I've just walked the section of the Cateran Trail from Lair to the Spittal of Glenshee with a small group of pals and we all fail to understand how it could possibly be an ancient drove road or delightful and tranquil! It was a nightmare. We'd crossed three tops on the west side of Glenshee in the morning and set off from Lair for what we thought would be an 'easy' flat walk back to the Spittal Hotel.
The website says:
'The Cateran Trail is a delightful ... walk set in the Perthshire Highlands of Scotland similar to the West Highland Way.'
NOT! The route took us through wet, over the boot-top swamps, thigh high grass, fields of cattle, over about a dozen ladder stiles, through boulderfields ... need I continue?
The managers of the route - Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust - will be getting an email from me this week!
NOT! The route took us through wet, over the boot-top swamps, thigh high grass, fields of cattle, over about a dozen ladder stiles, through boulderfields ... need I continue?
Parts of the WHW were like that at the beginning. Dont know what the route is like but driving about suggests that a lot of it is on tarmac.
Have to say that I've walked the WHW six times and NEVER encountered conditions like yesterday on the Cateran Trail!
Can't understand how the 'authorities' got away with giving it trail status! Most of the route is on tarmac as you noted!
RJ Webb said:
Quoted message said:
NOT! The route took us through wet, over the boot-top swamps, thigh high grass, fields of cattle, over about a dozen ladder stiles, through boulderfields ... need I continue?
Parts of the WHW were like that at the beginning. Dont know what the route is like but driving about suggests that a lot of it is on tarmac.
Have to say that I've walked the WHW six times and NEVER encountered conditions like yesterday on the Cateran Trail!
That sounds rough..
Did some bits of the WHW about 1983 , mind in foul weather, and they seemed to have just designated a line and folk had already eroded it. Bloody horrid in Glen Falloch/Loch Lomondside.
Much better on the old road and now that a path is built and maintained..
Mind - Perthshire must be like a sponge right now - not surprised it was hard going
