STIRRING SIGHTS FROM TOP OF MUNRO DREISH
I'M sure that there have been other Easters when the weather has been as unseasonably warm; if so I can't remember them.
On April 4 both Leuchars in Fife and Aboyne registered temperatures of 70F for goodness sake.
Two weeks since we were on Dreish (the name derives from the Gaelic "dris" a thorn bush) a Munro at 3106 ft. We tackled it from the Glen Prosen side; from Runtleave which lies just beyond the Lodge towards the top of the glen.
The route takes you over The Lick, a lesser hill, past shooting butts and onto the Shank of Dreish. From here it's onwards and upwards through heather tracks to the summit.
Although sunny for the most part a brisk and chill east wind made the going a bit of a slog at times. Near the top, those ahead drew my attention to the path behind and below. A large herd of deer, upwards of three hundred, were in full flight round the side of the hill. Red deer on the move in numbers is always a stirring sight.
Almost immediately afterwards I spotted a solitary ptarmigan, still in its white winter plumage banking away to my right. A bird of the Highlands, ptarmigan are generally seen in pairs but if this one's mate was around I missed it. I think I've only once seen this bird below 3000 ft.
We took our refreshment stop at the top in the shelter of a cairn and were joined by a pair of young women who had come up from Glen Doll. The eastern summits had more of a snow covering than we'd encountered; the distant blue, white capped hills a view to savour.
Some of us retraced our steps but others of the party descended via the Kilbo Path. At one point they'd come upon a large pile of frogs engaged in their springtime pursuits. Apparently the unfortunate females often suffocate or drown at the bottom of these enthusiastic heaps.
We'd covered nine and a half miles and got back to Brechin rather later than usual (OS Landranger Sheet 44).
The following week the Monday Walkers covered only half this distance but with undulating terrain and some stravaigin' through heather there was plenty of exercise on offer.
We were on the southern ridge of the Sidlaws in Perthshire, walking in the countryside that was the setting of the Shakespearean tragedy of "Macbeth." From the village of Collace, which you can get to by turning left off the A94 at Balbeggie, we began the walk by climbing Dunsinane Hill; a historic summit capped by the remains of Macbeth's Castle.
In the play it is prophesied that: "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until; Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him." You can see Birnam Wood quite clearly through binoculars lying twelve miles off to the north west.
You go steeply down, then onto Black Hill and drop yet again before climbing up to the highest point of King's Seat at 1237 ft.
Up here the force of the wind was something else. We tried to take photos but I don't think the results will be up to much due to camera shake; even remaining upright posed something of a problem. For all of that it wasn't especially cold.
The panorama presented views over the Firth of Tay to the south and in the other direction lay the fertile Vale of Strathmore. Descending through the heather we picked up the road that took us back past Fairygreen Farm (OS Landranger Sheet 53).
A combination of ploughing activity, dry weather and high winds has led to dust storms. We encountered some minor flurries on the way home. The previous day, walking with the family round Forfar Loch we were caught in one; not pleasant.
I remember in the mid 'sixties while we were living in the Moray Firth area and during one particular spring such a storm went on for days.
Despite our best efforts fine dust somehow got into the house covering everything and, when it was all over and with topsoil gone, local farmers had to re-sow their crops.
Morayshire is a bonny part of Scotland and normally has a mild climate with low rainfall but, my goodness, the winds can be fearsome.
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Weather for Brechin
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
