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I can't really explain why I've never climbed these hills. I'm in double figures for most of the Glenshee hills (close to home) and on numerous occasions I've driven past the Spittal of Glenshee and not given them a second thought.
Recently, I've read a few reports and specifically Beaner001 who added Beinn Lutharn Mhor on to the traditional two from Dalmunzie Hotel so with that thought in my head I was off up the road. As usual I was looking for a reasonably early start and it was foggy until I got to about 4 miles from SofG when all of a sudden I broke through the mist in to bright sunshine and blue skies - hopefully a good day to be had.
Parked at the back of Dalmunzie Hotel and headed for reception to pay my parking fee (£2.50). One car was already parked up so looked like there would be somebody ahead of me.
From the off it was warm warm warm, no breeze at all.
The first 100 yards is up the tarmac road that leads to Glenlochsie Farm and there is a well signed gate in to a field on the left (if heading up Glen Lochsie). On the other side of the gate there was a herd of cows, most were lying down (it's about to rain, it has rained or were they just warm?). As usual for me they were congregated close to the gate and directly in my line. Once I was in the field I was chatting to them all about where I was going and what a good day it was but to be honest they didn't seem that interested (maybe everybody chats to them about the same thing so the topic just bores them). I kept tight in to the fence heading uphill towards the farm until I had cleared the cows and then headed in towards the middle of the field. It was at this point I noticed one of the herd was a fair bit bigger than the others and he was keeping a close eye on me but he must have been feeling the heat and left me to it.
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- Looking up Gleann Taitneach from the start
It's a nice easy start, fairly flat and easy walking with the 1st decision being whether to cross the river and follow the 4x4 track up the left hand side of the burn or stick to the right and follow the disused railway line. I chose the latter and followed a stalker's track close to the burn before heading up through the grass and heather to link up with the obvious track 100 yards above the burn. It's an easy climb up to the railway track but in the heat with no breeze I was already warm. A really nice walk along the track with only a couple of damp patches (looks like it could be tricky in wet weather but at the moment no problem at all).
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- Disused railway track
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- Glenlochsie Lodge in sight
It didn't take very long to reach Glenlochsie Lodge which marks the end of the gentle easy walking and the start of the climb.
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- Lots of potential, may need some upgrading
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- Waterfall beside the lodge
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- Looking back (code for taking a break before the uphill slog)
And so to the 1st climb of the day, steep on a good 4x4 track, warm, no breeze, hard work.
As I climbed I could so a lone walker in the distance so this would be the owner of the car in the car park back at Dalmunzie. With about half a mile to the summit I caught up with him, he had a thick warm waterproof jacket on that would be too warm for me in the winter
We walked together for 5 minutes chatting about the day ahead then he needed to stop to take his jacket of and it was time for me to head off on my own again. On reaching a small cairn it's a quick right turn and two minutes later I was on the summit. It's a big broad hill and so the views from the top are limited and after 5 minutes I was off.
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- Glas Tulaichean summit
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- Looking down on Loch nan Eun
Heading towards Carn an Righ I initially took too straight a line and the drop down off Glas Tulichean was a bit steep. I wasn't far off the correct route so a quick change and I had a decent line over to the obvious track at the base of Mam nan Carn. In the heat the rough walking (even the downhill bit) was tiring and I was glad to reach the path.
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- Heading off Glas Tulaichean and looking over to Carn an Righ
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- Carn an Righ from the track under Man nan Carn
The first part of the climb up Carn an Righ was fairly steep but as it eased off there was an easy boulder field to cross and then an easy final climb to the summit. The views from here seem better than from Glas Tulaichean and it just feels you are completely surrounded by hills for miles and miles (probably because you are).
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- Carn an Righ summit
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- Beinn lutharn Mhor - so close you could stretch out and touch it
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- Beinn A'Ghlo zoomed
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- Cairngorms zoomed
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- Carn an Righ summit with Beinn a Ghlo in the background
Heading off Carn an Righ it's time to decide whether to head along the track towards Loch nan Eun or do a bit more climbing and take on Beinn lutharn Mhor.
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- What would you do?
I checked my watch and realised I had only been out for 3.5 hours so had loads of time to include my 3rd hill of the day. I was aware of the track contouring round the side of Mam nan Carn which would leave a grassy climb up to the saddle between Mam nan Carn and Beinn lutharn Mhor but I preferred the option of climbing straight up Mam nan Carn before contouring round to take in what looked like a fairly easy climb to the summit of my 3rd Munro. The climb up Mam nan Carn was as steep as it looked but it didn't last for long and it didn't take long before the gradient eased and my final target for the day was in view. Had a chat for 10 minutes with someone doing my route in reverse then another walker appeared in front of me as I reached the path up to the summit of Beinn lutharn Mhor. After a brief chat whist he rummaged about in his rucksack we kept each other company up to the summit and then back down again before he headed off towards Carn an Righ.
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- Beinn lutharn Mhor summit
Once I had retraced my steps down the path from the summit I chose a route to take me down to Loch nan Eun avoiding the crags and was quickly down at the loch side.
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- Loch nan Eun - beautiful spot and a bit envious of whoever was camping by the shore
After the loch it was just a case of crossing the outflow burn and taking the track down in to Gleann Taitneach. The stalker's path is initially fairly steep and rough but really enjoyable if slow going.
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- Looking down Gleann Taitneach - still a long way to go
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- Allt Easgaidh
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- and again
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- Looking down Gleann Taitneach
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- and again
After a couple of water stops it seemed to take forever to reach the 4x4 track which would allow me to increase my pace. All I had to do now was watch out for the bridge to cross the river and head back to the hotel.
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- Looking down towards Dalmunzie from the bridge
Once over the river there is an easy track to follow through the field and up to the gate which is opposite the gate to Glen Lochsie at the start of the walk.
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- Looking back up Gleann Taitneach with the clouds rolling in
A really good day and now that I've climbed these hills I've no idea why I ignored them for so long. I took about 7hrs 40 mins to complete and unusually I was stopped for about 1 hr 20 mins - only met three people all day but they were all chatty!!
