free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Well, at the time I was walking winter hadn’t yet arrived, but it was the month of January so constituted winter to me.
My main target for the day was the Corbett of Carn Mor, the high point of the Ladder Hills. Ordinarily this one looks like it is climbed from Chapeltown in Glenlivet or alternatively via short route from near the Lecht ski centre. This time I didn’t want to go with the herd though and thought I’d opt for a longer route encompassing Glen Buchat and Glen Nochty.
P1050872 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
I parked up at the large parking area NJ336176, which also serves as the starting point for the sub 2000 and former Graham of Ladylea Hill. If time allowed I had that in my sights for a quick up-and-down at the end of the day.It was a short walk along the minor road to what I assume was the tradesman’s entrance to Glenbuchat Lodge. This was as close as I got to seeing anyone for the rest of the day – an estate worker and his gun out with his young lad to teach him to shoot rabbits I assume (there were a few rifle shots ringing out soon after as I made my way along the track up Broom Knowe).
P1050874 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050876 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Once on the track it is very much the usual Aberdeenshire fayre of rolling hillside. It’s good I quite like it, as I’d be walking amongst it for some time to come.
P1050879 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050880 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050883 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A zoomed view back to Glenbuchat LodgeP1050886 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Corryhabbie Hill and Ben Rinnes in the backgroundP1050889 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The route aheadP1050894 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
And there was more......My original plan had been to follow the track bypassing Finlate Hill, but as soon as I spied the zigzagging track heading up it a slight change in route was definitely in order.
P1050896 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
My detourP1050904 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Heading down off Finlate Hill toward the LadderSo far, so good. It had been good tracks all the way. The track heading up to the Ladder was more of a hill path. I’d imagine it could be quite boggy, but thankfully while we might not have the snow at least the ground was frozen. Made for easy going.
P1050906 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Starting the final push up to the LadderP1050912 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The path up to the LadderP1050915 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
In my head I thought the route from here to the Corbett summit would be straightforward. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t difficult, but the section between Dun Muir and the 772 point was a delightful mass of peat hags. Again, the ground was frozen so walking through them was actually really enjoyable. In less favourable conditions I could imagine bodies sinking in the bog.......
P1050920 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Initial easy goingP1050931 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Peat hag view to a clagged Carn MorFrom the 772 point the final walk to Carn Mor was easy, although there was a definite nip in the air.........as in, it was freezing.
P1050936 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
On the final push to the summitP1050938 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Trig coming in to viewP1050941 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Summit trig, with cloudy Cairngorms behindSummit views were a bit limited as a result of the cloud cover that had held on longer than I’d expected. South was Morven and Mona Gowan and north was Ben Rinnes, Corryhabbie Hill and Cook’s Cairn. I’d hoped for some views in to the northern Cairngorms, but stubborn clouds weren’t conducive.......well not initially
P1050945 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050947 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050948 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
My descent route was to continue down off Carn Mor to point 800 and then descend over the open ground of the Monadh an t-Sluich Leith, picking up the landrover track that would eventually lead me through Glen Nochty. I had some more delightful, thankfully frozen, peat hags to walk through before making the track.
P1050956 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
View back to the summitP1050963 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
CairngormsP1050968 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050969 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
My route offP1050971 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Peat hagsAlthough I was back on a good track there must have been 11 fordings of the Water of Nochty up to the wonderfully named Duffdefiance. After that it was easy walk back to the minor road and then back to the car. That said, by the time I was back at the car I’d clocked up a little over 15 miles......
P1050973 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050979 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050985 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050988 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
I decided I might as well tick off Ladylea, as it seemed to be a waste not to tick it off as I was already parked up. I dumped the rucksack and headed off up the wide landrover track.
P1050993 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Here we go again....A bit of a zig, followed by a zag, and I soon arrived at a large bend in the track where my route led up through the trees to a substantial fence and gate, with a wooded style over the fence.
P1050997 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Starting point of the trsack up through the treesP1060005 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1060007 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
From there it was a decent traipse over open heathery ground that led me pretty easily to the summit. Light was starting to fade a bit when I arrived at the summit, so the views weren’t great even though the cloud from earlier had finally lifted. It was still a bit chilly though, so I was quickly turning round and heading back down to the car.
P1060008 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1060011 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1060021 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
All in all an excellent day in the hills. Just over 18 miles and I was surprised to discover a total of just over 4000 feet of climbing. Not bad for rolling hills.