Good intentions...and a bit of a rushed post.

When we returned from our Braemar holiday last month I sat down to write a post summarising the final part of our holiday, but that idea was eventually binned along with a laptop computer and HP printer.  After many years of resisting the temptation we decided to have an iMac, our experiences with Windows being mixed to say the least, and since we have other Apple products it seemed like a logical step. So I told myself anyway. Setting up the new wireless printer was a trial and eventually I resorted to a manual process to get it on the network, all attempts at following Canon's online instructions having proved futile.

Anyway, the transition to the iMac has been painless and with a 4K Retina display our photographs have never looked better.

However, having got to grips with High Sierra I noticed that the installer for the the latest OS, Mojave, had been quietly downloaded to the Applications folder for me but, Apple or not, I'm cautious about new OS releases so it can sit where it is for a while. High Sierra is working just fine thank you. A day on the hill was needed, not more computing.

From Andrew gannet Hill to The Law

It's relatively rare for us to approach hills at the western end of the Ochils from Dollar or any of the other Hillfoot towns for that matter, the Glen Devon starting points being generally quieter and longer. However a change was required, so here we were at the Castle Campbell car park, surprisingly, on our own.

Dollar Glen with its steep gorge of crags and trees is an impressive place but far too gloomy for such a sunny day. So, we took the shorter but no less impressive higher route which traverses via a narrow path above the gorge, the Burn of Sorrow thundering below on its way to join the Dollar Burn. Once in the open we were quickly on top of Bank Hill, locally Dollar Hill, which gave us fine views of the Forth Valley, the Ineos petrochemical plant at Grangemouth standing out above the river mists.

As so often in the Ochils we had no hard and fast plans for the day other than reaching King's Seat Hill summit where options could be considered. We paused at the memorial located at the crash site of three Spitfires which operated out of Grangemouth during WW2. The airport opened in May1939 as Central Scotland Airport and was used from September of that year by 602 Squadron which flew Supermarine Spitfires. Bristol Blenheims and Gloster Gladiators were flown by 141 Squadron and Westland Lysanders by 263 Squadron.

I've never come across any wreckage in the area, indeed knew nothing of the crash at all until the plaque was erected in 2009, though it has been suggested that tiny fragments might be lying around on the hill.

From King's Seat top we headed down almost to the source of the Gannel Burn then up the well trodden grassy path to Andrew Gannel Hill where the decision was made to forgo a trip out to Ben Cleuch and instead, return to the car over Tarmangie Hill, Whitewisp and Sandy Hill. That decided, I confidently descended back to the Gannel Burn to pick up the path from Mill Glen to the foot of Tarmangie Hill. Except of course there is no such path and why I thought there was escapes me. The lapse was of no consequence of course and a slightly wet walk through long grass and reeds brought us to a beautiful flat grassy spot, perfect for an overnight camp, or in our case for lunch in the sun beside the burbling burn. It's always hard to leave such places.

The high tramp from Tarmangie Hill, over Whitewisp and down to the small outcrop on Sandy Hill is a grand one which we haven't enjoyed for a long time although as Lynne observed, it did feel odd not to be turning NE for Bentie Knowe and Innerdownnie from Whitewisp's cairn.

The little outcrop above the steep slopes of Sandy Hill provided good views down to Dollar and the Castle as well as eastwards over the lovely countryside where we live.


Friday 19 October

Over the last 4 years Lynne has been asked by various local history societies to give a talk on her book Beatrix Potter's Scotland - Her Perthshire Inspiration, published by Luath Press, Edinburgh and now in its second edition. This year the talk was in Auchterarder. Some interesting questions were asked and answered, books were sold and signed and a most pleasant evening was had by all.

Plastic Modelling

It will soon be time for me to resume my plastic modelling activities with a build of the Saturn V. My new blog is more or less ready so that I can record my progress and provide technical information on the real vehicle for anyone who is interested. I hope I can complete the model by Christmas because in the New Year I plan to build another Space Shuttle Orbiter, Altlantis. This is a Tamiya model and will be in orbit configuration with payload doors open. I am really looking forward to this project.


Meantime here are a few photos of our day in the Ochils.

Lower slopes of King's Seat Hill showing the 'Banks of Dollar' - the transverse gullies

Castle Campbell 

Ineos

Andrew Gannel Hill

Ben Cleuch from Andrew Gannel Hill

View from the outcrop on Sandy Hill

Thursday 6 September - Tap o’ Noth 563m Marilyn

In July 1997 we escaped the worst weather we'd  had in the NW by going to Craigellachie in Moray. As well as climbing The Buck o' the Cabrach, Mither Tap and Bennachie, Tap o' Noth was on our list because Lynne wanted to see the the Iron Age hillfort, one of the largest in Scotland. That was not to be because the turn into the narrow road up to the small carpark at Brae of Scurdargue was too tight for our motorcaravan. Why we didn't park the van in Rhynie and walk from there remains a mystery.

