Glen Doll

Weather in Scotland is a funny thing. It tends to change faster than you can blink your eyes and you have just got to learn to venture out in any weather and always pack a change of clothes especially if going to walk in a nature reserve.

On Sunday we decided that the weather looked quite bonny or at least not as cold as it has been the last couple of weeks so we thought why not drive down to the Angus Glens. So off we set to go for a walk in Glen Doll (also spelt Glendoll) which can be found in the south-eastern corner of the Cairngorms National Park.

Glen Doll is a a nature lovers dream with six marked trails that walkers, hikers, horse riders and cross country skiers can experience. It is a U-shaped valley that was carved out by great glaciers giving it a dramatic beauty. Green forests lead the way to craggy mountainsides and valleys through which river and burns meander.

We decided to do the 3.5km walk to the bowl of Corrie Fee as it was already rather late in the day and in winter the number of daylight hours is quite limited. It was a little rainy when we left the car park but I should have known not to trust the weather to stay like that...

 

It was not long into the walk when the weather started to act like an annoying passenger who keeps changing the radio station as it would rain, then sleet then snow then rain again. I seriously considered walking turning around and walking back as my trousers were soaked through in the front and I could do nothing but look down at my feet to keep the rain out of my face and my feet from slipping on the ice/snow ground.

Yet we decided that we had come so far already that we needed to push through the last little bit. So we kept going through the Glen Doll Forest and follwed the trail to the end of the tree line where we emerged into the Corrie Fee entrance.

 

And it was breathtaking not just because the wind was howling through the valley at speeds that would put the concord to shame but also because even covered in snow the amphitheatre of Corrie Fee is gorgeous. It is one of those wow moments where nature just sits up and smacks you through the face. It made the snow, rain and wet trousers worth while and knowing now what lies at the end of the Corrie Fee trail I would walk it again anytime.

See here for maps and more information on the trails available at Glen Doll.

Parking can be found at the information and ranger center. Parking costs £2 for the enitre day, but overnights stays are not allowed.

Scottish Hiking

Got no plans for your weekend and feel like getting some fresh air - well if you are in Scotland you could try your hand at a bit of munro bagging. So most people who read my blog are probably going 'say what? Munro bagging?' right about now.

Yes, there is such a thing and it has over the years become quite the popular pastime in Scotland and its neighbouring countries. Ok so to get us all on the same page a Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over 3, 000 ft (914.4m) and a Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a seperate mountain. They are named after Sir Hugh Munro who drew up the first list of such hills in 1981. There are 283 Munros and 227 subsidiary tops in Scotland, which basically means that is is the perfect place for hikers, climbers or just people who like to walk for hours.

So Saturday morning rolled around and my sister's friend from London arrived in Scotland to visit for the weekend and as she is training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in roughly two months we decided that it would be a great idea to try a Munro ourselves.

We layered up (never trust Scottish weather) even though the sun was out, filled our water bottles and piled into the car setting off for Loch Muick. As this was to be our starting point to climb Lochnagar.

Lochnagar is on the royal estate of Balmoral and is the name of the carter created by a massive mine explosion during the First World War. Lochnagar is also the setting for Prince Charles's children story 'The Old Man of Lochnagar' published in 1980.

It took us six hours to walk to the Munro top at Lochnagar, and the weather did not treat us kindly. It rained on us three times before we reached the top and I was soaked to the bone by the time we did (investing in a good waterproof jacket is now top of my list). As we reached the top a fog had begun to descend over the Munro, it felt a bit like you were in a cloud, and it halted our progress as we could no longer make out the path.

Here are some photos from our journey - although I have never been happier to see the car and my left leg was starting to get extremely stiff (as I must have upset a muscle that hadn't been used in years) I would happily try my hand at a Munro again!

The crater from above.

The Cliffs of Lochnagar.

Building our own 'cairn' (pronounced ken) when we reached the top. Cairn usually refers to a man-made pile of rocks and comes from the Scottish Caelic. 

If you look closely just above the hill on the right hand side you will notice a forest (dark patch) behind that is where our car is parked and shows you how far we walked. I believe it was roughly 13km, but the view and sense of accomplishment was well worth it.