Glentrek

25/11/2025

Meall Ghaordaidh 24-11-25 - The forecast said the 25th was to be the best day of the week but had something on so went out the day before. It looked reasonable South Highlands so opted for Glen Lochay near Killin. We were joined by Graham Penny today who hadn't been up this hill for a good few years. It started bright enough and we hoped that it would clear higher up but it didn't. It was very cold and very windy and we stopped to get fully kitted up around 800m. This was full on winter weather with the wind at the top knocking us around a bit. Put the crampons on to descend due to the wind and it was pretty icy. This was my 6th time up here and had pretty similar weather on 2 other occasions , so in the absence of lots of photos from today have added a couple from these 2 previous trips !! One of me at the top in winter 1990 and one with Sam in winter 1996. So all in all some things never change , I must love this hill !!

22/11/2025

Ben Vrackie 21-11-25 - A short day to do this Corbett above Pitlochry. We always seem to do this hill around the end of the year and with the weather coming in from West seemed a good choice for the day. There was a definite difference in the snow cover compared to the North East but still icy underfoot. As always a great viewpoint and worth saving for a decent day. Nipped into the Moulin Inn for some lunch afterwards , oh and happy birthday Janey..

18/11/2025

Creag Leacach and Glas Maol 17-11-25 - A local day and a first for Janey for a good few weeks. Winter has well and truly arrived with the forecast saying very low temps with a significant windchill. Started at the lower lay-by and ascended Creag Leacach first. The wind and cold were very noticeable and we layered up fully near the SW top. Icy underfoot with bits of drift here and there near the first summit. Headed on to Glas Maol where it started to clear and returned via Leacann Dubh. Received a call a the car from GP who was on the hill as well (He noticed my car) and managed to grab a coffee and a chat up the ski centre cafe. All in all a decent day out for the time of year.

08/11/2025

Beinn Each 08-11-25 - Been a few weeks since I've been out so with the forecast saying this was to be best day decided on a trip to Loch Lubnaig and a short day up this Corbett. The weeks weather had been "Dreich" to say the least and was hoping for something a bit less miserable. It wasn't to be and the drive and the hill were Dreich , rain and cloud pretty much all day. The path up Beinn Each is way better than I remember, parking up near the Loch and following the sign to Glen Ample. The route up the hill is also signposted and the path is really good which makes the ascent easier. Buster was on red alert as some Mountain Goats appeared higher up , they didn't budge and just watched us walk past. Been 31 years since I was up here and that day was very similar except had sleet and snow. Decided that over this Winter period that in the absence of bagging my remaining far flung Corbetts I'm going to revisit the ones I haven't been up for a very long time and of course Buster will get a new hill tick...

26/10/2025

Clocks have changed and Winter approaching !!

Extra hour in bed? Great.
Extra hours of darkness? Not so much. 🌒

As the clocks go back, plan ahead before heading to the hills:

- Am I prepared for my planned route and the forecast conditions?
- Do I have the right equipment to deal with those conditions?
- Do I need to set off earlier to complete my route in daylight, and am I ready for the possibility of being out after dark?🔦

Our volunteer teams will always answer the call - but good prep helps keep everyone safe.

👉🏽 https://www.scottishmountainrescue.org/when-the-clocks-go-back-plan-ahead-stay-safe-on-scotlands-hills/

14/10/2025

Sgurr na-h Ulaidh 12-10-25 - An early start and an overnight stay in Onich for this hidden Glencoe Munro. Parked up in the bend in the A82 road and a new underpass walkway which takes you to Gleann Leac na Muidhe. There is a good track up the Glen before striking up the steep slope which took us up to a Col at 800m to the North of the Munro top Stob an Fhuarain. This way up is pretty much well trodden which really helps the ascent , it is steep but everything is around here. On a day like this the views opened out as we got higher. Mist was lying lower down giving us inversion conditions, we returned the same way. Not much more to say , the photos say it all.

13/10/2025

Glenshee 10-10-25 - A short day with Jordan in and around the Cairnwell area. Not quite compass weather but still some good navigation practice . Got home and after tea and a call out to Glen Doll / Mayar area. Good outcome and a beautiful night to be out..

