Alan Rowan doubles up on the winter hills
THE GLEN DOLL twin Munros of Mayar and Driesh, joined at the hip – or, at least, by a high plateau – have long been winter favourites. They are my local hills. They are also my fallback hills, the summits I head for on the shorter days or when weather puts so many others out of contention. It just wouldn’t be winter without my M&D fix.
In a day of low sun, emerging from the trees into Corrie Fee was like being transported to an ice kingdom; the flat floor in shadow and thick with snow, the surrounding walls dark and dripping and streaked with white.
The path snaked its way alongside the burn towards the headwall, the eyes constantly drawn right
to the impressive waterfall tumbling down the face.
It’s even more impressive when frozen solid.
Next came a steady, crunching ascent through increasingly rocky terrain to the left, the well-engineered path finding the simplest way ahead, crampons a requisite as this section is permanently in shadow during the winter months and can be heavily iced.
The final steps up onto the plateau are by a small burn where a build-up of snow has made for a fleetingly awkward moment on some occasions, but this time there was no problem.
Now out of the corrie, the light returned: blue skies and sunshine on the horizon ahead, while directly behind us the tip of the far wall was being washed with an alpenglow. The view from the sprawling cairn on Mayar is the superior, endless plastered peaks stretching off into the distance to the north and west, sculpted corries and elegantly curving ridges enhanced by the crispness and clarity of the air.
The wander across the boggy ground of the plateau is preferred in low temperatures, a line of rusted fence posts providing some assurance in thicker conditions.
The path reaches the top of the ramp that runs down the side of the Shank of Drumfollow, but a branch turning south-east climbs around the edge of the corrie and then round for the final gentle push to the big shelter cairn that surrounds the trig pillar on Driesh.
A more circuitous descent can be made through Corrie of Farchal and back via Braedownie; but with shorter daylight hours we took the quicker way, retracing our steps to use the ramp down the side of the Shank.
Once at the edge of the forest, we turned to watch the sky colouring with warm pastel layers between the shadowed slopes on either side of the big dip. Large stepping stones led across the Burn of Kilbo and the path dropped fast through the trees. Further down, extensive clearing has opened up the views to the north.
The path short-cuts down to a track, which then follows round to a bridge where a right turn after crossing brought the circuit to a close. My winter twins had delivered the goods once again.