Now, some twenty one years later we set off from Braemar for the fifty two mile trip to Rhynie and the Tap. The A97 is not a fast road but we were in no hurry and enjoyed the drive, the scenery being pleasant rather than remarkable. Using the car instead of the motorcaravan makes life easier on some of the narrower hill roads hereabouts.

It was dry and bright as we took the grassy track through farmland, but with darker skies to the north there was always a threat of showers we thought. It was easy going all the way and it took about forty minutes at a leisurely pace to the trig point.

The second highest in Scotland, the remains of this hillfort are impressive having been constructed of stone walls 6m thick and 3m high,vitrified in places. 

Unfortunately those darker skies mentioned earlier soon produced heavy rain so good photographs were well nigh impossible to take. On a clear day the views would be extensive, an information board just short of the top showing exactly what might be seen: the Cairngorms to the west, the Moray Firth, the North Sea at Aberdeen and the Angus Hills plus lots more. The outer circle on the board was 50km if I recall correctly.

Today we could see Morven, Mount Keen, Lochnagar, Bennachie, The Mither Tap and The Buck o' the Cabrach so we didn't do too badly.

We spent a fair time examining the walls - Lynne is fascinated by hillforts, standing stones and so forth. She should have been an archaeologist really.

Our plan for the day had included a walk out to Hill of Noth but it did not appeal in the grey conditions. Did the weather improve once we were off the hill? Of course it did, so we stopped off in Rhynie and had a look at the war memorial in the well kept village green. This is no tourist destination and given the mayhem being caused in the west by the appalling North Coast 500 I regard that as a big plus.

Blogger

Well, I've tried to upload a post with three photos (iPhone) and it won't go. I may try again or just wait until I'm home. I may not bother at all. Life's just too short!
Sent from my iPhone

Photos that failed to upload on previous post

Tuesday 4 September - Carn a Gheoidh, Carn Bhinnein and Carn nan Sac

We had made a considerable diversion from our planned route to this spot, knowing that if there were hares to be found, here they would be.

Lynne spotted the first one sitting among the boulders. Then another appeared and within a few seconds there was a gathering.  Here and there others raced to join the crowd covering the ground with ease. Eventually they diasappeared among the boulders and we retraced our steps and pointed ourselves in the direction of Carn Bhinnein, a Munro Top with superb views into the corries of Glas Tullaichean. Before departing though, Lynne gave Mr Spock's Vulcan salute: "Live long and prosper. " And yes, she can do the hand salute properly! 

The two lochans north of Carn nan Sac were dry, never seen before by us despite passing them many times. This is all great backpacking country although  with shooting in progress September and October are probably not the best months. Guns could be heard in Glen Ey.

Back on Carn a Gheoidh two geocachers had discovered their cache. Apparently there are caches on many of the summits hereabouts but we've never seen anyone looking for or discovering a cache before. Mind you the probability of us being on any given hill at the geocach location just as it is found must be very small.

We returned over Carn nan Sac then followed the lip of the corrie and so back to the bulldozed tracks of the Cairnwell and so down to the car.

Two geocachers in background

Friday 31 August - Glas Maol and Creag Leacach

A strong cold southerly wind quickly extinguished any thoughts of wearing shorts today. Others were clearly feeling the chill too as hats and gloves were extracted from sacks. 

We made rapid progress reaching the cairn on Glas Maol without a stop, though it would have made more sense to have paused in the shelter of the ski buildings on Meall Odhar to put on a windproof. As it was, my Rab Kinetic Plus was in danger of taking flight as I struggled to put it on at the cairn. 

The ascent of Glas Maol is by no means an arduous one, but even so I was pleased to feel so fit given my relative inactivity throughout the summer, courtesy of a pulled calf muscle. 

Unusually we didn't stop to check the grazing cages.

For those unfamiliar with these, here is a comment from Rene van der Wal of Aberdeen University made on my post of 5 October 2011:

"These are grazing cages which I have erected with colleagues to determine the influence of primarily sheep grazing on the summit vegetation on Glas Maol. We are particularly interested in the fate of woolly fringe moss, or Racomitrium lanuginosum, which is perhaps best known as key habitat for dotterel to exist"

I must contact Rene to find out 'the fate of woolly fringe moss', if the data is available.

I do know the fate of the mountain hares that once graced these hills: they have been exterminated. Numbers have not been reduced. This is slaughter. 

The group which had been following us went off for Cairn of Claise and Carn an Tuirc, we to Creag Leacach. A fine hill, its bulk provided some respite from the wind until the top was reached. As always we chose the boulders rather than the path which finds a way through and round them. All ways are good though.

After lunch in the sun near the howff, we took the narrow path skirting the western slopes of Glas Maol

to join the route to Meall Odhar and down. 

I'll always love these hills but they are much diminished without the mountain hares. We both feel a great sadness at their loss - and anger. So few of us seem to care it seems.  

This post has been reduced somewhat since I lost most of the original.

