Glenshee and Lochnagar Hills: Carn an Tuirc (113), Tolmount (202), Tom Buidhe (204) and Cairn of Claise (71)

Walk date: 13/05/06
My Munro #'s: 80, 81, 82 and 83

Sonia asks, 'When will there be some features?'


The exciting summit of Tom Buidhe:


The southern arm of Cairn of Claise and the way home:


10:30-16:30. Hiking with The Sonia. The bright sunshine in Aberdeen was not a taster of things to come, as by the time the car was parked the world of Glenshee had a predominantly grey theme. A short walk from the Sean Spittal bridge alongside the road soon turned ENE but kept on a good path for a while with little climbing. At Old Shielings look out for a subtle swing upwards off this path towards the target target, Carn an Tuirc. Various good routes lead up steep grass slopes which become firm scree/small boulder fields flattening out just short of the summit.

From Carn an Tuirc, the obvious hill you can see is Cairn of Claise, but patience is required. First you need to head east and make your way over grass land and some bog to reach Tolmount. Little further effort from here gets you onto Tarn Buidhe, just 1 km away.

With three down, some more easy walking up grass slopes brings you suddenly onto the rocky summit of Cairn of Claise with good views down into the corrie. From here you can eaither swing north or south of the corrie back to the car. We took the southern route as it is actually featured on the map, but north didn't look to be a problem from my point of view.

Overall a cold day with some light snowfall and patches on the ground. Nothing technically demanding. If anything a little bland and busy, but at the same time a six hour walk taking in four Munros can't be knocked!

Glenshee and Lochnagar Hills: Creag Leacach (159) and Glas Maol (69)

Walk date: 01/04/06
My Munro #'s: 65 and 66

Out with my exhibitionist walking partner:


Taking in Creag Leacah, bracing!


Coming up on Glas Maol:


Glas Maol decorated with a lone skier:


First hike out with the Sonia. Almost immediately from the car park there is a notably hairy crossing of a narrow but not negligable (especially in winter) stream. The crossing is not helped by a soaking-wet half-collapsed bridge set at a jaunty angle. Once this is conquered the climbing starts in earnest steeply up the heathery slopes of Meall Gorm before heading more gently toward the crest of the ridge that is the summit of Creag Leacach. A wide ridge and civilised incline led to the large domw of Glas Maol. This day's descent was steep down the west side to Meall Odnar and along Leacann Duoh. Sadly, we didn't managed to avoid a repeat crossing of the nasty stream getting to the car. A fine day out with light flurries of snow but mostly dry with broken cloud and beautiful blue skies beyond.

[Lochnagar (Cac Carn Beag) (21)], Carn a' Choire Boidheach (White Mounth) (42), Carn an t-Sagairt Mor (83), Cairn Bannoch (117), Broad Cairn (142)

Walk date: 25/03/04
My Munro #'s: 14, 15, 16 and 17


Lochnagar (Cac Carn Beag) standing proud:















A Cambra engine on Carn an t-Sagairt Mor:















And its wheel:















Looking over to the Spittal of Glenshee from Carn an t-Sagairt Mor:
















Loch Muick coming into view at the end of a 5-Munro stomp:








This walk in the Lochnagar and Spittal of Glenshee Hills in known as The Lochnagar Circuit for obvious reasons, and is a great day out taking in 5 Munros in a surprisingly short amount of time. I was up and out early given the task ahead, being booted up and leaving the car by 10am. Good progress up Lochnagar. I realised at the top that the previous time I had been up, in a full-on blizzard (not a listed walk here), I had actually been about 10 metres off the summit peak. At the time the slight downward slope from the Cac Carn Mor cairn got me worried, and I erred on the side of safety and made the turn for going back home! Anyway today there was no trouble and I soon moved onto the uninspiring peak of Carn a Choire Boidheach, a large rounded featureless mound of grass! From here I made my way to Carn an t-Sagairt Mor and ascended its immediate steep front, disturbing winter hares and deer as I went! On this hill, I contemplated including some of The Spittal hills to the west, but a lack of map for the area kept me to my (relatively) sensible plan. Moving off down the west side of this hill, I came across the wreckage of what I later found out was a Cambra from a crash in the 50's; I was amazed so much was left! This was a nice find considering I had no inkling that it was there. Cairn Bannoch and Broad Cairn were formalities from here - the dramatic corrie of Lochnagar does spoil the rest of this day's hills! Despite a generally overcast day, the sun came out for the victory stomp alongside Loch Muick. Back at the car at 16:30 after 6 and a half hours.

Glenshee and Lochnagar Hills: Driesh (219) and Mayer (253)

Walk date: 06/02/05
My Munro #'s: 12 and 13

Well, the guidebook said 4-6 hours and seeing as I only got to the Glen Doll carpark at noon I had to put on a fair pace in February. Path up through forest was nice, coming out onto final stretch to col - no challenge with incline. Beautiful cold day with blue skies and thin snow on tops. Wind was quite strong especially on Driesch - very bare, exposed and rounded hill (would be difficult in extreme weather). Way to Mayer had very little change in height. A gentle start from Mayer toward Fee Burn become a nice path besides river/falls into glen but early on was indistinct. Back at car in 3 hours; a great weather day having allowed one of those personal-challenge paces!

Glenshee and Lochnagar Hills: Mount Keen (235)

Walk date: 18/12/04
My Munro #'s: 11/284

No time for a sandwich, one cold summit:












First day out since getting own car. Route from north - parked at stables in Glen Tanar, reached via Aboyne. This was a late start in wintry conditions and I had an expectation of having to turn around; only left car park at 11am. Despite the surprising distance to the hill itself (almost 2 hours), the going was good and the view of the peak quite appetising. Started hill itself at ~12:50, on plateau by 13:30. Decided to give myself until 14:00 to reach summit. From plateau the conditions were interesting being in thick cloud with snow and ice underfoot - path becoming indistinct in last 10 mins requiring constant compass bearings. At summit at 13:50 and immediately started back down. Long slog to car in failing light. Back at 4pm, pitch black within 30 mins. Felt absolutely fantastic!

Glenshee and Lochnagar Hills: Lochnagar (Cac Carn Beag) (21)

Walk date: August 2005
My Munro #s: 9/284

This was my first Munro of my Scottish residency and was a guided hike by Dan (from work) and Rebecca (wife of Dan) with myself and Jim (also work) in tow. The usual parking for this hill was the Spittal of Glenmuick at the head of Loch Muick (note: make sure you have change for pay & display - £2!). The path starts steady, only really climbing beyond the small wood and remaining on a landrover track until after Clais Rathadan where it veers west toward the obvious col between Lochnagar and Meikle Pap. At the col, make sure you press on to overlook the magnificent corrie containing the hill's assumed namesake Lochnagar. Continue onto the plateau via the short boulder field. If the wind is bad such as it was on this day, then reaching the top of this field is when you seriously notice it! From here a short climb takes you to the first cairn, Cac Carn Mor, which is often assumed to be the summit by Lochnagar-virgins (this included me). A short dip and rise and the true summit is reached after a brief climb on the rocks. On this day, Dan took us down Black Spout gully into the corrie and back via the shores of the Loch. Although quite safe in good weather, Black Spout is extremely steep and not for the faint-hearted. I would be daunted by it on my own, but it was exhilarating!