Variety is the spice etc

A reduction in grazing over many years has resulted in longer grass in the Ochils, but this is even more obvious in those parts now owned by the Woodland Trust where there is no grazing at all. Since mid-September walks here have been relatively short (12 km)  to 'assess how the knee holds up', but the tussocky nature of the terrain is as hard on the ligaments as so-called rougher ground.  Outcomes have varied.

We've had some lovely days though.

Roe deer - a regular sighting

Easter Downhill

A little bit of Mozart

It's not all been about hills and knee trials. Last month an email arrived from MUSA, Museum of the University of St Andrews, informing me that Scottish Opera were performing twenty minutes or so of  'The Magic Flute' in the Bell Pettigrew Museum, Bute Medical Building. Having spent much time in and around this building in student days I am ashamed to say that I could not recall ever being in the Bell Pettigrew (I suppose I must have been!) so, apart from listening to a snippet of opera, it would be an opportunity to view  some of the 3000 or so specimens collected mainly during the Victorian era.

There were four members of Scottish Opera - a flautist (obviously), a harpist, singer and a storyteller who very amusingly set the scene prior to the next piece of music. As he said at the end: 'when I've turned Grand Opera into pantomime, my job is done!' What a superb thirty minutes! Prices for the full performance at various venues varied from £17.50 to £74.

A walk along the east sands in wild weather rounded off the day.

Enjoying quite rough seas at St Andrews (rougher than it looks!)

 The Carpow Logboat

Discovered by Scott McGuckin at Carpow Bank near Abernethy on the Tay Estuary, this dugout canoe from the Late Bronze Age has been dated 1260-910BC and is therefore around 3000 years old. It now has a permanent home at Perth Museum and Art Gallery. We just had to see it.

It was a fascinating afternoon and the full story can be found in the excellent little book by David Strachan, The Carpow Logboat - A Bronze Age Vessel brought to life, published by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, and also online of course.

WWII aircraft

Airfix models that is. I built any number of these as a boy and Lynne gave me a gift of a Supermarine Spitfire MkIa kit last Spring. It was suitable for age 8+ please note. 

Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia of 92 Squadron, RAF Manston, December 1940

Naturally, it couldn't stop there.

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3

and from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc

Next is another Spitfire (Mk IIa) and an Avro Lancaster B. Mk I, both of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. I must get started, although I've learned that a little more preparation before painting will give better results so these will take a little longer to complete. The models are 1:72 scale.

Weeks not without interest but I do wish my knee would hurry up and get better. By Christmas if I do zero the doctor says, but he probably knows me well enough to guess that there is little chance of  that.  Anyway, I've got this Berghaus Akka jacket coming soon for review !

Finally, I need to get round the blogs and catch up with what's going on. 

Golden eagle found shot on grouse moor in Dumfries and Galloway

You can find details of this sickening story here on the SSPCA's site and here on the RSPB's site. When will action be taken? When?

Knee trials

Since returning from Braemar three weeks ago I've been nursing a knee injury, cause unknown. I assume something occurred on Tolmount, the last hill of the holiday, but am unaware of what that 'something' was because only on arrival home the following day did I suddenly find that my left knee wasn't working. Anyway, I rested and hobbled around for a week then successfully reversed the resulting improvement by making several ascents of a ladder to clear gutters. Another two weeks passed without venturing onto a hill but, with a trip north and westwards only days away, we decided that a trial walk in the Ochils was now essential.  A pleasant 14km outing on Saturday was followed by 19km on Sunday - both  beautiful autumn days.  There was slight discomfort on descents but, despite some stiffness and a little pain this morning, I think I can now vote the knee sufficiently well to carry me up some bigger hills.  Lynne might have to carry me down though.....

Even with turbines above us (out of shot, right) this was a peaceful spot for a long stop to soak up the sun.

Raptor Persecution Scotland

Poisoned golden eagle found in Glen Orchy area  in 2009 (from wildlifeextra.com)

I've just come across raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com  which has a post regarding the golden eagle death. You can write to the new Scottish Environment Minister at this email address:ministerforenvironment@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

This makes me livid

Courtesy BBC Scotland website

This golden eagle died a lingering death after its legs were broken in an illegally-set trap. This is disgusting and make no mistake it is the landowners who should be prosecuted. Imprisonment should be automatic if found guilty, together with massive financial penalties. The full, distressing story is here.

A few pics

For anyone interested, a few photographs from our Braemar trip can be found here. 

The loss of Canberra B.2 WJ615

As many will know, this wreckage is strewn widely across the slopes of Carn an t-Sagairt Mor but I was unaware of the story behind the crash and loss of the two crewmen. Here's an account from aircrashsites-scotland

"This particular Canberra was attached to No.35 Squadron RAF. (No.50 Squadron had also been equipped with Canberras, but theirs had been replaced 10 months prior to this accident with Avro Vulcan bombers)


Flying Officer Redman (Pilot), with Flying Officer Mansell (Navigator), of No.35 Squadron was detailed to fly Canberra B.2 WJ615 on an authorised 3 hours night sortie.


At 18:02 (Zulu) hours the aircraft took off from RAF Upwood (Cambridgeshire, England), received clearance and departed for Kinloss (Scotland) Weather conditions for the entire trip were good.


