Glen Esk

I parked off-road immediately south of the bridge over the River North Esk in Glen Esk, and west of Dalbrack Farm, and from there walked to the farm then up the vehicle track on the west side of the Burn of Dalbrack. I then crossed a fence and the stream before heading east along a vehicle track on the north side of Garlet. At a junction of tracks I took the one that led to the summit of Cowie Hill where the highest point of this Tump was apparently close to the three cairns.

The descent was back to the junction of tracks then I walked up the vehicle track onto Garlet where higher up the track ran alongside a double electric fence. On reaching the summit area I had to climb over the first electric fence then roll under the second one to reach the cairn marking the summit of this Tump.

 Once back onto the vehicle track I descended south-west then headed onto West Knock where the vehicle track was replaced by an ATV track. The boggy sections could be avoided as I headed onto the summit of this Graham Top. I then continued west the ATV track joining up with a vehicle track before I ascended the Graham Top, Black Hill. The electric fences were still close by.

Still heading west a good track, then an older one, took me over a small peaty knoll and to the summit of Cairn of Meadows, the highest point of this Graham Top was apparently beside the stile. Another track north-west then the trace of a path through dry peat took me to the highest point of the day, Cruys, where a cairn on the south side of the fence marked the summit of this Graham Top.

After a break I returned to Black Hill where I crossed the electric fences via a stile then made a fairly steep descent to Round Hill. The gradient then eased briefly before steepening again as I continued north above Coire Murrin. It was then less steep as I followed stock fences through fairly rough vegetation before low down reaching the vehicle track on the west side of the Burn of Dalbrack which was followed back to the farm.

  • Time taken – 6.25 hours.
  • Distance – 21 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 945 metres.