GLEN PROSEN There are a number of routes in the top of the Glen Prosen which will take you over into Glen Isla without too much effort but the best routes are onto the hills on the east side of the glen. Park your car at the end of the tarred road near the entrance to the inappropriately named Glenclova Forest and make a choice. Take the continuation of the road towards the Kilbo ruin at the top of the glen, passing what used to be the shepherd's house at Old Craig, cross the young Prosen water and follow the Kilbo path through the trees on the side of the hill. This path emerges onto open hillside and soon reaches a saddle between the Munros of Mayar (Beautiful Hill) and Driesh (Hill of the brambles). Turn westwards to bag Mayar and then retrace the route before climbing a steep (but short) hill to Little Dreish then continue on to Dreish with its trig point. Carry on past Dreish for a few hundred metres then pick up the path running alongside a fence which descends quite steeply in a southerly direction before becoming a Land Rover track which, if one continued along it would eventually take you to Old Craig and back to the tarred road. I prefer to cut off the track down the northerly edge of Glenclova forest, cross the Dead Water at the bottom of the hill and then return on the Land Rover track through the forest. At the bottom of the glen there are
two "Sunday afternoon" walks. If you park about half a mile
north of Muir of Pearsie farm (a small lay-by on the west side of the road)
then walk a further half mile northwards you will find a gate on your left.
Climb this gate then follow the Land Rover track up over Long Goat then
onwards to the
summit of Catlaw. You will pass the remains of an old shepherd's
bothy on the right on this final climb and at the top you will be rewarded
by extensive views over the valley of Strathmore to the Sidlaws and beyond
into Fife. Follow the fence line to the west and you will soon
pick up another Land Rover track which will take you, eventually, out onto
the glen road opposite Muir of Pearsie farm - a three hour walk for
the reasonably fit. At the foot of Catlaw (and the starting
point for another route up Catlaw, is the ruin of Balintore Castle - built
in 1860 by David Lyon who, at that time, was a member of parliament.
JM Barrie wrote of Catlaw - "Nowhere else is the heather quite so blue, nor
do the burns flow quite so pleasantly". The other walk is on the
opposite side of the glen. Drive to Dykehead village and take
the left fork in the road (signposted "Glenprosen"). After half a mile you
will see a house set back off the road on the right. This is
where Captain Scott stayed while planning his ill-fated expedition to the
South Pole and it was on the hills running northwards in the glen that he
tested the sledges and other equipment that were to be used in Antarctica.
It was while Scott stayed here that he met James Barrie (of Peter Pan fame)
and they became such close friends that Scott asked Barry if he would look
after his son Peter (The well-known naturalist) if he (Scott) did not
return. About one mile further up the glen, on a very sharp
corner, there is a memorial to Captain Scott. Drive about 50
yards past this memorial and There is a brazier on top of the tower and this is one of the line of fires which stretch up and down the country and are lit every time a new Monarch is crowned. Again there are extensive views in all directions. Having enjoyed the views you can simply re-trace your footsteps or you can carry on northwards along the ridge for about half a mile to pick up a dry stane dyke which, if it is followed westwards, will take you down on to the glen road then back to the car park. |
|||
Home Δ Personal Δ Hillwalks Δ Hill Safety Δ Photographs Δ Dominie's Bairns
© hillwalking@gordonsnedden.co.uk |