"Rob Milne" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:I was ready to do a hill after the Saturday night 70th Birthday
Celebration for Hamish Brown and gathering of many Marylin Hall of famers
(and me ...)
Time for my Corbett number 200, Ben Enaiglair. Parked at Braemore Junction
and noted activity in front of the cottage, putting stuff in a car. Took
the very boggy path marked along the hill side. Follows a reasonable line,
but very boggy. (did I mention it is pretty boggy?).
The path crosses the Home Loch at its inflow, not the outflow and meets a
recently bulldozed new track. It was quick walking to the east bealach,
with the approaching storm getting closer and closer. A fast walk up the
ridge and on top in only 1 hr 30 min (guidebook time 2hr 30 min, I must be
fit!). just managed to capture a panorama before the clag came in.
Number 200 in the bag, only 19 left ...
back to the bealach and adding the Graham only took 20 minutes.Decided to check out the landrover track from the top end to see what the
story was. I had noticed a fire break a bit west of the cottage and
planned to see what it was like for a by-pass.
When you enter the forest, the estate has sheep pens across the track. The
gate has barbed wire on it and a big sign directing walkers around, but
was not locked. Also a beware of dogs sign! The track then goes right past
a number of estate buildings and a cottage (empty). Dogs in their kennel.
The track then turns a couple hundred meters clear of the lodge, but in
full site of it. I ambled down the forest peacefully defiant, looking at
the terrain to drop to the main road, looked fine.
Rounded a corner and 100 yards ahead was a mother and child out for a walk
on their 'private' road. In best paint ball style, I turned and ran back
around the corner, hoping I wasn't spotted. I then cut down through the
open forest to the main road. No fence to be crossed. I was surprised to
see people, since I hadn't got to the forest break yet, turns out I was
still about 1/3 of a mile from the cottage.
the forest break looked fine for access to the forestry track, but
skipping passing the cottage (if you are so inclined).
Walked up the main road for 3 hrs 30 min rt. The Keeper was putting estate
rubbish in the public skip at the parking from a trailer on his ATV. we
ignored each other and I changed.
Just when I was ready to put my wet shoes in the car and drive off, a
Range Rover arrived at the gate by the cottage with the keeper behind. I
calmly put my stuff in the boot. By then they had driven through the gate,
the range rover stopping not far from the car. as I got in the car, the
keeper drove the ATV to right next to my driver's door. I locked my car
doors and started the engine. He stood 3 ft away staring at me as I
started to reverse. He was so close with his ATV that I couldn't fully
reverse, but I had then enough space to go forward and turn around. He
never said a word, but I guess I had been seen in the forest and it took
the lady in the Range Rover a while to get to the gate.
I didn't really need a confrontation, so just drove off with them staring
at me.
If he was about to shout at me for being on the track, but always well
away from any occupied buildings, then that is really too much!
Seems they are pretty sensitive about 'their' forest ...Rob
Hmm. It's probably wise not to annoy the landowners too much, otherwise
they'll start campaigning to have footpaths closed, and landowners tend to
have a fair bit of power.
Adam