Carn Aosda 917m, Carn a’Gheoidh 975m The Cairnwell 933m (3 Munros): Thursday 12th May 2016
The day started well with me finding a new (to me) moth, Acleris logiana, in the trap – unfortunately it was dead and had probably been overlooked from one or two nights earlier.
And then on our way to our walk, Alison spotted a grouse up a tree. I thought this sounded more like Black than Red Grouse, turned the car around and sure enough we found two Black Grouse – the first I’ve seen in Britain since 1998. |
Our walk started at the Glenshee ski centre on the Cairnwell Pass – so again we had the significant easement of a start at 660m. Carn Aosda and The Cairnwell are both accessible during the ski season by chairlift and along with Glas Maol are the Glenshee ski hills. Carn Aosda has to be the easiest Munro of all 280 to ‘bag’ – it took us 35 mins from the car park to the summit. Once heading off to Carn a’Gheoidh we soon left the scars of the ski development and we were in good mountain scenery. With perfect weather the views were excellent across to Ben Macdui, Glas Tulaichean and we could see most of the long 4-Munro route we had done on Sunday. Wildlife seen included at least 4 Mountain Hares, 4 Ptarmigan – all male, and plenty of Red Grouse.
Distance: 13km, Ascent: 595m.
Click here for video of Red Grouse
Distance: 13km, Ascent: 595m.
Click here for video of Red Grouse
Plant of the day: Stag’s-horn Clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum) Family: Lycopodiaceae
Clubmosses are herbaceous, evergreen, spore-producing plants, usually prostrate with branching stems and small simple leaves with a single midrib. L.clavatum is found on moors heaths and mountains of the north of Britain and is the most widespread British clubmoss. It has spirally arranged leaves, 3-7mm long with white hair points and stalked cones, the stalks often branched.