The walk file: Glen Cova, Angus

[Donna]

The Angus glens are a Scottish tourist attraction little known south of the border, forming the eastern edge of the Cairngorms National Park, with hills reaching around 3,000ft, all no more than an hour’s drive from Dundee.

Part of the attraction of this walk is the improbable names – of course Clova has nothing to do with the three- or four-leafed legume and the beautiful Loch Brandy is not really full of distilled wine. Start from the Glen Clova Hotel, where you can leave the car if you’re going to eat or drink there; if not, use the public car park across the road. A path starts from the right of the hotel leading through a small birch wood. When you come to a wooden footbridge and a kissing gate, follow the path up the hillside. It’s quite steep, but there are man-made rock steps. Flat-topped rocks provide convenient resting points.

Head straight up the north side of the glen for expanding views of the chunky, broad-shouldered hills and the lovely South Esk valley winding below. It’s mostly heather, grass and rock, so particularly colourful in August but lovely in a different way in winter. If you’re lucky you’ll see a buzzard or even a golden eagle, peregrine falcon or osprey; otherwise pipits are plentiful.

The path becomes slightly easier as you approach Loch Brandy, nestling in its corrie or circle of hills. Here you can either stop, swim (an extremely icy choice) or take the more challenging option by taking the left-hand path up the steep slope of The Snub (2,746ft). From the summit there are great views to Lochnagar. You can then walk around the top of the corrie surrounding the loch, reaching Green Hill (2,854ft) before descending down Broom Shank, and then retracing your steps back to the hotel for a drink or dram at the rustic Hollywood-Scottish bar.

Good place for Patti & Jeane to explore!