On Wednesday evening after what had already been a very busy week for us both, we fell prey to a good weather forecast for the east of Scotland and Nita suggested we do another trip to Glen Shee and have a recce of the glen leading up to Loch Callater …and maybe up onto one of the Munro’s too. Until the other week on Tolmount we never even knew of Loch Callater or that you could get to it from the northern end of Glen Shee using Jock’s Road. It’s amazing what you can see from the top of a hill!
Another early start saw us at the Glen Shee ski centre cafe at about nine o’clock and after succumbing to the call of a bacon sandwich and coffee, we started walking just under an hour later. It’s a five km walk up the glen to Loch Callater but it’s a very beautiful walk with the river rushing along at your side. When we reached the end of the loch we took the path marked on the map that leads all the way to the summit of Carn an t’Segairt Mor. In a way it was quite strange following what was in most places a very good path all the way to the top of a hill rather than wandering over open hillside … but it was a very pleasant walk and we reached the summit just in time for a late lunch. The views on the way up had been good, especially so as we were looking across to the hills we’d walk just a couple of weeks ago. From the summit though, the views took us into new territory…..taking in several other Munro’s and the fine summit of Lochnagar rising above the others a good few kilometres away. I always find it particularly exciting seeing new hills for the first time and we’ll certainly be going back later this summer to explore further…..taking the tent though so that we avoid the long drive before the walk.
As we were leaving the summit of Carn an t’Segairt Mor we met a couple of young chaps and their dog and stopped to have a quick chat. It turned out that they’d already walked all the way over from Lochnagar and were making for the next Munro in the group ….quite a walk. We of course were moving at a slightly more leisurely pace and after leaving them, we headed slowly back down towards the car. By the time we’d got back I really felt that I’d fitted the latest piece of the magnificent Scottish landscape jig saw into place ….can’t wait to get back.