Carn a'Chlamain from Glen Tilt

[SiGerrard]

Set off from home at 0800hrs for the long drive via Glenshee to the Glen Tilt car park. Arrived at 1030 at a full car park. Couldn't find the overflow car park but fortunately someone was just packing up from a so called wild camp in the wood right next to the car park. Made a mental note that might be my last resort as a camp spot for the night as I planned to do Bein Dearg the following day. I was expected it to be somewhat busy as it was the the weekend and we were still in our early days of freedom following the COVID19 lockdown.

Got my bike off the roof rack and sorted my smaller walking bag setting off at 1045hrs up the small hill straight across from the car park. A bit of a steep start but with fresh legs this soon flattened out to become a good car track. It took me about an hour to get to the start of the stalkers path at Forrest Lodge. Stopping just the once to chat to a couple that had camped overnight a Falls of Tarf and were walking out to catch the train home. This was somewhere I'd ruled out as a wild camp area this time around as it was 11 mile up Glen Tilt and I didn't want to take the Bike and my larger rucksack in that far. They said it had been busy overnight with seven tents at the falls.

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Heading up to the left just through the gate at the Forrest Lodge woods end, I locked my bike up and started the ascent up the stalkers path. This zigzagged and gained height rapidly through the fields of sheep.
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The ascent was fairly short (75mins) and straight forward meeting no-one on the way until the summit where a couple from Glasgow were having there lunch. They had come up the bulldozed path that rose from Allt Craoinidh through Faire Clach-ghlais. They had wondered about going back the way I'd come up but I suggested that would add a couple of miles to their walk.
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It was fairly windy at the top so I stayed only a short time deciding to grab my lunch further down on the descent. I stopped for my usual Pasta and Tuna for about 20mins and then continued my decent, once again passing no one else.

Taking my bike back along the easy trail I kept an eye out for good camping spots to come back to. There was some good candidates already taken around Gaw's bridge, but stopping to chat to the couple I met at the summit that had already made it down to nearly as far as Gilbert's bridge I noticed a nice field with easy river access and it's only mini beach. It would have actually been a quicker route for me to have gone up that way as well I realised but I wanted to try the bit more off the beaten track and see the lodge.

I decided to cross Gilbert's bridge rather than continue the way I'd come in, just in case there was a better spot, but there wasn't really. I noticed a shooting point on the range where I'd seen a video of a couple of guys camping before, and I could see by the scorched fire mark people had since. Not a great idea really!

Getting back to the car at 1610hrs I rested for a while. I explored the woods around the car park passing a group of friendly and well oiled lads in a gazebo with the festival tents around happy with their spot for the night. Transferring my wet weather gear from my walking bag into my rucksack I set back off for my camping spot.
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Really pleased with the spot I cooked down by the river, and enjoyed a midge free beer and read before retiring about 2030hrs for a good nights sleep. At least I hoped!

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