Walk up to Tolmount from Glen Doll - Saturday 12th May 2012

Well today weather is looking good, with bags packed, off we head for Glen Doll, in Angus.  Our plan is to do the Munro Tolmount.  As we approach the hills we see snow on the tops and hope there wont be much where we are going.  Access to Tolmount is normally from Glen Doll to the SE by the path known as "Jocks Road".

We park the car at Glen Doll car park (£2 charge) and head off at 10.10am.

We walk along the  tarmac road past the farm, through a metal gate, along the road through the evergreens.  After about a mile or so, a wooden sign points that we walk up through the trees on a track named Jock's Road.  If you follow this rocky road to its destination, you will eventually arrive at Braemar, some 14 miles distant.

Going through the 4km of forest it is quite damp on the feet.

I'm sure someone adds length to this path, it seems longer everytime we walk it.  At the end of the forest we go through a large gate that leads out into a lovely corrie, surrounded by a band of crags.

The path is quiet despite good weather and busy car park.  Jock's Road winds its way up the glen, gaining height fairly modestly at first, before breaking through the crags into an upper corrie.  We reach Davy's Bourach (mountain shelter).  This rudimentary half-constructed, half-excavated shelter is likely only to appeal in an emergency but that is exactly why it was created.

 A cairn nearby bears a memorial to a party of five climbers who perished here on New Year's day in 1959. They had set out from Braemar but were overtaken by bad weather and succumbed to exposure as they searched in vain for sanctuary near this spot.

We continue on Jock's path for a while, but it soon became a little indistinct, and we found ourselves in the boggy valley floor.  Using Viewranger on my phone and checking map, we decide to follow along the river.  This eventually takes us to where we need to go (if we had managed to follow Jock's Path it would have taken us to Crow Craigies before ascending to Tolmount).

The ascent to Tolmount is a steady climb up through grass, heather and soon the snow patches.

The snow is soft and quite deep in places.

There are a lot of mountain hares running around, they are now are changing coats from white to grey.

It's not long now before we reach the summit (958m) and the wind is very blustery.

So we go down a few metres and find a big rock to hide from the wind to have our lunch. With little wind, a warm sun and snow, it makes a pleasant environment to rest and eat.

After about 30 minutes we set off, heading back along the path that leads to Crow Craigies.  I stop to make a call to my sister Sue Leaver who had just completed a 58 mile walk from Nottinghamshire through Leicestershire ending in Oundle in Peterborough.  This was also to raise monies for charity.  Alistair Mcalistair, our mascot was with her and partner Steve.

Me having fun in snow!!

Ok fun finished lets get walking.

It's not long before we reach the summit of Crow Craigies (920 meters).

There is a lot of snow in the hills not far away.

We carry on down Jock's path, not meeting anyone still, but we were able to see where we had gone off the path earlier.

There is white heather in bloom.

It's not too long before we reach the big gate at the edge of the long forest path.

Some pretty flowers as we walk through.

The start of Jocks Rd.

We arrive back at the car park at 4.10pm.  It has taken us 6 hours to do this walk which is approximately 12 miles.

We drive back to Glen Clova where we reward ourseves with a cool pint at the Clova Hotel.

If you are enjoying our treks and want to support one of our chosen charities, please find links to donate to at the right of this post.  Thank you, Gail and Roy xo