Hats Off to John and Jock; Grampians October 2011

 

Sir Hugh himself, and also Rev A E Robertson the first Compleationist, had the advantage of living in Scotland. But John Corbett lived in Bristol. Even so, he became the fourth Compleationist (and the first English one) in 1930, and then went further to tabulate and climb all the Scottish mountains between 2500 and 2999 feet. This must have been a significant travel achievement in those days..........he could hardly zoom to the Highlands in his 50mph Austin 7, for a swift weekend !!

 

So if the higher mountains just happen to be sodden with heavy rain, mist, and high winds, it's rude not to take in the odd Corbett. In fact, Morven is hardly a tiddler, as it is only 5% below Munro status at 871 metres, and because it's located north and east of Braemar, it held the promise of rather better conditions when the fronts were sweeping in from the south-west.

 

A long wooded valley provides a pleasant approach, but it was still not hanging-about weather, so Brian, Paul and I tramped briskly on the breeze in well under the book time of 3 hours to the summit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were no views, although there was a summit book to write our names in; but at least we were dry, and a compass bearing brought us down below the cloud at 700 metres.

 

 

Yo-ho !! Landscape twisted with mist. Shafts of sunlight. Blue glimpses.

Hillwalking with J M W Turner ???

 

 

Here were better lunch spots, and we rounded off the afternoon by traversing the high grouse moors. Autumn is coming, with foliage on Royal Deeside to show it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a modest improvement (but not much) in conditions forecast for Sunday, Paul and Brian were anxious to perform their duties to Sir Hugh, and decided to do so in the White Mounth, on Tolmount and Tom Bhuidhe. The high sprawling plateau has great glacial gashes chopping into it........ and "Jock" - or people like him- must have been in the habit of crossing the plateau at nearly 3000 feet to get from Glen Callater to Glen Doll. "Jocks Road" is an ancient packhorse route (although very steep for a pony). It must also have been a feat of travel for an eighteenth century packman to get across this desolate mountain, no maps and no waterproofs !! http://www.conneryscottishwalks.co.uk/jocksroadhistory.html

 

A woodland trail leads up and out of Glen Doll, passes a memorial to a woman who died here just a few years ago, and then rises steeply through the upper crags towards the plateau.

 

 

A rough shelter made in 1966 - "Davy's Burrough" - presages another memorial to the 1959 tragedy of 5 deaths of members of a Glasgow Club "who were making their way from Braemar to Glen Doll on 1st January 1959. Coming out of the corrie and on to the plateau they were met by horrendous conditions, driving snow and windchill temperatures of up to -25 degrees. All five were experienced mountain men. All five men died in a winter so severe it was four months before all their bodies were recovered."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At length a small side stream led us to a misty bealach, from which 10 minutes by compass saw us on Tom Bhuidhe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mist briefly parted at this point, and a short drop and re-ascent saw us on Tolmount and ready for lunch, much improved by Brian with some whisky and tot glasses.

Slainthe.

ANDREW