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The weather had been pretty bad, rain and wind, The Open had to be delayed
but the forcast for Killin had shown an improving outlook with showers and wind diminishing
So off I set taking in a quick view of the falls at Killin with the water crashing down
Found the turn off up Glen Lochay, a very narrow but well surfaced tarmac road. Passed a campsite, a very busy one
Spotted what I thought was the parking area, certainly thats where the WH gpx said it should be, but I'm not parking the car too far off the tarmac here
it's soaking. Drove further up and probably should have parked at another area where there is indeed room for a few cars to park safely. Carried on a bit further, would I bottle it
it is getting late. Found a place to turn round and headed back only to be stopped by a very angry common sandpiper screaming at me from the middle of the road
Eventually it retreated to a rock in the middle of the river and kept a careful watch on me until I moved on
Got back to where the car was supposed to be parked and after reassuring myself that the actual ground the wheels would be resting on was firm, parked and got my gear on and set off through the gate, over the burn (more of that later) and across the field towards the very old ash trees
There are a number of large and I assume very old ash trees. To be honest I'm not expert enough to say whether these are Rowans, sometimes referred to as "Mountain Ash" or actually ash trees
If they are Rowans then they are big
Probably taking a look at the photo on this page of a matture Rowan these are ash
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RowanThere's also a fine Sycamore
Moving on past the Sycamore and across the flowery meadow field towards the style and over the wall
The view looking back from over the wall
From here the landrover track is surrounded by a fern forest. Got to the cairn which marks departure onto the footpath. I tried to delude myself into believing that the good landrover track was the way forward
before turning back. Took a few photos of the mini Corie which seems to be the start of the Allt na h-lolair
before heading up and across this small trickle. By the time I got back here it would be a torrent
To be honest so far I couldn't believe the boggy reputation this walk had received in other reports, though my perception would change
Quite a steep haul up to the flatter section before the summit climb, kept thinking oh look just over this crest, just over this crest, but eventually it was just over the crest
delightfully embellished with some clag
The flattish next section is a bog trot over peat hag, I had put on my gaiters and so far my boots were dry.
Shortly afterwards the rain became persistent and with driving wind. The complete opposite of what the forecast had led me to expect. It's a pity as the surrounding landscape isn't without interest and I was hoping to be able to look across to the Meall nan Tarmachan ridge which I'd done previously. Guess this was the best I could hope for
Cam Chreag
The rain and wind got more severe and I stopped to put on gloves and shelter for a few minutes to see if it would ease, a tell tail spot on the camera lens
Other than the angry sandpiper at the beginning of this soaking I wouldn't be getting any wildlife spectaculars
Quite an interesting path though on the way up, with several slab sections and other sections of broken up smaller slabs.
Got to the top and took a couple of photos.
From the shelter cairn with a trig point in the middle
and of the cairn, had to be downwind to avoid rains spots on the lens and even though I was quick and didn't get it in focus
Such a shame as I'd have enjoyed inspecting the streak of white quartz that forms part of the path and I'm sure the views of the surrounding Glens are fabulous.
Not much point in hanging around up here, it certainly was't a picnic opportunity
Off back down after eventually finding the path which is now running with fresh rainfall. I was very surprised at the quick descent and I was soon at the small trickle which was now a torrent just after the path branches off from the landrover track. Wish I'd taken a photo with the phone which is in an overboard bag. Wasn't thinking. I definitely wasn't going to take the good camera out of the warm dry pocket to subject it to a rain soaking; after all I've just starting getting the hang of it after several months of failures
Just take it from me it's been raining persistently and heavily with obvious consequences.
Onto the landrover track and by now I had thought about the phone camera. A photo of the nice little mini Coire, not so clear now in the moisture laden air
Interestingly despite the heavy rain and wind I was smiling and at times laughing on the way down. What interesting reactions we have to diversity
Got to the ford just before the ash trees and it is a different place now, but my boots are now wet and the car is close by so a walk though the now five inch deep water won't make much difference
Back to the car and off with the wet gear and into jeans and t-shirt for the drive home.
Expect the falls at Killin are spectacular now, although it is dark and I won't see much. The burial ground of the Macnab's is on a piece of ground just down river from the bridge at Killin. I doubt the Macnab ancestors will be getting much peace this night as the river crashes down deafeningly.