27/09/2025

Stob a Bhealach an Sgriodain 26-09-25 - As sunny forecast but with very strong winds on summits was the order of the day. So I decided to have yet another very early kick off and drive to near Glenfinnan. I was up here a couple of months ago doing the other 2 Corbetts so knew what was in store. On arrival at the small forestry car park at Callop I was confronted with 10 motorhomes and a camper van parking in every available space. This meant there wasn't any space for cars. Luckily one left so I managed to get a space. I'm not going to go on a rant about motorhomes but it's now out of control , something has to be done. This is a remote hill and the initial going is good but I needed to drop down to ascend which is never easy I also just about sunk in deep wet moss which would have ruined the day but luckily I managed to clamber out. Followed the guide book route which took me to the summit with brilliant views all round. Descended NW then down and ascended back up to the main path which took me back to the car. Another long way and pretty remote Corbett done ! With what I left to do in the Corbett round this is probably the end of me being able to "pick away" on day trips from home. I'll need to be staying away for the remaining haul ...

23/09/2025

Meall Corranaich and Meall a Choire Liath 22-09-25 - A decent forecast so decided on a trip to the Lawers area. These hills are reached from the high road between Loch Tay and Glen Lyon and for a pair of Munros is a quick day. The day was bright as I drove across and parked at the high point of the road where there is spaces for a few cars. The NTS have flagged out a new route at the start of the walk which is reasonably easy to follow. Cloud level was around 950m so the summit of Meall Corranaich was a bit overcast. Headed on to the 2nd Munro where the views opened up to a decent day. There is a new path from the summit of Meall a Choire Liath back to the road this follows the "Walk Highlands" route. This from my memory never existed before but certainly shortens the route back which is pretty boggy in places.

10/09/2025

Sgairneach Mhor and Sow of Atholl - 09-09-25. The best day of the week so the weather said so we headed to Drumochtor for this reasonably short day grabbing a Munro and a Corbett. The Sow is next to the A9 and on it's own would just take 2-3 hours but decided to extend it by adding the Munro. Parked in the large parking area just down from the Drumochtor summit which is slightly safer than the small lay-by where most people park. There is track up Sgairneach Mhor pretty much all the way to the summit trig point which remained in cloud. Descended back to the Col not before Buster took off (as he does when his nose bothers him)to eat something the crows were picking at chasing them away. We then headed up to summit of the Sow which was clear giving good views. I was really surprised when a couple appeared at the summit of the Corbett where we chatted for a good while. Descended straight back to the main track which although steep was good underfoot . Lot's of mountain hares running everywhere with Buster on radar alert. Nearly 30 years since I'd been up the Sow although a new Corbett for B..

19/08/2025

An Sithean (An Sidhean) 18-08-25 - For the Gaelic scholars the new OS maps have replaced the "d" with a "t" in the name but it means the same thing "Fairy hill" basically the same as "Glenshee" and "Schiehallion". This remote Corbett is made a bit more complicated as the starting point is at the Monar Dam at the Western end of Glen Strathfarrar. Access to the Glen is strictly controlled by a gate keeper and only 25 cars per day are permitted with it opening at 9am on the dot. The forecast was brilliant but I knew was going to be warm so plenty of fluid required for both me and Buster. The way up this hill uses some great footpaths along the side of Loch Monar but eventually we had to leave the path and head straight uphill. The cairn is to the North of a vast summit plateau with great views into Maoile Lunndaidh and beyond. For a Corbett on a week day never met anyone , no surprises there !!

16/08/2025

Sgurr Gaorsaic 14-08-25 - This reasonably remote Corbett sits at the far Western end of Glen Affric and can be done from different directions. Today I opted for the approach from Morvich at the head of Loch Duich which meant a very early start. Luckily we didn't have the heat from the previous day although was pretty cloudy and muggy which meant flies and midges. The path from the NTS car park is very good and it heads up to the Bealach an Sgairne (520m) which separates the 2 Munros A'Ghlas-bheinn and Ben Attow. The view from the col is spectacular looking East into Affric and beyond. From there we had to drop 140m down to Loch a Bhealaich skirting around its Southern edge. A line of fence post is a good guide when climbing Sgurr Gaorsaic from this direction and although steep it was pretty short compared to the other giant hills in the area. The summit is flat and is marked by a wee cairn with a few other similar outcrops which we visited. It was cloudy but briefly semi cleared before the cloud returned. We retraced our steps and Buster got a chance to have a swim. A climb back over the Bealach and a walk back to the start . A long day but another one done.