Morven
Date Walked: 4th March 2011
Distance: 6.8 miles (11km)
Actual Ascent: 2299 ft (701m)
Time Taken: 3.5 hours
With my self styled physio going well and no sign of problems from my previous walks I was looking to stretch the leg a little harder now (but not too hard) I perused the local Corbetts on WH. Morven seemed to fit the bill with a relatively short walk and a reasonable ascent (I've not made a continuous ascent of more than 1500 feet since my last leg op) It was a beautiful day to make the effort and it took me all of 5 minutes to decide to go for it.
I was surprised on arrival at the parking area to see a vehicle already there, not getting a hill to myself today then. The gate or small style beside the parking area led to a beautiful meadow bathed in sunlight
I was surprised on arrival at the parking area to see a vehicle already there, not getting a hill to myself today then. The gate or small style beside the parking area led to a beautiful meadow bathed in sunlight
Cutting across the meadow leads to a small disused cottage and a few outbuildings
Looking back toward the car
Then onward through the gate towards the goal for the day
The early stages are very wet, as would be expected so early in springtime. It's easy to avoid the worst of the boggy sections by taking the 'high side' of the path
As you climb the path dries out quickly, looking back down the hill, the small cottage is soon left well behind
At this point a fellow enthusiast jogged toward and past me heading back down the hill with his dog, I confess I envied him his fitness and mobility as we exchanged pleasantries in passing and I continued my slow ascent. Looking back he was soon gone and now I had the hill to myself
The reason for all of the pics looking back down hill is that at this point looking up is not much of a view
As the path turns north along Coinlach Burn the area of bog spreads out considerably and becomes more difficult to avoid for a short section
Soon after this you reach a hideous scar of a path that runs east-west, I turned east hoping that this would change very soon, I did get my first glimpse over toward the Cairngorms and this spurred me on
Fortunately the ugly track runs out quickly
And the view improves as you climb upward across the heather
Wider and wider is the view now as the path cuts its way through wintered heather on an almost level section to allow a 'breather' before the next climb
turning toward the hill from the heather
The early stages of the climb are very wet and boggy but these soon firm up as you climb, the last of the winter snow adds to the scene with the 'big sky' and lush green valley below in contrast to the dark heather
The first cairn you arrive at is 'little cairn', but you have a way to go yet.......
Almost a kilometre in the distance is the next cairn
It's a level walk for the most part of that kilometre and another good opportunity to take a breather
When you do start to climb again 'little cairn' is long gone and it's just a short rise to 'Mid Cairn'
Looking back across the valley from 'Mid Cairn' ....from the name you already know this is not the summit either!!
But this time it's just a few hundred metres west to the summit, the cairn and trig point can be seen from here
From the summit the 360 leaves you feeling like you are in the centre of something that you would like to be on the outer edge of !!
I arrived at the summit like this thinking it was already summertime
I sat behind the wall around the trig point out of the cool breeze that was starting up and had a cup of tea and snacks, within 5 minutes the wind was really blowing and bloody cold, the T-shirt was soon gone
A last look at the adjacent mountains and its back down the way I came, which adds a little on the journey and so keeps you out that little longer
The leg held up very well with no drastic after effects, now all I need is a bit more of that............. and to shed about 4 stone - but if my weight is all I've got to worry about I'm a happy man