NO1913769593 At the road junction go straight on through the gate past a house, and follow the private road north along the bank of the River Isla. After nearly 3km cross a bridge and pass Tulchan Lodge (hidden away in the trees). Continue between forestry and the river to reach open ground in the upper glen, with an increasingly good view of the craggy slopes that enclose the head of the glen. Pass a signpost for the Monega path, and instead of turning off here stay with the main track a while longer. Cross the Glas Burn, and a short distance further on, turn left onto a side track.

NO1854273597 This climbs steadily away from the river, following the Glas Burn uphill then curving right onto the grassy southern spur of Monega Hill. A long steady slog brings you up to the broad summit ridge. Here there’s a precipitous view out over the glacier-gouged depths of the Caenlochan Glen.

NO1866175656 Head west(ish) along the cliff edge for the quick stroll onto Little Glas Maol (a vehicle track just south of the skyline has less good views). Beyond a little dip is the gentle summit dome of Glas Maol itself, featureless and hard to navigate in the mist but easy underfoot. From the wind break and trig point on top there’s a huge view, with the distant high Cairngorms looming massively over the intervening lesser ranges. The breadth of the summit plateau makes it feel a little detached from its immediate surroundings, the chief benefit of this being that you can’t see any of the nearby Glen Shee ski resort.

NO1668576572 Bear southwest over featureless ground to descend from the Glas Maol dome onto the ridge connecting to Creag Leacach. An obvious well-trodden path follows the course of an old drystone wall along the ridge, which becomes steadily narrower and better defined – in many ways the hillwalking highlight of the day. It’s rough rocky going for the final climb onto the quartzite summit cone of Creag Leacach, a fine viewpoint overlooking Glen Shee (some might say it’s best seen from a distance).

NO1545874544 Stay with the wall along the ridge – still stony underfoot – to reach the southwest top. The bulk of the hillwalking traffic seems to make a beeline for Glen Shee from here, so continuing southwest to stick with the high ground instead is likely to give you less chance of company. A short steep descent followed by an easy stride along the wall brings you to the outlying top of Carn Ait. Turn hard left here, following a fence downhill over increasingly boggy ground. The fence leads over the curiously named bump of Mallrenheskein, then onwards through a peat-riddled dip before relatively dry turf is regained on the wide top of Black Hill. It’s all fairly undistinguished terrain, but attractive for its spacious emptiness. Deer, grouse and hares easily outnumber people up here.

NO1608571758 If you can be bothered (I couldn’t) then the dull-looking dome of Monamenach would be easily visited from here; it’s a Corbett, if you find that sort of thing an incentive. It is quicker however to call it a wrap on Black Hill. Head east-northeast on a track beside the remains of a fence line, descending a broad heathery spur into Glen Brighty. Down in the glen cross the burn (may need care in spate conditions) to pick up a more heavily used track on its north bank. This soon leads down into the woods surrounding Tulchan Lodge. Ignore the ‘private’ sign on the woodland gate – it’s your right to walk here. A short walk downhill through the woods (you needn’t even go within sight of the Lodge) reunites you with the main track in Glen Isla. It’s only half an hour back to the car now.