TGO Challenge 18/05/26

Day 12, Lair to Glenisla.

It was a cold night and the morning was mostly overcast with some low cloud but this lifted and there were some sunny intervals. Again I didn't get wet although there were some rain showers about.

Good thing that I wasn't going that way

Today was slightly odd in that I walked a long way and climbed a lot but didn't actually go very far.

Path up Mount Blair 

There were three hills that I wanted to climb here so it was a good chance to do them all. 

Communication tower on Mount Blair 

Mount Blair was just a short road walk and then a steep path up to the radio/telephone aerials at the top returning to the road by the same path. Why didn't I leave my pack at the bottom?

Looking back to Mount Blair along the wall from Duchray Hill

Across the road then for a rather mor convoluted route up to Duchray Hill. There is a lot of new forestry planting here but I found a way up starting on a new track and ending by climbing a deer fence onto the upper hill.

Too big, heavy and awkward to carry ☹️

There is a big drystone wall all along the ridge here which I followed to the top of the hill and then descended by a different ridge to Forter.

Castle at Forter with ancient roadsign

I found a gorgeous antler and was very tempted to bring it home but after carrying it for a short distance I decided that it was just too heavy and awkward, shame, it was good one.

Looking back to Mount Blair from the track up Badandun Hill

There was a short track that went down to Forter where there's an old 'castle'. The castle is really a fortified house, this one appeared to be a private house and I have never seen a better maintained one.

Windy on the top

But a great view

The last hill was a long walk but relatively easy as there was a track all the way to the top and another one to take be down the other side.

On the way down 

Hill loop completed

Looking back

A couple of hours walk down to Glenisla with it's little unstaffed hotel.