Clashenteple & Green Hills - Strathdon

[Gordon Ballantyne]

Strathdon was the target today. Weather fairly good - overcast but no cloud on our tops though Morven sported a cloud bunnet most of the day.
Not much wind either and what there was, wasn't too chilly.


CLASHENTEPLE HILL

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Parked up at the generous forestry road entrance off the Strathdon to Glenbuchat road. The weekend snow had melted where exposed to the sun, but as we were mostly on forestry tracks there was still a fair bit of snow which made the going a a bit "porridgy" in places. After reaching the bealach between Clachenteple and Tom na Gabhar at Glac an Moine, we entered a long straight firebreak which seemed to be never-ending as we plootered up the soft snow..

The neverending straight track up Clashentaple

Eventually we emerged onto the top and followed the track to the summit cairn. We'd great views across to Ben Newe, Ladylea and Morven, which we'd already done some time ago.

GordonC and Harvey at the top of Clashenteple

GordonC checking his GPS height at the top of Clashenteple

Squinty pic of Harvey in his new attire with Ben Newe behind

The descent was uneventful until GordonC took a wee slip and tweaked his knee. I thought he'd just stopped for a pee and just trundled on down - oblivious to his pain. GC, being old school just hirpled on until the pain subsided. Being my usual observant self I didn't even notice. The car was reached without further ado.



GREEN HILL

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Drove along to Bellabeg and up the signposted "LOST" road by the War memorial - beautifully bedecked with poppies.

Lost on the way to Green Hill

Strathdon War Memorial still regaled in poppies

We sneaked by the farm and up the track until we came to a gate where the wood started. Not wanting to disturb the pregnant ewes unduly, we parked on a track leading up on on to the open ground. I'd noticed as we drove up, that the farmer was using a track further back to gain access to this grazing area above, so we didn't think we were blocking access. He/she was able to gain access to the fields in the bottom of the glen too. Having Harvey, I was nervous about disturbing the sheep, so as we ascended the open ground, we kept lower near to the wood so that the ewes in the adjacent field didn't see us. They tend to come over to see if you're going to feed them or run around in disarray. Anyway, we made the safety of the break in the woods which gave us access to the track up round Breagach.

Looking back down the track through the forest at Coulick Hill

We stopped at he bealach near the gate giving access to the grassy coire below Craigs of Moniewhitt and took a lee down into the gully a wee bit to eat our piece in relative comfort as there didn't appear to be much cover up on Green Hill. GC casually mentioned that he hoped his knee would last out, which was when I found out he was nursing a tweaked knee. Seemed the excercise was helping - whereas, restarting was the problem. Anyway, after our piece we followed the path across the shallow grassy corrie towards the Craigs of Monywhitt, but struck off up to the top just a wee bit too early on what we throught was a snow-filled path, ( probably a snow-filled drain) but as we discovered on the descent, if we'd carried on a wee bit further, we'd have stumbled across a previously burnt heather area where the going was a bit better. However, as always, the upward route is a guessing game - which we got wrong - again!

Looking back E across the grassy corrie to Breagach Hill

The path to Green Hill at the other side of the grassy corrie

Luckily it wasn't far to the top so GC powered ahead to the top at the junction of a couple of fences - gammy knee and 'a.
There was a wee block of granite sticking up with"I" on one side and "C" on the other, with a "9" or "6" on the top - we think. Harvey made an arse of jumping the fence on the way in, but recovered his dog-cred by clearing it nae bother on the way out ! ( Need to give him a course on fence-jumping ! )

The summit gate and granite block marking the top of Green Hill

The "I" side of the granite block

The "6" 0r "9" on the granite block - depending on which way you stand.

GordonB on the way back from Green Hill

We didn't stop long on the top and headed back to the car. Thankfully, there was no angry farmer blocking the car in, so we escaped back down the road to the safety of the A944.

Another braw day in great spring weather. Probably a touch too much snow on the tracks for us auld "fair weather" buddies.