Carn Kitty

As .we were hoping to get away with Ellie soon and hadn't walked for a while, we thought we should take a little leg stretch. There is a hill close by, with a trig, that I've been meaning to walk for a while, so we decided this would be a good opportunity. I had thought a quick out and back would be enough, but was persuaded a circuit would be better, so off we went.

We parked at the bin compound west of Tomcork and set off up the track towards Rochuln. I have been in this area before, but several years ago, and it has changed a bit. Mainly it has been clearfelled, but also, there has been a windfarm built here, so tracks are either over grown and unused or 'improved'. This track was well used to start with, but became less so. As we approached Loch Dallas, the track deteriorated, as I remembered, and became deeply rutted and rough. I know I'm not keen on this track, so the challenge is to remain positive and upbeat. It takes longer than I expect to reach Loch Noir and it's smaller than I thought. I was getting a bit peckish by now, but I wanted to save my snack until we reached the trig, so I drank a little from time to time to stave off any hunger pangs.

Looking south towards the Cairngorms

David had walked back slightly as he thought he'd dropped part of his sunglasses

The path towards Loch Dallas

The way we came

The way ahead

Loch Noir

Wind turbines along Glen Trevie

After about two and a quarter hours, we reached the new windfarm tracks and followed one up to our left until we reached a point where the climb would be less steep, then left the track and plunged into the undergrowth. the first 100 metres were tough going, the kind of rough ground with ankle grabbing heather and tussocks to trip over, but the ground improved and we made progress, it took about fifteen minutes to reach the trig. We took photographs and enjoyed the view whilst eating Hula Hoops, a mini Soreen and an apple. We took a different line off the hill, heading for the nearest turbine to pick up the track. From there, we headed back to where we'd initially picked up the track and headed down hill.

Cloudberries. With no berries

We were able to pick up the original track I'd walked before for a while, it is obviously still used by walkers and mountain bikers, but is rough and in places wet. After a while, we met with the new windfarm track again and continued along it passed Berryburn Farm and towards Tomcork. I was not impressed to find young cattle in the field we were now walking through, a cow and her two calves were in the field adjacent were quite excitable and this stirred up the youngsters. As we walked towards them, they herded together quite nicely, clearing the way to the cattle grid, until the moment I fell. Less than a kilometre to go, and I throw myself at the ground. Typical. David gave me a hand up, by which time the cattle were a little more spread out again. I just wanted out of the field now. We walked as far over to the fence as we could, made it to the cattle grid and I almost ran across it to freedom.

By the time we were back with Ellie, I was feeling tired and a little sore. It was a good day and good practice.

Roughly 20.1 km and 423 m total ascent.