Cairnwell Return

No Ailidh today but still wanted to get out and stretch my legs so decided to head to Glenshee and redo the Cairnwell Trio, but include a top that I had missed a couple of years ago.

Began the walk by heading up behind the ski centre and up the atv track past the upper cafe. After the track turned sharply I headed up the ski run and crossed over the next run to the right using the second break in the fence.

From here it is a little steep, which for some reason today I found a bit tricky, perhaps due to the cold I am getting, or maybe not having my usual walking buddy. Once reaching the top fence line, it is a short push up to the east to reach the first Munro of the day, Carn Aosda.

Being a little breezy, I didn't hang around and returned down to follow the road west then south, skirting around a few ski runs, before eventually turning off on to a well worn path leading east.

This path bypasses the bulk of the Cairnwell to the north, then south west towards the deleted Munro Top Carn nan Sac. Behind the Cairnwell the track was pretty muddy today and I kept coming across a strange burning type smell.

It was on this part of the hike I met several other walkers, including on the way back, two gents all the way from Devon!

On my way past Carn nan Sac I strayed onto a different path that took me a little too far to the north, so when I neared the next Munro, I had to strike up a steeper section to reach the cairn of Carn a' Gheoidh.

I had hunkered down and had an early lunch before heading towards my main target of the day, the missed Top. I headed west, losing a little height but no obvious track in sight towards a rocky outcrop where I disturbed a mountain hare that bolted out so close to me that I could almost have touched it and at the same time scaring the bejeasus out of me.

From here I head south west on a decent path towards my target, but the wind picked up a good bit, increasing the wind chill, so had to don some extra layers. The path took me straight up on to what I initially thought was Carn Bhinnein, but no obvious marker, checking the map I realised the top was little further on, and just 2 metres higher, but not visible due to the mist.

I returned using the same route, back over Carn a' Gheoidh, around Carn nan Sac until the tiny dip marked 808 on the OS map where there is a path off to the right that heads up the top of one of the ski tows. Again coming across a strange burning type smell, which I never discovered the source of. Lastly following the path past the ski lift, then a final push to the monstrosity that is The Cairnwell, the last Munro of the day.

Not fancying the usual long trek back along the track, I instead headed down the pretty steep slope below the ski lift to the ski centre. Once down and changed, I had a well deserved coffee at Tea@TheShee before heading home.

It wasn't the nicest of days, overcast and a bit drizzly early on, but as was mentioned by the guys from Devon, perhaps this was the best conditions for these Munros.