free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Another better than expected dry December day, where the sun even showed itself on occasion, and a really good circuit round Backwater reservoir, taking in two Angus sub 2000s. And no need for scrapping through dense forest either
I parked up at the car park at the W end of the dam, and, having decided to do Hare Cairn first, set off up the tarred road on the W side of the reservoir, following
Graeme D's route and ignoring any urge to take a more direct route through the forest.
- Looking north up Backwater reservoir
I made fast progress to the end of the road, and soon found the Glen Damph signpost and the path through some nice open forest. This path led through a gate and out onto the open land north of the forest. I turned left and followed the fence W, uphill through short grass and heather, surprising (and being surprised by) a group having a picnic the other side of the fence in the trees, and soon got to the junction of the deer fences on the summit ridge.
- Top of the climb up to Hare Cairn, with Cat Law in the distance
There was a large hole in the fence, so I was able to shove my rucsac through the hole and then clamber through after it, to head S to reach Hare Cairn's summit trig around an hour after I set off.
- Deer fence hole…it wasn't me!
- An atmospheric view south from the summit of Hare Cairn
I retraced my steps back across the fence, and continued N before branching E down over increasingly steep heathery slopes, which became rough grazing. I could see the unmapped bridge that
wjshaw2 helpfully mentioned in his report, so headed for that, across the burn and up to the track just S of the not very barny-looking old farm building at Barny.
- The steep descent to the secret bridge
Now I was ready for a long track/road walk down through Glenhead farm (the red curlew barn looked in a sorry state; the roof partially collapsed
), and along the east side of the reservoir. There was a slight south wind but it didn't slow me down too much as Creigh Hill loomed closer.
After some coffee and chocolate, I left the road and crossed the barbed wire fence, straight into a grotty, boggy area, cursing myself for not taking the track that had left the road a couple of hundred metres back.
- The boggy start to the ascent of Creigh Hill
But the bog soon gave way to an area of burnt heather, which was easier going as I climbed, and then followed faint paths to reach the summit ridge fence and the cairn on Creigh Hill's north top (about 2h 40 minutes after starting). This gave a great view over to Cat Law, which I'd been up on a beautiful sunny day back in February.
- Cat Law and Mile Hill from the summit of Creigh Hill
Looking at the lower south top, it didn't seem lower, so I thought I should climb it to be sure, and followed the fence and a very faint overgrown ATV track through the heather. It wasn't too bad walking, and the reward was a layered view from the S top across Loch of Lintrathen and Strathmore to the Sidlaws, the east end of the Ochils and then the Lomond Hills.
- Strathmore, the Sidlaws and beyond, from the south top of Creigh Hill
To the W, Mount Blair had emerged from the cloud, and there were higher and snowier hills further W into highland Perthshire.
- Backwater Dam, with Mount Blair behind
From the S top, it was a pretty quick descent through short heather, initially keeping a fence on my right and then after a gate, slanting diagonally down to reach the road just as it turned to cross the dam. The walk across the dam gave some nice views back up the reservoir, as the daylight began to fade. A decent circuit, which may have helped burn off a couple of mince pies (or an excuse to eat even more)
