St Fillans, 19th February 2023

All the walks started from the same spot along Loch Earnside, some two Kms west of St. Fillans, taking the track into Glen Tarken on its west side. No fewer than twenty-seven walkers left the coach (including one visitor), another excellent turn out and a relatively local walk.

The clag was down on the tops so most of the routes were modified accordingly. This was the first occasion that the club had walked in the area for very many years, if ever.

The A group climbed Creag Each, a Graham at 672 mtrs, then headed north down into the glen passing the Glen Tarken Stone, a huge &impressive cottage sized boulder. The route was over rough terrain with no obvious paths, walkers encountered the expected gusty wind with squally outbreaks of rain and sleet. Once into the glen, the walkers followed a very good land rover track to its head passing much evidence of the 20th century hydro scheme engineering. The track was followed NW then SE back through plantations, showing evidence of storm damage, over the old railway and back to the village.

Some of the B and C group walkers came together having both stuck to the track all the way from the start, they were lucky to see Red Kites and a possible sighting of Golden Eagles on their way back to St Fillan’s.

A smaller group of three decided to climb the higher local Graham of Creag Ruadh, having left the larger group to continue along the landrover track just west of the hill.

Climbing steeply up its flank and following a tumbling burn most of the way to its craggy summit (712mtrs). The surrounding moorland is managed for grouse, coveys of red grouse often took fright as the group progressed. As with the A route, the terrain was pathless and often heathery. The earlier rain eased but was replaced by a light dusting of snow as the group made their way down navigating to avoid the many peat hags and small lochans on the way.

The owners of the Four Seasons Hotel had kindly allowed the coach to park in their car park and made the walkers very welcome as they enjoyed post walk refreshments and a blether.