At 19.00 hours the aircraft made R/T contact with Kinloss, after which a normal QGH¹ from 25,000ft followed by a visual circuit and overshoot of runway 26 was carried out.


At 19.21 hours the aircraft was seen to climb away from an overshoot height of approximately 300ft by Kinloss Air Traffic Control who passed two regional pressure settings. Flying Officer Redman replied "Thank You. Good Night." This was the last transmission heard from the aircraft.


The aircraft was seen to climb away for its return to Upwood. At about 19.30 hours (appoximately) witnesses from near Braemar heard a jet aircraft pass at an unusually low altitude for that area. One witness saw what must have been the tail navigation light, and the outline of the aircraft as it passed flying south, with the engines sounding normal and on a straight course. A few minutes later the witness saw a flash as it struck the hills [Carn an t-Sagairt Mòr]. It was a clear night with a small amount of scattered cloud.


About 30 civilian volunteers, guided by Police and Queen's gamekeepers, and two RAF Service Mountain Rescue Teams (Leuchars 10 men and Kinloss 22 men) and a helicopter were engaged in the search for the wreckage. At 03.30 hours (23 November 1956) three search parties from [the] Danzig Shiel² (OS 50/201905) were sent out in a SE direction. Party 'B' was just approaching the wreckage when the helicopter sighted it at 08.40 hours.

The subsequent Court of Inquiry was unable to determine the cause of the accident.^3"

---

Note: QGH is Air Traffic Control code for 'Controlled Descent Through Cloud'

I'm now busy sorting out the photographs from our latest trip will upload to SmugMug in the next few days for anyone who is interested.

Tolmount

 

We decided to approach the hill by the Tolmount*, which crosses from Auchallater to Glen Clova, rather than by one of the more popular routes. The track to Loch Callater Lodge was deserted - a surprise for such a sunny Saturday. Along the loch side, across the beautiful meadows below the crags of Creag an Fhir-shaighde and up to the wild, featureless plateau we went. Sheer joy every step. The plateau is not a place to be caught in a winter blizzard though. (Read "The Loss of Five Men on Jock's Road' in I D S Thomson's book 'The Black Cloud'.)

As ever this holiday, the wind was a constant feature: tugging, pushing, swirling, gusting. The landscape seemed to have been scoured clean. At the cairn, perched above Glen Callater, we met a chap who was wondering where Tolmount was. He had 'walked off' his map (who hasn't) and his GPS was showing a position which wasn't anywhere near where he should be if he was on Tolmount. I assured him that he was definitely on his chosen hill and switched on SatMap to confirm it to him.
He was off for Tom Buidhe, we to find some nook or crannie that would offer a little haven of calm for a snack.

It was warm back at the flats by the Allt an Loch, and layers were removed, but a stop for afternoon tea was delayed until arrival at a small gravely beach near the head of the loch. It was hard to move on. We agreed that next time we were hereabouts we should visit Loch Kander in Coire Ceanndobhair and gain the Carn an Tuirc - Cairn of Claise plateau from there. So much to do.

*The 1:50 000 OS Map shows 'Jock's Road' beginning in Glen Callater when, as far as I'm aware, the name only applies to the relatively short section from the shelter to Glen Doll.

I'm writing this hurriedly during a stop on our way home. It has been an excellent trip. This area has become a favourite at this time of year - pity about all the shooting though.

Sir Hugh: Lovely story. It's good to burn the youngsters off! I've always found the people of this area friendly and helpful. If I were to move out of Perthshire, I think Deeside would be my choice.




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Mr Sloman and the TGO Awards 2012

Delighted to see that Alan Sloman has been nominated for his campaign against Scottish windfarms. Will vote when we return Alan.

Today we have had a tootle up to Aboyne and Banchory (above) but tomorrow we'll be back on the hills. Sounds we'll have some pleasant weather too.

AlanS - everywhere we've been on this trip something's been roaring! The Glas Allt was relatively quiet though and the bothy was, unsurprisingly, locked given the time of year.
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After a blustery walk along Loch Muick we reached Glas-allt Shiel, built in 1869 by Queen Victoria. It is a lovely spot, the pines providing shelter for the Lodge - and us today. Thankfully no signs point the way to Lochnagar; no invitations to 'marvel here' at the falls or anything else; no large information boards. For such a popular area it is remarkably free of such clutter.

We followed the zig-zags by the Glas Allt passing the waterfall and so to the start of the path which heads across Monelpie Moss. From its high point the way to Little Pap climbs slopes of deep heather. The wind, never remotely as ferocious as on our aborted Lochnagar day, was still strong enough to make us extra careful on the summit boulder field. After a quick photograph of Lynne at the cairn (holding on her mountain cap!) more boulder-hopping brought us down to the col below Cuidhe Crom. It was cold and the wind tore at us with enough strength to make for a brief exhilarating struggle south to the path. But it lacked any real hostility. Rain swept across the hill and we wondered if there would be flurries of snow on the higher summits.

Winter around the corner. An exciting prospect.

"It will be no hardship to return for Little Pap", I wrote in the previous post. Well it wasn't. How could a day in such a place be a hardship?









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