Hill: Tolmount (958m)(Mountain of the Dale) & Tom Buidhe (957m)(Yellow Hill)
Type: Munro x2
So much for the best walking day of the week as I listened to the rain hammering on the window and roof giving me little sleep. In 24 hours the forecast had changed totally. I decided to go along anyway and the amount of roadside flooding was amazing even vehicles in fields presumably aquaplaned.
Another favourite Angus glen, Glen Clova, was still stunning but the low level of cloud was disconcerting as was the trees dancing away in the wind. The forecast was now predicting sleet/light snow on the higher tops with 30+mph winds and stronger gusts.
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| River running in full spate as I was to discover later |
I was originally going to do these from the traditional Braemar side but after talking to a friend he suggested the Glen Doll route. A long trek in and out but still shorter with craggy corries, a deep glen and waterfalls, what's not to like? The big carpark had only 3 cars and it was blowing a hoolie and light rain. To go or not? I was here so decided to walk the trail and see what it was like after the woods when I entered the exposed glen.The route is similar to Braemar in that it follows Jocks Road which is a long distance trail between the two. Originally a drove road used mostly by smugglers and cattle thieves. Later more famous as a historic right of way land dispute.A very long undulating walk through Glendoll Forest, pleasant enough and sheltered but it was a very boggy trail.
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| Glen Doll from the trees |
Finally out into the magnificent amphitheatre of Glen Doll itself, hemmed in by high cliffs and crags on each side and a tantalising view of the trail ahead. Sir Hugh Munro considered this 'to be as wild a little glen as one could wish to see'. The immediate wind hit meant an additional layer of protection required. Waterfalls cascading all around, quite a sight.  |
| Spotted |
Then I spotted movement on a slope and delighted to see a red deer stag with his small harem. |
| Head of Glen Doll |
Jocks Road is an excellent narrow track and on reaching the head of the glen, about 4 miles from the start iIcame across the famous bothy, Davy's Bourach.  |
| Not a post box but entrance to the bothy |
Certainly an unusual place. Love or hate, your choice. I wouldn't want to spend the night in it but as a lifesaver a different answer. |
| Flanks of Tom Buidhe but it would be a couple of hours before I would be descending them |
The track has climbed on a good gradient to around 800m and now opens out and is a very open and exposed landscape. Feels quite lonely in these murky conditions. |
| Crow Craigies |
Sadly the clouds are covering the tops so no big views. The track heads round to Crow Craigies, (Tolmount's only other top), exposed crags drop off to the left, where I now left Jock's Road to head for the peat hags in the general direction of Tolmount which I could still not see despite being so close.  |
| Tolmount |
The hags were ok to negotiate followed by a short climb to Tolmount. 2 hours 40m but this did not feel like a Munro summit. |
| Rough terrain to the bealach |
The rain was on and nothing to see so I followed a track in the general direction of Tom Buidhe. Through the gloom I could just see a lower bealach which I wanted to reach. Once reached took a right turn and headed up the grassy slopes to the summit, aided by a track I found. |
| Uninspiring top 2, Tom Buidhe |
Just 35 minutes after leaving Tolmount I was on the summit of Tom Buidhe, another uninspiring small cairn. There are 5 other Munros on this relatively flat Cairngorm plateau so on a fine viewing day the views would have been more inspirational. However today it wasn't so no lingering and no more tracks as I wanted to re-join Jocks Road near the bothy. Easier said than done as I had hoped to pick out the trail but it was well camouflaged. I daresay on a better day there would be the odd walker to spot and take a bearing from. Once I was out of the clouds I could see the peat hags to be negotiated but I could also see the burn which was in spate and could be a challenge, it was.
I guided myself down without incident over the rough moor and yes the burn was wider than normal, running fast and deep pools. I wandered up and down with no obvious crossing. I was thinking about just getting soaked when I spotted a large rock I could just stand on hoping it was not too slippery as this was my anchor foot, reached over and just touched the other bank with a pole. This was an odd angle looking down at the water and no comeback from this position. Could I make the final leap over a deep pool, just with a lot of relief.
More peat hags to overcome and then the final climb up to the track was the hardest part for me, my legs were tired and it was further and steeper than I thought.
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| Descent back through Glen Doll heading to the trees |
Still finally found it and only the long, but not unpleasant descent back to the car. When I checked I realised why my legs were tired. Despite no major steep sections it was a long constant climb and at almost 1400m a lot of ascent for 2 Munros.Thankfully despite nae views, the forecasted snow and high winds did not come to fruition, so a good walk and a good day out.
Ascent: 1376m
Distance: 21.2km
Time: 5.29
Wildlife: Red Deer; Buzzard; Red Grouse
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