Test of iPhone photo to Blogger

Thursday 30 August - Morrone

"We're looking back at memories", said Lynne. How true, for there was hardly a hill in sight whose cairn we hadn't touched, ridge we hadn't climbed. And in all seasons: skiing in winter, ski-touring in spring, walking with the heather in full bloom and, as now, at the start of autumn. 

It was warm, humid even, in the birch woods and so I changed into shorts fully expecting to have to revert to trousers higher up. But no, what little wind there was remained light, the atmosphere pleasant, the humidity gone.

Bagging the best seats at the summit buildings - the Braemar MRT relay station - we enjoyed our Lapsang Souchon and watched others arrive. We took a photo of a couple with their iPad 'to prove they'd been here'. A German couple arrived with their dog; the usual parapenters were getting themselves sorted out for flight; people milled about the cairn taking photographs. A typical day on the top of Morrone. Apart from ourselves, only the couple whom we'd photographed looked at a map. 

Time to go. For no particular reason we made a diversion out to a cairn above Coire na Meanneasg. Last time we went a bit further along the ridge towards Carn na Drochaide before shotgun fire necessitated a rapid retreat.

An easy descent to the golf course road today and back to Braemar finished off the perfect start to the holiday.

Note: only one photo is being allowed at this file size - even though it was taken by iPhone. Lots of problems getting this to go.

Delightful terrain early in the climb.

Wednesday 29 September - Away to the hills

Quiet roads and sunshine made the drive to Braemar a joy, the only downside being that we brought the car as well as the motorvan so travelled separately, unable to share that first glimpse of the hills.

The reward will be access to walks and places not easily visited using the motorvan.

Braemar was quiet, even for a Wednesday, but that will no doubt change on Friday night as people arrive for the Gathering on Saturday. A saunter down to the  games field revealed the new, tastefully built, Duke of Rothesay Highland Games Pavilion. The Duke of Rothesay himself (Prince Charles for those who don't know) was driving up Glen Clunie in a convoy of Range Rovers, a common enough sight on Deeside at this time of year with the Queen in residence at Balmoral. I doubt we'll be going for tea. 

I do expect the tradition of climbing Morrone as our first hill of this annual Braemar trip will be honoured tomorrow. The weather looks good.

I hope these photos upload on 4G

Sunday 6 May - Ben Effrey and Craig Rossie. Map LR 58

A lovely day, a short drive, easy parking and, for us, a new summit in the Ochils, Ben Effrey.

We climbed its near and higher neighbour Craig Rossie in 1978 from Pairney Farm, the usual starting place, and made a direct ascent to inspect the crags on the way. I don't recall anything of that day and poor Ben Effery didn't even register. Even Lynne's Mum climbed it before us when in her late 70's.

Parking at Littlerigg we followed Corb Glen, a well-known and much loved place for us and, at a little outcrop favoured by the local sheep, we turned uphill for Little Law and Muckle Law, mere rises on a broad grassy, tussocky ridge. It was easy going as the ridge gently descends from Little Law to the Pairney Burn where, after a short climb through the whins, we met the track coming in from the farm at Pairney, the most common route to the hill these days. Beld Hill is easily reached from here enroute to Ben Effrey but we missed out the top, leaving it for another day

Ben Effrey. Chilling to think that in 2004 application was made to put 14 wind turbines along here. Kicked out - eventually

At the cairn we met a young couple enjoying the view across Strath Earn. Intending to climb Craig Rossie they had used the previously mentioned path then followed the same route as us but had somehow failed to locate the hill despite it being clearly visible on the approach.

Strath Earn

Craig Rossie from Ben Effrey

Ben Effrey, part of the Ochil Volcanic Formation, consists mainly of andesite and basalt lavas and its hillfort was investigated as part of the SERF (Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot) project in 2011 by excavating a 30m by 2m trench on the south side of the fort. Exposed rhyodacite is also in evidence and forms the nearby crags of Craig Rossie. We will return to have a closer look.

An easy walk took us to the 410m trig point on Craig Rossie. The couple from Ben Effrey never arrived and we met no-one else all day. A sheltered spot in the sun was ideal for lunch.

Approaching Craig Rossie

When not taking to the hills on either side of Corb Glen, the drove road can be followed to the peaceful farm at Coulshill and well beyond this, a grand house is reached. This is Foswell House sold in 2015 by John and Isobel Haldane along with the 1240 acre estate which had been in Haldane ownership since 1897. The asking price was 'over £2.5m'. It is a beautiful spot. Thereafter, by some delightful minor roads (tarred) and a short stretch of busier roads, Auchterarder is reached. For us that's a round trip of 21km with time for a coffee at Lynne's mum's.

Today's outing was about 15km with only 408m of ascent and cool beers in the garden rounded off a most enjoyable trip.

Foswell House. ARB Haldane is of course the author of the classic 'The Drove Roads of Scotland'

Approaching Foswell House - a glimpse of Auchterarder and the hills above Crieff

A January day

Summer in Corb Glen

 

The Pairney Burn and whins

Delightful rolling country

Cropped grass leading to Beld Hill - which we skirted. Another top for another day.

Part of the crags on Craig Rossie