Two beautiful lochs of Ben Tirran

[Beaner001]

I had the weekend pencilled in for a walk with my long term school friend Ewan, he is building up to coming with me on longer trips this summer so we planned on a wee jaunt down in Glen Clova as a starter. Picked him up about 8.30 am and we drove to Glen Clova hotel, we turned left over the small bridge and parked the car up in the car park which has benches for picnics and toilet facilities. The Glen Clova Hotel and surrounding lodges and bunkhouses were teeming with people, a real hive of activity. We booted up and crossed back over the bridge and heading up behind the hotel and past the lodges and took the path signed for Glenesk.

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Sign indicating path to take

Path upwards to Glenesk behind the cabins

Followed the path/landrover track up to a fence and kissing gate and went through up onto the open hillside.

Just passed through the kissing gate

A sign indicated you’d need to keep dogs under close control in nesting season, April-July, I was glad we were still in March as mine can scout out a Grouse no bother and must have sent about 40 up over the course of the day. The path up was in good condition and we made good time, steps had been created on the steeper bits.

Route/path ahead up to Loch Brandy

Looking back along the ridge South side of Glen Clova to Driesh

Later I found out why the path was so good and worn compared to the rest of our walk, most people seemed to go up the path to Loch Brandy have a rest and go back down the same way. Once we got to loch Brandy we took the path that ran closer to the loch as the dogs wanted a swim and we wanted photos.

Reaching Loch Brandy and cliffs

Loch Brandy

Loch Brandy

The path to the right was a more gentle ascent which Ewan preferred as oppose to going up the left path between the Corrie of Clova and Loch Brandy.

Path up to Green Hill

We stopped for a sandwich at the 870m cairn of Green hill, unfortunately someone had forgotten their sandwich and the plastic bag it was in so I picked it up to dispose of in the bin later.

Back down to Loch Brandy and Driesh and Mayar in distance

Mount Keen poking it's head up

Lochnagar

Lochnagar Zoomed

We could see our target over to the East so we carried on and soon reached the electric fence. We hoped over the style and soon had to cross the section of peat bog, this would be terrible in wet conditions but luckily things were still semi frozen enough that we did not sink in too far to the wet ground.

Looking back having crossed the electric fence, dogs were lifted over

Ewan on a snow slope

Following the electric fence up through the peat bogs

We followed the fence for a bit then aimed for the small col between Ben Tirran and its true summit The Goet.

The Goet and Ben Tirran coming into view

There was a couple already sitting in the summit cairn of the Goet so we sat outside and admired the views to Lochnagar and Mount Keen.

Me and dogs on the Goet summit

After another sandwich we walked over to the small cairn marking the summit of Ben Tirran.

Looking back to summit cairn and trig of the Goet

Loch Wharral and wee green cabin middle left of pic

I noticed the green hut beside Loch Wharral so we made a direct line for it coming over the hill, stopping briefly to speak to two guys that were heading to the wreckage of a wellington aircraft somewhere North East of the Goet. Had a look into the hut and it looked quite cosy, a stove and table etc, there was something quite Appalachian about the scene, the cabin with the loch beyond it.

Seen a few of these, what are they? Salt licks for sheep/deer maybe?? No idea

Wee green cabin Loch Wharral

Schiehallion???

We crossed the outflow from Loch Wharral and skirted the side of the Corrie of Inchdowrie in between that and Rough Craig, we soon reached the electric fence again and hoped over it. Here we were frightened by a half dozen deer hinds bolting past us, in hot pursuit were the two spaniels, they were keeping up with the deer till they split up and Lochy followed one group and Roy the other, Christ sake. It was not till the heather got too deep that both dogs gave up and came creeping back to me knowing a row was inevitable, it was obviously worth a row though. Wee sh*tes, I wonder what they thought they were going to do if they caught an animal about 10-15 times their size? We then followed an old fence west under Brown Holm, where the dogs struck jackpot again, this time a rotten sheep carcass was the object of their attention (bet they wish they had the lottery on this weekend).

Following a rusty old fence

Once I prized them away it was over to the path we took up to Loch brandy and an easy sonter back to the car from there.

[kev_russ]

Nice report. Probably doing this bad boy next Sunday so gives me an idea of the current snow conditions. Until its snows again

[The Rodmiester]

Been there many times, in fact my most climbed Corbett, nice circular walk and looks like nice weather. Just goes yo show its been a while since I was last there as that hut is a new addition and I have noticed from the other side of the Glen the huge scar of a track on the South side of Ben Tirran Good views all round from the summit though, nice one.

