Last month’s walk: Blackhope Scar, Bowbeat Hill and Dunreich.
Attendees: Alan, David, Myra and Di
What a lovely day we had on these hills that are situated between Edinburgh and Peebles. There is a parking place indicated on the OS map close to the NE corner of Gladhouse reservoir but after reading Dempsters Graham book we used a very good wee parking area on the SW corner at 292527, just before the ‘no unauthorised vehicles past this point’ sign. Once David’s car was parked it was only a few hundred metres along the road to Moorfoot Farm, through a gate and onto the track due south into the glen.
All the reports that I have read about these hills mention a considerable amount of rough boggy ground so going at this time of year made a lot of sense as everything underfoot would be frozen solid. Better than that, there was still a lot of well consolidated snow around, the kind where you sink in to it all of ½ an inch, just enough to get a grip. I reckon we managed to string enough snow patches together to avoid 99% of the heather bashing – result!
After about 2 ½ miles we came to a split in the track and took the left hand one and followed it as it rounded ‘The Kipps’ Once up we made for the fence and followed it all of the way to the top of Blackhope scar. We had a short break at the summit and had a bite to eat but didn’t hang around for long as it was so cold. We then followed another fence round to Bowbeat Hill and the wind farm. We followed the track through the wind turbines. There were probably 20 or so of them but only 5 or 6 were turning. Don’t understand that at all, I would have thought if the wind was strong enough to turn some it would turn them all. Perhaps somebody can enlighten me. After Dundreich we headed east and failed to find the track at 290488 but it didn’t really matter as we followed a line of shooting butts down hill then a final wee steep bit and we were back down in the glen and the track back to Moorfoot.
Sunday 28st March
I have delayed this newsletter a wee bit to see how the snow conditions were panning out and from looking at reports on www.scottishhills.com it looks favourable for us to start this years Munro programme this month. I have also put it back 1 week to suit some club members so I hope that that’s ok with you all. You have all been extremely good to me over the past 2 years in allowing me to pick Munros that I had not done for the monthly walk but I’m now running out of ones that are close enough for a day walk. I do however have Ben Oss to do so if we combine that with Beinn Dubhcraig for this month please. After that the closest ones I have to do are in the Glen Etive/Ballahulish area, possibly too far for a day walk anyway. So as my Munros are fast running out does anybody else have any requests for day walks? It would be better to make up some sort of a programme rather than take it a month at a time like we have been doing.
Anyway, Sunday 28th, Beinn Dubhcraig and Ben Oss from Dalrigh (between Crianlarich and Tyndrum) 6.00 start, names please by Thursday 25th please.
Next months walk April 18th. Is anybody up for a weekend away? Having stayed in the Corran bunkhouse at the back end of last year I can highly recommend a stay there www.corranbunkhouse.co.uk. Ok Ok it’s also close to some Munros that I still have to do but I’m open to suggestions. If anybody fancies this please let me know by the end of next week so there is time to book things.
May 7th to 16th
Myra has once again organised ‘the Rollercoaster’ for the second week in May this year. Full details are to follow but the ‘jist’ of it is as follows:
Friday 7th the bunkhouse at the Kinnloch Hotel at Sheil Bridge. Saturday backpack into Glen Affrick and camp for 2 nights, Sunday bag some remote Glen Affrick Munros, Monday walk out and stay in the bunkhouse again. Tuesday drive to Skye and camp at Camasunary (There will be a boat trip involved but not a RIB like last year and possibly the ‘bad step’). Wednesday backpack through to Sligachan then drive to the Croft bunkhouse at Portnalong where we should have a variety of rooms, cabins and wigwams at our disposal. That will leave 3 full days to tackle the Cullins, take a trip to Rassay, visit Portree or whatever else you fancy. Sunday 16th drive home. Come for all of it or pick and mix the bits you fancy. See Myra for this one. please.
Other stuff:
The website is now up and running www.bemac.org Anybody who wants walk photos posted please either e mail them to me or send prints and I will scan them. Perhaps different people might like to write the walk report from time to time to get a different perspective on things.
Alan