Photographs, route description and maps of a circular traverse of the Corbett Ben Gulabin above Glenshee in the Eastern Highlands of Scotland

Map of Glenshee Ski Centre in the Eastern Highlands

Route Map of Ben Gulabin

BEN GULABIN - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:

Location: Spittal of Glenshee
Map: OS Landranger 43 ( GR1 14714 )
Distance: 3 miles (5km)
Time: 2.5 hours
Terrain: track and path

Ben Gulabin is the steep-sided hill which sits above Spittal of Glenshee, nestling in the V formed where Gleann Beag joins Glen Shee itself.
Utilising a good hill track that swings round to the north to avoid the steeper hillsides, it is an easily accessed and quickly ascended hill, useful for a break in
the weather or when time is limited.
Start from a small parking area on the west side of the road about a mile to the north of Spittal of Glenshee.
There is space for six or so carefully-parked cars beside a gate at the start of a track, with room to keep access to the track free.
There is another small parking area a short distance back down the road with a grassy path leading to the start of the track.
Go through the gate and ascend the track northwards across the hillside with splendid views up Gleann Beag to The Cairnwell, Glas Maol and Creag Leacach, all Munros.
Further up, where the track swings round towards the col at the back of the hill, a burn has to be forded, or jumped.
Beyond a burn that descends the hillside on the left and just below the high point of the track, break off left and climb a steep all-terrain vehicle
track straight up the hillside on to the ﬂatter ground between the south-east top and the main top.
Swing right here and follow a small path through the heather to the summit of Ben Gulabin.
Its cairn sits atop a small outcrop of rock ( 806m; 2644ft ). It is a summit that can be reached in just under the hour, although most will be content to take a steadier pace.
It is worth walking around the ﬂat summit area to take in the ﬁne views. To the north-west Glas Tulaichean, with its ﬁne eastern corrie, is clear to see and further
north Ben Macdui looms in the main Cairngorm massif.
Although it is possible to contrive an alternative return to the road, the slopes are steep and it is easier to return the same way and enjoy the surroundings.

Route Map of Ben Gulabin

BEN GULABIN - ROUTE DESCRIPTION 2:

Location: Perthshire
Grade: Straightforward hill walk
Distance: 4 miles / 7km
Approx Time: 3-4 hours

A recent television series examined the use of the Gaelic language in our landscape and reinforced the longstanding conviction that we have a wonderful cultural heritage in the hill and mountain names in Scotland.
Take Ben Gulabin for example. This is a fairly innocuous Corbett that overlooks the Spittal of Glenshee in Highland Perthshire and yet despite its equally innocuous-sounding name, the hill of the beak, it appears to signify an association with the heroes of the Celtic tale of Diarmid and Grainne. The Fingalian warrior Diarmid O’Duine sealed his fate when he ran off with the beautiful Grainne, lover of the Fingalian leader, Fionn MacCumhail. Knowing that he couldn't kill Diarmid in one-to-one combat ( Diarmid was invincible in battle. but had, like Achilles, a
weak spot in his left heel ) the wily MacCumhail organised a great hunt in search of the magical boar whose ﬂanks were covered in poisonous bristles. Diarmid eventually slew the great beast and Fingal, in time honoured tradition, invited the successful huntsman to measure the length of the beast by pacing along its carcase, knowing full well that should one of the bristles pierce Diarmid’s heel, his revenge would be complete.
MacCumhail’s scheme went according to plan, and Diarmid died on the spot.
Perhaps it's no coincidence that, as Peter Drummond points out in his excellent book Scottish Hill and Mountain Names, there is often a hill or feature associated with boars ( torc in gaelic ) situated close by those areas associated with Diarmid and Grainne.
It's no surprise then that just over the Cairnwell Pass from Ben Gulabin lies the Munro of Carn an Thirc, the hill of the boar.
Tramp up the trail from the roadside to the bealach between Ben Gulabin and its northern neighbour Creagan Bheithe - the path makes easy work of Ben Gulabin’s steep and heathery ﬂanks and soon reaches high above the glen and its sinuous, silvery river. Easy work reaches the hill’s summit ridge connecting the main summit with the lower peak that dominates the Spittal of Glenshee.
The span and spaciousness of the outlook is breathtaking - in the south there is a hint of softness — the wooded, tumbled scenery of Highland Perthshire appears prettily pleasing rather than wildly impressive. And to the south, steep, knee-jarring heather slopes lead to the Spittal, for so long a place to stop for weary travellers like those who brought the colour and romance of the Celtic tales to these shores, or knee-wrecked hill bashers down from the high tops and badly in need of a brew.

ROUTE PLANNER

Map: OS 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 43 (Braemar & Blair Atholl)
Distance: About 4 miles / 7km
Approx Time: 3-4 hours
Start / Finish: Lay-by on the A93 N of Spittal of Glenshee (GR: NO114715)
Public transport: None to the start.
Information: www.walkhighlands.co.uk/corbetts/ben-gulabin
Note: The hotel at Spittal of Glenshee burned down some years ago and is no longer open.

Route:
From the lay-by a gate gives access to an estate track that climbs the E slopes of Gulabin in a N direction.
Continue on this track to col between Gulabin and Creagan Bheithe.
From the high point on the col leave the track and climb Ben Gulabin's NE slopes to the broad summit ridge.
Follow the faint path on this ridge W to the summit cairn.
Return the same way or as an alternative descent follow the steep SE ridge directly to the Spittal of Glenshee.