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Attachment(s) Date walked: 08/04/2024
Distance: 34.7km
Ascent: 572m
Views: 2

Back On The Rollercoaster

Date walked: 31/03/2024

Time taken: 6.5 hours

Distance: 30.6km

Ascent: 1221m

Back to Glen Esk for another day on the rollercoaster :D

A 7am start from Tarfside with a temperature of -2 but with the knowledge that now that it was the end of March things would warm up at some point during the walk. I chose this route as this was the one really good day during the Easter break so I knew the more popular routes would be really busy and I've still to meet anybody on this route so should be great for my anti-social self.

There was no breeze to be had in the sheltered part of the glen with the cold air just hanging around and the low sun still to clear the surrounding hills so it remained cool for the first couple of hours as I made my way up to the point where I branch off the ROW to take the track towards Hill of Cat.

Lochnagar comes in to view and along with the Glenshee Munros it still has a fair covering of snow. At the high point of the ROW the view north opens up and the likes of Bennachie and Ben Rinnes stand proud in the distance.

After a drop in height from the ROW there is the ascent on to Hill of Cat and I left the main track for a 5 minute walk to the top of HOC.

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Mount Keen in the background


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Shinfur Cottage


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Looking back down towards Tarfside


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And again


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First view of a snow covered Lochnagar


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A lot more patches of snow around compared to 3 weeks ago


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View north from close to the top of Hill of Cat


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Hill of Cat summit


After a brief stop at the top of Hill of Cat I head back to the track for the long descent, and this is where the rollercoaster really gets going with the next few miles testing the legs.

My next hill is Hill of Gairney. The top of this hill is further off the track than Hill of Cat, there is more climbing to be done, but the heather is short and the ground is firm so no problems. Again, this hill has great views north but the view west is obscured by nearby Braid Cairn.

On the higher ground there was a breeze blowing and while the temperature had risen from early morning the wind was still keeping things cool as there were some clouds appearing and when the sun disappeared, the temperature instantly dropped.

A few more steep descents and ascents before I was on the long drop down to Auchronie Farm. There was a good view over to Loch Lee today (last time the view was obscured by the smoke from nearby heather burning). Once through the farmyard I could see the big car park at Invermark and it looked to be jam packed so a busy day on Mount Keen and the track along the side of Loch Lee.

Now that I am back on the floor of the glen the sun when it is out is noticeably warmer so a change of top was needed for the last three miles of the day. Finally, a flat bit of the walk as I head towards Hill of Rowan and the Maule Monument which sits proudly at the top. Between the Hill of Rowan and Tarfside a family were heading from Tarfside towards the monument, the first people I've met on this route in four visits.

I should have headed somewhere different today but this route is just so good it draws me back to it and once it's in my head I just have to go.

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Time to lose a lot of height (off Hill of Cat)


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Ups and dpwns, twists and turns


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Top of Hill of Gairney


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The last real test for the legs


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Still some snow on the track at about 600m


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Loch Lee


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Maule Monument


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Nearly home

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Comments: 2



A Walk of Three Thirds

Attachment(s) Date walked: 04/03/2024
Distance: 30.1km
Ascent: 820m
Comments: 4
Views: 428


Back to Glen Esk

Attachment(s) Date walked: 01/03/2024
Distance: 30.5km
Ascent: 1250m
Comments: 2
Views: 288


The 2024 Season Has Started

Attachment(s) Date walked: 26/02/2024
Distance: 16km
Ascent: 649m
Comments: 6
Views: 578


Correcting An Error

This post is not published on the Walkhighlands forum
Wainwrights: Bakestall, Great Calva, High Pike (Northern Fells), Knott, Skiddaw, Skiddaw Little Man
Hewitts: Great Calva, High Pike, Knott, Skiddaw, Skiddaw Little Man
Date walked: 23/09/2023
Distance: 0.1km
Views: 39


The Cumbria Way

Attachment(s) Date walked: 20/09/2023
Distance: 127km
Ascent: 3583m
Comments: 4
Views: 821


Same Walk as Last Time But Without the Royal Twist

This post is not published on the Walkhighlands forum
Munros: Broad Cairn, Cairn Bannoch, Cairn of Claise, Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr, Càrn an Tuirc, Tolmount, Tom Buidhe
Date walked: 13/09/2023
Distance: 37.1km
Ascent: 1415m
Views: 43


Well Trodden Route With a Royal Twist

Attachment(s) Munros: Broad Cairn, Cairn Bannoch, Cairn of Claise, Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr, Càrn an Tuirc, Tolmount, Tom Buidhe
Date walked: 28/08/2023
Distance: 37.3km
Ascent: 1408m
Comments: 4
Views: 820


Tayport Harbour to Home

This post is not published on the Walkhighlands forum
Attachment(s) Date walked: 24/08/2023
Distance: 49.4km
Ascent: 353m
Views: 67

Gordie12


User avatar
Location: Nr Forfar
Activity: Wanderer
Pub: None (I like them all)
Mountain: Ben Macdui
Place: Tiree
Gear: Platypus Hydration System
Member: None
Ideal day out: I love a long walk into a good hill (doesn't need to be a Munro)

Munros: 114
Corbetts: 65
Fionas: 30
Donalds: 38+0
Wainwrights: 32
Hewitts: 37
Sub 2000: 35
Long Distance routes: West Highland Way    Borders Abbeys Way    Cateran Trail    Dava Way    Fife Coastal Path    Formartine & Buchan Way    Great Glen Way    John Muir Way    Moray Coastal Trail    Speyside Way    St Cuthbert's Way    Rob Roy Way   



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Statistics

2024

Trips: 5
Distance: 141.9 km
Ascent: 4512m

2023

Trips: 24
Distance: 1288 km
Ascent: 35622m
Munros: 35
Corbetts: 3
Fionas: 3
Wainwrights 6

2022

Trips: 12
Distance: 1086.2 km
Ascent: 28806m
Munros: 1
Corbetts: 2

2021

Trips: 26
Distance: 933.6 km
Ascent: 20397m
Munros: 2
Corbetts: 1
Fionas: 9
Donalds: 17
Sub2000s: 1

2020

Trips: 18
Distance: 516.7 km
Ascent: 10153m
Munros: 1
Corbetts: 1
Fionas: 3

2019

Trips: 10
Distance: 696.3 km
Ascent: 18301m
Fionas: 1

2018

Trips: 22
Distance: 851.4 km
Ascent: 17960m
Munros: 6

2017

Trips: 69
Distance: 2130.8 km
Ascent: 43147m
Munros: 3
Corbetts: 1

2016

Trips: 61
Distance: 1611.9 km
Ascent: 38788m
Munros: 2
Corbetts: 22
Fionas: 2
Donalds: 10
Sub2000s: 1

2015

Trips: 65
Distance: 2192.25 km
Ascent: 64016m
Munros: 25
Corbetts: 15
Donalds: 3
Hewitts: 9
Wainwrights 11

2014

Trips: 67
Distance: 1816.7 km
Ascent: 51209m
Munros: 30
Corbetts: 8
Fionas: 2
Sub2000s: 6

2013

Trips: 53
Distance: 1012.75 km
Ascent: 29007m
Munros: 18
Corbetts: 9
Fionas: 12
Donalds: 7
Sub2000s: 21

2012

Trips: 5
Distance: 271.7 km
Ascent: 1740m
Munros: 2
Corbetts: 1


Joined: Sep 06, 2012
Last visited: Apr 09, 2024
Total posts: 2157 | Search posts