In 2022 we began an East-to-West traverse of the Scottish Highlands, walking from Montrose to Blair Atholl. Last year the project was completed by walking from Blair Atholl to Oban. Much of the country was familiar, but not the stretch known as the Angus Glens. So this year that is where we returned, with Wild Walking friends Sheila Hogan and Dave Ashby. The 87-mile route we have just completed, spread over six-and-a-half days, runs from Dunkeld, east across the heads of the glens, then south-east to the coast at Montrose: a combination of country lanes, well-established trackways such as the Cateran Trail, farm tracks, grouse-shooting accesses, some intense climbs (one up to 850m) and trackless moorland navigation. Accommodation is scarce, its location largely dictating the route: two hostels and some small country hotels (one of which, delightfully, bade us dip into the freezer and make our own evening meal!)
Delays on the rail network meant a late start from Dunkeld, and in pouring rain. Stress levels matched the water levels in our boots. However, subsequent days were blessedly benign: gloomy at times but mainly sunny and dry. Wild moorland alternated with broad fertile glacial valleys: the glens of Isla, Prosen, Clova and Esk, all alive with birdsong (cuckoo, willow warbler, lapwing, curlew...) and lambing in full swing. The locals were keen to stop and talk; tourists are a rarity in these parts.
In late April, 2022, the spectacular devastation to the forestry of recent storms had substantially caused us to deviate from our route. Now, 2 years later, we were impeded only once, but some plantations still resembled WW1 battlefields, clearance providing much local employment. This apart, we found it astonishing that such natural beauty is so little-known.
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