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If you have a half day to climb something you've not done before not too far from home what do you do? In my case I check WH to see what others in the area have done..... and from that vital piece of research on Tuesday afternoon I came up with a plan. We'd head for Strathconon in pursuit of a large cat seen frequenting these parts.
Armed with the relevant evidence we parked at Bridgend, the only car there. By the parking space there was a large information board welcoming walkers and detailing times of stalking but with no specific info on the quarry we had in mind so for what we were stalking it looked like we were on our own.
First challenge was to squeeze through gate designed to keep large mammals in (or out?) which seems to include (along with the usual suspects) a moderately sized human carrying a moderately sized rucksack without taking said rucksack off. Much breathing in and shoving body into tight corner produced desired outcome but on the return I couldn't be bothered with the breathing in malarkay and took the rucksack off seeing as it was coming off in a few minutes anyway to get into the car.
Once through the gate it was easy walking on the good track heading west to Dalbreac.
Track crosses a bridge over the tumbling Allt a' Bhogair
Strathconon Corbetts Sgurr a' Mhuillin & Meallan nan Uan ahead
Obligatory gorse shot
Just before first house you turn left on to this hill track heading south
The main object of the day was to follow in the panther's tracks but that didn't preclude a little off piste manouvering to get a photo.
Me going off track in the interests of photography (M's pic)
The shot I was after
Distant track climbing up to the col between Carn na Coinnich and Carn Uilleim
The plantation of pine on the left had taken a battering and many trees were down - their root base exposed and surprisingly shallow.
Shallow they may be but roots with the strength to lift large rocks from the ground
Could this be evidence of large cat activity? We didn't know.
After the fallen trees we spotted the large metal feeder which we recognised as a panther clue - and right on cue there was a stag looking warily at us as we approached. He seemed not overly impressed by our presence but reacted less hysterically than the look out lapwing posted to warn all lapwing colleagues (of which there were several) of possible impending danger. He kept up an agitated distress call and much manic flying about until we were well clear of lapwing chick territory. It was obvious there were nests nearby and I did wonder if all this agitation might be counterproductive as it made it very obvious to potential predators where easy pickings might be had. Lower down the glen there were cuckoos calling - a sound of early summer that has accompanied the start of all my recent walks.
The track reached a ford with more water than we liked the look of so we diverted upstream to cross and for a time lost the track, picking our way over grassy ground until we found it again. On the way back we were more gung ho and crossed straight over, keeping boots dry with no problem.
Where's that track gone?
Looking back from grassy section
Signs of buildings here - was this a clearance village?
As we gained height the track steepened with the Fannichs now in view to the north
Zoomed to Fannichs
Whenever we came across mud on the track we looked for prints. There were many of the cloven hoofed variety but little that conclusively suggested homo sapiens had passed that way and certainly nothing to suggest feline activity. Is it possible that like her smaller cousin the Black Panther is nearing extinction in these parts? But we had seen documented evidence including photographs indicating a recent sighting on this very hill so we continued still hopeful of a sighting for ourselves.
Trig point of Carn na Coinnich now visible
As per instructions we left the track near its highest point and dodged our way across a section of small pools and peat hags heading in the direction of a faint grassy track to the left of the larger snow patch on the ridge ahead.
The top of the long sprawling hill is a wet lumpy area which doesn't become any firmer/dryer the further over you go. In an effort to avoid the peat hags I skirted north but with the benefit of hindsight don't recommend that and on the return we took a more direct line keeping to the south of the peat hags. You don't avoid all of them that way but it was a quicker route than going up.
Having said that the boots were still dry and mud-free as we approached the trig point on its rocky plinth. I walked stealthily as this was a hot spot for panther activity with feline sounds having been recorded here not many weeks ago. But were we too late? Probably.
Summit trig
Approaching with stealth (M's zoomed shot)
Second stalker cautiously bringing up the rear
We climbed up to the highest point to have a good look
But no sign of life - feline or otherwise
North west across summit plateau to Strathconon Corbetts
Zoomed to Fannichs (M's pic)
South west to Strathfarrars
A lot of snow for late May (M's pic)
South east over Loch Orrin to distant Beauly Firth
The wind was gusting strongly so we crouched down at the foot of the summit rock for lunch enjoying the views to the south.
On the way down at about the point we were again being scolded by anxious lapwings I noticed a pair of eagles soaring above the glen. I stood still and watched them moving closer and was then treated to a spectacular aerial display in which one closed wings and dropped like a missile - not heading for the ground but heading straight for the other and then cutting off the power of the dive just in time to gently touch the back of its mate. They would then fly together before repeating the stunt. It was magical to watch and I took it to be a courtship display to strengthen the bond between them. You would think by late May they would already have eggs to incubate or chicks to feed - but these two were obviously not too busy sitting on eggs or hunting to take time out for some fun as well.
So although there were no cat sightings on our walk we were well compensated by cuckoos, lapwings and eagles - and if you're puzzled by the feline references all will be explained by the following link which is what prompted us to head for this hill in the first place.
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=50369Many thanks to Black Panther for her clear directions which we followed closely and for her photos which are far better than ours!
