Glen Lochay, Glen Lyon & The Sidlaw Hills

Owing to the restricted road access to Glen Lochay, this was one of the featured car meets in the club’s programme.

Glen Lochay lacks adequate signage from Killin, merely marked as being a no through road. It is sandwiched between the much better-known glens of Dochart and Lyon but by no means their poor relation.

The day’s A walk started from Duncroisk, and followed a path to the west of Allt Dhuin Croisk onto the south ridge of their hill, Meall Ghaordaidh, a Munro at 1039 mtrs. The weather was fine with only a modestbreeze at the top but low cloud precluded any view until it shifted during thereturn to the start. The walkers were accompanied by the sound of skylarks for much of the way and a ptarmigan was heard before revealing itself on the waydown.

The B party started from a point east of the A group and east of the Allt Dhuin Croisk. Their target hill was the Corbett Beinn nan Oighreag (909 mtrs). Again, the walkers were frustrated by the lack of any views from the summit, normally these would have been extensive over Glen Lyon in particular. Despite the mist and just as was the case with the other groups,the day provided a very enjoyable walk.

The A & B parties came of the hill at roughly the same time and joined forces back in Killin for refreshments and a blether, at the ever-friendly Shutters Restaurant.

Another smaller party had driven into Glen Lyon where they enjoyed a visit to the famous rock formation known as the praying hands or Fionn’s Rock, where legend has it that the legendary Celtic hero Fingal ha ssplit it with an arrow. They then climbed Meall nam Maigheach Cleafing where they enjoyed views over Glen Lyon and the Lawers range. Visit our website to see photographs of Fionn’s rock.

The C party enjoyed a good excursion along the Sidlaws, unusually travelling to and from their walk by No 57 service bus. The walk started with a visit to the Obelisk, onward to McDuff’s monument then to Deuchry Wood, Kinnoul Tower and back via Branklyn Gardens to catch the bus back to Blairgowrie.

The club’s next walk is to the ever-popular Glen Doll on Sunday 23rd April. Use these links for more details of this outing and of the club in general.