Gleouraich & Spidean Mialach

Over the Great Glen and on to Loch Quoich and distant hills. This was a good day out all be it a bit harder than I had anticipated. The first hill wasn't too bad but the second seemed to tantalisingly always a bit farther than expected. Still early in the year and the fitness will come with more outings.

 

The drive from Perth took a couple of hours but the views as we neared the foot of the hill were lovely.  Even in this quiet corner there were neat houses tucked into the forests and loch shore. Parking beyond the dam at a the sight of a little river hydro scheme we found a good stalkers path to take us to a flatting sub summit before we headed past a shelter of sorts and on to the first summit.

 

 

 

Things got interesting going for the second summit, for despite being apparently near it was nowhere near as near as we would have liked to think, and as one Munro book notes there is a 'considerable' drop between the two peaks. But one good thing about the distance was that we headed out of a rather gloomy patch of weather and into brighter sunshine.  The descent between the two summits was interesting with snow in the northern corries and a loud ring ouzel warning us not to come too near.

 

 

The path to the top of our second summit petered out a bit amongst big slabby rocks that were tricky to walk over. However, this is good ridge walking and the views north the 'back' of the Glen Sheil south ridge of seven or so Munro's makes for a wonderful viewing. It was a pity that the cloud cover was quite low because on a clear day I think the views here would be pretty extensive.

 

The descent off Spidean was a good grassy stroll and as things hadn't been too wet it was actually quite enjoyable, not to steep and a bit of give in the ground. We headed for LochFearna and by skirting round the flank or small spur to the north west of the loch we were able to head into Coire Meal where we found yet another good stalkers path that conveniently took us to the road, the last bit through a patch of quite vigorous rhododendron.  Iain recalled that the big hydro scheme here had flooded much of the lower glen and covered the original 'bighouse' to which the rhododendrons and some large trees owed their presence.

 

Great Spotted Woodpecker

I heard them before I saw them.  Chicks being fed sending up a super racket when the parents arrived.

It was interesting to watch the parents flying in.  They would land in a nearby tree and then with a series of jumps, scurries and short flights gradually home in on their tree and skilfully work their way up or down the trunk to their nesting hole.

 

I'd imagine in a few days the youngsters will be out of the nest but for now (May 25) it is a lovely thing to see and hear on an evening walk.

 

Spring Garden

A very long winter and now a poor spring, but at last the bulbs are out and the garden is taking shape. We have a variety of tulips, but with them coming on so late we now have the dilemma of a crammed greenhouse with several dozen plants ready to go into tubs and pots that are currently occupied by bulbs.

 

Playing with the panorama facility on the camera, maybe best not to have done this whilst pointing the camera towards the sun !

The cherry tree hasn't been  his late coming into blossom before.

Mount Keen

Although not lauded as one of the great Munros there is still a lot to enjoy about Mount Keen, Scotland's most easterly Munro.  The views for one thing are pretty impressive, Lochnagar nearby, the Cairngorms stretching out on the horizon and over to the east a glimpse of Aberdeen and ships out at sea. I tried to capture this using the panorama setting on the camera but suspect I need a bit more practice !

We approached via Glen Esk which is a lovely mix of farmland and ancient woodlands. On the way up to the carpark we saw a cuckoo and a woodcock and the sound of woodland birds was all around.  Not far from the head of the glen a Redpoll whizzed into view.

The walk is fairly straightforward. A mixture of estate landrover tracks and nearer the top some well crafted granite style steps.  I suspect if it was raining it would be a little bit exposed, the first part of the walk is over moorlands and then after following the Ladder Burn for some way you emerge onto wide expanses of upland moor before reaching the rocky top. So a good walk on a sunny day but perhaps a bit open for a windy, wet outing.

On the way back to the car we had a good view of a ring ouzel, glimpsed a herd of red deer on a horizon, and enjoyed a visit to the Queen's Well, which was built to commemorate a visit by Queen Victoria over 100 years ago. Visually Balmoral Estate isn't too far from the summit of Mount Keen and the network of paths includes one that heads for Braemar.

Not a dramatic Munro but the mixture of habitats makes for a good walking/wildlife outing.

Down by the river

A week off and a new camera in my pocket - so what better to do than to take early morning strolls by the banks of the River Tay and capture the spring atmosphere.

The birds are a lot nosier now and there are always ducks on the river and sandpipers on the banks. Flowers are bursting through and the trees which only a day or two ago looked quite bare have suddenly sprung into life .. with a burst of dazzling clean green.

Heading off at six lets me capture some of the morning sun, although in truth at this time of year you could leave the house an hour ealier and probably get even better light. Nevertheless when I return home the sun is still throwing a lovely morning angle on everything. Usually I come back to find our two cats fast asleep and they are good subjects to try the macro facility of the camera out on.

May - Spring comes to Little Glenshee

A very late spring this year.  We had snowdrops out for well over a month, and at one point I think we all despaired of spring ever coming, a state of suspended animation seemed to have descended. Now the temperatures are finally rising and Sunday May 4th seemed a good opportunity to dust down the mountain bike and head for Little Glenshee.

On the way up the hedges were a patchy green but beneath the Cedendines were in flower. Despite cycling to work everyday I found the strong winds a challenge and so it was over two hours to do a ride that normally takes just 1.45. 

Still, lots of good wildlife; yellowhammers, curlews, lapwings, hares, common gulls then red squirrel. Some trees in leaf but others looking distinctly wintry. The roe deer are around but skulking in the bushes and forest edges so not easy to see with so much brown colour still around.

 

I'm riding a Specialised mountain bike at the moment and I've got mixed feelings about it.  It doesn't look particularly good, the black and white colour scheme makes is resemble an Everton Mint, but the comfort is okay and the with the big tyres it does allow for good off road cycling.  I've fitted by trusty old Brookes leather saddle which I have had since the 1980s when I used to enjoy cycling touring and had the saddle on my old Peugeot and then a later Orbit. Still for all the miles I do this bike is just fine.