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Video of fun :
Meall Uaine
After a stressful start to the year, we decided to treat ourselves to a weekend beak. Log cabin booked and off we set after work on Friday up the A93 toward Blair. A short drive and we arrived at our lodgings for the weekend. Located above The Spittal of Glenshee we were all super impressed! Views up Glenshee towards the ski centre and up Glen Lochsie as well as back down Glenshee, I really didn’t need to leave the lodge to get some nice photos!
However, curiosity got the better of me and I was soon looking at the map and what hills could be scaled near bye! The usual suspects (i.e. Munros and Corbetts) had been walked on numerous occasions and I immediately noticed that the Cateran Trail ran along the side of the lodge. In fact the hill that the lodge was situated on looked inviting – Meall Uaine. More research followed and I discovered that Meall Uaine was listed in the original Corbetts list. However in the 80’s it was realised that it didn’t quite make Corbett status as the 500ft drop wasn’t quite 500ft!, and in fact there were no drops sufficient to meet this criteria between here and Glas Tulaichean (around 10km away along the ridge)!
So as the rain fell on the Friday night I hatched a plan to rise early and try and catch a sunrise, and be back before the family had risen!! After a few beers I had a one final glimpse outside and to my delight, I noticed the hills were white from about 600m, winter had returned with May only a few days away.
A comfortable sleep and I was up at 4am, with the first signs of dawn starting to light up the surroundings. Coffee and porridge devoured and I was soon heading up the Cateran trail. After a few hundred yards I decided to make a beeline for Mealle Uaine – the ground was frozen so the pathless, and probably usually boggy ground was fine to crunch across. The clear skies that had welcomed me on leaving the lodge were now being filled with mid level cloud unfortunately. However the increasing white terrain underfoot was putting a big smile on my face As I gained height the Perthshire hills started to emerge and were looking fine with their fresh white coatings. Although a bright sunrise failed to develop it was still a lovely soft light that started to illuminate the landscape. Dapples of light started to break through and Beinn a’ Ghlo caught some of these rays.
Beinn a' Ghlo from Glenshee by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
The true summit was a short walk from the NW top and I was soon enjoying views across Scotland. Down in Glenshee the green spring foliage was being light up by the odd burst of light but it felt like a different world up on the cold monochrome tops.
Glenshee light by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
Spring in the glen - winter on the tops by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
After soaking in the views for half an hour I decided to head back – it hadn’t turned 7 am yet! I had the ideal treat waiting for me at the lodge too after the cold on the tops (see end of video!!)
A few snaps :
Mount Blair
Mount Blair by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
Glenshee
Glenshee by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
Ben More
Ben More from Glenshee by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
