Sunday 26 April 2015 - Blath Bhalg

This modest hill is easily climbed from the Dalnacarn area in Glen Brerachan on the A924 road between Kirkmichael and Pitlochry. 

Today I parked up for a while before starting out, in an effort to avoid a hail storm whilst listening to Radio 5's London Marathon commentary in between distressing news bulletins following the major earthquake in Nepal.

My day had started with a trip to Ballater, past glittering snow laden Lochnagar and lines of variously coloured daffodils on the approach to  the town, and a friendly reception at the caravan park. They remember Lynsey, for whom I was delivering a package, and are looking forward to the TGO Challengers coming through in three weeks time.

A pot of tea and a fruit scone at The Bothy (Challengers may prefer the full breakfast) set me up for an easy day, with only a couple of deliveries, leaving plenty of time for the easy stroll up Blath Bhalg from Glen Brerachan.

After yesterday's pathless route, I was pleased to find a good stalkers route all the way to today's summit, which after a snow storm had cleared afforded good views in all directions. In a way the snow was quite helpful as it made the path show clearly as a white line stretching into the distance.

After a while on the 671 metre summit I took a different route down, heading over rough ground to a lunch hut and then taking the good path down to Dalnacarn from there. 

After a quick look at the nearby war memorial and a stroll back up the road, I was in the car and on my way to Biba café in Pitlochry for soup and tea.

Today's easy walk amounted to about 9 km with 300 metres ascent, taking about two and a half hours. Curiously, it was my snowiest walk in the UK this year! 

Then it was simply a case of enjoying the delightful drive past Queen's View, Loch Tummel and Loch Rannoch, to visit our good friends Eddie and Heather and Thomas at Bridge of Gaur Guest House. The lateness of this posting - mostly written in Pitlochry - is a reflection of their hospitality. 

Disappointment of the day - running out of The Bothy to avoid spending  £128 on a rather attractive sastrugi picture that may not have fitted in our house! (I should have bought it.)

Today's pictures:

Top - a view from the summit of Blath Bhalg 

Middle - Lochnagar from the A93 near Ballater 

Bottom - the path to the summit before the snow storm