Walking With Kids At last, after a weekend where it barely stopped raining there was a break in the weather, and a chance to get out. Dechmont hill is our closest climb and measures just under 200m, which gives the kids a chance to get to the top. We parked on the road that runs parallel behind Gilbertfield road. The walk started on the track that leads to Dechmont farm and the shooting range. They are now turning this area into housing, so be careful of builders lorries etc. We took a left turn at the road which leads to the farm, and then a right at the Dechmont Range House, now abandoned. The track ends at a small compound, but takes you past the ruins of Gilbertfield Castle. Gilbertfield Castle The compound contains a couple of old houses which acts as a control station for the shooting range. There is no access through it, instead take a left turn before the end of the track and make your way through the grass. There is a path through here but can be obscured by the tall grass sur...
I escaped the relatives for a few hours on Saturday and took a trip up to the Spittal of Glenshee to attempt Glas Tulaichean (1051m). As always I thought that I might be able to squeeze in another couple of Munros while I was out. I turned into Spittal of Glenshee just before ten, the only people that I saw were tourists standing pensively at a bus stop wondering if a bus were going to turn up and take them to a place where they had shops that opened. The Starting point for the walk was at The Dalmunzie Hotel. You could either park next to the hotel and pay the £2 tariff or at the end of the driveway for free although you would face the extra 2 miles on to your overall journey. I didn’t bring any money so I parked in the free section and tried to convince myself that the extra walking distance would allow me to warm up for the main hill walk I knew in the back of my mind I would begrudge this trudge back to the car on the way back. Once beyond the hotel I followed what I believed to be the old disused railway line, although I later found out this was higher up from the river. I was looking forward to seeing Glenlochsie Lodge although disappointed to find out it was in such a state of disrepair. Beyond the Lodge the track for this Munro is quite easy to follow. The track carves its way into the hill side and even as the mist descended at 800m it was still easy to navigate. Near the top I came across a small cairn, which I thought was about 900m, how wrong I was. 5 minutes later I came across what I though was an odd looking structure. Some sort of small shelter I thought but as I crept forward through the mist it became clear that it was four figures standing around the trig post at the summit of the mountain. I decided against doing any other Munros due to the poor weather conditions and descended by the same route. As I had anticipated the walk between the hotel and the car seemed twice as long as it did in the morning. 
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