[PeteR]

Where has all the snow gone

Looks different to my walk there a few weeks back, but still looks a good circuit

[Huff_n_Puff]

Thanks for posting this - like RM I've tramped these hills many times, since the 1970s indeed . Glen Clova never fails me, in fact I'm sitting here giggling at some of the silly adventures we've had up there over the years. Perhaps a trip down memory lane is called for, but then when would I ever knock off the rest of the red balloons incidentally our daughter's father in law witnessed two working cockers bring down a roe deer, which promptly died of fright , the dogs were owned by a local gamekeeper who dealt with the unexpected bounty!

[Beaner001]

Nice report. Probably doing this bad boy next Sunday so gives me an idea of the current snow conditions. Until its snows again

Aye, snow wasn't an issue for us, I hope theres not too much more, I am thinking of long Spring/Summer days now

Been there many times, in fact my most climbed Corbett, nice circular walk and looks like nice weather. Just goes yo show its been a while since I was last there as that hut is a new addition and I have noticed from the other side of the Glen the huge scar of a track on the South side of Ben Tirran Good views all round from the summit though, nice one.

Yeah great views, glad we got a decent day. I noticed the hut did not have windows on Mountaintyme and Dooterbangs recent reports so it must be a new fixture. there was a kayak inside also, the door was not locked and you could gain entry by shifting a couple of rocks which were securing the door, nice wee stove for a cold day!!

Where has all the snow gone

Looks different to my walk there a few weeks back, but still looks a good circuit

I know Pete, hardly any compared to your trip to the West for Streap. Hope that's the last of it, I like the snow but as above im looking forward to longer days of Spring/Summer now

Thanks for posting this - like RM I've tramped these hills many times, since the 1970s indeed . Glen Clova never fails me, in fact I'm sitting here giggling at some of the silly adventures we've had up there over the years. Perhaps a trip down memory lane is called for, but then when would I ever knock off the rest of the red balloons incidentally our daughter's father in law witnessed two working cockers bring down a roe deer, which promptly died of fright , the dogs were owned by a local gamekeeper who dealt with the unexpected bounty!

Exactly HnP, I would never get another new hill done if I returned to all the lovely areas I've enjoyed. Just not enough time
A trip down memory lane would be nice though
That can't have been nice for him to witness

[Petr Dakota]

The Lochs looks really great and situated in the right place...Some nice photos I am sure you had a great day there

[Beaner001]

The Lochs looks really great and situated in the right place...Some nice photos I am sure you had a great day there

Cheers Petr, we got decent weather, it looks as though it be a busy place in the middle of summer

[litljortindan]

Good report and distant hill spotting! Been here before ages ago but back on my radar as a manageable distance to drive.

[kevsbald]

This hill's getting a lot of attention at the moment. Tis a good one though.

[davetherave]

Yup, its been a while since our time on top of Green Hill and The Goet.

The electric fence and that green hut are both new additions I think.

I do recall it took us a while to locate the summit when we ascended the Goet due to a large amount to snow at that time.

Nice report Beaner.

[Beaner001]

Good report and distant hill spotting! Been here before ages ago but back on my radar as a manageable distance to drive.

It was exactly that for me, a manageable distance and a new hill, it's a lovely area too, I had not been since Mayar and Dreish a good while ago.
Cheers

This hill's getting a lot of attention at the moment. Tis a good one though.

Aye, it was the previous reports that encouraged me to go for this one

Yup, its been a while since our time on top of Green Hill and The Goet.

The electric fence and that green hut are both new additions I think.

I do recall it took us a while to locate the summit when we ascended the Goet due to a large amount to snow at that time.

Nice report Beaner.

Cheers Dave, I imagine the summit cairn would fill with snow easily and camouflage it well, not helped by it being reasonably rounded hill.
Cheers

[mountain thyme]

Nice one Matt. Big difference to Loch Brandy in your pics compared to when we climbed it a few weeks ago. Ours pics are better

[Beaner001]

Nice one Matt. Big difference to Loch Brandy in your pics compared to when we climbed it a few weeks ago. Ours pics are better

Oh aye, Colin Prior was just saying to me how he feels his time with you has helped him come on as a photographer
Aye no ice now, although I can see over to Mount Battock fae the hoose and it's white on top again when it was bare of snow last week, presume Tirran will be the same