We woke to a clear, cold morning with red clouds glowing in a deep purple sky.
- Sunrise in Glen Clova
As we plodded up the steep track behind the hotel towards Loch Brandy we looked across to our left and the huge snow-fringed Corrie of Clova caught our eye. We could just pick out a narrow path traversing the east flank of Ben Reid and up onto the plateau above the corrie. It had to be worth a detour. Ploughing through deep heather, we crossed a small burn and headed up the hillside to connect with the path we had spotted. As we climbed higher a herd of about fifty red deer surged up the back of the huge corrie and onto the plateau.
- Corrie Clova
Higher up, the path was covered in hard-packed snow and just before the gradient eased a flock of snow buntings fluttered across our path. After all that climbing it was time for a cup of tea. Suitably refreshed we made our way round the corrie to the cairn on The Snub, from which we had a good view of Loch Brandy. Looking to the north-west, the cliffs of Lochnagar were unmistakeable against the clear blue sky and Mount Keen rose up out of the lower ground to the north.
- Tea Break: Looking towards Driesh and Mayar
We made our way over undulating frozen ground, across large patches of icy snow, to Green Hill and then carried on more or less due east to White Hill. Then following the line of a new fence up steeper slopes we reached the trig point on Ben Tirran or The Goet. The rock shelter afforded very little protection from the icy wind so we hastily consumed our lunch and more tea and then walked south-east along the ridge to the obvious cairn. From there we headed steeply downhill towards the outflow of Loch Wharral. Icy patches afforded some short bum sliding opportunities to speed our descent. Loch Wharral held two surprises. It was partially frozen, in contrast to Loch Brandy which had been free of ice. And it was home to three swans which, from a distance, resembled small icebergs.
- Ice on Loch Wharral
Katie made a bit of a meal of crossing the outflow burn (she never wears her gaiters and always insists on sharing my trekking poles). I took several pictures, hoping to record her falling in.
- Crossing the burn
- But alas....
Dropping down towards Rough Crag we picked up a path that led us to another burn, which we crossed easily, before following it as it tumbled down to a wood at the bottom of the hill. We entered the wood at a gate and a followed a narrow track through the trees alongside a deer fence until we came to a lochan, which is used for fishing. Here we gained access to the road about ten minutes walk from the hotel.
