free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Another short day with a good forecast presented itself and after carefully checking over the forecast Mrs R and I decided to set off to Glenshee and tackle Glas Tulaichean. I'd seen it from the north east on An Socach the week before and it looked inviting covered in snow. We parked at the Dalmunzie House Hotel and paid our £2 parking fee - definitely worth saving a 4 km road walk! And we set off up through Glenlochsie Farm and then up the valley following the dismantled railway. Stangely it starts off in the valley bottom just beside the road then seems to appear 10 metres higher up on the hillside to the right.
- Beside the dimantled railway in Glenlochsie (behind me!)
Climbing up to the railway at it's new higher lever we discovered that it must have zig-zagged up the hillside somehow. This was some unusual railway! It must have shunted up the hill before going forward at the higher level!
- The railway at it's new level
Anyway we found the old track to be good walking and soon we came in sight of the old Glenlochsie Lodge.
- Heading for Glenlochsie Lodge
It has clearly seen better days. But it is now well avoided - one day the roof will come down probably when the snow is on it! Our way forward headed up the track onto the south ridge behind the lodge.
- Glenlochsie Lodge with the track ahead
So it was all up hill from then on. I must admit that landrover tracks are not may favourite routes up hills. They do get you up there quickly - even when walking. But they always seem to make it seem a bit of a slog. Or is it just me? We even tried walking on the path beside the track but it still felt like walking beside a road!
- Climbing up Glas Tulaichaen
But in time we reached the top and were greeted by a friendly guy from Falkirk who had passed us on the way up. He kindly took our picture at the summit - which is much a much more civilsied way to get a group picture than setting the camera up on a rock!
- Summit of Glas Tulaichaean
Despite threatening snow showers - which were not forecast - we got some great views from the summit and on the way down.
- Carn an Righ from Glas Tulaichean
- An Socach from Glas Tulaichean
- Summit of Glas Tulaichean
We decided to descend the SSE ridge which seemed to have a reasonable gradient and there was even some sort of vehicle track! There was still plenty of snow on the corrie rim.
- Heading for the South-Southeast ridge
- Snow on the Corrie rim
There were good views of the Ben Lawers range and Beinn A'Ghlo on the way down.
- Ben Lawers to Schiehallion
- Beinn A'Ghlo - with the snow clouds clearing
Even the hills of Fife could be seen in the distance
- Looking towards Fife
The descent down the SSE ridge proved a good route - but it did get a bit steeper and rather overgrown as we descended towards the lodge. But I might climb the hill this way next time - and avoid the track.
- Down the SSE ridge
We even found a bridge - not as rickety as it looks
- which took us back to the track.
- Over the Bridge!
Soon it was back down the glen to the buffers - and then home!
- At the buffers!