forfar and then on the B road through Kirriemuir and on to Glen Clova. From there on the minor road along the South side of Glen Clova ( the road along the North side was closed ) was very potholed and quite badly waterlogged with quite a few sections flooded. Despite the dodgy road conditions, arrived at Glen Doll Lodge about 10:30 and set off walking. It was fairly bright and clear but did drizzle a bit along the way, snow was lying from about 2,000 feet up on Driesh and the surrounding ridges and peaks. Walk up through Glen Doll forest was really nice with plenty of mixed woodland and information boards along the way promising possible sightings of Otters, Crossbills, Pine Martens and even Golden Eagles, sadly I never seen any of these and surprisingly apart from some very tame Chaffinches around the lodge and car park, I didnt see or hear a single bird, despite the perfect habitat. Passed the famous Jocks Road which is the oldest right of way in Scotland, dating from 1888. Crossed the river which runs through the forest called The White Water and after 45 minutes of walking emerged from the forest to be confronted with the impressive Corrie Fee, the wind began to pick up as I crossed the morraines which are piles of debris left behind by melting glaciers after the last ice age 10,000 years ago and gained height, the cliffs of Corrie Fee looked ideal habitat for Golden Eagles with trees and shrubbery growing out of the ledges and I kept scanning my surroundings in hope. As I began to climb the back wall of the corrie beside the waterfall the snow underfoot began to get deeper and soon the path dissappeared. I got the ice axe out for the first time and as I slowly climbed blindly now as there was no path or footprints to follow the snow began to fall and came on quite heavy. The snow underfoot was soft and wet and quickly got deeper and deeper till amazingly my legs were sinking in right up to my crotch ! Soon my trousers were soaking and after changing my gloves my second pair were now also soaking and the climb was getting ever steeper. Eventually after nearly an hour of struggle and changing course to try and find a better route I decided it was time to call it a day and abort, there were telltale signs of previous avalanches all around and it became too much of a risk as I was by now totally soaked through and quite knackered, the snow was swirling all around and although I was tantelizingly close to the top of the corrie, the final climb was very steep and I decided it was just too dangerous so I headed back down, sliding a lot of the way on my backside though I kept sinking in as the snow was so soft. Feeling very dejected and frustrated at having my second successive attempt at bagging a pair of munros foiled by snow. I plodded back the way I had came and of course the snow stopped and out came the sun and the blue sky, 3 hours 45 minutes after setting off I was back at the car and got dried off and completely changed my clothes and sat with car heater on and ate some of my piece and fed some to the flock of tame Chaffies who gobbled up cherry bakewells and bourbon biscuits. had an uneventfull drive home and apart from the dissapointment of failing to add to my munro tally which has been stuck at 78 since last October I enjoyed the walk and I look forward to going back to bag these two in better weather as it is a really nice area.