Last updated: 10/04/12

Glen Prosen to Glen Clova
8 Apr, 2012

Fifteen Cairngorm Club members left on Easter Sunday for a day trip to the Angus Glens. Most members ascended either Driesh or/and Mayar and one member elected to take “The Minister’s Path” to the Inn at Glen Clova.

The Glen Prosen road is narrow and has at least two tight bridges before Glen Prosen Lodge is reached but our driver managed to get both ourselves and the 49 seat coach to the public road end where the meet proper began. Today we were sharing the coach with the Stocket Hillwalking Club.

At 09.25am, and with all 29 in possession of Easter Eggs (courtesy of Bill Morgan), we set off past Glen Prosen Lodge (where a lot of new buildings are going up) for the ruin at Kilbo. The Cairngorm Club ‘Rescue Section’ had to swoop into action here and retrieved two young lambs who had got stuck in a fence just beyond the Lodge, they seemed right as rain once set free. We also passed the farmers and their many dogs who had been retrieving sheep from higher up the glen. Weather wise it was not a bad day at all. The MWIS gave a 40% chance of cloud free Munros in the east but suggested cloud bases could fluctuate. A circa 7 inch dump of snow earlier the previous week (drifting to thigh deep) had also to be considered by all when choosing routes across to Glen Clova. One party ascended Driesh by The Lick.

Setting off from Glen Prosen Lodge

Looking up Glen Prosen towards Kilbo and Broom Hill

Kilbo ruin

Geraldine crossing the ‘bridge’ over the Prosen Water

The President’s Party numbered nine today, and once at Kilbo, and with some blue sky popping out, we stopped for tea in the warm sunshine. The Stockets caught us here and stopped also. From here the Kilbo Path proper starts, it enters a Sitka Spruce plantation before emerging onto the open hill a distance above. Once higher the path is named after the Sron it ascends, the Shank of Drumwhallow.

Entering the Sitka plantation

On the Kilbo Path with Mayar beyond

Mayar from the Shank of Drumwhallow

Soon we had reached the Kilbo’s highest point (which is marked by a post with no sign) and stopped again for another break and to consider our options. We were hit by one or two heavyish wintery squalls on the ascent but nothing of real note.

Teatime on the Kilbo

The day proceeded by going out to Mayar, our party growing to 11 at one point when Archie the collie and Gordon from the Stockets joined us.

On the climb up Mayar (looking beyond to Driesh)

The mist came and went on Mayar

Cairngorm Club on Mayar

Looking down to Kilbo and Glen Prosen from “The Mayar”

Hopes of big views across to Lochnagar did not materialise but we could pick out Mount Blair and the Backwater Reservoir and Gordon Stalker correctly identified the Lomonds at Fife. As we left Mayar the cloud was blowing off the nearby hills.

Heading for Driesh as the clouds clear

Driesh from the west

Looking back to Mayar

Someone made the call for lunch and a nook at the top of the Shank of Drumfallow, the shank on the opposite side of the hill, was located. We ate here before continuing on over Driesh and the Hill of Strone and onwards to the Clova Hotel.

Driesh from the west

Looking down the Burn of Kilbo towards (the old) Glen Doll Youth Hostel

It was rather blowy on Driesh

There is a fair old drop from Driesh to it’s col with Hill of Strone.

Hill of Strone from Driesh

Looking towards ‘The Doll’ from the Hill of Strone col

Once Hill of Strone was reached the walk along the tops towards Glen Clova was delightful on a fairly good path and it was mostly flat or downhill.

Glen Clova from the ridge

Looking to the Cairn of Barns and the col where we descended

The descent from the col was probably the trickiest part of the day as it was steep(ish) in places and had hidden holes in amongst an overgrown boulderfield, but it is never difficult, it just needed care.....

The Clova Hotel

Total trip time for this route was a respectable 6hrs 35mins.