Have you seen that the Angus Glens Walking Festival gets a name check in this VisitScotland Walking video. We are famous!
GLENTREK
...the upside of outside
Friday 11 January 2013
Thursday 27 December 2012
Fabulous Scottish winter walks
With a covering
of snow on the peaks of Scotland's hills and mountains and a clear, bright day
there can be few better times for a walk. While spring and summer are alive
with nature and autumn is a bounty of colour, winter reveals its own
spectacular scenery and tranquillity.
Here we bring
you five great walks to try this festive season. Remember, too, that Glentrek
offers a wealth of expertise on walking in Scotland and will be only too happy
to offer guidance to a fabulous walk or trek.
Cateran Trail:
Cutting a superb 64-mile walking route through Angus and Perthshire, the
Cateran Trail is one of Glentrek's favourite walks. Choose one of five lovely
stages and set off to explore the countryside that was renowned for caterans
(or rustlers). The second
stage is from Kirkmichael via Enochdhu to Spittal of Glenshee and
offers a refreshing eight-mile route.
Den of
Alyth: Woodlands are stunning at any time of year and we particularly enjoy the
stark features during the winter months. Head to the wooded valley near Alyth,
by Kirriemuir, to walk a short but delightful route close to the tumbling Burn
of Alyth.
Drummond
Hill walk: Follow a waymarked walking route at Drummond Hill, near Kenmore,
Perthshire. The straight up and back walk of about 3.5 miles takes your gently
to Black Rock viewpoint with splendid views over Loch Tay.
Strathdon
ridge walk: An eight-mile hike takes you along the fab Glenbuchat
ridge, near Strathdon. The walk starts from the ruins of Glenbuchat Castle with the route taking you
along the ridge high above the glen. On a winter’s day, the chances are you
will meet no-one else!
Winter Munro: If you have
been walking Munros in summer, why not walk one in winter, too? Meall Chuaich, near Drumochter, will take you off the beaten
track for around five hours and reveals lovely views over Badenoch and
Strathspey.Wednesday 14 November 2012
Cairngorms listed in top 50 greatest places on Earth
Of course, here at Glentrek,
we already rate the Cairngorms very, very highly. With the national park on our
doorstep, we’re intimately familiar with its beautiful and magnificent landscape.
And now leading worldwide publication, the National Geographic, has ranked the
Cairngorms among the last great places on Earth
The list includes other such
places as unspoiled beauty, such as Madagascar, the Gobi Desert and the
Galapagos Islands.
The US magazine has included
the Cairngorms in its 50 of the World’s Last Great Places, describing it as a “destination
of a lifetime”.
And Scottish promoters could
not be more thrilled. VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay is reported as
saying: “Our country boasts some of the most stunning landscapes in the world,
so it’s no surprise the Cairngorms has been named as a must-visit destination
by National Geographic.”
And Duncan Bryden, convener
of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, added: “We are absolutely delighted
with this accolade and to be the only UK entry is simply fantastic.”
In a press release, a
spokesman for National Geographic said: “Our spirits are refreshed by such
pristine locations as the Cairngorms.”
If you’re looking for a
great Christmas present for someone special why not treat them to a guided
walking trip to the Cairngorms (Glentrek can help!)? You can also buy them “50
of the World’s Last Great Places” published by National Geographic for £6.99.
Friday 2 November 2012
New Scottish national walking trail
Scotland’s amazing stable of
long-distance walks has been given another boost with the launch of its longest
ever walk. The Gore-Tex Scottish National Trail stretches an amazing 470 miles
from the south of Scotland to the far north west.
Launched earlier this week
in Edinburgh – where the walking route passes through – it is hoped that the
new walking route will put Scotland firmly on the radars of even more overseas
visitors.
The trail is the brainchild
of writer and broadcaster, Cameron McNeish. Reported in
Scotland’s national newspaper The Herald, Cameron said: “I wanted to
re-discover my country for myself, especially those areas I wasn't so familiar
with, and in doing so walked a route I believe can stand comparison with the
best routes anywhere in the world."
His website adds: The Gore-Tex
Scottish National Trail will become “one of the iconic walking routes of the
world” thanks to a combination of variety and quality of walking through the
Scottish landscape.”
Starting in Kirk Yetholm the
route heads first for Scotland’s capital Edinburgh before walkers take canal
paths west towards Milngavie, near Glasgow. The route then goes north towards Aviemore.
The final section of the
walk stretches almost 120 miles from Badenoch to Cape Wrath, much of it
following the existing Cape Wrath Trail.
Other trails followed as
part of this longer route include the Rob Roy Way from Drymen to Pitlochry in
Perthshire. This is an area that Glentrek
knows really well!
The route will not have its
own waymarkers, except for new plaques at Kirk Yetholm, the Water of Leith
Visitor Centre in Edinburgh and Cape Wrath.
Wednesday 19 September 2012
10-year-old twin girls bag a full Munro round
If you are struggling to
find the energy or motivation to go walking, perhaps this heart-warming tale
will give you a push. For 10-year-old twin girls Cliona and Nuala McCheyne recently
finished a full round of Scotland’s 282 Munros.
The girls, from Dunoon, have
been walking Munros sine they were aged only four and with their parents Diane
and Neil they have spent many weekends enjoying themselves on Scotland
mountains.
What are the Munros?
The Munros are mountains with a summit of at
least 3,000ft (914.4m) and are located across Scotland. The were first
identified by Sir Hugh Munro in the early 19th century and since
then several thousand people have walked the full round of 282 Munros.
But many people take decades
to walk all the Munros, and never have the Munros been completed by children so
young. For mum and dad, it has taken 26 years to finish the full round, while
the family dog, West Highland terrier, Aonach, is still on 224 Munros.
One of the twins, Cliona is
reported as saying: “It’s been great fun doing them. We’ve never found them
scary. Our mum is a bit scared of heights so we always have to encourage her.”
Of course, no one is saying
that you need to go out and embark on the full Munro round challenge. You could
simply try bagging a few Munros for starters. In fact, in Angus and the
surrounding there are some of the easiest Munros.
As with any hike
in the countryside, it is important that you know how to navigate yourself
safely by map and compass before setting out, especially if the weather
forecast is poor. Glentrek offer hill walking navigation courses, should you be
interested.
The twin girls were able to learn map reading skills as part of their family Munro bagging trips. Mum Diane is reported as saying: “The girls have learnt so much doing the Munros, like how to map-read. It’s been a huge learning curve for them.
“We’re so proud. It’s a remarkable achievement for anyone. We didn’t set out to break a record. We just did it so we could spend time together and we’ve loved every minute of it."
Easier Munros to bag
The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda
Dreish and Mayar
Schiehallion
Mount Keen
Ben Chonzie
If you would like any information about bagging Munros, or would like some guiding assistance do please get in touch.
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