Looking at the map this morning, the most obvious contenders for my attention were the two Corbetts up Glen Kendrum (one or the other, not both), but after the last couple of days, and given my current level of fitness, I thought that a shorter outing would be more appropriate*. The problem is that I've already picked off the easier options that lie on our route north. Over breakfast I spotted that Creag Each fitted the bill and being just 5 miles away, it was within the realms of a reasonable detour.
There are two laybys right by the start of the track up Glen Tarken, and we chose the empty one not on the lochside. There I left Mick, who did a small mischief to his back yesterday, as I strode off in the direction of my hill.
Immediately after the third gate on that track (including the one right by the road in that count), I paused and contemplated whether to continue along the track to the burn that carved its way down from near the summit, or to just head up from where I stood. I opted for the latter, which involved a gateless fence crossing and a small amount of ground steep enough to make me think I hadn't chosen the best line. The going was, however, mainly firm and free of heather and dead bracken, and all of the little crags were easily get-aroundable. In complete contrast to yesterday, I soon shed my gloves, and at one point had to roll my sleeves up too, although I wasn't so rash as to take my windshirt off - the breeze on top was cool enough to need it, but nothing like the arctic blast from yesterday.
Having stood on the summit for a short while admiring my surroundings, I opted for a slightly different way down, going via a cairn on a nearby prominence (of which I failed to take a photo), then finding myself descending steeply down a boulder field. That wasn't fun and utmost care was taken.
Considering the wetness of the year so far, and that so much of this outing was off-piste, it was surprising that I managed to get the whole way up and 7/8th of the way back down to the track without getting my feet wet. Even when I did, it was only one careless step on each foot that filled my shoes with water.
Mick had the kettle on for me when I got back to Bertie after a remarkably pleasing outing. Dare I say, that I enjoy relatively easy pathless hills like this one, especially when they don't involve forest but do involve fantastic views, more than the more popular ones with paths eroded into them?
(*Small aside: last week I dragged my bike out of the back of the shed, where it has resided since 2019. I got it back into working order, then put in in Bertie's boot. We then decided it was taking up too much room, considering everything else we needed to fit in for this trip, so it got taken back out and the Brompton was put in instead. If I'd had a mountain bike to hand today, I probably would have cycled in to do one of those two hills.)
Just read these three. I think there is much satisfaction with these less visited hills rather than Munro bagging, but that's easy to say when you've done all the Ms. Once again your photos are revolutionised with "click to enlarge." Looks like you are back to good fitness for hill walking.
ReplyDeleteJust a little pedantic request: when putting in the OS grid ref. on your title please separate as required by Memory Map when I copy and past to have a more general look, i.e. a space after the letters and a space in between the number coordinates.
Wishing you a successful snd enjoyable TGO.